Chinalco Yunnan Copper Resources drills for copper, silver extensions at Xinzhai project in Laos
Friday, February 03, 2012
Chinalco Yunnan Copper Resources (ASX: CYU) is targeting down dip extensions of copper and silver mineralisation at the Xinzhai Project, where diamond drilling has commenced.
Xinzhai is one of four projects in northern Laos that is 100% held by Yunnan Copper Sanmu Mining Industry, a joint venture company in which Chinalco has the right to earn a 51% interest.
A 300 metre drilling program at Xinzhai began on Tuesday January 31, seeking to test dipping extensions of mineralisation defined by trenches and adits.
Results are expected by the end of February.
Mineralisation at the project is controlled by a northeast fault, with results from previous testing indicating that the mineralisation becomes thicker and higher grade as it dips to the northwest.
The first hole will test Prospect 1 at the Xinzhai tenement, which covers 140 square kilometres in the Phongsaly Province.
It will focus on previous mineral results from trench TC15 of 1.7 metres at 0.73% copper and adit PD13 of 19.94 metres at 1.17% copper.
Further drill testing will be carried out at Prospect 1 following analysis of results from the first drill hole.
A drilling program will also be designed for Prospects 3 and 5, defined by previous exploration at Xinzhai.
Other operations
The drilling program at the Jiuzhai Project in the Oudomxay Province of northern Laos is continuing, targeting base and precious metals.
Two drill rigs are in operation on the site, and aim to finish the 600 metre diamond drilling program by the end of the month.
