Finlay Minerals drills 0.2% copper, 0.22 g/t gold over 31 metres at Silver Hope, British Columbia
Finlay Minerals Ltd. [FYL-TSXV; FYMNF-OTC] has received complete assay results for the 2022 100%-owned Silver Hope core drilling program, central British Colombia.
Follow-up drilling in the Gaul zone along the Main trend was completed with SH22-07 intersecting 31 metres (from 102 m) grading 0.2% copper (Cu), 11.8 g/t silver (Ag) and 0.22 g/t gold (Au), including 11.42 metres (from 121.58 m) grading 0.49% Cu, 30.1 g/t Ag and 0.41 g/t Au. This extends the Gaul zone mineralization to 600 m along strike.
The majority of the 1,671-metre drill program was reconnaissance drilling divided between the Equity East and Allin areas.
This first-time reconnaissance drilling focused on both porphyry copper-molybdenum-gold and Equity silver mine replacement Cu-Ag-Au-type targets in a 16-km2 area containing anomalous soil and till geochemistry, induced polarization geophysical targets, and magnetic features reflecting the Goosly intrusive complex (GIC). The Equity silver mine (Newmont Corp.) mineralization lies along the western contact of the GIC, while the Equity East and Allin areas of Finlay cover the eastern extension of the GIC. This first-phase drilling program at Equity East and Allin was conducted to gather subsurface geological knowledge as the area is heavily vegetated and covered in glacial till with little to no outcrop.
The Main trend’s Gaul zone: The Main trend is a 2 km Cu-Ag-Au mineralized trend that is composed of the Hope, Superstition and Gaul zones that occur along a similar mineralized trend that hosts the past-producing Equity silver mine and the Southern Tail. Further drilling is necessary both as extension, infill, redrilling historical partially assayed and just reported assay intercepts core holes to estimate the resource potential of the Main trend.
Hole SH22-07, drilled to a depth of 210 metre, which intersected 31 metres (from 102 m) grading 0.2% Cu, 11.8 g/t Ag and 0.22 g/t Au, including 11.42 metres (from 121.58 m) grading 0.49% Cu, 30.1 g/t Ag and 0.41 g/t Au, was drilled to test 100 metres south of SH21-09, which intersected 76.57 metres (from 80.23 m) grading 0.45% Cu, 14.6 g/t Ag and 0.14 g/t Au.
The Gaul zone mineralization strikes south-southwest and dips to the west. SH22-07 intersected a small portion of the Gaul mineralized zone and the mineralization remains open down dip, as well as to the south and east. Additional drilling is planned on the Gaul zone, which Finlay management believes has the potential to host a significant copper resource. The Main trend, and specifically the Gaul zone, hosts significant copper mineralization, which is one of the critical elements for the future identified by Natural Resources Canada.
Equity East zone: The three Equity East drill holes (SH22-01, SH22-05, SH22-06) intersected modest galena and sphalerite mineralization, including SH22-01 cutting 0.81 metres (from 74.92 m) grading 47.9 g/t Ag, 2.5% lead (Pb) and 4.53% zinc (Zn).
Drilling intersected overlying trachyandesites of the Ootsa Lake group and mixed monzonites of the GIC. Veining within SH22-05 over the first half of the hole hosted galena, sphalerite and chalcopyrite one-millimetre to four-millimetre veins with a similar orientation to that of mineralized veins at the Main trend and parallel to the orientation of the drill hole, thus not testing the mineralization at the proper drill orientation. Presently, Finlay management is reviewing the oriented-core vein orientations, the Terraspec alteration studies and the geophysical survey results to further refine targeting.
Allin zone: The three Allin drill holes (SH22-02, SH22-03, SH22-04) intersected flows of trachyandesites, monzonite sills and biotite-rich monzonite dikes. SH22-02 hosted alteration peripheral to a porphyry Cu-Mo-Au system with increasing gypsum veining at depth, spotty quartz veining and increasing chlorite. SH22-03 and SH22-04 displayed weak hydrothermal veining with pyrite and vuggy carbonate veins with increasing clay alteration. Again, the geophysics, alteration, drill hole geology and geochemistry are being reviewed to further refine targeting.
Sam zone: During the 2022 exploration program, a soil sampling grid was conducted east of the Sam showing covering the past historical drilling. A small soil sampling grid was also conducted west of the former Equity silver mine. In total, 147 soil samples were collected in the two areas. A multielement anomaly was identified east of the Sam showing and historical drilling. This multielement anomaly occurs west of the West Horizon Cu-Mo porphyry system which is next to the Main trend. Soil sample assays were as high as 68 parts per billion Au, 11.7 parts per million Ag, 487 ppm Cu, 126.5 ppm Pb and 313 ppm Zn.