Aug 7 2019
New Pacific Metals Corp. reports the assay results of the 2nd batch of 32 drill holes from its wholly-owned Silver Sand Project situated in the Department of Potosí, Bolivia. The assay results continue to exhibit broad intervals of silver mineralization.
At present, there are three rigs functioning on-site with a fourth rig to reach there in August to accelerate drilling at Silver Sand. Of the 32 drill holes, 19 holes were drilled to infill the drill grid to a density of 25 m by 25 m to check continuity of mineralization in particular areas drilled in 2018, and 13 holes were drilled step-out to the north testing extension of established mineralized zones. Holes were approximately oriented at azimuths of 60° with dips of -45° normal to the strike and dip of mineralized structures.
All the infill drill holes intercepted substantial silver mineralization in mineralized fracture zones close to those observed in the assay results for those holes completed in 2018 drill campaign and continuing 2019 drill campaign; the first drill results of which were published on June 6, 2019. Holes drilled to the south of section 60 have bumped into mined out intervals within zones of wide silver mineralization where higher grade silver may have been selectively dug out in the past.
The step-out drill holes to the north of section 44 on the eastern side of the mineral deposit also intercepted substantial silver mineralization evidenced by the wide intercepts in holes DSS4006 grading 174 g/ton silver over 42.4 m and DSS422501 grading 183 g/ton silver over 104.5 m, signifying that mineralization is open to the north.
Highlights of important drill intersections are listed below:
- Drill hole DSS4006, 42.4 m @ 174 g/ton Ag from 108.1 m to 150.5 m;
- Drill hole DSS422501, 104.5 m @ 183 g/ton Ag from 41.7 m to 146.2 m,
incl. 65.98 m @ 282 g/ton Ag from 80.25 m to 146.2 m;
- Drill hole DSS427502, 153.57 m @ 98 g/ton Ag from 56.93 m to 210.5 m,
incl. 5.55 m @ 1475 g/ton Ag from 82.38 m to 87.93 m,
incl. 6.0 m @ 681 g/ton Ag from 167.0 m to 173.0 m;
- Drill hole DSS522503, 181.27 mm @ 100 g/ton Ag from 62.95 m to 244.22 m,
incl. 94.18 m @ 177 g/ton Ag from 128.05 m to 222.23 m,
incl. 16.68 m @ 754 g/ton Ag from 205.55 m to 222.23 m;
- Drill hole DSS505012, 104.18 m @ 71 g/ton Ag from 84.48 m to 188.66 m,
incl. 31.47 m @ 109 g/ton Ag from 84.48 m to 115.95 m;
- Drill hole DSS507501, 114.4 m @ 76 g/ton Ag from 67.9 m to 182.3 m
incl. 4.82 m @ 976 g/ton Ag from 168.18 m to 173.0 m;
- Drill hole DSS507502, 83.42 m @ 116 g/ton Ag from 82.1 m to 165.52 m,
incl. 26.55 m @ 242 g/ton Ag from 82.1 m to 108.65 m;
incl. 20.14 m @ 155 g/ton Ag from 145.38 m to 165.52 m;
- Drill hole DSS507503, 57.36 m @ 354 g/ton Ag from 98.5 m to 155.86 m,
incl. 18.44 m @ 403 g/ton Ag from 98.5 m to 116.94 m,
incl. 3.6 m @ 3378 g/ton Ag from 142.7 m to 146.3 m;
- Drill hole DSS627501, 177.19 m @ 67 g/ton Ag from 4.03 m to 181.22 m incl. 36.53 m mined out,
28.47 m @ 161 g/ton Ag from 4.03 m to 32.5 m incl. 1.1 m mined out,
2.22 m @ 965 g/ton Ag from 179.0 m to 181.22 m;
(True width of the mineralization is unidentified, but based on the present understanding of the relationship between drill hole direction and the mineralized structures, it is estimated that true width will approximate 80% of the down hole interval length.)
With the continued exploration accomplishment, the company has hired AMC Mining Consultants (Canada) Ltd. to carry out a preliminary resource estimate for the Silver Sand Project.
Quality Assurance and Quality Control
HQ-size drill core samples from modified and mineralized intervals were divided into halves by diamond saw, with an average sample length of between one and one and half meters at the company’s core processing unit situated in Betanzos, a small town situated 20 km from the project site.
Half core samples are stored in a safe core storage facility in Betanzos for future reference, and the other half core samples are transported in securely sealed bags to ALS Global in Oruro, Bolivia for preparation, and ALS Global in Lima, Peru for geochemical analysis.
All samples are primarily examined by a multi-element ICP package (ALS code ME-MS41) with ore grade over limits for silver, zinc, and lead additionally examined using ALS code OG46. Further silver over limits are examined by gravimetric analysis (ALS code of GRA21).
A regular quality assurance and quality control (“QAQC”) protocol was used to track the quality of sample preparation and testing. Standards of certified reference materials and blanks were inserted in regular core sample sequences before delivery to the lab at a ratio of 20:1 (i.e., every 20 samples contain at least one standard sample and one blank sample).
Duplicate samples of coarse rejects at a ratio of 20:1 will be shipped to a second globally accredited lab for check analysis. The assay results of QAQC samples of standards and blanks did not reveal any major bias of analysis or impurity during sample preparation.
Technical information found in this press release has been appraised and approved by Alex Zhang, P. Geo., Vice President of Exploration, who is a Qualified Person for the purposes of NI 43-101.