Duncastle Gold Corp. (TSX VENTURE:DUN)(FRANKFURT:5D3) reported today on results from the fall 2010 drill program at its Porphyry Creek project located 20 kilometers northwest of Smithers, in northwest British Columbia.
Three drill holes totaling 1,330 meters were completed at a nominal 100 meter spacing to test a 200 meter strike length of coincident geophysical and surface geochemical anomalies at the Sultana prospect, one of seven priority targets on the 130 square kilometer project.
All three drill holes were mineralized throughout their length with chalcopyrite and lesser molybdenite. Overall, copper values are seen increasing down hole towards the magnetic low that encircles the drill sites. The best results were returned from PC10-01 which averaged 0.055% copper over its entire 441 meter length including a lower 105 meter interval averaging 0.10% copper increasing to 0.20% copper over the final 30 meters of the hole. PC-10-01 also intersected two separate three meter intervals with 0.34% and 0.35% copper, and a six meter zone of high-grade molybdenum with copper and precious metals values grading 0.30% molybdenum, 0.30% copper, 13.9 g/t silver and 0.16 g/t gold. Mineralization is associated with moderate to strong potassic alteration of the intrusive host rock with later-phase phyllic and propylitic alteration associated with some of the higher copper values.
Similarly, PC10-02 averaged 0.037% Cu over 304 meters and PC10-03 averaged 0.033% Cu over 580 meters in the same altered host rock. All values are reported as down hole thickness.
The holes were collared within a strong magnetic high and drilled westward into an area of low magnetics and a strong in-phase electromagnetic (EM) signature. Increasing copper grades correlate closely with the transition toward the electromagnetic high in both drill holes PC10-01 and PC10-03 and stronger phyllic alteration of the host rock with a higher overall pyrite content.
The annular shape of the magnetic response, together with the massive nature of the host rock (granodiorite), alteration styles, and the persistent concentrations of copper and molybdenum suggest that the holes were collared in the centre of a porphyry copper-molybdenum system.
Duncastle Gold is planning follow-up drilling at Sultana to test the adjacent electromagnetic high which extends for over 800 meters width x 1,200 meters strike length. Work is also being planned for other areas on the property where airborne and geochemical survey work has identified multiple targets that will be followed up with groundwork in spring 2011.
President Michael Rowley commented: "We are very pleased with the results from our first drill program on the property. We have the potential to define a well-mineralized porphyry copper-molybdenum system that is consistent with the area geology and existing discoveries. In addition, the airborne geophysical survey has demonstrated excellent value in terms of target identification and definition, which should accelerate future target development."
The Porphyry Creek project covers over 130 sq km of mineral claims with historic workings and numerous high-grade gold, silver and polymetallic showings around a distinct 10 kilometer long magnetic high with coincident copper, lead and zinc geochemical anomalies shown in government data. Data compilation and modeling by Duncastle has demonstrated mineral zonation on the property consistent with porphyry style deposits. There are over 20 porphyry discoveries in the region, including Berg, Bell, Huckleberry, Mt Milligan, and Galore Creek among others, plus other deposit types (eg Eskay Creek).
New Claims Added
Duncastle Gold also reported today that it added 1,515 contiguous hectares to the Porphyry Creek mineral claim group via direct staking based on the positive drill and airborne results, bringing the property total to about 13,097 hectares (over 130 square kilometers).