C3 Metals Inc (TSX-V:CCCM, OTC:CARCF) announced results from an initial scout drilling program at its Arthurs Seat project in Jamaica.
Ten scout holes tested extensive epithermal quartz breccias exposed north of the Crawle River-Rio Minho Fault Zone (CRFZ), a new and emerging porphyry–epithermal belt. Although first-pass drilling did not intersect high-grade shoots that are common to these systems, broad zones of lower-grade gold mineralization with small intervals of high grade (0.6m at 7.63 grams per tonne of gold) have been confirmed within telescoped porphyry-style alteration and mineralization.
The Arthurs Seat Project is contiguous with C3 Metals’ Bellas Gate and Main Ridge Projects to the southeast and west, respectively. There is no record of any previous drilling at the Arthurs Seat Project.
“This first pass scout drilling has provided us with a much better understanding of the district-scale mineral system we are exploring between Bellas Gate and Arthurs Seat,” CEO Dan Symons said in a statement. “The data collected at Arthurs Seat to date suggests that the extensive gold and copper mineralized epithermal vein system we discovered is sitting above multiple additional porphyry targets.”
Specifically, mapping and sampling defined an 8-km-by-4.5-km copper-gold-silver footprint within which a 5-km-by-3-km high-density, low-intermediate sulphidation epithermal quartz breccia swarm occurs, the company said.
C3 Metals completed 10 scout drill holes for 2,200m, testing multiple high-potential epithermal gold targets. Eight of 10 holes intersected epithermal and/or porphyry-style mineralization, and two holes were lost due to ground conditions.
“When we step back and evaluate our Jamaican portfolio, we now have 16 porphyry and 40 epithermal targets over a 30 km strike after only nine months of new data collection and interpretation of historical data,” Symons said. “We intend to begin systematically drill testing the highest priority targets along what we believe is an emerging porphyry and epithermal belt.”
A full breakdown of the results can be found here.
“With so many high-priority porphyry and epithermal targets generated in such a relatively short period of time, combined with the size of our mineral concession package, it is clear we are sitting on a new, underexplored porphyry–epithermal district,” Symons added. “With multiple drill holes ending in good-grade porphyry copper-gold mineralization, a drill rig with greater depth capability is required. We are currently working to source suitable equipment to recommence drilling our highest priority targets.”
The next phase of drilling in Jamaica will systematically evaluate high potential porphyry and epithermal prospects delineated, the company said.
Contact Andrew Kessel at andrew.kessel@proactiveinvestors.com
Follow him on Twitter @andrew_kessel