Zonte Metals makes copper discovery at Cross Hills Project, Newfoundland and Labrador

Zonte Metals Inc. [TSXV-ZON] provided an update on the K6 drilling program at its Cross Hills Copper Project in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Highlights: Visible copper mineralization observed in all 7 drill holes. CH23-05 intersected 11.2 metres of 0.42% copper, including 2.65% over 0.5 metres. CH23-06 intersected longest mineralized interval; 34.5 metres of 0.1% copper.

Mineralization is open along strike and to depth.  Chalcocite mineralization and copper grade increase with depth. While K6 is the smallest target at Cross Hills; its success validates the effectiveness of the new exploration program. This drill success indicates the project’s potential to become a new copper belt in Canada.

Terry Christopher, President and CEO, commented, “We’re pleased to have made a discovery at the K6 target, following the last three years of additional surface exploration. The initial two years of exploration at Cross Hills targeted specific geophysical anomalies with moderate drill success, at best. The new combined exploration dataset has proven successful with the discovery at K6. Visually, copper was observed in all drill holes, with continuous intercepts up to 34.5m. The drilling also highlighted the presence of chalcocite as the dominant copper mineral. CH23-05 recorded 11.2m of 0.42% Cu with 1.41% and 2.64%, recorded in 0.7m and 0.5m, respectively. Mineralization remains open to depth and along strike, with copper grades increasing with depth as chalcocite percentages increase. The K6 target will be the immediate drill focus for the company and the drill permit has been applied for. The K6 target represents the first test of the combined data, and although the target is the smallest known target on the project, the drill success demonstrates that combined exploration techniques are effective for finding copper mineralization. This discovery is important on a larger property scale as it highlights the Cross Hill project is fertile with copper, potentially hosting a new copper belt in Canada.”

A total of seven drill holes were completed, totaling 1,741 metres, at the K6 target. The drill holes were positioned to test numerous aspects within the combined dataset, some of which remain untested. All seven drill holes intersected visual copper mineralization. Drill holes CH23-03, 05 and 06 recorded copper in widths up to 34.5 metres.

Grades generally ranged from 0.10 to 0.40% Cu, with individual samples returning up to 2.64% Cu. Mineralization is characterized mainly by chalcocite, bornite and chalcopyrite with a general pattern of chalcocite becoming the dominant copper mineral with depth. The image below illustrates the K6 drill hole plan map with copper values and illustrates mineralization being open along strike, especially to the west.  Drill hole CH23-07, completed along strike to the west, intersected anomalous values; however, comparing the alteration sequence in the earlier holes to this one, suggests this hole may have drilled over mineralization.

The recent drilling completed at the K6 target was the second phase of drilling at this target. Two drill holes, totalling 445m, were completed in 2019 and designed to test the magnetic and gravity signatures. Only slightly anomalous values were recorded in 2019, with the single best interval being 0.01% Cu over 5m. The significant improvement in copper grades in phase 2 illustrates how integrating the additional exploration techniques over the last three years has improved the understanding of the mineralizing system.

On the project scale, the drill success at K6 highlights the potential in the remaining 11 targets. Throughout the project, the company has been actively conducting similar exploration across all targets as it did at K6. These programs have advanced many targets to near-drill stage.

Zonte Metals is owns 100% of the McConnells Jest project in the Tintina Gold Belt, Yukon Territory, the Wings Point project in the new Central Newfoundland Gold Belt, and the Cross Hills IOCG project in Newfoundland and Labrador.

In Colombia, the company has a 25% carried interest in Project X where historic dric and partner have an application over open areas sitting on top of the open pit outline of the Gramalote Deposit in Colombia, which is held by AngloGold Ashanti [NYSE-AU] and B2Gold [TSX-BTO; NYSE-BTG]. The title issuance is being contested by the state governing the application and the company has started legal action to protect its rights.