Cominco Res. boosts reserves in Turkey

Additional drilling during 1992 at the Cerattepe copper property in northeast Turkey boosted reserves by about one-third.

Cominco Resources International (TSE), owner of the project, estimates diluted high-grade reserves at about 1.2 million tonnes grading 10% copper. Previous estimates put reserves at about one million tonnes grading 9% copper. The high grade zone is overlain by a lower-grade zone of mineralization estimated to contain about four million tonnes grading 2% copper. Both zones are hosted in a fault-bounded pyrite breccia body. The high-grade zone varies from flat-lying to dipping at about 45, measures up to 70 metres in thickness, 350 metres in length and extends about 120 metres downdip before being cut off by a fault.

The company conducted geophysical work in the area in an attempt to locate the fault offset but was unable to identify a target.

Cominco Resources anticipates a production decision for Cerattepe as early as the second quarter this year and is now conducting metallurgical testing, geotechnical and environmental studies as well as scope definition for a future mining operation.

Preliminary metallurgical work on the high-grade zone indicates that good recoveries and concentrate grades can be expected.

The 1992 drilling also identified an oxidized zone of gold and silver mineralization overlying the upper part of the pyrite breccia body. Although additional drilling will be required, the company estimates the zone contains in the order of one million tonnes grading about 3 grams gold and 150 grams silver per tonne.

The geophysical work designed to locate a fault offset of the zone did identify an anomaly about 500 metres to the north of the Cerattepe deposit. One hole drilled into the anomaly late last year returned a 22-metre intersection of massive sulphides grading an average of 3% copper starting at 153 metres below surface.

Cominco Resources plans to conduct additional drilling on the new zone, dubbed the Kerdelen, in February.