NorthWest Copper (TSX-V:NWST) Corp said drilling has started at its 100%-owned East Niv project in north-central British Columbia, involving around 3,400 metres (m) of drilling and six drill holes in the first phase for 2022.
The company said that East Niv is its third drill project to be activated in 2022. Drilling is already in progress at Kwanika and Stardust where 26 holes have been completed this year.
At the East Niv discovery, drilling in 2021 outlined a mineralized footprint of 1.5 x 1.0 km, open in all directions. The strongest mineralization was intersected at the northwest edge of this footprint. Copper-gold mineralization was encountered in eight of ten holes drilled at East Niv in 2021, and all ten contained strong to intense, sulphide-bearing alteration types consistent with those in major porphyry copper-gold deposits throughout the Quesnel-Stikine tectonic belt.
READ: NorthWest Copper announces positive results from Stardust drill program; plans follow-up drilling in 2022
The 2022 program, meanwhile, is designed to expand the known high-grade zone and test for additional copper-gold zones. The company said its geologic knowledge of this new area is evolving and the exploration program in 2022 will remain focused on understanding the scale of what has been found and the prospectivity of the region around it. The company plans to continue to use helicopter support to maximize flexibility and minimize disturbance from drilling.
"We started our exploration program very early this year with drilling at Kwanika in March," President and CEO Peter Bell said in a statement. "We have not received assay results as early as hoped, however, we are still well ahead of our program in 2021 and expect the first portion of drill results to be available for release in the coming weeks."
"NorthWest's discovery of East Niv in 2021 was a significant milestone for the company, creating a new hub of copper-gold mineralization" continued Bell. "We are extremely excited to begin the 2022 program which will focus on growing the high-grade zones and adding to the scale of the project. A grassroots discovery is rare enough but the proximity to infrastructure makes East Niv quite extraordinary. We look forward to updating the market as we progress the 2022 program."
Drilling at Kwanika started in March and at the adjacent Stardust project shortly after. East Niv drilling has just started while drilling at Lorraine is expected to commence in August 2022. NorthWest's extensive drill program for 2022 plans for a total of over 30,000 metres over its portfolio - including Kwanika, Stardust, East Niv and Lorraine.
There are currently three drill rigs working at Kwanika and Stardust and approximately 10,000 metres of drilling have been completed at the two projects so far this year. Three holes have been completed at Stardust and 23 holes have been completed at Kwanika. Assay turnaround has been slower than expected, however, and the company looks forward to updating the market as the assay backlog is reduced and results become available.
The Kwanika drilling has been focused around the Kwanika Central Zone, both north and south of the mineralized footprint testing for potential expansion and for higher grade zones within the deposit. The more limited Stardust drilling to date has targeted incremental extensions of the high grade 421 Zone.
In addition to the drilling, the company conducted two geophysical surveys at Kwanika. A Time Domain Electromagnetic (TDEM) geophysical survey is complete and the company is currently finishing a 3D-Induced Polarization geophysical survey that will cover approximately 2,000 hectares. Interpretations of this work may identify new exploration targets, the company said.
NorthWest Copper has an exciting pipeline of projects in a tier-one jurisdiction in British Columbia and is well-positioned to participate fully in a strengthening global copper market.
Contact the author at jon.hopkins@proactiveinvestors.com