Midnight Sun Drills 14.2 MetresVANCOUVER, July 3, 2014 /CNW/ - Midnight Sun Mining Corp. (the "Company" or "Midnight Sun") (TSX-V: MMA) announces the results for the recently completed core drilling program on the Solwezi copper property in northwest Zambia. The drill program was undertaken in April and May 2014 and consisted of 739 metres HQ core drilled in 12 holes.
Highlights of significant, near surface copper mineralization include the following:
- 5.71% copper over 14.2 metres, including 9.58% copper over 7.2 metres in drill hole SLZ-DD-14-010;
- 5.08% copper over 8.0 metres in drill hole SLZ-DD-14-005; and
- 6.27% copper over 4.5 metres in drill hole SLZ-DD-14-001.
Note: The above reported lengths are intercept lengths and not estimated true widths
The recent drill program targeted an area of the Solwezi property located approximately 10km southwest of the Kansanshi mine, the largest copper mine in Africa, which is operated by First Quantum Minerals (FQM-T). This program was designed to expand the area of high grade copper mineralization and locate primary copper mineralization.
"These results continue to confirm the presence of high grade, near surface, oxide copper mineralization in this location," commented Bob Sibthorpe, President and CEO. "The Company is actively reviewing the information provided by these latest results to further delineate the geological model and design a follow up exploration program to expand the known mineralized areas and identify the source of this high grade copper."
Copper mineralization is mainly in the form of malachite, a mineral comprised of 57.48% copper and often associated with acid leaching operations. An image highlighting the area targeted by this core drill program, tables listing full information on all drilling to date, including reverse circulation ("RC") drilling, and location maps are available on the Company's website at www.midnightsunmining.com.
The following table summarizes the assay results of the recently completed 12 drill holes:
| Hole # |
From (m) |
To (m) |
Interval (m) |
True width* (m) |
Copper % |
| SLZ-DD-14-001 |
13.50 |
18.00 |
4.50 |
3.60 |
6.27 |
| SLZ-DD-14-002 |
0.00 |
13.00 |
13.00 |
10.40 |
0.06 |
| SLZ-DD-14-003 |
10.00 |
19.95 |
9.95 |
7.96 |
0.50 |
| and |
29.40 |
37.00 |
7.60 |
6.08 |
0.46 |
| SLZ-DD-14-004 |
17.35 |
17.75 |
0.40 |
0.32 |
1.40 |
| and |
43.00 |
43.90 |
0.90 |
0.72 |
0.51 |
| SLZ-DD-14-005 |
21.70 |
29.70 |
8.00 |
6.40 |
5.08 |
| SLZ-DD-14-006 |
14.0 |
24.0 |
10.0 |
8.0 |
0.08 |
| SLZ-DD-14-007 |
8.00 |
13.90 |
5.90 |
4.70 |
1.15 |
| and |
17.50 |
48.00 |
30.50 |
24.40 |
0.55 |
| including |
33.50 |
37.50 |
4.00 |
3.20 |
3.17 |
| SLZ-DD14--008 |
6.00 |
12.50 |
6.50 |
5.20 |
0.49 |
| SLZ-DD-14-009 |
12.00 |
23.60 |
11.60 |
9.28 |
0.34 |
| SLZ-DD-14-010 |
12.00 |
26.20 |
14.20 |
11.36 |
5.71 |
| including |
12.00 |
19.20 |
7.20 |
5.76 |
9.58 |
| SLZ-DD-14-011 |
24.00 |
26.60 |
2.60 |
2.08 |
0.26 |
| SLZ-DD-14-012 |
10.00 |
26.00 |
16.00 |
12.80 |
0.29 |
* True widths are estimated to be between 75-85% of reported intervals for all core holes and were estimated by cross sectional analysis.
All drilling was carried out by Layne Drilling Zambia and assaying was performed by Genalysis Laboratory Services, an accredited lab located in Australia. Minor silver values were associated with the higher grade copper samples.
The Company's technical report, dated July 27, 2013 on the Solwezi property entitled "Technical Report on the Geology and Exploration Summary of the Solwezi Group of Prospecting Licences," prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101, is available on the company's website, as well as on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
Qualified Control/Quality Assurance: Samples obtained during core drilling were transported directly to Genalysis Laboratories in Chingola, Zambia by Midnight Sun personnel for sample preparation. Samples were sorted, dried, crushed, and pulped before being sent to Perth, Australia for final chemical analysis using ICP-MS methods. All samples returning >20,000 ppm Cu were automatically re-checked by Genalysis. Genalysis is a fully accredited Laboratory and sample duplicates, standards and blanks were inserted by Genalysis and verified by the qualified person. All assays received from the 2013 reverse circulation drill program in excess of 2% copper were tested for acid solubility and these generally exceeded 95% acid soluble copper.
Qualified Person: Warren Robb, P.Geo, a Qualified Person under NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical data and contents of this release.