Drilling in this area of Mina Grande Sur has been focused on the delineation of near-surface, high-grade mineralization. To date, results from 50 drill holes for a total of 803.6 metres at Mina Grande Sur have been reported with results from the 45 remaining holes to follow upon receipt. The drill program at Mina Grande Sur has now been completed and included a total of 2,328.4 metres from 95 holes (see map below in Figure 1.). Results of the drill program will contribute to the overall understanding of the area and provide data in support of the upcoming technical report expected to be released in Q3 2018.
Jim Walchuck, President and CEO of Zinc One commented, “These results from the completed drill program at Mina Grande Sur continue to demonstrate that the Bongará Zinc Mine project is an exceptional zinc-rich deposit. We fully expect that the data collected from Mina Grande Sur will become part of the upcoming resource calculation for the entire project. While we wait for the remaining results from Mina Grande Sur, the drill program will be focused on the Mina Grande Centro zone, where drilling has now commenced, and then continue in the Mina Grande Norte zone.”
Mina Grande Sur Additional Drill Results Highlights:
Results from 24 holes were reported previously (see news releases from March 29, 2018 and May 7, 2018).
Significant new intercepts include:MGS18047 – 11.2 metres of 24.7% zinc, from 1.8 metres drill depthTrue vertical thickness of 9.7 metres from true vertical depth of 1.6 metres
MCH18026 – 5.5 metres of 25.0% zinc, from surfaceTrue vertical thickness of 3.9 metres
MGS18046 – 4.5 metres of 36.1% zinc, from surfaceTrue vertical thickness of 3.2 metres
Mineralization at Mina Grande Sur includes zinc oxides, carbonates and silicates hosted by soils, highly-weathered carbonates, and fine- to coarse-grained dolomites.
Mina Grande Sur is one of three known zones of high-grade, near-surface zinc-oxide mineralization along a 1.4 kilometre mineralized trend that is being tested by this drill program. Results from the 36 holes drilled have been reported at Bongarita, which lies approximately 1.3 kilometres northwest of Mina Grande Sur. A significant high-grade zinc deposit was discovered during the drill program at Mina Chica, which is approximately 1.2 kilometres northwest of Mina Grande Sur. Results from 35 of 53 holes drilled at Mina Chica, for a total of 2,370.9 metres, have been reported to date.
Geology and Discussion of Results
The zinc mineralization at Bongará is hosted by carbonate rocks and is classified as a Mississippi Valley-type deposit. The mineralization is stratabound and is basically a tabular body with irregular boundaries. Hydrozincite, smithsonite, hemimorphite, and a zinc-aluminum-iron silicate are the primary zinc minerals that are hosted primarily by soils, heavily-weathered fractured dolomites and dolomite breccias. Given that the strike and dip of the mineralization is not known, the intercepts do not necessarily represent true thicknesses; moreover, long intercepts, e.g., MGS18-003, most likely drilled subparallel to the dip of the tabular mineralized body. At Bongarita specifically, mineralization is exclusively hosted by soils. Overall, the mineralization is focused along the axis of a doubly-plunging anticline as well as within the eastern flank of the anticline.
Zinc One follows a systematic and rigorous Quality Control/Quality Assurance program overseen by Dr. Bill Williams, COO and Director of Zinc One.
The sample from each core run is placed in a 60-centimetre long, plastic core box that has five columns. Core recovery, rock quality designation (“RQD”), and geologic features are logged and sample intervals, which are generally <2 metres, are chosen. Each core box is photographed and then sampled with a spatula (soil and heavily-weathered rock) or cut with a core saw, 50% of which is placed in a sample bag and stored on site in a secure location. The Company independently inserts certified control standards, blanks, and duplicates, all of which comprise at least 20% of the sample batch, to monitor sample preparation and analytical quality. The samples are stored in a secure area until such time they are shipped to the CERTIMIN laboratory in Lima (ISO 9001 Certified) for preparation and assay. At the laboratory, samples are dried, crushed, pulverized and then a four-acid digestion is applied. This is followed by the ICP-AES analytical technique for 33 elements, including lead. The same method is used to assay zinc for values up to 20%. If zinc exceeds 20%, it is then analyzed using a titration method. The laboratory also inserts blanks and standards as well as including duplicate analyses.
Source: Company Press Release
