News Release Number 2007 - 35
Vancouver B.C., September 24, 2007 -
Nautilus Minerals Inc. ("Nautilus") (TSX & AIM: NUS) announces that it has received high-grade Copper ("Cu") and Gold ("Au") assays over significant widths from this year's drilling program at its Solwara 1 prospect located in the territorial waters of Papua New Guinea ("PNG") (
http://www.nautilusminerals.com/i/misc/Solwara-1_2007-Holes_Sep07.jpg). Selected intercepts from the Solwara 1 drilling program are listed in Table 1 below.
Table 1 Solwara 1 Drilling - Selected Intercepts |
Hole Number |
Massive Sulphide Intercepts |
Hole Depth (m) |
From (m) |
To (m) |
Interval (m) |
Cu % |
Au g/t |
Pb % |
Zn % |
XRF* Cu % |
SD038 |
5.9 |
15.3 |
11.7 |
0.1 |
0.7 |
10.2 |
13.6 |
1.1 |
7.0 |
SD042 |
6.2 |
12.2 |
12.9 |
0.1 |
0.2 |
8.1 |
8.9 |
0.0 |
6.2 |
SD047 |
9.3 |
11.0 |
6.3 |
0.0 |
0.1 |
4.6 |
9.5 |
0.3 |
9.5 |
SD052 |
7.8 |
11.8 |
15.1 |
0.1 |
0.2 |
12.0 |
16.7 |
0.3 |
8.1 |
SD056 |
18.9 |
5.0 |
3.4 |
0.1 |
0.4 |
4.7 |
18.9 |
0.0 |
18.9 |
|
Hole ended in mineralisation |
|
|
|
SD063 |
6.9 |
10.1 |
7.4 |
0.1 |
0.1 |
6.9 |
11.9 |
0.8 |
7.7 |
SD064 |
13.7 |
8.5 |
8.4 |
0.1 |
0.5 |
9.6 |
19.5 |
0.4 |
14.1 |
SD065 |
8.1 |
14.8 |
8.4 |
0.0 |
0.1 |
13.5 |
9.6 |
0.2 |
8.3 |
SD072 |
6.5 |
13.4 |
9.4 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
12.2 |
15.1 |
1.7 |
8.2 |
*XRF Cu results are the results from hand XRF instrument reported previously.
David Heydon, Nautilus CEO, commented: "These results confirm that there is a significant high-grade copper and gold deposit at Solwara 1. Results to date have returned 36 mineralised intercepts from 44 holes with spectacular intercepts like hole SD 052 with 7.8 metres at 11.8% Cu and 15.1 g/t Au, and hole SD065 with 8.1m at 14.8% Cu and 8.4 g/t Au."
"These outstanding results demonstrate that the high grades returned from 146 surface samples at Solwara 1 averaging 11.3% Cu and 15.2 g/t Au continue at depth with holes intersecting up to 19m (open at depth) high-grade massive sulphide mineralisation. Of the 36 sulphide intercepts reported today, 18 of them remain open at depth. The results also show remarkable consistency of the Cu and Au grades within the mineralised massive sulphide zones: It is rare to see an assay below 2% Cu within the mineralised zones."
"It is particularly encouraging that the first prospect that we have evaluated, Solwara 1, has returned such encouraging grades over such thicknesses. There are a further seven systems that we have already identified in Nautilus' exploration licences in PNG, four of which we discovered in four weeks target testing this year. We are currently planning the next program with the aim of extending this prospect inventory further."
A total of 107 holes were drilled during the program this year over the Solwara 1 Prospect. All samples have been despatched for analysis.
A full listing of the mineralised intercepts for holes with assays received to date are listed in table 2 below and listing of assay results are available on the Nautilus Minerals Website at (
http://www.nautilusminerals.com/i/misc/DrillData.pdf).. Additionally examples of the drillcore can be viewed at (
http://www.nautilusminerals.com/i/misc/CorePhotos.jpg).
About Nautilus Minerals Inc.
Nautilus is the first company to commercially explore the ocean floor for high grade gold-copper-zinc-silver seafloor massive sulphide deposits and is positioned to become a world leader in underwater mineral exploration. The Company's main focus for 2007 is the Solwara 1 Project, located in the territorial waters of Papua New Guinea between the island chains of New Britain and New Ireland in the western Pacific Ocean. Nautilus is listed on the TSX and on AIM, and has among its largest shareholders four of the world's largest international resource companies, including Epion (16.8%), Anglo American (6.4%), Teck Cominco (5.8%), and Barrick Gold (3.7%).
For more information please refer www.nautilusminerals.com or contact:
Investor Relations
Nautilus Minerals Inc. (Vancouver)
Email: investor@nautilusminerals.com
Tel: +1 (778) 785 7591
Australian Project Office
Email: ceo@nautilusminerals.com
Tel: +61 (7) 3318 5555
Numis Securities Limited (NOMAD)
John Harrison/James Black
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7260 1000
Parkgreen Communications
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7851 7480
Neither the TSX nor the London Stock Exchange accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.
Drill Intercepts
Qualified Person:
The exploration results reported in this announcement have been compiled under the supervision of Anthony O'Sullivan, Chief Operating Officer of Nautilus. Mr.O'Sullivan is a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, has 20 years experience in mining and exploration geology, and is a qualified person as defined under National Instrument 43 - 101. He consents to his name being used in this release
Laboratory Analysis:
Analysis was completed by ALS Laboratory Group in Brisbane, Australia. ALS operates quality systems based on international standards ISO/IEC17025:1999 "General requirements for the competence of calibration and testing laboratories" and ISO9001:2000 "Quality Management Systems - Requirements"
Sampling:
All cores were recovered using ROV Drill submarine drilling techniques returning NQ (49mm) diameter core. All holes are vertical and the deposit is essentially flat lying so intercept widths are considered to be true widths. All sampling, sample handling and analysis was completed under the supervision of Nautilus personnel. Sampling was carried out aboard the vessel whilst at sea. Drillcore was split using a core saw, typically with 50% of core submitted for assay and 50% retained for reference or use in geotechnical or metallurgical testwork.
All sub-samples were placed into numbered plastic vacuum sealed bags. The bagged samples were subsequently placed into boxes. The boxes were sealed with uniquely numbered security tags and checked upon arrival to the laboratories. A full electronic chain of custody is maintained whilst the samples are under the care of ALS.
Quality Assurance:
External certified geochemical reference materials were prepared by Geostats Pty Ltd, of Perth, Western Australia with known and statistically tested concentrations of the major base and precious metals. Standards were submitted approximately every tenth sample.
Nautilus has been working closely with Golder and Associates who have been supervising the sampling and collection of geological data, and have been tasked with compiling the subsequent resource estimate and associated NI 43 101 compliant documentation. No significant issues have been noted by Golders in their work to date.
Data Reduction:
Following QA/QC checks, all data have been reviewed and mineralised intervals defined taking into account natural geological boundaries and applying a nominal 2% Cu cuttoff. Zones of lost cores and areas of potential voids were assigned the average grade of material above and below the area of no core recovery. Intercepts averages were calculated using length weighted averages for the sample assays within the intervals. Full assay results are available on the nautilus website at (
http://www.nautilusminerals.com/i/misc/DrillData.pdf)..
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