Sunstone Metals Ltd (ASX:STM) has fielded a record hit from resource drilling at the Brama-Alba discovery within the Bramaderos Gold-Copper Project in Southern Ecuador.
Drilling returned an intersection of 202 metres at 0.88 g/t gold equivalent with sub-domains exceeding 1.0 g/t gold equivalent from hole BMDD034, putting the company firmly on track to deliver the property’s maiden mineral resource estimate (MRE) in the coming quarter.
“It is abundantly clear that we have a large gold-copper porphyry system at the Alba end of the 1.2 kilometre-long Brama-Alba porphyry deposit, which remains open in several directions,” Sunstone managing director Malcolm Norris said.
“It is also worthy to note that the gold equivalent calculation is based on gold and copper only, and yet we are seeing very consistent silver values through all mineralised drill holes, as well as domains of elevated molybdenum.”
More evidence
Specifically, assays from BMDD034 include:
- 202 metres at 0.88 g/t gold equivalent (0.65 g/t gold and 0.13% copper) from 148 metres that also included 42 metres at 1.00 g/t gold equivalent (0.74 g/t gold and 0.14% copper) from 252 metres.
The assays sit within a broader interval of 363 metres at 0.71 g/t gold equivalent from 124 metres.
Significantly, the results have provided more evidence that the Brama-Alba discovery is large by global standards and contains grades in line with many well-known porphyry projects.
The area of mineralisation remains open in a number of directions, with adjacent targets including Playas to the east, Sandia to the south, Limon to the north and Melonal to the west, expected to be drill tested in 2022 once the resource drilling is completed in late September.
Status of drilling at Brama-Alba on backdrops of satellite imagery and gold-in-soil results.
High-value discoveries
Norris said: “This is a very good intersection in BMDD034 with width and strong grade and will be included in our upcoming initial mineral resource estimate.
“We have four drilling rigs working 24/7 at Brama-Alba so that we have adequate drill coverage to deliver the initial mineral resource estimate in the coming quarter. The initial MRE for Brama-Alba will be a starting point that we can then build on.
“We are working up multiple adjacent targets for drilling so that we can also deliver an exploration target, and position Sunstone to deliver additional discoveries at Bramaderos during 2022. These will be high value discoveries because they will enable expansion of whatever initial MRE is delivered.”