Trevali Identifies New Mineralized Body at Santander Project in Peru
Trevali Resources Corp. announces that drilling has intersected a new zone of high-grade, silver-rich massive sulphide mineralization over mineable widths at the past-producing Santander Pipe on the Santander mine project in Peru. Drill hole SAN-166 – the first hole in the 2011 Resource Expansion and Exploration program – intersected a very broad zone of disseminated silver and zinc mineralization that returned 132 metres of 0.6 oz/t (20.4 g/t) silver, 1.68% zinc within which higher grade intervals occur as highlighted above and in Table 1.
The area was identified as part of an ongoing property-wide multi-disciplinary exploration program as a very high priority target with potential to host significant mineralization. These results clearly provide positive proof of concept and the Company is confident that additional mineralized intercepts will be forthcoming from the new zone.
“These results are an excellent start to the 2011 drill program and provide strong support of the Company’s aims of adding significant additional tonnage at Santander in order to potentially expand production from 2,000 to 4,000 tonnes per day following commissioning of the operation later this year,” stated Dr. Mark Cruise, Trevali’s President and CEO. “Given the team’s 100% track-record to date – five targets drilled and five mineralized bodies delivered – I am very confident that ongoing drilling will continue to create shareholder value by rapidly adding more base and precious metal to Santander’s open ended resource inventory.”
TARGET SUMMARY
The Santander Pipe is roughly cylindrical in shape with a diameter of approximately 120 metres and a mined vertical depth of 480 metres. Mining ceased in mineralization and the Pipe remains open for expansion at depth (Figure 1).
Mineral system analysis of the Santander Pipe including detailed reconciliation work using historic drilling, channel sampling and production data suggests that very significant potential remains adjacent to and below the old mine – potentially in excess of what was historically mined (Figure 1).
Drill hole SAN-0166 targeted one such zone and intersected mineralization immediately adjacent to the historic orebody where it is transitioning from an annular ring to tabular replacement mantos from approximately 210 to 310 metres vertically below ground surface . Continuous skarn alteration with massive to semi-massive sulphide mineralization was intersected over a broad interval of 132.3 metres
In detail, the skarn related mineralization is controlled by the intersection of the Santander Anticline with a cross cutting ENE striking, sub-vertical wrench fault. Mineralization in the upper half of the Pipe, from 0 to 230 metres below ground surface (bgs) is hosted within the Jumasha and Pariatambo limestones while the lower half occurs within limestones of the Chulec Formation. Massive to semi-massive sphalerite with accompanying argentifreous galena, pyrrhotite and minor chalcopyrite occurred as an annular ring 6-20 metres thick surrounding a central stock of garnetiferous skarn and disseminated sulphides. Sulphide mineralization in the lower half of the Pipe (230 to 440 metres bgs) occurs as manto replacement bodies between 5 to 25 metres thick and represents very attractive targets capable of rapidly adding significant tonnages.
Additional follow-up drilling from surface is in progress in order to further test the potential and continuity of mineralization. Once completed and contingent on results the Company will examine the feasibility of rehabilitating the uppermost historic mine workings in order to facilitate access for a larger resource expansion program.
To view Figures 1 and 2 accompanying this press release, please click on the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/tv315.pdf
