Feb 7 2011
Tuffnell Ltd. (OTC Bulletin Board: TUFF) has announced details of Phase II Exploration program at the Little Butte Gold/Copper Project.
Mr. George Dory, Tuffnell's CEO, visited the Little Butte Project site at the end of 2010 and was pleased with progress to date. Tuffnell's trenching program has verified the presence of a large north-northwest trending shear zone that dips near vertical. Associated with the shears are specularite veins that are in part gold and copper bearing. Deep weathering has mobilized both copper and gold, but especially copper and produced an enriched zone at the historic water table. A specularite stockworks occurs adjacent to the veins indicating additional structural preparation and possible mineralization. A total of 4 trenches were dug.
Using the veins found to date, a series of core holes were drilled from east to west to intersect the veins at various depths. A 45 and then a 78 degree hole was drilled under trench 1. After this, identical holes were drilled under trench 3. Using this information an even deeper hole was drilled into the vein zone from further east.
A gradient array IP geophysical survey of the area around LB1010 shows a strong north-south trending resistivity high. Initial interpretation is that this anomaly, which is 150 meters wide and 700 meters long, is that it is an altered shear zone. The N-NW trending veins are thought to be controlled by subsidiary structures caused by strike-slip movement of the main north-south faults. An IP Effect high (conductor) is associated with the east side of the resistivity anomaly and may indicate sulfides or a water filled fault. An additional IP effect high occurs on the western edge of the surveyed area. Assay results for both trenching and drilling will be released as soon as all results have been received and interpreted.
After all results are in from the current trenching and core drilling a plan for further testing will be developed using all available data. This plan will undoubtedly include RC drill testing to the north of the IP anomaly overlying the LB1010 zone and other anomalies found by the survey. Further core drilling may also be appropriate if the LB1010 zone remains open along strike and at depth. Planning for a deep test of the Grasberg style copper/gold target will continue as the winter exploration program develops.