Vancouver, BC � Los Andes Copper Ltd. ("Los Andes", or the "Company", TSX Venture Exchange: LA) announces that AMEC has begun a scoping study on the Vizcachitas Project in Central Chile.
AMEC is an international engineering consulting firm with extensive experience in geology, resource evaluation, mining, mineral processing, infrastructure, environment, cost estimation and financial analysis on projects worldwide. AMEC�s recent experience with similar projects in Chile will be beneficial for the timely completion of the study, expected to be the fourth quarter of 2008.
The objectives of the study include:
- To map the options available for the development of the project;
- To evaluate the economic merits of the project;
- To determine the work required for the next (pre-feasibility/feasibility) stage of the project.
The study will consider an open pit mine with milling and flotation of the Vizcachitas mineralization to recover copper and molybdenum in concentrates and will also investigate key infrastructure items including access, water and energy supply and shipping. An updated resource estimate to be completed during July, will form the basis of the work.
Dr. Roger Moss, President of Los Andes Copper, stated �the start of the scoping study within one year of initiating work on the project indicates the company�s ability to progress the Vizcachitas Project through the necessary milestones to development. We are pleased that AMEC is able to put their extensive experience in Chile to work for us in the completion of the scoping study.�
Roger Moss, Ph.D., P.Geo, is the company�s qualified person for the Vizcachitas Project as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has approved the contents of this release.
About Vizcachitas
The Vizcachitas Project offers potential for a low strip, open pit operation in an area of low elevation with excellent infrastructure, including water and power in central Chile. The Vizcachitas deposit occurs in the same metallogenic belt as the large copper-molybdenum porphyries Rio Blanco-Los Bronces, Los Pelambres-El Pachon and El Teniente. Based on 68 drill holes previously completed by General Minerals Corporation and Placer Dome, the project contains an indicated resource of 232 million tonnes grading 0.46% copper and 0.014% molybdenum and an inferred resource of 619 million tonnes grading 0.38% copper and 0.013% molybdenum at a 0.30% copper cutoff as detailed in the NI43-101 compliant technical report of A.C.A. Howe International Limited dated February 7, 2007. The technical report, as well as additional information about the Vizcachitas Project is available on our website at www.losandescopper.com.
This document contains certain forward looking statements which involve known and unknown risks, delays and uncertainties not under the Company's control which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from the results, performance or expectation implied by these forward looking statements.
The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the
adequacy or accuracy of this release.