A recent series of twelve reverse circulation holes (totalling 2,196 metres) by Partners Aur Resources (AUR-T) and Arizona Star Resource (AZS-V) have failed to to extend the limits of a previously discovered gold zone on the Agua de la Piedra property in northern Chile.
Nine of the holes failed to return significant results. The remaining holes were highlighted by 269 metres running 3 grams gold per tonne in hole AP-14.
The two companies are reviewing the results to decide their next move.
Earlier this summer, 12 holes totalling 2,220 metres of drilling by operator and 51% owner Aur returned similar results. Again, nine of the holes returned only anomalous values, three holes drilled below a mineralized outcrop intersected encouraging gold grades.
Two of these holes returned 65 metres grading 1.59 grams gold per tonne (including 18 metres of 3.15 grams) and 60 metres of 2.02 grams (including 45 metres of 2.39 grams). A third returned an 18-metre interval of 0.95 gram gold and a 24-metre interval of 1.22 grams (including 13 metres of 1.57 grams).
Work to date has focused on the contact between a thick sequence of andesitic volcanic and sedimentary rocks. The target is a low-sulphidation, gold-bearing epithermal system. Outcrops are limited, though mapping and sampling indicate there may be multiple zones of multi-stage epithermal quartz veining within an overall structural corridor measuring at least 400 metres wide by 1,500 metres long.
Preliminary metallurgical tests suggest that the fine-grained mineralization may be amenable to heap leaching. Recoveries varying from 83% to 96% were obtained from recent bottle-roll tests.
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