Solaris Resources drills 1.03% CuEq over 475 metres at Warintza, Ecuador
Solaris Resources Inc. [TSX: SLS; NYSE: SLSR] reported assay results from its continuing 60,000-metre 2024 drilling program that aims to target open extensions of mineralization while upgrading mineral resources and converting waste at its Warintza project in southeastern Ecuador.
Highlights: Drill results continue to build on the 2024 mineral resource estimate (MRE), with this release highlighted by intercepts of high-grade mineralization outside of the MRE in the northwest and southeast sectors. Some of these holes also significantly improve upon modelled grades in sparsely drilled areas.
Northwest sector: SLS-100 (drilled southeast): 427 metres of 1.11% CuEq (copper equivalent) within 475 metres of 1.03% CuEq from surface. SLS-99 (drilled southwest): 105 metres of 1.00% CuEq within 246 metres of 0.75% CuEq from surface.
SLS-96 (drilled southeast): 78 metres of 0.71% CuEq within 288 metres of 0.47% CuEq from surface. SLS-97 (drilled west): 75 metres of 0.60% CuEq within 308 metres of 0.36% CuEq from surface.
Holes SLS-96, SLS-97 and SLS-99 added new high-grade mineralization partially outside of the MRE while SLS-100 improved upon the modelled grade in its vicinity. These holes were located in the northwest sector where mineralization has now been extended to the contact with a tabular granodiorite that shapes the northwestern pit wall. Step-out exploration drilling is now testing the potential for mineralization within a large area of undrilled soil anomaly on the far side of this body.
Southeast sector: SLSE-50 (southwest): 84 metres of 0.70% CuEq within 445 metres of 0.53% CuEq from surface. SLSE-45 (drilled east): 285 metres of 0.63% CuEq within 399 metres of 0.58% CuEq from surface.
SLSE-47 (drilled southwest): 210 metres of 0.58% CuEq within 399 metres of 0.42% CuEq from surface. SLSE-46 (drilled south): 75 metres of 0.73% CuEq within 400 metres of 0.34% CuEq from surface.
Holes SLSE-45, SLSE-46, SLSE-47 and SLSE-50 added new high-grade mineralization partially outside of the MRE while SLSE-45 and SLSE-46 improved upon modelled grades in their vicinity. Mineralization remains open to the southeast for approximately 600 metres within a large 0.8-km-by-0.8-km soil anomaly that defines the target opportunity in this direction.
New drilling record: Warintza continues to see gains from significant infrastructure investment at site, with the next phase of construction under way. These improvements have supported the project team achieving a new monthly drilling record of 10 km (eight rigs) in August — well above the prior monthly peak of eight km (12 rigs) set in 2021. The company is now well positioned to exceed the 60,000 metres of drilling planned this year.
Solaris is advancing a portfolio of copper and gold assets in the Americas, which includes a world-class copper resource with expansion and discovery potential at its Warintza project in Ecuador; a series of grassroots exploration projects with discovery potential in Peru and Chile; and significant leverage to increasing copper prices through its 60% interest in the La Verde joint venture project with a subsidiary of Teck Resources in Mexico.