Cu
Mo
Ag
Overview
The Round Top target is a large copper-molybdenum-silver (Cu-Mo-Ag) porphyry system that lies approximately 25 kilometers NE of the Illinois Creek CRD property. A total of 33 WAM drill holes totaling >10,700 meters were completed between 2016 and 2019 on the project. Widespread secondary copper mineralization, primarily as covellite and chalcocite suggest possible recovery using SXEW (solvent extraction electro-winnowing) technology.
High-level chalcocite/covellite mineralization
Exploration & Geology
At Round Top, high-level porphyry mineralization characterized by sheeted chalcopyrite/covellite veins with illite alteration is recognized within a high-level litho-cap. The litho-cap silicate minerals are dominantly altered to kaolinite. Deep surficial oxidation has resulted in the development of an extensive chalcocite-enrichment blanket with several enriched horizons. Initial deep drilling recognized early higher temperature quartz stockworks and, molybdenum-enriched mineralization. Magnetic susceptibility modeling along with alteration and geochemical trends suggests that primary biotite-magnetite-chalcopyrite-bornite mineralization lies north of current deep drilling. Significant copper-silver mineralization has been encountered in numerous drill holes.
The presence of hypogene chalcocite-covellite-bornite in argillic and sericite/illitic-altered litho-caps is very rare above porphyries but does occur in some of the best deposits around the world. The most notable examples include Resolution (Arizona), Oyu Tolgoi (Mongolia), Wafi Golpu (Papua New Guinea), and Butte (Montana). This mineralization assemblage indicates a porphyry system at depth with copper grades extending temporally into late lower temperature alteration assemblages.
The qualified person who reviewed and approved the technical disclosure on this website is Stuart Morris, P. Geo., a qualified person as defined under National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Morris is an independent consultant with a MS in Economic Geology and 40 plus years of experience in mineral resources, mine, and exploration. He is a Registered Geologist with the British Columbia Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists (BC-APEG) No. 135066 and with the Arizona State Board of Technical Registration No. 16289.
