Intersects 18 metres grading 0.78% Cu
Vancouver, BC - Los Andes Copper Ltd. ("Los Andes", or the "Company", TSX Venture Exchange: LA) announces results from the next eleven holes of the phase II drilling program currently underway at the Vizcachitas Project in Chile.
Highlights of the results include Hole LAV-112, that intersected 0.44% Cu and 0.013% Mo (0.53% Cu eq.*) over 314 metres, including a 44 metre, intersection grading 0.66% Cu and 0.017% Mo (0.77% Cu eq.*) and step out holes Hole LAV-117 that intersected 0.61% Cu over 34 metres including 0.78% Cu over 18 metres and LAV-118 that intersected 0.50% Cu and 0.013% Mo (0.59% Cu eq.*) over 44 metres including 0.64% Cu and 0.01% Mo (0.71% Cu eq.*) over 10 metres.
LAV-112 was drilled on section 1200NE on the east side of the Rocin River. The highest grade mineralization occurs in biotite-magnetite altered porphyritic andesite containing chalcopyrite and traces of molybdenite in veinlets.
LAV-114 is an infill hole drilled on section 1100NE on the east side of the Rosin River. The near surface 28 metre interval grading 0.52% Cu occurs in quartz-sericite altered tonalite containing chalcopyrite and chalcocite.
LAV-115, 116 and 119 were drilled in the north where limited drilling has been carried out to date. All three holes intersected anomalous to low grade copper mineralization in quartz-sericite altered diorite.
LAV-117 was drilled on the eastern edge of the known mineralization, and intersected dominantly andesite and diorite porphyry, with an 82.75 metre intersection of breccia that contained the best mineralized interval grading 0.61% Cu over 34 metres.
LAV-118 was a step out hole drilled 100 metres northeast of LAV-117 on section 1300NE. The hole intersected biotite - magnetite altered porphyrytic andesite over most of the length, with two narrow breccia intervals between 73 and 90 metres and 103 and 126 metres. The best mineralization is associated with porphyritic andesite and the second breccia interval that contains covellite and chalcocite mineralization in addition to chalcopyrite.
A summary of results from the eleven holes is given in the table below. Drill hole location maps and sections can be viewed at the Los Andes website www.losandescopper.com.
Hole ID |
Total Depth
(m) |
Inclination |
Azimuth |
From
(m) |
To
(m) |
interval
(m) |
CuT
(%) |
Mo
(%) |
CuEq
%* |
LAV-106 |
250 |
-70 |
290 |
nsv |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LAV-110 |
156 |
-70 |
290 |
nsv |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LAV-111 |
250 |
-70 |
290 |
nsv |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LAV-112 |
350 |
-65 |
290 |
36 |
350 |
314 |
0.44 |
0.013 |
0.53 |
including |
|
|
|
36 |
322 |
286 |
0.47 |
0.011 |
0.54 |
including |
|
|
|
40 |
172 |
132 |
0.56 |
0.013 |
0.65 |
including |
|
|
|
94 |
138 |
44 |
0.66 |
0.017 |
0.77 |
including |
|
|
|
96 |
112 |
16 |
0.72 |
0.024 |
0.88 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LAV-113 |
200 |
-70 |
290 |
nsv |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LAV-114 |
250 |
-70 |
290 |
3.4 |
250 |
246.6 |
0.18 |
0.001 |
na |
including |
|
|
|
4 |
60 |
56 |
0.39 |
0.002 |
na |
including |
|
|
|
4 |
32 |
28 |
0.52 |
0.004 |
na |
including |
|
|
|
22 |
30 |
8 |
0.67 |
0.004 |
na |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LAV-115 |
250 |
-70 |
110 |
nsv |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LAV-116 |
250 |
-70 |
110 |
nsv |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LAV-117 |
270 |
-75 |
110 |
6.15 |
270 |
263.85 |
0.22 |
0.004 |
na |
including |
|
|
|
6.15 |
182 |
175.85 |
0.30 |
0.006 |
na |
including |
|
|
|
6.15 |
34 |
27.85 |
0.42 |
0.005 |
na |
and |
|
|
|
72 |
106 |
34 |
0.61 |
0.006 |
na |
including |
|
|
|
72 |
90 |
18 |
0.78 |
0.004 |
na |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LAV-118 |
350 |
-70 |
290 |
6 |
350 |
344 |
0.28 |
0.008 |
na |
including |
|
|
|
72 |
350 |
278 |
0.32 |
0.009 |
na |
including |
|
|
|
74 |
172 |
98 |
0.43 |
0.015 |
0.53 |
including |
|
|
|
90 |
134 |
44 |
0.50 |
0.013 |
0.59 |
including |
|
|
|
124 |
134 |
10 |
0.64 |
0.010 |
0.71 |
and |
|
|
|
294 |
298 |
4 |
0.79 |
0.004 |
na |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LAV-119 |
198 |
-70 |
290 |
24 |
198 |
174 |
0.10 |
0.005 |
na |
(*Copper equivalent is calculated for Mo values greater than 0.01% using US$1.50/lb Cu and US$10.00/lb Mo according to the formula CuEq% =Cu% + (Mo% x 10.00/1.50) and is not adjusted for metallurgical recoveries or net smelter return which remain uncertain and are assumed to be 100%).
Based on drilling to date, the Vizcachitas mineralization remains open to the south, east and at depth. While results in the north have generally been of lower grade than those in the south, insufficient drilling has been completed to define the northern limit of mineralization. The western limit of mineralization has been well defined by the drilling over the last year. Recently however, a large north-south trending alteration zone, the "Western Ridge Zone", visible on aerial photographs and located approximately 1,000 metres west of the main focus of drilling, has been investigated. Initial reconnaissance mapping indicates that the zone measures up to 300 metres wide and 1,500 metres along strike and consists mainly of quartz-sericite altered andesite. This zone may represent the continuation of the Vizcachitas hydrothermal system to the west of the diorite intersected in drilling along the currently known western limit of mineralization. An image showing this altered zone is included in the updated corporate presentation available on the Company's website www.losandescopper.com. Similar colour anomalies visible elsewhere on the 60 km2 property will be investigated during the ongoing reconnaissance exploration program.
Los Andes continues drilling with two rigs at Vizcachitas and plans to complete a further 1,800 metres of drilling by the end of May. While drilling will continue to define the limits of mineralization at Vizcachitas, an updated resource calculation will be completed in early June, following which a scoping study/initial economic assessment will begin.
Roger Moss, Ph.D., P.Geo, is the qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 for the Vizcachitas Project. Logging, sampling and splitting of the drill core is conducted at the Vizcachitas site by independent consultants Geologica LTDA. under the direct supervision of geologist Ramon Fam. Samples are securely transported by Geologica staff to the SGS Laboratory in Santiago Chile and analyzed for copper and molybdenum by atomic absorption following a three acid digestion. Dr. Moss and Mr. Fam have visited the laboratory and are satisfied that the sample preparation and analytical procedure is consistent with standard industry practice. Los Andes routinely inserts standards, duplicates and blanks into the sample stream and sends 5% of sample rejects to Actlabs for check analysis.
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.