Exploration Results
Exploration activities were initiated during the 2007-2008 summer field
season, which runs from October through to April. The current
exploration and development concept is based upon initial identification
and recognition of gold bearing (up to 28 ppm Au in grab samples and 3.6
g/t Au over 5 m in one trench) mineralization in trenches, outcrop and
float. During the initial field and following exploration seasons, 108
kilometres of
ground magnetic survey and 22.8 kilometres of Induced
Potential (“IP”) geophysics were completed outlining a predominant NW
structural trend within which the gold mineralization was being
outlined.
The gold mineralization is largely contained within zones of
banded black (grey) quartz veinlets which are developed within (and/or
flanking) one, or more, variably brecciated intrusives and diatremes.
Over 2,300 surface samples, including 1,297 channel samples,
demonstrated that the zone of mineralization potentially had a strike
extent of +2,500 m and a width of +300 to 500 m.
Between March and April 2010, Atacama completed 2,142 metres of Phase 1
drilling: 3 diamond (720 m) and 5 reverse circulation (1,422 m) drill
holes. The drilling, which returned gold values over significant
intervals (see summary table below) in all of the holes, was conducted
across 3 widely separated areas over 2,000 m along a north west trending
structural corridor. The drilling cut diatreme breccias and established
that the depth of oxidation is up to 450 m below surface.
Summary of Drill Assay Results from Phase 1 (0.30
g/t Au cut-off grade)
|
Hole # 1,2 |
Hole Length
(metres)
|
From
(metres)
|
To
(metres)
|
Interval 3
(metres) |
Grade
(g/t Au) |
|
CMD-001 |
217 |
0 |
132 |
132 |
1.31 |
|
including |
|
30 |
122 |
92 |
1.53 |
|
including |
|
62 |
104 |
42 |
1.82 |
|
|
|
178 |
198 |
20 |
0.32 |
|
CMD-002 |
342 |
40 |
342 |
302 |
0.79 |
|
including |
|
90 |
310 |
220 |
0.92 |
|
including |
|
130 |
148 |
18 |
2.13 |
|
CMD-003 |
228 |
4 |
104 |
100 |
0.43 |
|
|
|
154 |
200 |
46 |
0.79 |
|
CMD-004 |
182 |
70 |
176 |
106 |
0.51 |
|
CMD-005 |
252 |
2 |
18 |
16 |
0.83 |
|
|
|
56 |
246 |
190 |
0.64 |
|
including |
|
118 |
190 |
72 |
0.75 |
|
CMD-006 |
|
60 |
84 |
24 |
0.35 |
|
CMD-007 |
300 |
0 |
92 |
92 |
0.54 |
|
CMD-008 |
321 |
50 |
64 |
14 |
0.37 |
|
|
|
74 |
246 |
172 |
0.66 |
|
including |
|
112 |
246 |
172 |
0.66 |
|
including |
|
116 |
178 |
62 |
0.90 |
|
|
|
288 |
296 |
8 |
0.37 |
|
|
|
308 |
321 |
13 |
0.39 |
|
|
|
|
|
