NorthWest Copper Corp (TSX-V:NWST) has released the first results from the 2022 Stardust drilling program, which includes 44.20 metres (m) at 1.31% copper equivalent (CuEq), including 21.10m of 2.41% CuEq, in the 421-Canyon Creek Skarn zone.
“We are pleased to report multiple high-grade intervals from our Stardust project, one of the highest-grade deposits in British Columbia,” said President and CEO Peter Bell.
“These strong intervals are a reminder of the exceptional copper and gold grades that characterize Stardust. This is our first batch of results from Stardust in 2022 and we look forward to updating the market when we receive the rest of the assays.”
READ: NorthWest Copper releases its foundational Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) report
The holes were designed to increase confidence in the high-grade mineralization at its 100%-owned Stardust deposit, located about 7 kilometres (km) from NorthWest’s 100%-owned Kwanika deposit.
Highlights from assays include:
DDH22-SD-478D: 44.20m of 1.31% CuEq2 from 502.00m;
- Including 21.10m at 2.41% CuEq from 523.10m; and
- Including 1.55m at 16.64% CuEq from 542.65m
DDH22-SD-476M: 75.95m at 0.98% CuEq from 600.45m
- Including 0.90m at 9.30% CuEq from 616.55m
Focus of drilling
Drilling at Stardust for the 2022 season focused on the conversion of inferred resources to higher classifications and, to a lesser extent, on expansion of the resource around the 421-Canyon Creek Skarn zone.
Stardust is the high-grade carbonate replacement deposit (CRD) and drill results reported to date have all been from Kwanika.
The combination of Stardust and Kwanika is the subject of its preliminary economic assessment (PEA), which is in progress and expected to be completed in Q4 2022.
South 421-Canyon Creek drilling
Drillholes DDH22-SD-476M, 478D, 480M, and 483D were drilled from the same pad. Drill holes 478M and 480D are on the same section, with 476M and 483D drilled on another section about 25m to the south.
DDH-18-SD-478D and 480M returned long mineralized intersections of 44.20m at 1.31% CuEq and 33.55m of 0.91% CuEq, respectively.
These intervals include very high-grade intervals of 16.64% CuEq over 1.55m from 542.65m depth in hole 478D and 11.20m at 2.19% CuEq from 463.80m in hole 480M.
Mineralization in these holes is chalcopyrite-pyrite as semi-massive sulphide replacements of garnet skarn or, more commonly and accompanied by calcite and magnetite/hematite, as infill of vugs and interstices in garnet skarn.
Drill hole 476M returned a long interval with 0.98% CuEq over 75.95m starting at 600.45m downhole. This interval includes a very high-grade 9.30% CuEq over 0.90m zone starting at 616.55m downhole and another 8.45m zone with 3.14% CuEq from 658.05m downhole.
Drill hole 483D intersected an interval of 10.55m at 0.63% CuEq with a 0.35m interval of 3.99% CuEq at 445.85m downhole. The styles of chalcopyrite mineralization in 476M and 483D are similar to those described for holes 478D and 480M.
All drill holes on these sections collared into the Glover stock intrusive complex and then pass down hole through clastic sedimentary rocks in the hanging wall to the skarn. This is followed by a long intersection of strong garnet-pyroxene skarn alteration that replaced carbonate rocks.
Mineralization increases as drilling approaches the contact between the clastic sedimentary rocks and the carbonates, which occurs and is commonly concealed within, the skarn alteration. The high-grade mineralization occurs within the skarn-altered carbonate protolith.
North 421-Canyon Creek drilling
Drill holes DDH22-SD-475M, 477D, 479M and 481D were drilled on the same section and from the same pad using directional drilling.
All holes encountered mineralization with drill hole DDH22-SD-479M providing the highlights on this section with an interval of 46.05m at 1.40% CuEq including 6.40m at 3.05% CuEq.
Mineralization occurs as chalcopyrite infill of vugs and interstices, along with calcite and magnetite/hematite, within massive garnet alteration, or as massive to semi-massive sulphide veins.
These mineralized intervals occur in intense skarn alteration of the carbonate protolith, below its hanging wall contact with the overlying clastic sedimentary rocks.
NorthWest Copper
NorthWest Copper is a new copper-gold explorer and developer with an exciting pipeline of projects in British Columbia.
With a robust portfolio in a tier-one jurisdiction, NorthWest Copper is well positioned to participate fully in a strengthening global copper market.
Contact the author at jon.hopkins@proactiveinvestors.com