August 23, 2007
Vancouver, BC - Los Andes Copper Ltd. ("Los Andes", or the "Company", TSX Venture Exchange: LA) announces the results from the first three holes of the current drilling program at the Vizcachitas copper-molybdenum Property in Chile. The aim of the drill program is to confirm the historical drilling carried out in the 1990s; to upgrade inferred resources to the indicated category; and to test for extensions of the known mineralization to the south and east (See News releases dated May 15 and July 7, 2007).
All three holes intersected significant mineralization, including 240 metres grading 0.40% copper and 0.017% molybdenum (0.51% Cu Equivalent*) in hole LAV-66. Highlights of the copper and molybdenum grades encountered in the three holes are listed in the table below. Drill hole location maps, sections and photos of drill core can be viewed at the Los Andes website www.losandescopper.com.
Hole ID |
From (m) |
to (m) |
interval (m) |
CuT (%) |
Mo (%) |
CuEq %* |
LAV-64 |
64 |
424 |
360 |
0.25 |
0.005 |
- |
including |
64 |
88 |
24 |
0.37 |
0.004 |
- |
and |
120 |
134 |
14 |
0.35 |
0.011 |
0.42 |
and |
164 |
198 |
34 |
0.37 |
0.002 |
- |
including |
176 |
198 |
22 |
0.41 |
0.003 |
- |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LAV65 |
47.5 |
280 |
232.50 |
0.37 |
0.011 |
0.44 |
including |
47.5 |
90 |
42.5 |
0.44 |
0.008 |
- |
including |
47.5 |
60 |
12.5 |
0.55 |
0.006 |
- |
and |
116 |
128 |
12 |
0.415 |
0.018 |
0.54 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
LAV-66 |
16 |
256 |
240 |
0.40 |
0.017 |
0.51 |
including |
32 |
48 |
16 |
0.47 |
0.012 |
0.54 |
and |
74 |
102 |
28 |
0.51 |
0.015 |
0.60 |
and |
116 |
180 |
64 |
0.56 |
0.019 |
0.69 |
*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 as these remain uncertain.
Metallurgical recoveries and net smelter returns are assumed to be 100%.
Roger Moss, President and CEO of Los Andes commented as follows:
“We are excited by these first results from the Vizcachitas drilling program, since they indicate that the copper-molybdenum mineralization continues to the southwest. The grade of mineralization is consistent with that encountered in the historical drilling programs, although Hole LAV-66 contains one of the best molybdenum intervals of the 71 holes drilled on the project to date.”
Discussion of results
Drill hole LAV-64 was collared 330m northwest of historical hole V32 (0.72% Cu over 77.9m between 280.55m and the end of the hole at 358.45m) and drilled at an inclination of -70 º to the southeast (113º) to a total depth of 424 metres. The hole encountered overburden to a depth of 64.60 metres, with minor exotic copper mineralization (copper wad) cementing the matrix of gravels from 24 to 47 metres. The remainder of the hole intersected variably altered granodiorite with pyrite-chalcopyrite-molybdenite mineralization occurring along veinlets and as disseminated grains. Weak chalcocite replacement of primary sulphides occurs to a depth of 152 metres.
Drill Hole LAV-65 was drilled at an inclination of -75 º to the northwest (293 º) to a depth of 280 metres from the same setup as LAV-64. The hole intersected overburden to 47.3 metres, followed by altered granodiorite containing primary chalcopyrite-bornite-pyrite-molybdenite mineralization to a depth of 219 metres. Porphyritic andesite with quartz sulphide stockwork was intersected from 219 to 228 metres, followed by a breccia containing andesite and granodiorite fragments and strong stockwork development to 276 metres. The hole was terminated in granodiorite with lower grade mineralization at 280 metres.
Drill Hole Lav-66 was drilled 110 metres northwest of LAV-65 at an inclination of -75 º to the northwest (293 º) to a depth of 256 metres. The hole intersected 3.6 metres of overburden followed by alternating intervals of granodiorite and porphyritic andesite with variable degrees of potassic (biotite) and quartz-sericite alteration. Primary chalcopyrite-pyrite mineralization shows weak replacement by chalcocite in places. Locally well developed molybdenite is present in veins and as disseminated grains. The hole ended in weakly mineralized andesite at a depth of 256 metres.
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. Los Andes routinely inserts standards 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 144 million tonnes grading 0.52% copper and 0.015% molybdenum and an inferred resource of 211 million tonnes grading 0.46% copper and 0.016% molybdenum, at a 0.40% copper cut-off, 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.
For more information please contact:
Michael Kuta, Corporate Secretary Tel: 604-697-6201 or
Roger Moss, President Tel: 416-516-6050
E-Mail: info@losandescopper.com
Or visit 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.
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