Excelsior Mining has started the 2012 drill program at the Gunnison copper project, in South Arizona. A reverse circulation rig and a diamond drilling rig are used in the drilling program. The company has drilled a first series of holes to obtain further metallurgical information.
The focus of the subsequent drill program will be on further acquisition of geological and hydrological data and the company has aimed to complete a pre-feasibility study, as a part of the 2012 program, by the end of 2012.
Stephen Twyerould, Excelsior’s CEO and President stated that the company is delighted to drill at the Gunnison project again. He also said that the drill program for 2012 is an ambitious one and the company is striving to make considerable progress in this project at a rapid rate.
The drill program is specifically designed to enable progress of the project, hydrologically, geologically and metallurgically. The company will use the resultant information for optimization of well field design, composition of leaching solution and offer significant data for quality control of groundwater and reclamation of the project, wherein all are necessary to advance the project in the permitting method.
The location of Gunnison copper project is around 65 mi. towards the southeast part of Tucson in Arizona. The project focuses on the North Star deposit that now has a 3.21 Blbs of oxide copper as total indicated mineral resource and 0.88 Blbs of oxide copper as an inferred mineral resource. In-situ recovery methods can be used to mine this oxide mineral resource.