Scott Petsel, President of Metallic Minerals (TSX.V:MMG – OTCQB:MMNGF), joins us to review the 2024 exploration strategy at both the Keno Silver Project in the Yukon and the La Plata Copper Project in Colorado.
We lead off discussing the 2,000 meters of drilling planned to begin in the next few weeks at the Keno Silver project, building upon the inaugural NI-43-101 mineral resource estimate, announced February 26th. This was a key milestone for this Project which defined 18.16 million ounces of silver equivalent (inferred), over 4 deposits (Formo, Fox, Caribou and Homestake). Preparations are underway to begin step-out drilling near the Formo target, which is the largest of the four deposits contributing to the initial resources announced earlier this year, and located inside the neighboring Hecla Mining’s Keno Hill land package. There will also be drill testing at a few new targets like McMillan and Rumtum.
Then we pivoted over to the developing exploration strategy, ongoing groundwork, and targeting for this year at the La Plata Copper-Silver Project, following up on last year’s 4 drill holes over 4,530 meters, that was funded by a May 2023, 9.5% strategic equity investment by Newmont Corporation. Scott outlines that those 4500 meters drilled last year have not yet been added into the existing 1.21-billion-pound copper and 17.6-million-ounce silver inferred mineral resource. Importantly, they will also add in more a grade and resources from gold, platinum, and palladium for the first time; which have not previously been included.
Scott outlined that the 4 holes drilled by the exploration team in 2023 did follow up on the area near the high-grade intercept hole # LAP22-04, and that three of four holes intercepted continuous porphyry style Cu-Ag-Au-PGE mineralization over 500 m in width at 0.3% Cu including significant intervals exceeding 0.5% to 0.7% CuEq with associated Ag, Au and PGEs. Drill hole LAP23-05 intersected 909 m of continuous mineralization from surface grading 0.26% CuEq over the entire hole length, with a 550 m wide higher-grade zone. We discuss the variability in the grade and intensity of the mineralization in all drill holes, based on the density of veining and concentration of associated sulphides that carry the copper, silver, gold, platinum, and palladium. The deposit remains open to expansion at depth and along trend. Defining the geometry of these higher-grade porphyry units and alteration zones is an important focus of follow up drilling at the Allard resource area and potentially testing a few new targets in 2024.
If you have any follow up questions for Scott on Metallic Minerals, then please email me at Shad@kereport.com.
- In full disclosure, Shad is a shareholder of Metallic Minerals.
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