American West Metals has confirmed outstanding grades of 38.2 per cent copper and 30.87 per cent zinc from geochemical sampling at the Tempest prospect that forms part of its greater Storm project in Canada.
The impressive results came from surface gossan rocks at the underexplored site in the Canadian province of Nunavut, which have been mapped for more than 4km and are about 40km south of the Storm copper targets drilled earlier this year.
A small reconnaissance sampling and field mapping program was earlier this year aimed at expanding the company’s understanding of the area. Management says the mapping revealed a series of gossans that are significantly more extensive than originally defined.
A ground loupe electromagnetic and magnetic survey was completed at the Tempest area during August to aid with mapping the stratigraphy and to define potential targets for further exploration work. About 9 square kilometres was covered during the survey, which defined a series of conductive anomalies along the strike of the stratigraphy, coincident with the copper-zinc gossans in several areas.
Management says the conductors are localised and modelling of the data estimates that they are potentially steeply-dipping. Data from the survey has defined a series of anomalies that coincide with the high-grade copper and zinc gossans, providing high priority drill targets for next year’s field program.
American West Metals managing director David O’Neill said: “We are pleased to report exciting results from the exploration activities carried out this year at the Tempest Prospect. Exploration at the underexplored Tempest area was a priority of the 2023 regional exploration program due to historical sampling of copper gossans that yielded grades of more than 32% Cu.”
Earlier this year, the company unveiled bonanza copper grades at Storm, with a 0.3m intercept at 42.8 per cent copper from 67m, in addition to identifying a new zone of mineralisation. The notable intersection, which was from its “4100N” zone, was contained within 46m going 2.2 per cent from 64m, including 15.6m grading 4.2 per cent from 65m.
In September, American West hit high-grade, sediment-hosted copper in three diamond drillholes sunk at Storm, with grades up to a whopping 49.6 per cent copper in one intercept. The company received assay results from the three exploration holes, with highlights showing a 76m hit at 2 per cent copper from 32.4m, including a 0.5m segment with the massive 49.6 per cent copper reading from 57.2m.
Storm sits within a 4145sq-km land package that also includes the Seal zinc project on Somerset Island. Together, Storm and Seal constitute the Nunavut projects.
The area has undergone extensive historical drilling and two separate copper sulphide systems have been discovered, with multiple near-surface high-grade copper zones identified at several target zones in drilling across 15sq km.
Management says several areas within Tempest remain unexplored and more detailed and extensive geochemical sampling is required to fully define the highest priority target areas. Resource modelling and estimation work on the Storm copper mineralisation is continuing, with exploration planning for the 2024 season already underway.
And American West’s latest results suggest Tempest may prove to be something a little more than just a storm in a teacup.
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By Michael Philipps
