Aldebaran Resources Inc. (“
Aldebaran” or the
“
Company”) is pleased to report assays from the
final two holes completed in the 2020/2021 campaign at the Altar
copper-gold project located in San Juan, Argentina. The highlights
are listed below, with corresponding images in Figures 1-3 and
detailed results in Table 1.
Highlights
- QDM-21-42 was
collared in the QDM/Radio area of the Altar project (see Figure 1),
and returned 111 m of 1.4% CuEq, within 333.1 m of 0.86% CuEq, also
within 629 m of 0.61% CuEq.
- QDM-21-42
intersected a high-grade porphyry (Radio Porphyry), returning one
of the best holes drilled to date at Altar.
- The current
resource estimate at Altar does not include mineralization from
Radio Porphyry, and thus the intercept in QDM-21-42 is entirely
outside the current resource estimate.
- ALD-21-219 was
collared at Altar Central (see Figure 1) and drilled into a
previously untested area, returned 487 m of 0.33% CuEq and 178 m of
0.31% CuEq.
- The top 735 metres
of ALD-21-219 is within the current Altar resource pit where there
was limited previous drilling and should add resources in the next
resource estimate update.
- At a depth of 740
m, ALD-21-219 intersected a previously undiscovered porphyry unit
that is intensely altered and has disseminated chalcopyrite and
bornite mineralization. The hole was drilled along the edge of a
promising surface geochemical target which will require follow up
drilling in future field seasons.
- All holes from the
2020/2021 field season have now been reported.
John Black, Chief Executive Officer of
Aldebaran, commented as follows: “QDM-21-42
represents one of the best holes drilled on the project to date and
opens a large area to be drill tested in the next field season.
While there is already a significant resource at Altar, we view the
discovery of this high-grade zone in Radio Porphyry as
transformative for the project, especially considering none of this
mineralization is currently in the resource. Radio Porphyry will
clearly be one of the priority targets in our next field season
which will be much larger in scale.”
Dr. Kevin B. Heather, Chief Geological
Officer of Aldebaran, commented as follows:
“QDM-21-042 confirms our belief that the Radio Porphyry area offers
excellent potential to discover high-grade copper and gold
mineralization with minimal arsenic content, which was one of the
reasons we were originally attracted to the Altar project. We are
currently evaluating these extremely exciting results in relation
to our recently completed 3D IP-MT geophysical survey results, and
strongly believe that we have only tested a small portion of the
prospective target area. ALD-21-219 is also encouraging as it is
drilled into a previously untested area, so intercepting a long run
of low- to medium-grade copper mineralization within a new porphyry
phase suggests we could be on the edge of another new porphyry
system.”
Discussion of Results:
Drill Hole QDM-21-42 was
drilled at an azimuth of 306 degrees and dip of -80 degrees to a
final depth of 1,047.0 m (see Figure 2). The hole was targeting a
geophysical magnetic-high anomaly, as well as testing for the
southern extension of higher-grade mineralized intercepts from
historical drilling into the Radio Porphyry. The top 818 m of the
hole intersected andesite wall rocks, which are typically
favourable host rocks for copper-gold mineralization, and diorite
porphyry intrusion from 818 m until the end of the hole. From the
top of the hole, the andesites are strongly altered and contained
abundant quartz veins with sulphides +/- magnetite, all of which
are increasing in intensity until the contact with the Radio
diorite porphyry at 818 m. Quartz veining, as well as sulphide
content (consisting of chalcopyrite and bornite), are at their
maximum intensity near the contact between the andesite wall rocks
and the diorite porphyry intrusion. Alteration, mineralization, and
quartz veining continue within the porphyry.
Drill Hole ALD-21-219 was
drilled at an azimuth of 026 degrees and dip of -74 degrees to a
final depth of 1,164.5 m (see Figure 3). The hole was collared
towards the southeast edge of Altar Central and was targeting a
geophysical magnetic-high anomaly, which was believed to be a deep
magnetite bearing porphyry unit. As well, it tested the northwest
edge of a promising surface talus fines geochemical anomaly. The
top 299 m of the hole intersected rhyolite host rocks, portions of
which were oxidized. From 299 m to 740 m, the hole stayed in
rhyolite host rocks which displayed localized high-sulphidation
mineralization consisting of pyrite and enargite. Arsenic was
elevated in the areas where high-sulphidation mineralization was
observed in the hole due to presence of enargite. From 740 m to the
end of the hole, a new diorite porphyry phase was intercepted,
which locally had intense alteration and displayed disseminated
mineralization throughout consisting of chalcopyrite, bornite and
locally magnetite.
Table 1 below provides more detail on the
mineralized intercepts encountered in drill holes QDM-21-42 and
ALD-21-219. The locations of the reported drill holes are indicated
in Figure 1.
Table 1 - 2021 Altar Drill Hole Results |
CuEq (%)Cut-off |
From(m) |
To(m) |
Interval(m) |
Cu(%) |
Au(g/t) |
Ag(g/t) |
Mo(ppm) |
As(ppm) |
CuEq (%) |
QDM-21-042 |
0.2 |
|
332.00 |
961.00 |
629.00 |
0.43 |
0.23 |
1.87 |
23 |
59 |
0.61 |
0.5 |
incl. |
510.90 |
844.00 |
333.10 |
0.61 |
0.32 |
2.80 |
28 |
102 |
0.86 |
0.75 |
incl. |
717.00 |
828.00 |
111.00 |
0.92 |
0.63 |
4.44 |
34 |
197 |
1.40 |
ALD-21-219 |
0.2 |
|
284.00 |
771.00 |
487.00 |
0.28 |
0.05 |
1.49 |
24 |
572 |
0.33 |
0.5 |
incl. |
292.00 |
310.00 |
18.00 |
0.44 |
0.20 |
4.73 |
39 |
1,638 |
0.63 |
0.5 |
and |
728.00 |
741.00 |
13.00 |
0.50 |
0.11 |
3.15 |
10 |
1,815 |
0.61 |
0.2 |
|
887.00 |
1,017.00 |
130.00 |
0.29 |
0.05 |
1.80 |
9 |
298 |
0.34 |
The grades are uncut. CuEq values were calculated using copper,
gold, silver and molybdenum. Metal prices utilized for the
calculations are Cu = US$3/lb, Au = US$1,400/oz, Ag = US$18/oz, and
Mo = US$10/lb. No adjustments were made for recovery as the project
is an early-stage exploration project and metallurgical data to
allow for estimation of recoveries is not yet available. The
formulas utilized to calculate equivalent values is CuEq % =
Cu % + Au g/t * 0.6805 + Ag g/t * 0.00875 + Mo ppm / 3000. |
Qualified Person
The scientific and technical data contained in
this news release has been reviewed and approved by Dr. Kevin B.
Heather, B.Sc. (Hons), M.Sc, Ph.D, FAusIMM, FGS, Chief Geological
Officer and director of Aldebaran, who serves as the qualified
person (QP) under the definitions of National Instrument
43-101.
For further information, please consult
our website at
www.aldebaranresources.com or
contact:
Laura BrangwinInvestor Relations ManagerPhone:
+1 646 583-1404 Email: laura.brangwin@aldebaranresources.com
About Aldebaran Resources Inc.
Aldebaran is a mineral exploration company that
was spun out of Regulus Resources Inc. in 2018 and has the same
core management team. Aldebaran acquired the Rio Grande copper-gold
project located in Salta Province, Argentina from Regulus along
with several other early-stage projects in Argentina. Aldebaran
also has the right to earn up to an 80% interest in the Altar
copper-gold project in San Juan Province, Argentina from Sibanye
Stillwater Limited. The Altar project hosts multiple porphyry
copper-gold deposits with potential for additional discoveries.
Altar forms part of a cluster of world-class porphyry copper
deposits which includes Los Pelambres (Antofagasta Minerals), El
Pachon (Glencore), and Los Azules (McEwen Mining). A total of 259
drill holes (119,052 m) have been completed at Altar between
1995 and 2019. In March 2021 the Company announced an updated
mineral resource estimate for Altar, prepared by Independent Mining
Consultants Inc. and based on the drilling completed up to and
including 2020. Aldebaran’s primary focus is the Altar project with
a view to discovering new zones with higher-grade
mineralization.
Sampling and Analytical Procedures
Altar follows systematic and rigorous sampling
and analytical protocols which meet and exceed industry standards.
These protocols are summarized below and are available on the
Aldebaran website at www.aldebaranresources.com. All drill holes
are diamond core holes with PQ, HQ or NQ core diameters. Drill core
is collected at the drill site where recovery and RQD (Rock Quality
Designation) measurements are taken before the core is photographed
and geological quick log produced. The core is then transported to
the Altar camp facilities where the core is photographed again
under more optimum lighting conditions and then the core is cut in
half with a diamond saw blade, with half the sample retained in the
core box for future reference and the other half placed into a
pre-labelled plastic bag, sealed with a plastic zip tie, and
identified with a unique sample number. The core is typically
sampled over a systematic 1 to 2 metre sample intervals unless the
geologist determines the presence of an important geological
contact, which should not be crossed. The bagged samples are then
stored in a secure area pending shipment to a certified ALS
laboratory sample preparation facility located in Mendoza,
Argentina, where the samples are dried, crushed, and pulverized.
The resulting sample pulps are sent by batch to the ALS laboratory
in Lima for geochemical assay analysis, including a fire assay – AA
finish analysis for gold and a full multi-acid digestion with
ICP-AES analysis for other elements. Samples with results that
exceed maximum detection values for gold are re-analyzed by fire
assay with a gravimetric finish and other elements of interest are
re-analyzed using precise ore-grade ICP analytical techniques.
Aldebaran independently inserts certified control standards, coarse
field blanks, and duplicates into the sample stream to monitor data
quality. These standards are inserted “blindly” to the laboratory
in the sample sequence prior to departure from the Aldebaran
facilities.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements regarding Aldebaran,
including management's assessment of future plans and operations,
may constitute forward-looking statements under applicable
securities laws and necessarily involve known and unknown risks and
uncertainties, most of which are beyond Aldebaran's control. Often,
but not always, forward-looking statements or information can be
identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does
not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates",
"forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate" or
"believes" or variations of such words and phrases or statements
that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would",
"might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved.
Specifically, and without limitation, all
statements included in this press release that address activities,
events or developments that Aldebaran expects or anticipates will
or may occur in the future, including the proposed exploration and
development of the Altar project described herein, and management's
assessment of future plans and operations and statements with
respect to the completion of the anticipated exploration and
development programs, may constitute forward-looking statements
under applicable securities laws and necessarily involve known and
unknown risks and uncertainties, most of which are beyond
Aldebaran's control. These risks may cause actual financial and
operating results, performance, levels of activity and achievements
to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, such
forward-looking statements. Although Aldebaran believes that the
expectations represented in such forward-looking statements are
reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will
prove to be correct. The forward looking statements contained in
this press release are made as of the date hereof and Aldebaran
does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any
forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of
new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by
applicable securities law.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its
Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies
of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the
adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Three figures accompanying this announcement are available
at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4188c1ba-05f7-43fa-8df8-8a0dd7ebb30d
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/50132edf-2103-420d-8398-3e8040af941e
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c88ef23a-9867-4b0b-96cb-8df3ecf5cf7c
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