Imperial Metals Corporation: Drilling at Red Chris Continues to Intercept Long Intervals of Copper/Gold Mineralization
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Nov. 2, 2009) -Imperial Metals Corporation (TSX:III) reports results from the fourth and fifth drill holes of the 2009 deep drilling program at the Red Chris copper/gold property in northwest British Columbia. Both holes were drilled to over 1,300 metres depth and returned long intervals of copper/gold mineralization, adding to the evolving model of deep mineralization in the East zone.
Vertical hole RC09-348 was collared approximately 70 metres west and 20 metres north of drill hole (2007) RC07-335 [ref: NR Oct 16/07: RC07-335 returned 1,024.1 metres grading 1.01% copper, 1.26 g/t gold and 3.92 g/t silver]. RC09-348 returned long intervals of mineralization and intersected 1,265.0 metres grading 0.62% copper and 0.82 g/t gold starting at a depth of 42.5 metres below surface. The upper 302.5 metres of RC09-348 are within the current pit design, however the following 255.0 metre interval from 302.5 to 557.5 metres is mineralized, grading 0.87% copper and 0.84 g/t gold.
Deeper in RC09-348 high gold grade mineralization was intersected, similar to the 116.2 metres grading 1.06% copper and 3.11 g/t gold hit in RC09-345 [ref: NR Oct 20/09]. Starting at 725.4 metres, RC09-348 encountered 243.9 metres grading 1.21% copper and 2.41 g/t gold, including a higher grade interval of 1.52% copper and 3.35 g/t gold over 129.9 metres starting at 756.0 metres.
Vertical drill hole RC09-347 is located 65 metres south and 25 metres west of the collar of RC07-335. RC09-347 intersected 1,132.5 metres grading 0.39% copper and 0.46 g/t gold starting at a depth of 108.0 metres. The upper 290.0 metres of RC09-347 is also within the current pit design, but has extended mineralization into the untested area beneath pit design with the next 700.5 metres grading 0.47% copper and 0.59 g/t gold. The significant intervals encountered in the two holes are shown below.
Drill Hole # | Zone | Total Length (m) | Interval from (m) | Interval To (m) | Interval Length (m) | Copper % | Gold g/t | Silver g/t |
RC09-347 | East | 1315.5 | 108.0 | 1240.5 | 1132.5 | 0.39 | 0.46 | 1.75 |
290.0 | 990.5 | 700.5 | 0.47 | 0.59 | 2.13 | |||
697.5 | 762.5 | 65.0 | 1.02 | 1.34 | 4.89 | |||
875.0 | 990.5 | 115.5 | 0.63 | 0.88 | 2.50 | |||
RC09-348 | East | 1501.8 | 42.5 | 1307.5 | 1265.0 | 0.62 | 0.82 | 1.95 |
302.5 | 557.5 | 255.0 | 0.87 | 0.84 | 2.32 | |||
725.4 | 969.3 | 243.9 | 1.21 | 2.41 | 4.64 | |||
756.0 | 885.9 | 129.9 | 1.52 | 3.35 | 5.76 |
The 2009 drill program is continuing with diamond drill hole RC09-349 completed to a depth of 1,501.8 metres, and RC09-350 and 351 in progress at the time of this release. The Company expects to have completed eight holes (RC09-345 through RC09-352) in the current program prior to the winter break. Drilling of the deep East zone and other targets will resume early 2010. When RC09-351 is completed, a 400 metre strike length of the favorable unit in the East zone will have been tested to depth between it and RC09-350.
Since Imperial began exploring the depth potential at Red Chris, eight drill holes have been completed to greater than one kilometer depth (not including those currently in progress) with six in the East zone and two in the Main zone. Staff geologists and consultants are working on development of a geologic model that explains the various characteristics of the deposit at depth, including the zones of high grade gold and high bornite content. A presentation highlighting this work will be presented during the Mineral Exploration Roundup Conference to be held in Vancouver, January 18-21, 2010.
Steve Robertson, PGeo. is the Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 for the exploration program at Red Chris. Samples for the diamond drilling reported at Red Chris were analyzed at Acme Analytical Laboratories in Vancouver. A full QA/QC program using blanks, standards and duplicates was maintained for all samples submitted to the labs. The deeper portion of the Red Chris porphyry mineralization is in the early stage of exploration and may be irregular in shape so true thicknesses have not been estimated. A drill plan and cross section will be available on the Company's website.
The Red Chris property in northern British Columbia is situated 18 kilometres southeast of the village of Iskut. Access to the property from pavement at Highway 37 is six kilometres along the Ealue Lake Road, and 17 kilometres along the newly constructed Red Chris access road.
Imperial is a mine development and operating company based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Company's key properties are the Mount Polley open pit copper/gold producing mine in central British Columbia, the Huckleberry open pit copper/molybdenum producing mine in northern British Columbia, the development stage Red Chris copper/gold property in northwest British Columbia, and the development stage Sterling gold property in southwest Nevada.