Aldebaran Resources Inc. (“
Aldebaran” or the
“
Company”) (
TSXV: ALDE)
(
OTCQX: ADBRF) is pleased to report assays
from the first hole completed in the 2021/2022 drill campaign at
the Altar copper-gold project located in San Juan, Argentina. The
first hole, QDM-21-43, was collared in the QDM/Radio area of the
project (see Figures 1 and 2) and was designed to begin testing the
extent of mineralization at the Radio Porphyry target. The
highlights are listed below, with corresponding images in Figures 1
to 3 and detailed results in Table 1.
Highlights
- QDM-21-43
returned an upper zone of 707.1 m of 0.51% CuEq starting at 203 m
depth
- Includes 122.9 m
of 0.61% CuEq starting at 447 m depth
- Includes 188 m
of 0.70% CuEq starting at 624 m depth
- QDM-21-43 also
intersected a lower zone of 224.5 m of 0.44% CuEq starting at
1,046.1 m
- Hole ended in
this interval of mineralization
- Significant step
out from previous known mineralization
- Long intervals
of mineralization demonstrate the size potential of Radio
Porphyry
- The intervals of
mineralization in QDM-21-43 are clean, with negligible arsenic
content
- Current resource
estimates for the Altar project do not include any mineralization
from Radio Porphyry
John Black, Chief Executive Officer of
Aldebaran, commented as follows: “Our first hole of
the 2021/2022 field campaign, Hole QDM-21-43, returned a very long
run of clean mineralization with good grades. When we combine that
with the fact that this hole was a significant step out from
previous drilling, and the hole ended in mineralization, the result
is a significantly expanded mineralized footprint at the Radio
Porphyry target. With three drill rigs on the Radio Porphyry target
until mid year, we will continue to test the extents of
mineralization as we move towards a resource estimate for the Radio
Porphyry target by the end of the year. In addition, a fourth rig
is drilling a variety of targets in the Altar Central and Altar
East areas.”
Discussion of Results:
Drill Hole QDM-21-43 was
drilled at an azimuth of 315 degrees and dip of -83 degrees to a
final depth of 1,270.6 m. The hole was designed to explore for the
south-east extension of known porphyry mineralization and was
collared approximately 160 m to the north-east of hole QDM-21-42.
The top 570 m of the hole intersected andesite wall rocks, followed
by a mix of diorite and quartz diorite porphyry intrusions from 570
m until 1,130 m before re-entering the andesite wall rocks from
1,130 m until the end of the hole. The andesites were strongly
altered at the top and bottom of the hole, commonly displaying
potassic alteration associated with
quartz-chalcopyrite-pyrite-bornite veins and vein-stockworks. The
porphyry intrusions display strong to intense potassic alteration
with associated quartz-magnetite-chalcopyrite-pyrite-bornite veins
and are crosscut by a few narrow post-mineral dykes.
Table 1 below provides more detail on the
mineralized intercepts encountered in drill holes QDM-21-43. The
locations of the reported drill holes are indicated in Figure 1 and
Figure 2.
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-21-043 |
0.2 |
|
203.00 |
910.10 |
707.10 |
0.36 |
0.19 |
1.61 |
26 |
58 |
0.51 |
0.5 |
incl. |
447.00 |
569.90 |
122.90 |
0.41 |
0.26 |
1.82 |
7 |
38 |
0.61 |
0.5 |
and |
624.00 |
812.00 |
188.00 |
0.47 |
0.28 |
2.22 |
34 |
52 |
0.70 |
0.2 |
|
1,046.10 |
1,270.60 |
224.50 |
0.34 |
0.11 |
1.49 |
31 |
22 |
0.44 |
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. |
Project Update
The Company currently has four drill rigs on
site, three of which are drilling at Radio Porphyry, while the
other rig is currently drilling at Altar Central. The Company
recently completed a second hole, QDM-21-044, at Radio Porphyry
(ending at 1,440.7 m) while the other holes are in progress (see
Figure 1 for location of completed and active holes). The Company
experienced Covid-related challenges in January which slowed
drilling, however we are now back to full operating capacity. In
addition, assay labs throughout South America have had long
turnaround times due to reduced workforces from Covid outbreaks and
a high volume of drilling and exploration activity in the
region.
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
Pachón (Glencore), and Los Azules (McEwen Copper). 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 boxed and transported to the Altar camp
facilities, a short distance away, where the whole-core is
photographed under more optimum lighting conditions and geological
quick log is produced. The whole-core is then marked and sampled
into geological defined, systematic 1- to 2-metre sample intervals,
unless the geologist determines the presence of an important
geological contact, which should not be crossed. The whole-core is
then 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 two plastic
security zip ties, and labeled with a unique sample number. The
bagged samples are then placed into larger plastic sacks and those
sacks are sealed with another plastic security zip tie and labelled
for shipment. The sacks are then placed onto wooden pallets,
wrapped in plastic shrink-wrap and 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 30 g fire assay with an atomic absorption (AA) finish
analysis for gold and a full multi-acid digestion (4-acid) 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 (Super
Certified Reference Materials, SCRM’s), 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.
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/70675772-5043-40e9-8515-5337fce86279
Figure 1 – Plan Map
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a1d3e96f-fb40-4592-ba11-963016a8d815
Figure 2 – QDM/Radio Plan map with
section line
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c258362c-e8e9-46c9-97b5-bacd50a6a00b
Figure 3 – QDM-21-43 Cross
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