Cornish Metals Inc. (CVE:CUSN)(LON:CUSN) has released the first batch of results from its diamond drilling programme at the United Downs copper-tin project in Cornwall.
The drill programme is designed to follow up on the discovery of high-grade copper-tin mineralisation in a structure named "Lithium Lode" which was intersected earlier this year, and which showed grades of 8.5% copper and 1.2% tin over nearly 14.7 metres.
The new hole, drill hole UD21_001, was drilled to a total depth of 260.24 metres and intersected two zones of high-grade mineralisation, one with tin mineralisation, and the second with tin, copper and silver.
The hole hit 7.9% tin across 1.04 metres at a depth of 47.57 metres, and 5.2% copper and 1.3% tin across 2.61 metres from a depth of 227.1 metres. The second intercept also contained 77 grams per tonne silver.
This 2.61 metre tin, copper and silver intercept is the same zone of mineralisation as at the Lithium Lode, indicating that the mineralised zone has a vertical extent of at least 180 metres.
It's also the first time that silver grades have been observed.
Other drill holes also intersected similar zones of mineralisation, currently interpreted as the extension of Lithium Lode, and assays for these holes are pending.
In addition, drill Hole UD21_007 intersected a new zone of mineralisation between approximately 204 metres and 209.6 metres, containing native copper, with assays pending. This zone is approximately 100 metres above the target depth of Lithium Lode and could represent a completely new target.
Drilling to date has tested 200 metres of a strike extent within the potentially 900 metres long United Downs target zone.
"We are pleased with the initial results and observations from our drilling at United Downs, and pleasantly surprised with the silver content recorded,” said chief executive Richard Williams.
“The high-grade nature of the tin and copper mineralisation is similar to what was mined here between 1700 and 1870 and, subject to proving continuity of mineralisation, has the potential to support delineation of a mineral resource. The confirmation of silver in the system adds to the potential for the area.”
He added:
"Furthermore, the United Downs project has numerous additional targets that we will be testing throughout the course of this year, including the downdip extension of the historic Mount Wellington Mine, which operated until 1978, and a further lode to the south of Mount Wellington, which was discovered in the 1970s but never followed up after the mine closed."