Universal Copper drills 432.8 metres of 0.57% CuEq at Poplar project, British Columbia
Universal Copper Ltd. [UNV-TSXV; ECMXF-OTC; 3TA2-FSE] reported additional drill results from its 2021 diamond drilling program at its 100%-optioned flagship Poplar copper deposit, located southwest of Houston, British Columbia. All drill targets in the Poplar district are shallow and road accessible, within 88 km of rail infrastructure.
Highlights included Hole 21-PC-131 that returned 432.8 metres at 0.57% copper equivalent (CuEq), or 0.432% copper, 0.011% molybdenum, 0.15 g/t gold and 1.80 g/t silver, including 76 metres at 0.68% CuEq, or 0.506% copper, 0.012% molybdenum, 0.17 g/t gold and 2.74 g/t silver.
Hole 21-PC-134 returned 63 metres at 0.57% CuEq, or 0.468% copper, 0.002% molybdenum, 0.13 g/t gold and 2.66 g/t silver and a second interval of 81 metres at 0.41% CuEq, or 0.344% copper, 0.001% molybdenum, 0.08 g/t gold and 2.35 g/t silver.
Clive Massey, CEO, stated: “We are pleased by the recent drill results and ongoing success at Poplar , and we look forward to further expanding our high-grade copper-gold zones in 2022. Drill holes 131 and 134 represent superb follow-up results to the drill intercept 21-PC- 133 reported earlier in January. The geological context and three-dimensional geometry of the high-grade copper domains are coming into focus, and we look forward to establishing Poplar as one of the premier emerging copper -gold exploration districts in western North America.”
Because of the disseminated nature of the mineralization at the Poplar Deposit, it is not possible to make a statement as to the true width for holes 21-PC-131 and 21-PC-134.
The 2021 Poplar drill holes drilled vertically, were designed to test for continuity of copper-gold mineralization, test for extensions to depth, improve the understanding of mineralization geometry, and to infill gaps within possible high-grade mineralized volumes. The company plans to use the 2021 drill core material for metallurgical test work as well as geological/resource evaluation and testing going forward in 2022.
The Company believes the Poplar deposit is tilted westward resulting in eastward dipping mineralization. The latter three holes (21-PC-134 through 21-PC-136) tested the continuation of mineralization at depth toward the east.
Universal plans to deploy upcoming drill campaigns in 2022 to increase the mineralized volume for the high-grade copper domains at Poplar as well as testing for extensions to known mineralized zones, and new brownfields copper-gold zones.
Data compilation and targeting work programs are underway, leveraging decades of work in the district. Universal plans to identify additional Cu-Au and polymetallic targets across the large 61,566 Ha land position.
Massey further stated that, “The Central BC porphyry-epithermal belt has yielded significant gold and polymetallic discoveries within arms-reach of related porphyry copper centres. In addition to several new greenfield porphyry copper targets, we are preparing for testing later this year, Universal intends to explore for structurally controlled precious metal deposits. Poplar has never been systematically targeted for high-grade deposits such as Silver Queen-style, high-grade silver vein zones or Buck-style high grade gold breccia targets.”
The 61,566-hectare Poplar Project hosts a current undiluted Indicated Mineral Resource of 152.3 million tonnes grading 0.3% copper, 0.009% molybdenum, 0.09 g/t gold and 2.58 g/t silver and an undiluted Inferred Resource of 139.3 million tonnes grading 0.29% copper, 0.005% molybdenum, 0.07 g/t gold and 4.95 g/t silver. The mineral resource estimate has a cut-off grade of 0.20% copper.
Poplar lies in a historic mining region 35 km from the Huckleberry Mine and 42 km from Equity Silver Mine, where low snowfalls will allow year-round work. The road accessible property is bisected by a 138 Kva Hydroelectric line and lies 88 km from the rail head at Houston and 400 km from the deep-water port at Prince Rupert by rail.