Pacific Empire Minerals Corporation (TSX-V:PEMC, OTCQB:PEMSF) said it has expanded the area of copper mineralization during the 2022 drilling program at its Jean Marie site, revised the agreement for Pinnacle, and initiated a notice of work for its Col prospect, all located in central British Columbia.
The Vancouver-based company said both drill holes at the Jean Marie copper-molybdenum-silver-gold porphyry prospect were step-out holes from historical drilling at distances of 100 metres (JM22-01) and 200 metres (JM22-02) from historical drill hole 97-11.
Pacific Empire CEO Brad Peters said the company extended the area of copper mineralization at Jean Marie approximately 200 metres to the northwest.
READ: Pacific Empire Minerals begins diamond drilling at Jean Marie copper project in British Columbia
"Encountering the mineralized breccia that was originally identified in historical drilling in hole 97-11 is very encouraging and demonstrates that the mineralizing system in the area is of a significant size," Peters said in a statement.
A total of 700 metres of drilling were completed, according to Pacific Empire, adding laboratory assays will be released following review.
According to Pacific Empire, hole JM22-01 was drilled approximately 100 metres to the west of historical drill hole 97-11, down to a depth of 400 metres. Hole JM22-02 was drilled a further 100 metres to the northwest of JM22-01 and was successful in intercepting the mineralized breccia at 150 to 210 metres depth.
Pacific Empire vice president of exploration Thomas Hawkins said these holes represent the start of a large program to further expand the central target to the east and west and at greater depths.
"Several of the highest priority targets that were developed from this year remain untested and will be tested during the next phase of drilling,” Hawkins said in a statement.
Historical shallow drilling intercepted copper, molybdenum, and silver mineralization over a total strike length of nine kilometres in several zones along the contact between the Jean Marie pluton and the Takla volcanic host.
“Mineralization and alteration is consistent over a broad area indicating a large-scale porphyry style system. Future step out drilling aims to link the different zones of known copper mineralization," Hawkins said.
Pinnacle update
Pacific Empire said it and 1111 Exploration Corp (Eleven) have revised the terms of the option agreement on its Pinnacle property.
Under the revised option terms, Eleven may earn a 70% interest in Pinnacle by completing C$3 million in exploration expenditures on the project, paying Pacific Empire a total of $460,000 in cash payments ($75,000 paid) and issuing 3.8 million common shares (500,000 issued) to Pacific Empire by August 2026, the company said.
Following completion of a pre-feasibility study, Eleven will have a 70% initial interest and Pacific Empire retaining a 30% initial interest.
Exploration carried out by Eleven in 2021 centred on the Aplite Creek prospect, and returned a high value of 1,460 parts per billion (ppb) in gold values and copper values with a high value of 8,010 parts per million (ppm). The 2021 sample identified a northwesterly trending area of elevated copper and gold soil geochemistry over 4 km by 1.2 km area.
"The group at 1111 Exploration is very experienced and capable with a wealth of knowledge in porphyry deposits in British Columbia,” Peters said.
“When Pacific Empire acquired this property in 2012 through staking there was very limited drilling and no access. Since that time diamond drilling has successfully encountered gold mineralization in drilling over a wide area and the property can now be accessed by vehicle," he added.
Col update
Pacific Empire said it has submitted a notice of work for a multi-year area based permit for its Col property.
The Col property is located approximately 50 km to the southeast of Northwest Copper's Kwanika Deposit and 50 km to the northwest of Centerra Gold's Mt. Milligan Mine, the company said.
At the A Zone, copper-gold mineralization was tested by a number of small diameter drill holes by Falconbridge Ltd in 1971 with the best intersections assaying 0.84% copper over 45.7 meters and 0.70% copper over 51.8 meters. While reviewing drill core from the A Zone, Pacific Empire said it observed the presence of very well mineralized porphyry intrusions most likely responsible for the copper-gold mineralization.
At the Campbell Trench Zone, Pacific Empire said gold was observed in outcrop at this location in 2007. The Slide Zone occurs within Chuchi Lake Succession volcanic rocks, according to Pacific Empire, and when last worked in 2007, returned grab values of up to 17,700 ppm copper and 948 ppb gold.
Contact the author at susie@proactiveinvestors.com