Results from four more holes indicate potential for the discovery of a large-scale porphyry copper-gold-molybdenum deposit at the Escalones project in central Chile.
The most significant hole was ES-5, which hit 203 metres of magnetite skarn grading 0.81% copper and anomalous gold starting within 6 metres of the surface. The top 113 metres of the interval ran 1.1% copper.
General Minerals drilled the hole in order to test the extent of skarn mineralization intercepted in ES-1, about 80 metres south.
Magnetite skarn crops out along the crest of the Escalones Alto zone and extends downhill 1.5 km.
Hole ES-1 was drilled to the northwest, hitting 377 metres of 0.63% copper, including 77 metres of 1.3% copper at the top of the hole (T.N.M., Dec. 14-20/98).
General Minerals encountered shorter intervals of copper mineralization in ES-4, and concluded that the hole was collared stratigraphically below the main skarn-hosting unit. Drilled 250 metres northwest of ES-1, the hole was designed to test for a strike extension of the skarn unit.
The company tested the southeastern edge of the Meseta zone with ES-2, hitting 59.5 metres of mineralization near the top of the hole, grading 0.42% copper. The hole, situated 550 metres south of ES-1, cut a sequence of skarn, calc-silicate hornfels and intrusive dykes and sills.
Drill crews encountered a completely different geological and geophysical environment in ES-3, which was put down on the eastern edge of the Escalones Bajo zone, 1.2 km from ES-1. The hole hit only sub-economic mineralization hosted in fractured and altered biotite hornfels.
Copper mineralization was encountered in various lithologies over a vertical extent of 830 metres. The geology is complex, given that thrusting and faulting acted as control for emplacement of the intrusive body.
General Minerals President Ralph Fitch is optimistic the company will find a porphyry body at Escalones. “Little quartz veinlets with chalcopyrite, anhydrite veinlets and alteration selvages tell us there is a good chance for a porphyry deposit somewhere in the hill,” he says.
One drill rig will remain at the Alto zone, to trace the skarn mineralization along strike and downdip. A second rig will probe an anomaly at the Bajo zone for porphyry mineralization and a chalcocite blanket. The company intends to drill 7-10 holes before the Chilean winter arrives.
Situated in the Andes, three hours southeast of Santiago, the property is more than 3,700 metres above sea level.
Be the first to comment on "General Minerals adds to potential in Chile"