COPPER-GOLD EXPLORATION: Springer zone expands at Mount Polley

BRITISH COLUMBIA - Imperial Metals of Vancouver says recent drilling has expanded the springer copper-gold zone below the bottom of the phase 5 Springer pit at the Mount Polley mine 100 km northeast of Williams Lake. The mineralization extends to the north and up to 500 metres below the pit bottom.

This year the company has drilled 16,381 metres in the Springer zone. All drill holes reported below the pit cut one or more significant intervals of mineralization dominated by sulphide minerals with an average ratio of 12.68% oxide copper to total copper in the reported intervals. One vertical hole from the pit bottom intercepted 432.5 metres grading 0.29% Cu and 0.25 g/t Au.

Imperial says the successful drilling below the Springer pit indicates good potential to extend known mineralization at depth below the adjacent Cariboo pit, and diamond drilling there is underway.

A new area of mineralization, the T zone, was drilled 500 metres north of the Springer pit. Drill targets there were chosen based on a geologic model that predicted a geological environment similar to that hosting the mineralization of the now mined out Bell pit.

The Springer pit drill plan and vertical section are available on ImperialMetals.com in the exploration section.