Alturas completa primera fase de perforación

Resumen: Alturas Minerals Corp. (ALT) completó el primer programa de perforación en su incipiente descubrimiento Chapi Chapi, en el sureste peruano, compuesto por 16 agujeros de diamante por 5498.45m perforados en la parte central del área mineralizada. Los significativos valores de metales intersectados han confirmado un gran sistema cobre-oro-molibdeno; y resaltan la necesidad de un programa de perforación de seguimiento para definir las posibles extensiones de los cuerpos mineralizados intersectados, y para explorar los numeros objetivos de performación adicionales, no probados.

Alturas completes first phase drilling of large copper-gold-silver-molybdenum, skarn-porphyry discovery at Chapi Chapi Project in Southeastern Peru

Toronto, May 10, 2012 – Alturas Minerals Corp. (the “Company” or “Alturas”) (TSX-V, BVL: ALT) is pleased to announce that it has completed the first drilling program at its emerging Chapi Chapi discovery in southeastern Peru, comprising 16 diamond holes for 5,498.45 meters drilled over the central part of the 4.5 x 2.5 kilometers mineralized area. The strong metal values intersected have confirmed a large copper-gold-molybdenum system and highlight the need of a follow-up drilling program to define possible extensions of the intersected mineralized bodies and to explore numerous additional untested drill targets.

Highlights of the mineralized intercepts include:

Copper-gold-silver-molybdenum mineralized in exoskarn

Drilling in the “Chapi Chapi” target zone aimed to test outcropping, copper and gold rich, magnetite-skarn bodies and a plutonic complex comprising dioritic, monzodioritic and monzonitic stocks, with the later displaying phyllic, stockwork-type alteration and anomalous copper and gold values at surface. Holes CHA-11-03 and CHA-12-10 are highlighted, intercepting intercalated packages of propilitically-altered dioritic to monzonitic stocks and sub-horizontal magnetite skarn zones that can be correlated with skarn bodies outcropping 250 meters west of the drillhole collar. The skarn features abundant disseminations and veinlets of sulphides reporting significant copper-gold mineralization. Drillhole CHA-11-03 was lost due to ground conditions at 221 meters, bottoming at the top of another mineralized magnetite-skarn zone.

The mineralized rock is a magnetite-rich garnet-pyroxene-wollastonite skarn affected by retrograde hydrothermal alteration including magnetite, actinolite, calcite, scapolite, albite and sulphides (pyrite, chalcopyrite, pyrrhotite, gold and molybdenite). Metal grades fluctuate between 0.57% and 1.31% copper equivalent (see table below).

* Copper Equivalent assumptions: Based on metal prices as of closing May 4, 2012, US$3.75/lb Cu, US$1642.10/oz Au, US$30.34/oz Ag and US$13.00/lb Mo. The formula used is as follows: Cu eq= Cu% + (Au g/t x 0.639) + (Ag g/t x 0.012) + (Mo% x 3.47)

Copper-molybdenum-gold-silver mineralization in endoskarn

Approximately 180 meters northeast of the holes described above, garnet-pyroxene skarns occur on surface at the contact with a large dioritic to monzonitic plutonic intrusive complex. In the proximity of the monzonitic intrusive, which shows porphyry-style alteration, the skarn bodies are affected by retrograde alteration and mineralization. Hole CHA-11-08 is highlighted, intersecting 178 meters of endoskarn intercalated with monzonitic porphyry intrusives, where the mineralization is associated with phyllic and propylitic alteration, including quartz-sericite, calcite, chlorite, magnetite, pyrite and chalcopyrite. The molybdenite content is unusually high, reporting an intercept of 36.80 meters averaging 0.21% molybdenum. Metal grades are 0.52% to 0.95% copper equivalent (see table below).

* Copper Equivalent assumptions: Based on metal prices as of closing May 4, 2012, US$3.75/lb Cu, US$1642.10/oz Au, US$30.34/oz Ag and US$13.00/lb Mo. The formula used is as follows: Cu eq= Cu% + (Au g/t x 0.639) + (Ag g/t x 0.012) + (Mo% x 3.47)

Gold-silver mineralization in altered and brecciated sandstones

In the central part of the Huarajo target area a combination of high chargeable-low resistive geophysical anomalies underlying a magnetic anomaly was drill tested by drill holes CHA-11-02 and CHA-11-02A. Outcrops in this area include altered and brecciated sandstones and intrusive fingers, both showing phyllic, stockwork-type alteration and moderate copper and gold rock chip anomalies. The holes intercepted a thick sedimentary sequence including feldspathic- and quartz-rich sandstones intercalated with shales and siltstones, all displaying intense phyllic alteration with abundant pyrite throughout. Gold mineralization is associated with shallow-dipping hydrothermal breccias with silica, sericite and pyrite in the matrix (sphalerite and tetrahedrite have also been reported), replacing selected sandstone units that can be correlated for the 200 meters between drill holes CHA-11-02 and CHA-11-02A (see table below).

Gold Equivalent assumptions: Based on metal prices as of closing May 4, 2012, US$1642.10/oz Au and US$30.34/oz Ag. The formula used is as follows: Au eq= Au g/t + (Ag g/t x 0.018).

Copper-gold-molybdenum porphyry-style mineralization

Porphyry-style mineralization occurs in the monzonitic and monzodioritic intrusives and in sandstone/siltstone sediments. Drill holes CHA-11-04, CHA-11-06, CHA-11-07, CHA-12-09, CHA-12-11, CHA-12-13 and CHA-12-15 intersected moderate potassic alteration with disseminations and discontinuous veinlets of chalcopyrite and molybdenite, plus superimposed phyllic and propylitic alteration containing chalcopyrite, molybdenite, pyrite and pyrrhotite. Low-grade, copper-gold-molybdenum mineralization has been reported over broad intervals from several of the above mentioned drill holes:

• Hole CHA-11-06 reported 245 meters of porphyry-style mineralization, corresponding with copper grades of between 0.01 and 0.12% copper, and intermittent strongly anomalous values of gold and molybdenum.
• Hole CHA-12-09 reported 117 meters averaging 0.05% Cu, 0.005% Mo and 0.02 g/t Au
• Hole CHA-12-11 intercepted 35.5 meters averaging 0.16% Cu, 0.030% Mo and 0.07 g/t Au
• Hole CHA-12-13 highlighted 11 meters averaging 0.40 g/t Au, and 96 meters averaging 0.06% Cu, 0.03 g/t Au and 0.002% Mo
• Hole CHA-12-15 reported 47 meters averaging 0.03% Cu and 0.05 g/t Au, and 43 meters averaging 0.05% Cu, 0.05 g/t Au and 0.005% Mo

Miguel Cardozo, President and CEO of Alturas commented: “We are excited and intrigued by the results of this initial drilling program at Chapi Chapi; it confirms that the Company has uncovered a very large and strong copper-gold-molybdenum mineralized system in this prolific porphyry-skarn belt where several large economic deposits are located nearby. The program has successfully highlighted the existence of varied mineralization styles, and the geological complexity, present at Chapi Chapi. Subsequent drilling campaigns will target hidden high grade skarn and porphyry bodies, potentially similar to the various examples nearby in the Apurimac belt, where apparently poorly outcropping mineralized occurrences have in some cases later grown into very large economic deposits through detailed exploration drilling. In addition, the Company will target potentially economic gold-silver replacement bodies in hydrothermally altered and brecciated sandstones in the aureoles of monzonitic intrusive stocks”.

Dr. Cardozo added that “Alturas has outlined a large, potentially economic, copper-gold-molybdenum mineralized system: a second phase drilling program of 10,000 meters is planned for the second half of 2012 and it will start as soon as the environmental permit is obtained. The second phase program will aim to more precisely define the extent and quality of the widespread copper-gold-molybdenum mineralization.”

Fuente: www.alturasminerals.com