(Astra Exploration, 2.May.2022) — Astra Exploration Inc. (TSXV: ASTR) provided results from the first 11 of 30 completed drill holes at the Pampa Paciencia gold-silver project in northern Chile.
PPRC-22-12:
- 14.48 grams per tonne (g/t) gold and 39.7 g/t silver over 3 metres downhole (mDH) within a broader zone of 2.71 g/t gold and 10.8 g/t silver over 21 mDH
PPRC-22-13:
- 3.28 g/t gold and 58.3 g/t silver over 6 mDH within a broader zone of 1.6 g/t gold and 21.3 g/t silver over 22 mDH
PPRC-22-14:
- 4.09 g/t gold and 45.22 g/t silver over 4 mDH within a broader zone of 1.39 g/t gold and 17.1 g/t silver over 17 mDH
Astra’s CEO, Brian Miller commented: “These first drill results in Astra’s brief history are exciting as they define a wide shoot of mineralization near surface that is open along strike and to depth. Company geologists interpret that these holes are only at the top of the gold rich zone with significant room for expansion. The company’s maiden drill program has tested five target areas with veins intercepted in 29 of 30 holes. Assays remain outstanding for 18 more drillholes at the project.”Drill Results Discussion
Pampa Paciencia is a road-accessible, low-sulphidation epithermal (LSE) gold-silver project located within an active mining district less than 15 kilometers from two major copper mines (Sierra Gorda and Spence) and 5 kilometers from the Faride LSE mine (Figure 5).
Astra has completed property wide mapping and sampling, geophysical surveys, and localized trenching and in doing so, has defined a vein boulder field over approximately 75% of the project area. The veins do not outcrop as the majority of the project area is covered by a thin layer of gravels and caliche but the vein float can be used to identify areas of high prospectivity.
Reverse circulation drilling commenced on veins within the interpreted five km long North Zone vein corridor (Figure 1). The holes reported herein targeted the Paciencia Vein within that corridor along a strike length of 400 meters. All holes intercepted the vein, with several intercepting a sub parallel footwall splay (Figure 2).
Historical drill holes were widely spaced leaving significant strike and dip length to expand the historical drill intercepts into larger bodies of mineralization. These first results strongly support this interpretation with holes PPRC-22-12, PPRC-22-13 and PPRC22-14 expanding mineralization to the east where it remains open along strike and at depth (Figure 3).
Drill assays are pending for the remaining 18 holes and are expected in May. The remaining drill holes were completed as follows:
- One in the Paciencia Vein
- Ten in Paciencia Oeste
- Three in Paciencia Este
- Three in the Central Zone
- One in a North Zone geophysical target
The Paciencia Vein consists of vein breccias, hydrothermal breccias, quartz stockworks and late limonitic breccias with vein clasts that form a WNW-ESE oriented mineralized structure with a true thickness of 10 to 20 metres. The vein has a general north-dip that gradually changes from 75° NNE in the west portion of the vein, to 85° to subvertical in the east. The current geologic interpretation has identified two to three main branches of the Paciencia Vein, with higher grades located in the more vertical portion of the vein (Figure 4 and 3D Movie). To view the 3D movie, please click here.
Geochemical results (Table 1) confirm the gold-rich nature of the Paciencia Vein, with an average Ag to Au ratio of 16 in the higher grade portions of the vein, and increasing to 48 when in the wider low grade zones.Exploration Program Discussion
A total of 2,981 metres of RC drilling were completed in thirty holes between February and March 2022 at Pampa Paciencia. These mostly concentrated on defining the strike and depth continuity of the Paciencia Vein system in the North Zone (Figure 1). Three holes were drilled to test veins at depth in the Central Zone (Figure 1 – inset) and two holes tested geophysical targets in the North Zone. A total of 1,233 samples, including blanks, duplicates and standards, were sampled and sent to ALS lab in Santiago, Chile.
The drill program was completed for ~C$650,000 of all-in costs highlighting the ability to complete cost-effective exploration at low elevations in Chile.
Eleven historical holes had been drilled previously on the property and Astra’s geologists continued with the numbering system, so holes PPRC-22-12 to PPRC-22-22 are the first 11 holes completed by Astra Exploration.Sampling Procedures
Drill samples were sampled, bagged, and tagged by Astra´s geologists and then delivered to the ALS sample preparation laboratory in Santiago. Samples were prepared with PREP 31B code, and then analyzed with fire assay for gold (Au-AA24), acid digestion for silver (Ag-AA62), and multi elements by ICP (ME-ICP61). Gold over-limits were analyzed by gravity method (Au-GRA22).Qualified Person Statement
The technical data and information as disclosed in this report has been reviewed and approved by Darcy Marud. Mr. Marud is a Practicing Member of the Association of Professional Geoscientists of Ontario and is a qualified person as defined under the terms of National Instrument 43-101
– Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.
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