Regional Exploration - La Yaqui
A recently completed drill program has successfully delineated a new near-surface oxide gold zone in the La Yaqui prospect area, located 9.5 kilometers southwest of the Estrella deposit. Twenty-four reverse circulation drill holes (2,323 meters) have been drilled to date to define the zone on approximately 25-meter spacing. All holes were drilled dry with a center-return bit and had excellent sample recovery.
Gold mineralization starts at the surface and extends to a maximum depth of 55 meters. Drill intercepts approximate the true zone thickness, with thinner intercepts reflecting a portion of the zone that has been eroded. The zone is stratiform, sub-horizontal, and hosted within a silicified fragmental volcanic unit. It occurs at the extreme southwestern end of a large silicified ridge that infers a northeast trending structural zone. The inferred structural zone is a part of a large 1.5 kilometer by 2.5 kilometer area of strong silicic alteration containing several areas of anomalous gold concentrations assessed from surface sampling. Gold mineralization in the La Yaqui zone is completely oxidized, determined both visually and by very low sulfur concentrations from geochemical analyses. Cyanide-extractable gold analyses also confirm the non-refractory nature of the La Yaqui zone, with extractions uniformly indicating 90-100% recovery on all gold-bearing intervals. Gold appears to be uniformly distributed.
The drilled area is approximately 200 meters in length and 100 meters wide, and is currently defined over a small portion of the prospective area. Grade-thickness contours indicate a primary northeast control to mineralization, and the zone remains open in this direction. Additional step-out drilling is in progress to expand the zone to the northeast and test target areas along the inferred structural zone.
Click on map to enlarge. Click on enlarged map to magnify:
The recently completed exploration program at the La Yaqui prospect represents the Company's first significant exploration spending at one of the areas accessed under recently acquired surface agreements. To date, the exploration work at La Yaqui has been successful in identifying near-surface oxide material. The Company is encouraged by the success of this program and the 2008 exploration budget includes both continued Phase 2 infill and step-out drilling at La Yaqui in the first quarter of 2008 and substantial exploration spending at district drill targets, as well as generation of new projects within the region.
LA YAQUI ZONE COMPOSITE INTERVALS
|
DRILL
HOLE
(Azimuth/Inclination) |
TOTAL DEPTH
(m) |
FROM
(m) |
TO
(m) |
INT.
(m) |
GOLD
(g/t) |
|
07YA001
(0/-90) |
111.28 |
0 |
44.21 |
44.21 |
2.73 |
|
07YA002
(0/-90) |
102.13 |
1.52
35.06 |
30.48
41.16 |
28.96
6.1 |
3.33
1.50 |
|
07YA003
(0/-90) |
86.89 |
0
|
41.16
|
41.16
|
1.90
|
|
07YA004
(0/-90) |
102.13 |
1.52
50.3 |
36.59
54.88 |
35.07
4.58 |
1.42
1.43 |
|
07YA005
(0/-90) |
102.13 |
10.67 |
38.11
|
27.44 |
1.10 |
|
07YA006
(0/-90) |
102.13 |
16.76
36.59 |
22.86
41.16 |
6.1
4.57 |
0.87
0.73 |
|
07YA007
(0/-90) |
105.18 |
3.05 |
32.01 |
28.96 |
2.27 |
|
07YA008
(0/-90) |
105.18 |
1.52 |
27.43 |
25.91 |
1.52 |
|
07YA009
(0/-90) |
102.13 |
0
13.72 |
10.67
25.91 |
10.67
12.19 |
1.14
2.75 |
|
07YA010
(0/-90) |
102.13 |
9.14 |
27.43 |
18.29 |
2.99 |
|
07YA011
(0/-90) |
102.13 |
0
22.86 |
19.81
30.48 |
19.81
7.62 |
1.20
1.55 |
|
07YA012
(0/-90) |
102.13 |
0
28.96 |
16.76
39.63 |
16.76
10.67 |
2.18
2.35 |
|
07YA013
(0/-90) |
102.13 |
0 |
36.59 |
36.59 |
2.02 |
|
07YA014
(0/-90) |
91.46 |
0 |
10.67 |
10.67 |
1.41 |
|
07YA015
(0/-90) |
91.46 |
0
|
13.72 |
13.72 |
1.53 |
|
07YA016
(0/-90) |
91.46 |
0
12.19 |
9.14
16.76 |
9.14
4.57 |
1.94
0.93 |
|
07YA017
(0/-90) |
91.46 |
12.19 |
15.24 |
3.05 |
1.36 |
|
07YA018
(0/-90) |
91.46 |
7.62
15.24
35.06 |
10.67
32.01
38.11 |
3.05
16.77
3.05 |
1.32
1.17
2.36 |
|
07YA019
(0/-90) |
91.46 |
0
13.72
27.43 |
4.57
16.76
41.16 |
4.57
3.04
13.73 |
1.03
0.78
1.56 |
|
07YA020
(0/-90) |
91.46 |
16.76 |
28.96 |
12.2 |
0.95 |
|
07YA021
(0/-90) |
91.46 |
0 |
19.81 |
19.81 |
2.61 |
|
07YA022
(0/-90) |
91.46 |
0
|
21.34 |
21.34 |
2.44 |
|
07YA023
(0/-90) |
91.46 |
0 |
25.91 |
25.91 |
1.79 |
|
07YA024
(0/-90) |
80.79 |
0 |
16.76 |
16.76 |
2.54 |
Click on images to enlarge:
   The La Yaqui exploration program is under the direction of Ken Balleweg, B.Sc. Geological Engineering, M.Sc. Geology, Alamos' Vice President of Exploration and the Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 of the Canadian Securities Administrators. Strict sampling and QA/QC protocol are followed, including the insertion of standards, blanks, and duplicates on a regular basis. Sample intervals are 1.5 meters, with two splits taken and bagged on site. One split is sent to ALS Chemex Inc. in Hermosillo, Mexico for sample preparation and then to Vancouver, British Columbia for analysis. The second split is saved in secure facilities at the on-site exploration camp. Analytical method is fire assay with atomic adsorption finish and gravimetric finish for individual samples with a gold concentration greater than 3.0 grams of gold per tonne (“g/t Au”). A 0.5 g/t Au cut-off grade was used for calculation of composite intervals, with only a single 1.5-meter interval of sub-0.5 g/t Au material allowed within a composite interval.
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