Meridian Mining UK S announced further strong results from its Cabaçal Cu-Au-Ag project. Wide zones of Cu-Au-Ag mineralization continue to be defined, highlighted by CD-535 returning 21.6m @ 3.1g/t AuEq /2.1% CuEq, and CD-529 returning 16.1m @ 2.8g/t AuEq /1.9% CuEq, within the open pit area1. Further results from Cabaçal, Santa Helena and the Mine Corridor drill programs are pending.
A detailed review of the Cabaçal drill program's results has identified multiple structural inflexions along the 2km strike length of the deposit, within which, the bulk of the Cu-Au-Ag mineralization is found. The Company has reviewed its geophysical data, and identified multiple signs for repeats of these structures, down dip of the mine and importantly extending along the 10km Mine Corridor. These new targets can be considered prospective for repeats for Cu-Au mineralization, and exploration programs to drill test these structures are advancing.
Cabaçal Drill Results: Cabaçal's drill programs continue to deliver a flow of solid gold-copper-silver results across the deposit. CD-535's 21.6m @ 3.1g/t AuEq including 7.2m @ 5.5g/t AuEq showed the presence of strong intact zones of mineralization in the southern sector of the mine where further definition is ongoing in areas of wider spaced drilling. The focus of drilling is now contributing to final stages of mine planning and on targeting areas where data has been historically lost in whole or in part, along with some infill of areas of wider spaced drilling.
Cabaçal Analogue For Near-Mine Exploration: The drilling to date has now provided a good framework for evaluating the geometric relationships between mineralization and rheological contacts - particularly the interface between the mine sequence and the felsic volcanic footwall (the "TAC"), where better grades are associated with inflexions in the contact and intersections between the northwest Mine Corridor trend and cross-structures. In developing gold exploration targets in particular, the Meridian team has scrutinized the developing datasets for inflexions and intersections in basement trends, as it has become increasingly apparent that the Cabaçal deposit and the gold overprint event is particularly precipitated at sites where the TAC flattens and is locally deflected from a north-western to a more east-western strike orientation. Aerial magnetic data shows a number of analogue deflections of similar character to that evident at Cabaçal.
The gravity data shows Cabaçal localized in a northwest-striking gravity low, again with a slight counterclockwise rotation from the dominant regional trend. A second gravity low, virtually undrilled, is positioned to the southwest of Cabaçal and, separate regional inflexions are seen in the gravity pattern in the southern sector of the Chiquito region, and in the Sucuri area where the belt deflects to an east-western trend. These initial prospects will now be subject to a full suite of field exploration techniques including diamond drilling.
