RE:RE:Wow! The following is a continuation --- an expansion into some details --- of my post from yesterday: regarding ST OCO field team mineralogical characterization details of retrieved core … as based largely on the core foto image as provided in the OCO Tweet.
See the following particular OCO Tweet foto for reference to my comments:
https://twitter.com/OrocoCorp/status/1441438687695228930/photo/1
[1] this is a foto image of an approx 0.1-0.15m section of extracted ST core, I am assuming it to be part of one of two of the recently completed NEW core holes. This core is marked as being from depth 575.4m. This foto may not be of very high resolution; however, I suspect that in the field lab, such original fotos are of very high resolution and that, possibly, this is a 2D rendering of an original 3D image. IOW: I suspect that the images OCO field staff are using for their investigations-analyses-etc are 3D ... that can be viewed at every conceivable perspective.
[2] Also, I suspect that the markings on this foto --- the fracture patterns, mineralogical text descriptions and etc --- are only part of the full geological interpretation they have compiled in their foto record archive.
[Besides, having too much info on such images, for public consumption, tends to not present well and to then clutter the most important message. Who knows? Maybe in this image, they have spotted a few flecks of Au but don't want anyone to get too excited about such a random item of data. Haha!]
[3] Also, as part of background, pls keep in mind that of such core, they are cut in half [longitudinally], where the other half, as necessary, is sent to the assayist; so, statistically speaking, both parties will then have pretty “matching book-end” physical rock samples.
[As a reminder: I am a geologist --- exclusively, in my professional life, I have been "captivated and entertained" by the exploration and development side of the petroleum industry --- so I am not an expert in hard rock [Cu-porphyry] megascopic petrology and such associated geology; however, in a fashion, I can do a pretty good job of applying general geological principles of super-positioning, mineral recognition, core analysis and etc to this ST context. IOW: I am confident that, regarding the essentials --- with, admittedly, some read-between-the-lines speculation --- I know what here I am seeing and relating.]
[4] So, what, in terms of commercially attractive mineralogy, do we have in this image ... which I assume is somewhat representative of the important sections of the overall NEWLY retrieved cores? But, before I go into a bit of detail, keep in mind that in ALL such efforts --- that is, such hard rock mineral exploration coring efforts --- the GREAT MAJORITY of the retrieved core is gangue rock; that is, "waste" rock that surrounds and contains the valuable mineralogy; where, at most, at ST Cu-porphyry context, I am anticipating to see 98+% of gangue rock and less that 2% to be of commercial value. This is typical in just about all such Cu plays and I recommend to just keep this fact up front.
[5] So, first off, in this core foto, we can see the gross geological "features" as cut by this core, particularly, the ancient fractures --- millions of years old and most likely, the cumulative fracturing resulted from several episode of tectonic stress --- which have been, via subsequent hydrothermal processes, filled in. From this first pass observation, I take it that it is these FILLED IN FRACTURES, with their Cu-sulfides, which are of the greatest COMMERCIAL INTEREST. Between these fractures, we can see the gangue rock with some precise measure of the disseminated discrete mineral crystals of various kinds; some of them indicated by text; where, within this gangue rock there may be some smaller fractions of attractive minerals.
[6] Any decent meg-pet specialist, with good technique and experience, will be able to use the info types above to construct something of a precise model of the geological evolution of any particular section of core; particularly, with the identified minerals, they will be able to put a lot of detail into their interpretation and use such not only for the core-by-core analysis, but, also for the overall important unraveling and understanding of the ST geological evolutionary “puzzle”; where, with such understanding they will be able to much better employ PREDICTIVE MODELING; which in this case, will help to determine the locations and distribution of additional new cores.
[7] E.g., in one of the other fotos from this Tweet, it shows a young lady taking some sort of measurement at a particular core point. I do not know specifically what she is doing; but, I will guess that she is recording a particular measurement of a particular macro crystal; maybe something like density, hardness, luminescence, reflection, refraction, or something else, which will help them to identify the specific mineral.
[8] Once such measurements --- obtained by using various tools, many of them digital --- are recorded for any particular core section, and, where, most likely, ALL WILL BE STORED in a readily accessible digital database, OCO will be able to accurately estimate to a very high degree, the % of any/all minerals in that core section. Certainly, I do not know all the details for the OCO protocols for doing such investigation at ST, but, this is what I meant, when yesterday, EVEN BEFORE OCO sends such core out to the assayists, in terms of what minerals are present and what are their respective volumes, OCO will have a very good idea of what, commercially, they have. IOW: in reality, there is no indeterminate waiting for FINAL ASSAY results in order for OCO to "KNOW" pretty much what each and every core has encountered; where, with such comprehensive preliminary information, they can begin to build their FINAL 3D mineralogical model [that is, the one necessary to complete their mission-critical NI-43-101's.]
[9] Okay, yes, above, I am doing some speculation and reading between the lines, because I certainly do not know the geological details as are being encountered, recorded and catalogued in this ST coring; however, let me take my speculation one step further: in the following, such will be regarding some of the specific mineralogical texts as provided in the Tweet foto.
[10] In the upper LEFT --- see the Tweet foto of the core --- and indicated by an arrow connecting it with the core, the text mentions "TRACES of chalcopyrite in a PYRITE veinlet"; which tells me that veinlet if mostly pyrite --- waste rock --- with traces of Chalcopyrite. [Note: just to make sure we are on the same page, the chalcopyrite is the commercially desirable Cu-sulfide ore.]
[11] In the upper RIGHT, and indicated by its own arrow connecting it with the core, the text mentions "CHALCOPYRITE veinlet"; which tells me that veinlet is mostly Chalcopyrite.
[12] Hmmm … taken at face value, if, indeed, this is a CHALCOPYRITE veinlet, this section of core contains more Cu than 1%; maybe even --- I am guessing here --- 2%-3% ... which would be fantastic. BUT, keep in mind, I may not be correct on this --- the texts may have a typo --- but, even if these are PYRITE veinlets with chalcopyrite traces, I can see readily this core interval can easily have 1% Cu; again, that would be fantastic. [Again, I don't know whether I am mis-reading this, or, such is a typo and I can only guess whether OCO will add some clarification. I am not really that concerned, regarding one small section of core; rather, I believe Adam and his colleagues have been, so far, encountering commercially-positive info in the newly drilled cores.
So, in closing, I will repeat: truly in such fotos, there are, at a minimum, a 1000 words worth of info, and, as much as I can see, the overall OCO/ST story is very positive; where, I have no reason --- can anyone, based on same, provide comments otherwise? --- to believe that given what to date has been encountered, in the final analysis, that ST will be determined conclusivly to be a MASSIVE WORLD CLASS Cu ore deposit.
I don’t know whether I can say, come hell or high water --- hell and high water can be very painful --- but this Tweet and all of its fotos does nothing but further buttress my overall positive fundamental OCO investment thesis. Am continuing to hold LONG.
For those who have had the patience to read my text, pls feel free to submit questions and/or comments.