Astra Exploration Inc. announced exploration updates on its Pampa Paciencia gold and silver asset in the Paleocene Belt of Northern Chile. The lithologies at Pampa Paciencia are known to host epithermal and porphyry mineralization yet remain mostly unexplored. The geological information received from the last two phases of drilling confirmed the need for detailed mapping to further reveal the potential for additional vein-style mineralization.

The mapping results demonstrates this potential and was completed by Astra personnel at a 1:5,000 metres scale. Pampa Paciencia is host to multiple gold and silver bearing Low Sulphidation Epithermal (LSE) vein subcrops and areas of float material. These subcrops and float materials are in partially covered areas, resulting in the concealed veins only being discovered in 2015.

Mapping has defined two lithological and mineralization domains that are separated by the major Cerro Dominador NNE-striking fault. The Western domain is characterized by the presence of Cretaceous volcanic rocks as well as Cretaceous and Paleocene intrusive rocks with LSE vein mineralization and alteration, whereas the Eastern domain is characterized by Cretaceous to Paleocene intrusive rocks with porphyry-related hydrothermal alteration. A total of 2,000 metres of new interpreted vein strike length was added at the Impaciencia Oeste target area, with anomalous precious metals values of up to 3.36 ppm Au equivalent (0.75 ppm Au and 209 ppm Ag) in the north portion of this area.

At Torres, another newly identified target located 1.5 km southeast of Impaciencia Oeste, LSE vein float was identified and accounts for up to 10% of the subcrop and float. The area was sampled with a 100 m by 100 m grid and samples returned up to 5.33 ppm Au equivalent (3.93 ppm Au and 112 ppm Ag). NW and NE structures can be interpreted from the geochemical results at this grid sampling.

The Torres and Impaciencia Oeste areas are interpreted to be part of the same trend, which aligns with the Faride mine LSE veins to the SE. This trend, and in particular these two new targets, are ready for a trenching program to define thickness and grade of the veins and to define new drill targets in the Impaciencia claim area.