Aldebaran Resources Inc. reported results for three drill holes from the 2023/2024 field campaign at the Altar copper-gold project in San Juan, Argentina. All three holes intercepted significant mineralization and expanded the mineralized footprint, with ALD-24-243 intercepting one of the longest contiguous runs of mineralization encountered on the property to date. All three holes will provide valuable information for the upcoming mineral resource estimate, scheduled for H2 2024.
Highlights: ALD-24-243: 1,517.00 m of 0.55% CuEq from 325.00 m depth, Including 919.55 m of 0.66% CuEq from 527.00 m depth, Including 227.00 m of 0.79% CuEq from 930.00 m depth. Extends the mineralized Altar United porphyry to the North, well beyond previous interpretations. Hole ended in mineralization.
ALD-24-129EXT: 1,047.00 m of 0.38% CuEq from 164.00 m depth, Including 116.30 m of 0.56% CuEq from 713.00 m depth. Fills in a gap in the drilling for the upcoming mineral resource update. Hole ended in mineralization.
Extension of historic hole that was originally terminated at 513.00 m depth. ALD-24-165EXT: 986.00 m of 0.29% CuEq, Including 333.50 m of 0.41% CuEq from 633.00 m depth, Including 109.10 m of 0.60% CuEq from 851.00 m depth. Fills in a gap in the drilling for the upcoming mineral resource update.
Hole ended in mineralization. Extension of historic hole that was originally terminated at 484.50 m depth. Discussion of Results: ALD-24-243: ALD-24-243 was collared in the Altar United trend and was drilled to the North at a dip of -75 degrees.
The purpose of this drill hole was to fill a gap in drilling and to test for the northern contact of the well-mineralized Altar United porphyry unit. The hole deviated significantly to the east and missed its intended infill target, however it was determined to continue the hole based on encouraging visuals of the mineralization. Although deviated, the hole resulted in intercepting mineralized porphyry well beyond where the Company had previously projected and ultimately expanded the Altar United Porphyry unit to the North and at depth.
Lithology: From surface until 250.00 m depth, drillhole ALD-24-235 intersected a strongly fragmental volcaniclastic unit before entering wall rock rhyolite, which is crosscut by several intrusion dikes from a favorable diorite porphyry. At 360 m depth, the hole intersected diorite porphyry continuously until 1,592 m depth where the drillhole enters andesitic volcanic wall rocks. The hole stayed in this andesite until the end of the hole.
Alteration & Mineralization: Weathering is very strong from surface down to a depth of 309 m in drillhole ALD-24-243. The upper portion of the hole is strongly oxidized and characterized by a strong, well-developed quartz vein stockwork associated with pervasive white sericite-pyrite-tourmaline alteration. A weakly developed supergene copper enrichment zone occurs from the base of oxidation until 420 m depth and is characterized by the occurrence of secondary chalcocite coatings on both pyrite and chalcopyrite.
Copper-sulphide mineralization in the hypogene zone consists of chalcopyrite and traces of chalcocite associated with strong, early K feldspar-biotite-(magnetite)-chalcopyrite-pyrite potassic alteration assemblages, overprinted by moderate to strong green sericite-(chlorite)-chalcopyrite-chalcocite-(pyrite) alteration occurring as centimeter-wide halo-type veins. Molybdenum mineralization is associated with the occurrence of molybdenite-quartz-pyrite-chalcopyrite veining that crosscut the green sericite-chlorite halo veins. These late molybdenite-bearing veins may represent the outer halo of a younger, deeper porphyry system that has yet to be drill tested.
ALD-24-129EXT: ALD-24-129EXT was collared at the southern edge of Altar Central and was an extension of a vertical hole previously drilled to 513 m depth. The purpose of the hole was to extend mineralization deeper and fill a gap in drilling for the upcoming mineral resource update. Lithology: Drillhole ALD-24-128EXT intersected rhyolite volcanic rocks intercalated with narrow intervals of andesite volcanic rocks from surface to 635 m depth, before entering into massive andesite rocks until the end of the hole.
Alteration & Mineralization: ALD-24-129EXT encountered strongly oxidized and leached rocks from surface to 168 m depth. Secondary copper enrichment is weakly developed underneath the leached cap and is characterized by the occurrence of supergene chalcocite coating pyrite and chalcopyrite, up to 410 m depth. Hypogene copper mineralization in ALD-24-129EXT is consistent along the hole and is associated with chalcopyrite, pyrite, and bornite, which are associated predominantly with a potassic alteration assemblage consisting of k-feldspar, biotite, and magnetite.
This early potassic alteration is overprinted by weak to moderate green sericite-chlorite-chalcopyrite-pyrite assemblages and by minor white sericite-pyrite alteration and scattered, narrow pyrite-enargite structures. ALD-24-165EXT: ALD-24-165EXT was collared in the Altar East area and was an extension of a vertical hole previously drilled to 484.50 m depth. The purpose of the hole was to extend mineralization deeper and fill a gap in drilling for the upcoming mineral resource update.
Lithology: Drillhole ALD-24-165EXT cut through dacitic fragmental volcaniclastic rocks from surface to 253 m depth, before entering a quartz diorite porphyry unit until 1,147 m depth, after which the hole intercepted a rhyolite until the end of the hole. Alteration & Mineralization: ALD-24-165EXT encountered strongly oxidized and leached rocks from surface to 88 m depth. Secondary copper enrichment is weakly-developed underneath the leached cap.
Hypogene copper mineralization in ALD-24-165EXT consists of chalcopyrite and lesser amounts of bornite and hypogene chalcocite, which are intimately related with the occurrence of moderate to strong green sericite-(chlorite)-chalcopyrite alteration that is overprinting earlier, biotite-k-feldspar-magnetite-chalcopyrite-(bornite) alteration. Moderate quartz veining is associated with the occurrence of copper mineralization. Weaker mineralization in ALD-24-165EXT is a consequence of the overprinting of moderate to strong intensity white sericite-pyrite alteration increasing remarkably to the bottom of the hole.
Discrete structures with high-sulphidation and intermediate-sulphidation assemblages are also frequent along the drillhole. Project Update: The Company has completed its 2023/2024 field campaign and the Altar camp is now closed for winter. The Company drilled 20,024.40 m in 20 diamond drill holes.
Four holes remain to be reported. Holes ALD-24-244, ALD-24-245, ALD-24-062EXT and ALD-24-150EXT were drilled to 1,061 m, 979 m, 1,161 m and 1,239.50 m depth respectively. Holes ALD-24-062EXT and ALD-24-150EXT are extensions of historic holes previously terminated at 470 m and 548 m depth respectively.