Linear’s Cobre Grande proving itself worthy of name (May 31, 2007)

Vancouver – Linear Metals (LRM-V) is showing its Cobre Grande or great copper site in Oaxaca, Mexico, is worthy of its name with the latest drill effort cutting high-grade copper along with zinc, molybdenum, and silver.

In the sites southern skarn zone, until now thought to be a smaller resource than the northern zone, Linear intersected 130 metres of 1.62% copper, 0.51% zinc, 0.01% molybdenum, and 29 grams silver per tonne, beginning at 48 metres from surface.

Going deeper, the same hole cut seven metres of 0.91% copper, 0.05% zinc, 0.01% molybdenum, and 19.14 grams silver, starting at 188 metres.

Combined with previous drilling, Linear has now outlined two high-grade mineralized zones at Cobre Grande. One is the northern skarn, which was considered to have the best exploration potential in the area. Now the second zone, called the southern skarn, has been found to hold equal grade potential as well as exploration upside.

Its a polymetallic zone and so there are hot spots where you get higher grades, said Linears president and chief operating officer Grant Ewing. Based on results to date the north zone was looking hotter, but now we see the southern zone is also very encouraging.

The Cobre Grande site also includes the historical Kennedy mine, which produced oxide zinc-copper ore. The old mine spurred further exploration, which was rewarded when Linears initial drill program identified copper-silver-zinc mineralization below the old mine, as well as near surface mineralization in nearby areas.

Ewing does not yet know when Linear will be able to complete reserve and resource estimates, but theyre planning to work towards that in the coming months. Were going to add another drill to the project and commence metallurgical studies very soon, Ewing said.

As for mine design, while its still early days Ewing says the site to has potential as an open pit mine, with the possibility of continuing underground at some point.