The program consisted of approximately 1,500 metres (m) over three diamond drill holes; two located at the Pircas Norte target and one at the Gemelos Norte target. Drill hole 24SC-DDH-003 intercepted 0.36 g/t gold (Au) and 0.078% copper (Cu) over 502 m from 98 m down hole, including a higher-grade interval of 0.69 g/t Au and 0.10% Cu over 20 m from354 m down hole at Pircas Norte. The drill hole ended in mineralized intrusive diorite breccia due to logistical limitations and the reported intercept remains open. These results represent a new discovery of significant gold-copper porphyry mineralization and confirm the Company's exploration thesis for the broader
A Message from
'We are thrilled to announce a significant gold and copper discovery at the Pircas Norte target at our flagship
'This achievement marks a pivotal moment for
Detailed Discussion:
The Santa Cecilia project is host to a 10 square kilometre (km) hydrothermal alteration footprint which contains a cluster of Au-Cu porphyry targets. The identified Au-Cu porphyry targets are mineralized either on surface or at shallow depths across approximately 4 km of strike length with very limited to no drilling completed, providing the Company with the opportunity to discover large-scale porphyry-style mineralization at or near surface through drilling. Norte Abierto's Caspiche porphyry gold-copper deposit, which is held in a 50/50 joint venture by
Of the three drill holes completed in the phase II drill program, two were located at the Pircas Norte target and consisted of approximately 600 m (24SC-DDH-003) and 496 m (24SC-DDH-005), respectively, and 404 m (24SC-DDH-004) was drilled at the Gemelos Norte target. The Pircas Norte and Gemelos Norte targets are located within 1 - 2 km of the Caspiche deposit. Pircas Norte has the largest footprint of observed porphyry mineralization at Santa Cecilia, measuring approximately 300 m x 400 m. Most of the Pircas Norte area is covered by colluvium, however selective rock samples have returned values between 0.35 g/t Au and 1.43 g/t Au, 0.09% Cu and 0.47% Cu, and irregular anomalies of up to 4 ppm Mo. The absence of epithermal indicators in the overburden suggests that Pircas Norte could host a shallow porphyry system which may be easier to access. In the southern region of Pircas Norte, the porphyry zone is in fault contact with the 600 m in diameter Pircas dacite dome system.
Drill hole 24SC-DDH-003, intersected 90.8 m of phreatomagmatic breccias, as well as the mineralized Pircas Norte porphyritic intrusive complex, which was present to the end of the hole. Besides the gold-copper-molybdenum porphyry style mineralization present in the area, the drilling has shown late-stage gold-zinc mineralization, represented by pyrite, chalcopyrite, low-iron sphalerite and galena veins.
The units intersected may be summarized as follows: Phreatomagmatic breccias: associated with the Pircas dacite dome system, from surface to 90.8 m.
Quartz diorite porphyry: from 90.8 m to 226 m, an irregular interval, including quartz diorite intrusive breccia at different levels and strong local faulting. In this section, a 62 m interval stands out (102 m to 164 m) averaging 0.49 g/t Au, 0.16% Cu and 12 g/t Mo. The interval shows mainly fault breccia and a late-stage polymetallic vein.
Diorite porphyry (amphibole-biotite): from 226 m to 432 m, possibly a late intrusive phase, sparsely veined and low-grade (approximately 0.15 g/t Au, on average), including 34 m (282 m to 316 m) of fault breccia with veined porphyry clasts which returned 0.43 g/t Au and 0.082% Cu and 0.29% Zinc (Zn). Additionally, a large slab of intrusive diorite breccia from the underlying unit was intercepted, from 354 m to 374 m, and returned results of 0.69 g/t Au, 0.1% Cu and 5.6 g/t Mo over 20 m.
Intrusive diorite breccia: from 432 m to 600 m (end of hole): brecciated, densely veined diorite porphyry phase, with frequent small fragments of Paleocene basement. The average grade was 0.46 g/t Au and 0.088% Cu.
Next Steps: The Company is expecting the assays from the remaining two drill holes in the coming weeks. Once those have been received,
Corporate Updates: The Company is also announcing the resignation of
In addition, further to the Company's news release on
Contact:
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Tel: (778) 729-0500
Email: info@torqresources.com.
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Analytical samples were taken by sawing PQ or HQ diameter core into equal halves on site and sent one of the halves to
Forward Looking Information
This release includes certain statements that may be deemed 'forward-looking statements'. Forward-looking information in this release are statements that relate to plans for future exploration programs, which are dependent on raising additional capital. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different (either positively or negatively) from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by some of the principal forward-looking statements. See
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