Minto Metals Corp. (CVE: MNTO) has found high-grade copper intersects from its exploration drilling between two of its Yukon open pits.
On Wednesday, the company announced the results from its 2022 exploration drilling program at the Minto Mine located within the Selkirk First Nation’s Territory in central Yukon, Canada.
Minto found that drill hole 22EXP058 cut 11.40 per cent copper, 0.51 grams per tonne gold, and 43.93 g/t silver over 4.00 metres at approximately 100 metres vertical depth in a newly discovered mineralized zone between the Minto North and Main open pits.
The drill program found the following highlights:
- Hole 22EXP053 showed 2.19 per cent Cu, 0.24 g/t Au, 14.02 g/t Ag over 7.31 m at approximately 450 m vertical depth and 150 m north-west of the Minto Main pit.
- Hole 22EXP055 showed 1.66 per cent Cu, 1.31 g/t Au, 12.10 g/t Ag over 1.24 m at approximately 250 m vertical depth and immediately south of the Minto North II orebody
- Hole 22EXP057 showed 1.33 per cent Cu, 0.35 g/t Au, 19.22 g/t Ag over 3.12 m at approximately 300 m vertical depth and 200 m north of the Minto Main pit
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The high-grade mineralization reported for drill hole 22EXP053 is some of the highest grade copper assays returned in the history of exploration at the Minto Mine,” VP of Exploration David Benson said.
“Drill holes 22EXP053 and 22EXP058 were drilled in an area of complex geology between the Minto North and Minto Main Pit testing geophysical anomalies at depth below the “Inferno” prospect, a near-surface, undefined prospect.”
The company’s 2022 exploration drilling campaign is now complete and was considered a great success with the discovery and confirmation of two new mineralized zones, Minto North West and Minto East 150 Deep.
Back in February, the Government of Yukon and Yukon First Nations sought public input before crafting new minerals legislation in the territory after acknowledging that laws in place dating back to the Gold Rush are no longer practical.
The Minto mine has been producing copper since 2007, with underground mining operations starting in 2014. The mine has produced around 500 million pounds of copper to date, with current operations based on underground mining, a process plant that produces high-grade copper, gold, and silver concentrate, and all the supporting infrastructure required for a remote location in Yukon.
The mine is located about 20 kilometres from Minto Landing, on the west side of the Yukon River, and roughly 250 road-km north of the capital city of Yukon, Whitehorse.
Minto Metals stock stayed flat on Wednesday at $1.19 on the Canadian Ventures Exchange.
