Ero Copper intersects 51.8 meters grading 3.49% copper including 33.4 meters grading 4.96% copper in Pilar Mine Deepening, announces two new regional discoveries in the Vermelhos District and the discovery of a nickel-PGM rich zone at Siriema
DECEMBER 3, 2019 NR:19-18
Ero Copper intersects 51.8 meters grading 3.49% copper including 33.4 meters grading 4.96% copper in Pilar Mine Deepening, announces two new regional discoveries in the Vermelhos District and the discovery of a nickel-PGM rich zone at Siriema
Vancouver, British Columbia – Ero Copper Corp. (the “Company”) (TSX: ERO) is pleased to provide a quarterly update on the ongoing exploration drill programs on its 99.6% owned Vale do Curaçá Property located in Bahia State, Brazil. This update encompasses drill results received from the end of August through mid-November 2019. Drilling during the period was focused primarily on several priority target areas within the Pilar Mine, Vermelhos Mine and the Vermelhos Mineral District following release of the Company’s updated National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”) compliant mineral resource and reserve estimate.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Most significant set of holes drilled in the Pilar Mine to date, indicative of a new high grade mineralized chamber, or “Superpod”, below the known extent of mineralization in the mine. Results are highlighted by hole FC5616 that intersected 51.8 meters grading 3.49% copper including 33.4 meters grading 4.96% copper and hole FC5615 that intersected 62.5 meters grading 1.65% copper including 26.1 meters grading 2.37% copper.
- Two new, regional, copper discoveries within the ten kilometer Vermelhos System trend at N1 South and Vermelhos North. Results at N1 South are highlighted by hole CRN1-08 that intersected 20.0 meters grading 0.92% copper including 7.0 meters grading 1.77% copper from 52.0 meters downhole. Results at Vermelhos North are highlighted by hole CRN10-02 that intersected 14.0 meters grading 1.01% copper including 5.0 meters grading 1.98% copper from 143.0 meters downhole. Borehole EM surveys are ongoing to better define high-grade targeting within these newly discovered mineralized areas.
- Identification of a brecciated massive sulphide zone within the Siriema deposit containing copper, nickel and cobalt as well as platinum, palladium, rhodium and gold (“3PGE+Au”). Results are highlighted by hole FSI-40 that intersected 9.1 meters grading 2.66% copper, 1.74% nickel, 0.07% cobalt and 1.46 grams per tonne 3PGE+Au including 5.6 meters grading 3.37% copper, 2.59% nickel, 0.10% cobalt, and 2.08 grams per tonne 3PGE+Au. The zone remains open at depth and has been delineated over approximately 150 meters in strike length, 105 meters down plunge and over an average thickness of 10 meters.
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- Within the Vermelhos Mine, additional mineralization has been encountered just beneath the main Vermelhos orebodies of Toboggan and Sombrero highlighted by drill hole FVS- 165 that intersected 6.4 meters grading 5.03% copper including 2.0 meters grading 10.50% copper and FVS-66 that intersected 9.0 meters grading 1.82% copper. These holes continue to confirm the high potential beneath the main orebodies. Additional drilling of the Vermelhos East Zone at depth, also at the Vermelhos Mine, continues to intersect highgrade mineralization, highlighted by hole FVS-413 that intersected 8.4 meters grading 4.02% copper including 3.0 meters grading 8.83% copper.
Commenting on the results, Mike Richard, Chief Geological Officer, stated, “This is an exciting time for our exploration programs. At the Pilar Mine Deepening Extension, we haven’t seen drill holes of this thickness and grade since we acquired MCSA in 2016 and the latest results give us confidence in the long-term future of the Pilar Mine, not only with respect to securing future production, as we have been able to demonstrate in drill results thus far, but also with respect to maintaining an elevated grade profile in the years to come – a critical objective of the Company. Infill drilling of this newly identified zone will be a key area of focus of our 2020 drill program in the Pilar Mine.
At Siriema, the discovery of nickel and platinum group metals (“PGMs”) provides the first empirical evidence of a massive sulphide zone that is characterized by pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, pentlandite plus PGMs and suggests that the deposits of the Curaçá Valley may be zoned from copper rich to copper-nickel rich. This copper-rich to nickel-rich zonation is observed in many of the world’s largest magmatic sulphide deposits. The recent discovery at Siriema has added another dimension to our exploration effort and, in my mind, to the potential value of the Curaçá Valley. It goes without saying that the results surrounding Siriema highlight why a significant portion of our regional exploration efforts to date have focused within the Vermelhos District.
On the regional side, we are pleased to announce the discoveries at N1 South and Vermelhos North in the Vermelhos District. Additionally, two recent holes in a completely new regional target, known as Bota Cela, located in the Surubim District, have intersected near-surface copper mineralization approximately 100 meters apart. Assay results are pending for these holes and significantly more work is needed in this area. Overall, we see the discoveries of Siriema, N1 South, Vermelhos North and the early results at Bota Cela as positive signs that our systematic regional exploration program is effective and we look forward to our exploration efforts in 2020 where we intend to allocate over 65% of total meters drilled on regional targets. In 2019, for comparison, regional exploration will total less than 20% of all meters drilled.”
Twenty-five drill rigs are on site, fifteen of which are currently operating with the remaining ten rigs temporarily demobilized for year-end maintenance. Operating drill rigs include four within the Pilar District, six within the Vermelhos District, four operating on regional targets within the
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Surubim and Vermelhos Districts plus one operating east of the main Curaçá Valley tenements for exploration permit renewal purposes. There is currently one additional underground drill rig operating at the NX Gold Mine.
Expansions and extensions, as referenced herein, reflect mineralization not captured in the Company’s mineral resource and mineral reserve models used in the current (2019) mineral resource and reserve estimate. There has been insufficient work and analysis surrounding new discoveries, as referenced herein, to define a mineral resource and it is uncertain if further exploration and analysis will result in such targets being delineated as a mineral resource.
The drill holes outlined in this press release within the Vermelhos and Pilar Districts will be made available on the Company’s Curaçá Valley site tour and interactive three-dimensional models for the Pilar Mine and the Vermelhos System, which can be accessed via the Company’s website (www.erocopper.com) or via VRIFY Technology Inc. (“VRIFY”) (www.vrify.com).
SUMMARY
- Within the Pilar District, drilling during the period was focused on upgrade and exploration programs within and adjacent to the Pilar Mine, including within the Deepening Extension and Baraúna zones.
- In the Pilar underground mine, drilling in the Deepening Extension zone continues to significantly extend the known extent of high-grade copper mineralization of the mine both with respect to thickness and grade. The latest results during the period are indicative of the emergence of a new high grade, mineralized chamber, or “Superpod”, at depth and are highlighted by hole FC5616 that intersected 51.8 meters grading 3.49% copper including 33.4 meters grading 4.96% copper and hole FC5615 that intersected 62.5 meters grading 1.65% copper including 26.1 meters grading 2.37% copper. These results are complemented by previously announced intercepts of FC47142 that intersected 34.7 meters grading 2.29% copper including 18.6 meters grading 3.15% copper and hole FC47139 that intersected 7.1 meters grading 6.50% copper including 4.1 meters grading 9.01% copper, both located on section 47, approximately 400 meters south of the new intercepts on section 56 (please refer to the Company’s press release dated September 12, 2019 for previously released holes).
- Drilling within the Baraúna zone continues to extend the area of known mineralization to the south. To date, the main extent of mineralization has been delineated over a north-south strike length of approximately 450 meters, varying thickness of up to 30 meters and has been interpreted as extending from outcrop at
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the bottom of the open pit and connecting to mineralization at depth in the Pilar Mine. Recent drilling located another 200 meters south of the historic open pit and main Baraúna zone, as currently defined, continues to intersect near-surface copper mineralization. While results to date in this area are low-grade disseminated mineralization, additional geophysical work is ongoing to better refine high-grade targeting in this zone.
- Within the Vermelhos District, drill results during the period highlight the Company’s ongoing efforts to extend the known limits of mineralization within the district through further testing of the brecciated massive sulphide zone within the Siriema deposit, extensions of the main mineralized Vermelhos orebodies to depth, drill testing higher grade extensions of the N8/N9 deposit (previously known as Vermelhos West / East) and expanding the ongoing regional exploration effort throughout the district including at two new regional discoveries, Vermelhos North and N1 South, located at the far north and south ends of the ten kilometer Vermelhos System, respectively.
- Within the Siriema deposit, new drilling combined with multi-element analysis of previously announced drill holes intersecting a brecciated massive-sulphide zone at the Siriema deposit, or the “Keel Zone”, have returned nickel, cobalt and 3PGE+Au values. This is the first evidence in the history of the Curaçá Valley of a consistent zone of elevated nickel and PGMs. To date, the zone has been identified over 150 meters in strike length, 105 meters down plunge and over an average thickness of approximately 10 meters. Results during the period are highlighted by hole FSI-40 that intersected 9.1 meters grading 2.66% copper, 1.74% nickel, 0.07% cobalt and 1.46 grams per tonne 3PGE+Au including 5.6 meters grading 3.37% copper, 2.59% nickel, 0.10% cobalt, and 2.08 grams per tonne 3PGE+Au. Additional highlights include the multi-element results received during the period from the previously announced copper intercepts in hole FSI-42, which were selected for multi-element analysis. The multi-element intercepts of FSI-42 include 31.8 meters grading 2.22% copper, 0.40% nickel, 0.02% cobalt and 0.60 grams per tonne 3PGE+Au including 5.0 meters grading 5.63% copper, 0.90% nickel, 0.04% cobalt and 1.97 grams per tonne 3PGE+Au (please refer to the Company’s press release dated September 12, 2019 for previously released copper intercepts).
- New drilling to test the continuity of mineralization beneath the main Vermelhos orebodies of Toboggan and Sombrero continues to yield promising results that highlight the potential for continuity of the mineralized zones at depth. Results during the period are highlighted by hole FVS-165 that intersected 6.4 meters grading 5.03% copper including 2.0 meters grading 10.50% copper and FVS-66
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that intersected 9.0 meters grading 1.82% copper. Additional down-hole EM work targeting increased thicknesses of these zones at depth remains ongoing.
- Drilling to depth within the Vermelhos East Zone continues to intersect high-grade mineralization, highlighted by hole FVS-413 that intersected 8.4 meters grading 4.02% copper including 3.0 meters grading 8.83% copper. This intercept, along with previously announced drill results in hole FVS-432 that intersected 27.6 meters grading 1.95% copper and 7.0 meters grading 4.48% copper including 3.0 meters grading 8.02% copper are all located approximately 450 meters below surface, and continue to define several high-grade lenses within the Vermelhos East Zone. To date, the zone has been interpreted as a series of lenses extending from surface oxides to a depth of approximately 550 meters and it remains open to depth and along strike (please refer to the Company’s press release dated September 12, 2019 for previously released holes).
- Recent drilling also focused on extending the current mineral resource limits of the N8 and N9 deposits, modeled as two discrete orebodies in the current mineral reserve estimate, in an effort to extend the known limits of mineralization in these deposits. During the period, 17 reverse circulation “RC” holes were drilled at N9 and 7 core holes were drilled at N8 outside of the current mineral resources and reserves. Results are highlighted by hole CRN9-23 that intersected 17.0 meters grading 1.82% copper including 8.0 meters grading 2.59% copper at N9. Followup core drilling and down-hole EM surveys within the immediate area of these holes is planned to further determine the extent of mineralization and whether zones of high-grade massive sulphide mineralization may emerge.
- Regionally within the Vermelhos District, two new discoveries were made during the period, located at the northern and southern ends of the ten kilometer Vermelhos System trend. Similar to prior regional targets, the near surface extent of mineralization within these zones has initially been defined using RC drilling. The Company will continue to test these target areas using a combination of core drilling and down-hole EM surveys, targeting high-grade zones within these new discoveries.
- N1 South is located at the southern end of the ten kilometer Vermelhos System. To date, the mineralized zone has been identified over 250 meters in north-west south-east strike length, approximately 100 meters wide along section and from surface to a depth of up to 200 meters. Results are highlighted by hole CRN1-08 that intersected 20.0 meters grading 0.92%
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copper including 7.0 meters grading 1.77% copper from 52.0 meters downhole.
- Vermelhos North is located at the northern end of the ten kilometer Vermelhos System. To date, the mineralized zone has been identified over 700 meters in north-south strike length, approximately 50 to 150 meters wide along section, and up to 350 meters below surface. Results are highlighted by hole CRN10-02 that intersected 14.0 meters grading 1.01% copper including 5.0 meters grading 1.98% copper from 143.0m downhole.
- At the Company’s 97.6% owned NX Gold Mine, one underground exploration drill rig is focused on upgrading and extending the previously announced Santo Antonio discovery (see press release dated April 18, 2019) where current mine development is ongoing. Results of all previously announced drill results will be incorporated into the Company’s updated NI 43-101 compliant mineral resource and reserve estimate and new life of mine plan expected to be released prior to year-end.
PILAR DISTRICT
The Pilar District encompasses the area surrounding the Pilar underground mine, Caraíba Mill complex and the past producing Pilar open pit and R22 Mines. Four drill rigs are currently focused on resource upgrade and exploration programs within the Pilar Mine. Previously operating drill rigs in the district have been temporarily idled for year-end maintenance.
During the period, the Company re-prioritized drilling of the Deepening Extension where a new set of deep drill holes, drilled down plunge to the north have intersected thick and high-grade mineralization indicative of a newly identified mineralized chamber, or “Superpod”, in the Deepening. In addition, drilling of the Baraúna and South Extension zones continued to confirm extensions of mineralization within these zones.
The Deepening Extension
Deepening Extension drilling is currently targeting mineralization on the East Limb of the Pilar Mine between level -725 and level -1300 approximately 1,200 meters to 1,750 meters below surface and approximately 100 meters laterally from the current level of the primary ramp (completed to level -925).
Underground drilling during the period continued work that commenced in mid-2019 to reprioritize testing of the known extent of mineralization within the zone, including down-plunge exploration drilling beneath the deepest known extents of mineralization within the Pilar Mine.
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Drilling captured in the Company’s previously announced third quarter exploration update, focused primarily on the central and southern sections of the Deepening Extension zone while drilling during the current period focused on the northern sections. The results during the period are among the most significant holes on a grade-meter basis drilled by the Company in the Pilar Mine since acquisition of the Vale do Curaçá Property in 2016. Results are highlighted by hole FC5616 that intersected 51.8 meters grading 3.49% copper including 33.4 meters grading 4.96% copper and hole FC5615 that intersected 62.5 meters grading 1.65% copper including 26.1 meters grading 2.37% copper. These results are complemented by the previously announced intercepts of FC47142 that intersected 34.7 meters grading 2.29% copper including 18.6 meters grading 3.15% copper and hole FC47139 that intersected 7.1 meters grading 6.50% copper including 4.1 meters grading 9.01% copper, both located on section 47, approximately 400 meters south of the new intercepts on section 56 (please refer to the Company’s press release dated September 12, 2019 for previously released holes).
Exploration results from the Deepening Extension supports that the Pilar Mine is open at depth, where high-grade mineralization continues to be encountered approximately 350 meters below the deepest level of current development at the mine.
Please see Figure 1 for a north-south long section and Figure 2 for a level map showing collar locations of Deepening Extension drilling within the Pilar Mine.
| Hole ID | From (m) | To (m) | Length (m) | Cu (%) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FC49144 | 419.5 | 426.5 | 7.0 | 4.58 | |||||
| including | 422.5 | 426.5 | 4.0 | 6.00 | |||||
| and | 432.4 | 440.2 | 7.8 | 3.31 | |||||
| FC5074 | 421.4 | 438.4 | 17.0 | 0.87 | |||||
| including | 424.4 | 429.4 | 5.0 | 1.13 | |||||
| FC5615 | 363.6 | 426.1 | 62.5 | 1.65 | |||||
| including | 400.0 | 426.1 | 26.1 | 2.37 | |||||
| FC5616 | 572.2 | 624.0 | 51.8 | 3.49 | |||||
| including | 572.2 | 605.6 | 33.4 | 4.96 | |||||
| and | 649.6 | 657.4 | 7.8 | 1.84 | |||||
| FC5618 | 405.4 | 460.4 | 55.0 | 1.14 | |||||
| including | 422.4 | 448.4 | 26.0 | 1.55 | |||||
| also including | 430.4 | 441.4 | 11.0 | 2.22 |
NSI indicates no significant intercept based on a three meter mining width and cut-off grade of 0.68% copper. Drill holes were drilled from level -670 in the Pilar Mine. Holes not included are either pending assay results, have been included in a different section of this press release for clarity of discussing drill results or were previously included in a prior press release. The length of intercept may not represent the true width of mineralization. Values may not add up due to rounding. From, to and mineralized intercepts are rounded to the nearest tenth of a meter.
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Baraúna Zone
The Baraúna zone of the Pilar Mine has been delineated, to date, over a north-south strike length of approximately 450 meters, varying thickness of up to 30 meters and from outcrop at the bottom of the open pit connecting to mineralization at depth in the Pilar Mine. Drilling during the period was focused on extending the known mineralization to the south towards surface as well as testing the limits of mineralization south of the main Baraúna zone. For planning purposes, drilling of the zone is focused on an area that, on average, extends 110 meters beneath the southern limit of the open pit mine (the pit floor is located approximately 230 meters below surface at its deepest).
Drilling was performed from surface targeting mineralization beneath the southern portion of the open pit mine and extensions of mineralization to the south. The results are highlighted by hole FC1923 that intersected 31.8 meters grading 0.83% copper including 7.0 meters grading 1.31% copper immediately beneath the south pit wall and FC0901 that intersected 4.5 meters grading 0.44% copper from 19.6 meters down hole, approximately 200 meters south of the known limit of mineralization within the Pilar Mine. While results to date in this area are low-grade disseminated mineralization, additional geophysical work is ongoing to better refine high-grade targeting in this zone.
Please see Figure 3 for a north-south long section of the Baraúna zone and Figure 4 for a plan map showing collar locations.
| Hole ID | From (m) | To (m) | Length (m) | Cu (%) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FC0901 | 19.6 | 24.1 | 4.5 | 0.44 | |||||
| FC1206 | 5.0 | 17.0 | 12.0 | 0.19 | |||||
| and | 53.6 | 67.6 | 14.0 | 0.19 | |||||
| and | 70.3 | 78.3 | 8.0 | 0.18 | |||||
| and | 131.4 | 140.5 | 9.1 | 0.67 | |||||
| including | 135.0 | 137.3 | 2.3 | 1.12 | |||||
| and | 144.3 | 147.2 | 3.0 | 0.65 | |||||
| and | 153.9 | 159.9 | 6.0 | 0.22 | |||||
| and | 173.6 | 178.2 | 4.6 | 0.22 | |||||
| and | 181.8 | 188.6 | 6.8 | 0.26 | |||||
| and | 192.7 | 202.6 | 9.9 | 0.34 | |||||
| FC1208 | NSI | NSI | NSI | NSI | |||||
| FC1323 | 111.4 | 135.4 | 24.0 | 0.23 | |||||
| and | 140.1 | 156.7 | 16.6 | 0.23 | |||||
| and | 166.2 | 170.9 | 4.7 | 0.20 | |||||
| FC1324 | NSI | NSI | NSI | NSI | |||||
| FC1533 | NSI | NSI | NSI | NSI |
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| Hole ID | From (m) | To (m) | Length (m) | Cu (%) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FC1534 | NSI | NSI | NSI | NSI | |||||
| FC1729 | NSI | NSI | NSI | NSI | |||||
| FC1923 | 51.9 | 83.7 | 31.8 | 0.83 | |||||
| including | 51.9 | 58.9 | 7.0 | 1.31 | |||||
| and | 101.3 | 112.2 | 10.9 | 0.24 | |||||
| FC2022 | NSI | NSI | NSI | NSI |
NSI indicates no significant intercept, based on a three meter mining width and cut-off grade of 0.18% copper for near-surface intervals and 0.68% for intervals below 200 meters down hole. Drill holes were drilled from surface. Holes not included are either pending assay results, have been included in a different section of this press release for clarity of discussing drill results or were previously included in a prior press release. The length of intercept may not represent the true width of mineralization. Values may not add up due to rounding. From, to and mineralized intercepts are rounded to the nearest tenth of a meter.
South Extension
Within the Pilar underground mine, continued drilling of the South Extension from a drill station at level -300, continues to demonstrate continuity of mineralization at the southern edge of the orebody. Drilling is targeting additional extensions of this zone to depth and to the south. These new results are significant when combined with previously announced drilling from level -174, including hole FC3264 (21.0 meters grading 1.41% copper including 4.0 meters grading 3.54% copper and 31.9 meters grading 2.78% copper including 3.0 meters grading 5.63% copper as detailed in the Company’s press release dated June 20, 2019), as they continue to provide evidence that the Pilar Mine remains open to the south.
Please see Figure 5 for a north-south long section and Figure 6 for a level map showing collar locations of South Extension drilling within the Pilar Mine.
| Hole ID | From (m) | To (m) | Length (m) | Cu (%) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FC34101 | 333.9 | 346.1 | 12.2 | 1.64 | |||||
| including | 338.9 | 341.9 | 3.0 | 3.04 | |||||
| FC34102 | 158.8 | 161.8 | 3.0 | 0.95 | |||||
| FC34103 | 80.3 | 86.3 | 6.0 | 1.34 | |||||
| FC34104 | NSI | NSI | NSI | NSI | |||||
| FC34108 | 311.7 | 315.3 | 3.6 | 1.06 |
NSI indicates no significant intercept based on a three meter mining width and cut-off grade of 0.68% copper. The drill holes were drilled from level -300 in the Pilar Mine. Holes not included are either pending assay results, have been included in a different section of this press release for clarity of discussing drill results or were previously included in a prior press release. The length of intercept may not represent the true width of mineralization. Values may not add up due to rounding. From, to and mineralized intercepts are rounded to the nearest tenth of a meter.
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VERMELHOS DISTRICT
The Vermelhos District is located approximately eighty kilometers to the north of the Pilar Mine and Caraíba Mill complex and includes the operating high-grade Vermelhos Mine. Drilling is focused on both near-mine extensional drilling as well as new regional targets identified during the Company’s regional airborne survey and subsequent data compilation work of the broader Vermelhos System – a north-south trend encompassing the Vermelhos Mine, East Zone, Siriema N8/N9 deposit, and several high priority targets that extends over ten kilometers in strike length.
Nine drill rigs are currently operating in the district including six focused on upgrade and exploration programs within and adjacent to the Vermelhos Mine, while three rigs are focused on regional targets, including targeting extensions of the brecciated massive sulphide zone of the Siriema deposit. Previously operating drill rigs in the district have been temporarily idled for yearend maintenance.
Siriema
The Siriema deposit is the Company’s first regional discovery (see press release dated July 30, 2019 for the announcement of the Siriema discovery) and is located approximately 1.5 kilometers south of the Vermelhos Mine. To date, Siriema has been interpreted as a mineralized zone extending approximately 400 meters in strike-length, approximately 20 to 50 meters in width, and from surface to a depth of approximately 250 meters. The zone is interpreted to contain multiple sub-vertical mineralized lenses that remain open to depth and to the east. While the majority of mineralization within Siriema is disseminated, the Company continues to outline a shallowplunging east-dipping zone of high-grade massive-sulphide breccia mineralization trending to the north-northwest using down-hole EM. Known as the “Keel Zone”, new drilling, combined with multi-element analysis of previously released copper intervals within this zone represent the first empirical evidence of a continuous zone of mineralization containing, along with copper, elevated levels of nickel, cobalt and PGMs in the history of the Curaçá Valley. To date, the zone measures approximately 150 meters in strike length, 10 meters in thickness, has been drilled over a vertical extent of 105 meters. Current drilling and down-hole EM surveys at Siriema are targeting massive sulphide mineralization at depth.
The following results during the period have been presented for drill intercepts within the Keel Zone (selected for complete multi-element and fire assay based on unique mineralogical composition), and separately for intercepts within Siriema, but outside of the Keel Zone.
Please see Figure 7 for a map of the Vermelhos System and Figure 8 for Siriema collar locations including Keel Zone drilling.
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Keel Zone Drilling & Multi-Element Results
| Hole ID | From | To | Length | Cu | Ni | Co (%) | Au (gpt) | Pd | Pt | Rh | 3PGE+Au | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (m) | (m) | (m) | (%) | (%) | (gpt) | (gpt) | (gpt) | (gpt) | |||||||||||||
| FSI-40 | 280.2 | 289.3 | 9.1 | 2.66 | 1.74 | 0.07 | 0.61 | 0.77 | 0.07 | 0.010 | 1.46 | ||||||||||
| including | 283.7 | 289.3 | 5.6 | 3.37 | 2.59 | 0.10 | 0.82 | 1.13 | 0.12 | 0.015 | 2.08 | ||||||||||
| FSI-42* | 143.1 | 174.9 | 31.8 | 2.23 | 0.40 | 0.02 | 0.47 | 0.09 | 0.04 | 0.002 | 0.60 | ||||||||||
| including | 166.5 | 171.5 | 5.0 | 5.63 | 0.90 | 0.04 | 1.70 | 0.25 | 0.02 | 0.006 | 1.97 | ||||||||||
| FSI-43* | 123.5 | 149.7 | 26.2 | 1.90 | 0.29 | 0.02 | 0.25 | 0.09 | 0.05 | 0.004 | 0.39 | ||||||||||
| including | 140.5 | 146.5 | 6.0 | 2.85 | 0.70 | 0.04 | 0.36 | 0.10 | 0.06 | 0.005 | 0.52 | ||||||||||
| FSI-64 | 273.3 | 284.6 | 11.4 | 5.02 | 0.43 | 0.03 | 0.99 | 0.12 | 0.03 | 0.004 | 1.15 | ||||||||||
| including | 273.3 | 279.3 | 6.0 | 7.16 | 0.51 | 0.04 | 0.27 | 0.14 | 0.01 | 0.006 | 0.42 | ||||||||||
| FSI-74 | 142.7 | 197.2 | 54.5 | 1.01 | 0.19 | Co and PGM assay results pending | |||||||||||||||
| including | 184.2 | 194.4 | 10.1 | 2.39 | 0.57 | Co and PGM assay results pending |
(*) Previously announced copper intercept prior to receipt of nickel, cobalt and PGM results. NSI indicates no significant intercept, based on a three meter mining width and cut-off grade of 0.18% copper for near-surface intervals and 0.68% for intervals below 200 meters down hole. Drill holes were drilled from surface. The length of intercept may not represent the true width of mineralization. Values may not add up due to rounding. From, to and mineralized intercepts are rounded to the nearest tenth of a meter. Nickel, cobalt and PGM results shown for exploration significance only. Below detection limit assay results for Au (0.001gpt) Pd (0.001gpt), Pt (0.005gpt) and Rh (0.001gpt) composited assuming zero grade.
Siriema Results, outside Keel Zone
| Hole ID | From (m) | To (m) | Length (m) | Cu (%) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FSI-56 | NSI | NSI | NSI | NSI | ||||
| FSI-57 | NSI | NSI | NSI | NSI | ||||
| FSI-58 | 180.3 | 192.3 | 12.0 | 0.99 | ||||
| including | 186.3 | 191.3 | 5.0 | 1.94 | ||||
| FSI-62 | NSI | NSI | NSI | NSI | ||||
| FSI-66 | NSI | NSI | NSI | NSI | ||||
| FSI-67 | NSI | NSI | NSI | NSI | ||||
| FSI-68 | NSI | NSI | NSI | NSI |
NSI indicates no significant intercept, based on a three meter mining width and cut-off grade of 0.18% copper for near-surface intervals and 0.68% for intervals below 200 meters down hole. Drill holes were drilled from surface. The length of intercept may not represent the true width of mineralization. Values may not add up due to rounding. From, to and mineralized intercepts are rounded to the nearest tenth of a meter.
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Vermelhos Mine Orebody Extensions
Drilling during the period at the Vermelhos Mine was focused on both infill drilling for mine planning and extensions of the limits of known mineralization beneath the main orebodies of Toboggan and Sombrero. These holes, drilled approximately 70 meters beneath the main orebodies, complement the previously released hole, FVS-465, that intersected 13.4 meters grading 5.86% copper including 8.4 meters grading 7.04% copper from 306.3 meters downhole in showing the potential to extend mineralization to depth. Follow-up drilling and down-hole EM surveys in the vicinity of these holes is ongoing (please refer to the Company’s press release dated September 12, 2019 for previously released holes).
Please see Figure 7 for a map of the Vermelhos System and Figure 9 for Vermelhos Mine collar locations.
| Hole ID | From (m) | To (m) | Length (m) | Cu (%) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FVS-66 | 168.0 | 173.0 | 5.0 | 0.75 | |||||
| and | 284.0 | 293.0 | 9.0 | 1.82 | |||||
| FVS-165 | 221.4 | 229.6 | 8.2 | 1.51 | |||||
| and | 250.8 | 255.4 | 4.6 | 0.84 | |||||
| and | 268.5 | 274.9 | 6.4 | 5.03 | |||||
| including | 268.5 | 270.5 | 2.0 | 10.50 | |||||
| FVS-629 | 203.5 | 207.5 | 4.0 | 1.07 |
NSI indicates no significant intercept, based on a three meter mining width and cut-off grade of 0.18% copper for near-surface intervals and 0.68% for intervals below 200 meters down hole. Drill holes were drilled from surface and from level +216 in the Vermelhos Mine. The length of intercept may not represent the true width of mineralization. Values may not add up due to rounding. From, to and mineralized intercepts are rounded to the nearest tenth of a meter.
Vermelhos East Zone Extension
The Vermelhos East Zone is located approximately 100 meters to the east of mineralization comprising the main Vermelhos Mine orebodies and lies on the eastern side of an intrusive body. The zone of mineralization, to date, has been delineated from surface copper oxide mineralization to an interpreted depth of approximately 500 meters below surface.
During the period, drilling of the Vermelhos East Zone focused on testing continuity of mineralization within the zone. Results were highlighted by hole FVS-413 that intersected 8.4 meters grading 4.02% copper including 3.0 meters grading 8.83% copper from 469.1 meters downhole. This intercept, along with previously announced drill results in hole FVS-432 that intersected 27.6 meters grading 1.95% copper and 7.0 meters grading 4.48% copper including 3.0 meters grading 8.02% copper are all located approximately 450 meters from surface and continue to
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