EXPLORATION – WPG finds high-grade copper

A trenching program by Western Pacific Gold (WPI-A) has resulted in a high-grade copper discovery at the Hambusimaloso project in the Solomon Islands.

Ten continuous channel samples, which were excavated at a depth of 1 metre on a creekbank, returned 50 metres grading 2.45% copper, the highest individual assay being 5 metres of 7.46% copper. Trenching and pitting on a nearby target returned three 5-metre composite samples averaging 1.29% copper, including 5 metres of 2.61% copper. The mineralization consists of chalcopyrite, bornite, covellite and chalcocite in veins with quartz and irregular masses in highly altered and fractured andesitic agglomerate and breccia. Multi-phase mineralization is evident, and the company says the complex copper mineralogy and high sulphide content suggest that some supergene enrichment may be present in the trenches.