Alta Zinc Ltd (ASX:AZI) (FRA:8EE) has delivered further high-grade cobalt, nickel, copper and silver result from a recent grab sampling program at the Punta Corna Project in northern Italy.
This program comprised detailed mapping and sampling of seven mineralised main veins and confirmed mineralisation over an approximate 2-kilometre strike length.
Bests from vein sampling include:
- 5.0% cobalt, 6.5% nickel, 0.3% copper and 11 g/t silver, and 5.8% copper and 405 g/t silver from San Giovanni Vein samples 603 and 499;
- 1.0% cobalt, 0.4% nickel, 0.2% copper and 38 g/t silver from San Carlo Vein sample 698;
- 2.2% copper and 452 g/t silver, and 1.2% copper and 260 g/t silver from Santa Barbara Vein samples 703 and 704;
- 4.5% copper and 566 g/t silver from Speranza Vein sample 614; and
- 10.0% copper and 964 g/t silver from Bocca del Prete Vein sample 701.
Once the necessary permits and independent sources of funds have been secured, the company plans to drill test the targets that have been defined.
Confidence in untapped mineral potential
Alta Zinc managing director Geraint Harris said: “Our exciting results and an in-depth review of both historical exploration and recent research have given us increased confidence in the largely untapped mineral potential of Punta Corna, and the role it could play in the hugely supportive energy metals thematic in Europe.
“This leads us to the next step, which is to drill test a number of the exciting targets on the property.
“This is complementary to our strategy to define and develop the Gorno project, to help satisfy the strong demand for clean and traceable sources of raw materials that exists in Europe.”
The project
Alta’s Punta Corna Project is in the Italian Alps, at an elevation of between around 1,300 and 2,800 metres and 65 kilometres drive from the city of Turin.
According to the company, mineralisation is also present over at least 1.3 kilometres of vertical elevation with good potential for further veins to be discovered in-between the known vein sets as part of a new, EU-backed, research project.
Taking advantage of the topography and repeating parallel vein structures, a number of short holes are planned to intersect multiple mineralised veins.
Both the main veins and several new, closely spaced, mineralised sub-veins will be targeted.
Punta Corna has been selected as a project area for a cutting edge hyperspectral satellite remote sensing project (PRIMSA) by the University of Naples in partnership with the European Union, CSIRO (Australia) and the British Geological Survey (BGS).
According to the company, Punta Corna is complementary to its base metals strategy in Italy and, like the Gorno Project, will benefit from the current initiative by the EU to secure clean domestic sources of base and energy metals.
Sampling exercise
During the 2020 field season, Alta collected 150 samples surrounding the known hydrothermal veins to assist in calibrating the satellite imagery.
The PRISMA system will be used to define and map any potential alteration related to the mineralised veins.
If successful, the technique will be a highly efficient and effective exploration tool to help Alta define additional target areas.