Cornerstone Capital Resources Inc. (“Cornerstone” or “the
Company”) (TSXV:CGP) (OTC:CTNXF)
(FWB:GWN1) is pleased to provide an independently
verified update regarding a Mineral Resource Estimate (“MRE”) for
its Tandayama-Ameríca (“TAM”) porphyry copper-gold deposit located
3km north of the Alpala Deposit1 at its Cascabel copper-gold
porphyry joint venture project in northern Ecuador (see
Figure 1) in which Cornerstone has a 15%
interest2 financed through to completion of a feasibility
study plus 6.86% of the shares of joint venture partner and Project
operator SolGold Plc, for a total direct and indirect interest in
Cascabel of 20.8%.
Figures referenced in this news release can be viewed through
the following link:
https://cornerstoneresources.com/site/assets/files/5829/nr21-18figures.pdf.
SUMMARY OF TANDAYAMA-AMERICA MINERAL
RESOURCE ESTIMATE
Total Mineral Resource of 233.0Mt @
0.23% Cu and 0.16 g/t Au (0.33% copper equivalent
(CuEq)3) containing 0.53Mt Cu and
1.20Moz Au in the Indicated category, plus 197.0Mt @ 0.27% Cu and
0.20 g/t Au (0.39% CuEq) containing 0.52Mt Cu and 1.24Moz Au in the
Inferred category.
Mineral Resource Statement: Effective date August 26,
2021 |
Mining Method |
Cut-off Grade(CuEq %) |
Resource Category |
Tonnage (Mt) |
Grade |
Contained Metal |
Cu (%) |
Au (g/t) |
CuEq (%) |
Cu (Mt) |
Au (Moz) |
CuEq (Mt) |
Open Pit |
0.16 |
Indicated |
201.0 |
0.22 |
0.16 |
0.33 |
0.45 |
1.06 |
0.66 |
Inferred |
61.8 |
0.25 |
0.30 |
0.44 |
0.16 |
0.59 |
0.27 |
Underground |
0.28 |
Indicated |
32.0 |
0.26 |
0.14 |
0.35 |
0.08 |
0.14 |
0.11 |
Inferred |
135.2 |
0.27 |
0.15 |
0.37 |
0.37 |
0.65 |
0.50 |
Total Indicated |
233.0 |
0.23 |
0.16 |
0.33 |
0.53 |
1.20 |
0.77 |
Total Inferred |
197.0 |
0.27 |
0.20 |
0.39 |
0.52 |
1.24 |
0.77 |
Notes:
- Dr Andrew Fowler, MAusIMM CP(Geo),
Principal Geology Consultant of Mining Plus, is responsible for
this Mineral Resource statement and is an "independent Qualified
Person" as such term is defined in NI 43-101.
- The Mineral Resource is reported
using cut-off grades that are applied according to the mining
method where 0.16 % CuEq applies to potentially open-pittable
material and 0.28 % CuEq applies to material potentially mineable
by underground bulk mining methods.
- The Mineral Resource is considered
to have reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction by
open pit or underground bulk mining such as block caving as
described below.
- Mineral Resources are not Mineral
Reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability.
- The statement uses the terminology,
definitions and guidelines given in the CIM Standards on Mineral
Resources and Mineral Reserves (May 2014) as required by NI
43-101.
- The underground portion of the
Mineral Resource is reported on 100 percent basis within an
optimized shape as described below.
- Figures may not compute due to
rounding.
- Potentially open pittable
Mineral Resources comprise 201.0Mt @ 0.22% Cu and 0.16 g/t Au
(0.33% CuEq) in the Indicated category, plus 61.8Mt @ 0.25% Cu and
0.30 g/t Au (0.44% CuEq) in the Inferred category, at a cut-off
grade of 0.16% CuEq.
- Potentially open pittable Mineral Resources include a
higher-grade near-surface zone containing 10.6Mt @ (0.26% Cu and
0.25 g/t Au (0.41% CuEq) and 5.2Mt @ 0.27% Cu and 0.28 g/t Au
(0.45% CuEq).
- Mineral Resources potentially mineable by underground
bulk mining methods comprise 32.0Mt @ 0.26% Cu and 0.14 g/t Au
(0.35% CuEq) in the Indicated category, plus 135.2Mt @ 0.27% Cu and
0.15 g/t Au (0.37% CuEq) in the Inferred category, at a cut-off
grade of 0.28% CuEq.
- Drilling continues and an
update to the TAM resource base is planned.
Project Operator SolGold’s Interim CEO Keith
Marshall commented on the work being advanced at Cascabel:
“The TAM deposit adds further copper and
gold mineralization to Alpala’s large metal inventory at the
Cascabel project. The resource offers optionality and the potential
to generate economic ore earlier which will complement the
high-grade Alpala underground ore.
The maiden MRE is based on assays from
the first 18 holes. Drilling has continued at the TAM deposit
during the estimation process and visual mineralization from Holes
19-30 suggest potential for future resource growth in the southeast
quarter of the open pit optimised shape and particularly in the
east and southeast depth extensions of the underground optimised
shape where the highest grade mineralization encountered thus far
remains open.”
FURTHER INFORMATION
On August 26, 2021, a data cut-off was applied
to the TAM dataset for the purposes of Mineral Resource Estimation.
The TAM maiden MRE dataset comprised 17,535m of diamond drilling
from holes 1-23, 458m of surface rock-saw channel sampling from 72
outcrops, and 14,566m of final assay results from holes 1-18
(Figure 2).
To date a total of 22,216m has been completed at
the TAM deposit, with drill holes 26-30 currently underway
utilising four diamond drilling rigs. Assay results from Holes
19-25, and 27 are pending.
The TAM MRE is constrained within a
three-dimensional (“3D”) Open Pit Optimised Shape (“OP”) and an
Underground Optimised Shape (“UOS”), whereby the UOS “daylights”
into the floor of the OP (Figure 3).
The estimation of Cu and Au was confined within
3D estimation domains which were based on the combination of two 3D
wireframe interpretations:
- Grade Shell
Interpretation: Low-, Medium- and High-Grade shells equating to
CuEq cut-off grades of 0.15%, 0.30% and 0.45% respectively.
- Lithological
Interpretation: Modelling of seven rock groups, comprising “D10”
(Pre-Mineral Diorite Host Rock), “EM” (Early-Mineral Quartz Diorite
and Diorite), “IBX” (Intra-Mineral Intrusive Breccia), “IM”
(Intra-mineral Quartz Diorite and Diorite), “LM” (Late-mineral
Diorite), “PM” (Post-mineral Quartz Diorite and Diorite), “V”
(Pre-Mineral Volcanic Host Rocks), and “SOI” (soil and oxidised
rock).
The TAM deposit shares the same geological and
structural setting as the Alpala deposit. Mineralization is hosted
within a complex of middle to late-Eocene (Bartonian)
hornblende-bearing diorites, quartz diorites and intrusive breccias
that intrude volcanic host rocks to form a complex of stocks,
dykes, and breccia pipes.
The trend of mineralization throughout the TAM
deposit is defined by a northwest (315○) trending intrusive complex
inclined steeply (78○) towards the northeast. Surface mapping data
was supported by structural measurements taken from orientated
drill core provided data from 127 intrusive contacts and 3062
B-type quartz veins.
Copper and gold mineralization is intimately
associated with porphyry style B-type quartz-chalcopyrite veins and
stockworks, centred upon an early-mineral causal quartz-diorite
intrusion (QD10), and cut by a series of intra-mineral,
late-mineral and post-mineral stocks dykes and breccias of diorite,
hornblende diorite, and quartz diorite.
Intrusions have emplaced episodically such that
each subsequent intrusion has introduced mineralizing fluids (and
subsequent arrays of mineralized veins) into the TAM system, and/or
remobilising and enriching existing mineralization or contributed
to localised overprinting of pre-existing mineralization.
The geological character of the porphyry stocks
/ dykes encountered through drilling to date indicate a
well-preserved porphyry system with significant potential for
greater depth extent. Individual mineralized porphyry dykes are
observed to have emplaced within a vertical column of over
1,000m.
The full size and tenor of the TAM system has
not yet been tested. Mineralization remains open to the south and
east and at depth. Further surface geochemical anomalies to the
east of the current drilling area require drill testing.
Reasonable Prospects for Eventual Economic
Extraction
The cut-off grades used for reporting have been
based on up to date third party metal price research, forecasting
of Cu and Au prices, and a cost structure from mining studies
currently being reviewed. Costs include mining, processing and
general and administration (“G&A”). Net Smelter Return (“NSR”)
includes metallurgical recoveries and off-site realisation (TC/RC)
including royalties and utilising metal prices of Cu at US$3.30/lb
and Au at US$1,700/oz.
Cut-off grades have been developed independently
for open pit mining methods and underground bulk mining methods.
The cut-off grade for potentially open pittable material has been
calculated at 0.16% CuEq using a copper equivalency factor of
0.632, while the cut-off grade for material potentially mineable by
a bulk underground mining method such as block caving has been
calculated at 0.28% CuEq using a copper equivalency factor of
0.654.
Optimisation was completed in two stages, with
the open pit optimisation initially applied to the block model, and
the remaining material was then considered for underground
optimisation.
The open pit optimisation was completed using
the conventional Lerchs-Grossman optimisation routine implemented
in Whittle software, and the revenue factor one pit was selected
for reporting the Mineral Resource. The QP considers that the open
pit portion of the reported Mineral Resource has reasonable
prospects for eventual economic extraction at the specified cut-off
grade.
Subsequently, a three-dimensional Underground
Optimised Shape was generated using DatamineTM software at a
cut-off grade of 0.28% CuEq. Block Cave and Sub-Level Cave mining
methods were considered during the optimisation. The final UOS
maximises the tonnes above the cut-off while ensuring that all
material was part of a minimum mining unit with geometry
appropriate for a block cave of 120 m length by 120 m
width by 200 m height. These minimum mining dimensions for a
block cave are consistent with mining studies and the resulting
shape contains planned internal and edge dilution that the QP
considers appropriate.
It is noteworthy that the UOS is not described
as a “mineable shape”. Mining factors excluded from this analysis
include, but are not limited to, capital costs (non-mining, access
and footprint establishment), regional pillars, footprint
geometries, unplanned dilution and the time value of money.
However, the shape does enclose a contiguous and appropriately
diluted Mineral Resource that, by virtue of its grade and geometry,
should be considered for inclusion within a mineable shape. As
such, the QP considers that the underground portion of the reported
Mineral Resource has reasonable prospects for eventual economic
extraction by the block cave underground mining method at the
specified cut-off grade.
An assessment of whether the project as a whole
is economically viable has not been made under this analysis.
Quality Assurance / Quality Control on
Sample Collection, Security and Assaying
SolGold operates according to a rigorous Quality
Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) protocol consistent with
industry best practices.
Primary sample collection involves secure
transport from Cascabel to the ALS certified sample preparation
facility in Quito, Ecuador. Samples are then air freighted from
Quito to the ALS certified laboratory in Lima, Peru where the
assaying of drill core, channel samples, rock chips and soil
samples is undertaken. SolGold utilises ALS certified laboratories
in Canada and Australia for the analysis of metallurgical
samples.
Samples are prepared and analysed using 100g
4-Acid digest ICP with MS finish for 48 elements on a 0.25g aliquot
(ME-MS61). Laboratory performance is routinely monitored using
umpire assays, check batches and inter-laboratory comparisons
between ALS certified laboratory in Lima and the ACME certified
laboratory in Cuenca, Ecuador.
In order to monitor the ongoing quality of its
analytical database, SolGold’s QA/QC protocol encompasses standard
sampling methodologies, including the insertion of certified powder
blanks, coarse chip blanks, standards, pulp duplicates and field
duplicates. The blanks and standards are Certified Reference
Materials supplied by Ore Research and Exploration, Australia.
SolGold’s QA/QC protocol also monitors the
ongoing quality of its analytical database. The Company’s protocol
involves Independent data validation of the digital analytical
database including search for sample overlaps, duplicate or absent
samples as well as anomalous assay and survey results. These are
routinely performed ahead of Mineral Resource Estimates and
Feasibility Studies. No material QA/QC issues have been identified
with respect to sample collection, security and assaying.
Reviews of the sample preparation, chain of
custody, data security procedures and assaying methods used by
SolGold confirm that they are consistent with industry best
practices and all results stated in this announcement have passed
SolGold’s QA/QC protocol.
Qualified Person
Information in this news release relating to the
exploration results is based on data reviewed by Jason Ward ((CP)
B.Sc. Geol.), the Chief Geologist of SolGold Plc, the Project
operator. Mr. Ward is a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of
Mining and Metallurgy, holds the designation FAusIMM (CP), and has
in excess of 20 years’ experience in mineral exploration and is a
Qualified Person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101.
Mr. Ward consents to the inclusion of the information in the form
and context in which it appears.
Information in this news release relating to the
Mineral Resource Estimate was reviewed by Dr. Andrew Fowler, who is
a Chartered Professional Member of the Australasian Institute of
Mining and Metallurgy and has over 20 years’ experience in Mineral
Resource Estimation, open pit mining, underground mining and
mineral exploration. He is an independent Qualified Person for the
purposes of the relevant TSX Rules. Dr. Fowler consents to the
inclusion of the information in the form and context in which it
appears.
Yvan Crepeau, MBA, P.Geo., Cornerstone's Vice
President, Exploration and a qualified person in accordance with
National Instrument 43-101, is responsible for supervising the
exploration program at the Cascabel project for Cornerstone and has
reviewed and approved the information contained in this news
release.
About Cornerstone
Cornerstone Capital Resources Inc. is a mineral
exploration company with a diversified portfolio of projects in
Ecuador and Chile, including the Cascabel gold-enriched copper
porphyry joint venture in northwest Ecuador. Cornerstone has a
20.8% direct and indirect interest in Cascabel comprised of (i) a
direct 15% interest in the project financed through to completion
of a feasibility study and repayable at Libor plus 2% out of 90% of
its share of the earnings or dividends from an operation at
Cascabel, plus (ii) an indirect interest comprised of 6.86% of the
shares of joint venture partner and project operator SolGold Plc.
Exploraciones Novomining S.A. (“ENSA”), an Ecuadoran company owned
by SolGold and Cornerstone, holds 100% of the Cascabel concession.
Subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, including
SolGold’s fully funding the project through to feasibility, SolGold
Plc will own 85% of the equity of ENSA and Cornerstone will own the
remaining 15% of ENSA.
Further information is available on
Cornerstone’s website: www.cornerstoneresources.com and on
Twitter. For investor, corporate or media inquiries, please contact
loveys@cornerstoneresources.ca, or:
Investor Relations: Mario Drolet; Email: Mario@mi3.ca; Tel.
(514) 904-1333
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at http://www.cornerstoneresources.com.
Cautionary Notice:This news
release may contain ‘Forward-Looking Statements’ that involve risks
and uncertainties, such as statements of Cornerstone’s beliefs,
plans, objectives, strategies, intentions and expectations. The
words “potential,” “anticipate,” “forecast,” “believe,” “estimate,”
“intend”, “trends”, “indicate”, “expect,” “may,” “should,” “could”,
“project,” “plan,” or the negative or other variations of these
words and similar expressions are intended to be among the
statements that identify ‘Forward-Looking Statements.’ Although
Cornerstone believes that its expectations reflected in these
‘Forward-Looking Statements’ are reasonable, such statements may
involve unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors disclosed in
our regulatory filings, viewed on the SEDAR website at
www.sedar.com. For us, uncertainties arise from the behaviour of
financial and metals markets, predicting natural geological
phenomena and from numerous other matters of national, regional,
and global scale, including those of an environmental, climatic,
natural, political, economic, business, competitive, or regulatory
nature. These uncertainties may cause our actual future results to
be materially different than those expressed in our Forward-Looking
Statements. Although Cornerstone believes the facts and information
contained in this news release to be as correct and current as
possible, Cornerstone does not warrant or make any representation
as to the accuracy, validity or completeness of any facts or
information contained herein and these statements should not be
relied upon as representing its views after the date of this news
release. While Cornerstone anticipates that subsequent events may
cause its views to change, it expressly disclaims any obligation to
update the Forward-Looking Statements contained herein except where
outcomes have varied materially from the original statements.
On Behalf of the Board, Brooke MacdonaldPresident and CEO
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation
Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the
TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or
accuracy of this release.
1 The Alpala deposit comprises 2,663 Mt at 0.53%
CuEq (see how calculated in next paragraph) in the Measured plus
Indicated categories and contained metal content of 9.9 Mt Cu, 21.7
Moz Au and 92.2 Moz Ag. The deposit measures approximately 900m in
height and 500m diameter. See “Cascabel Property NI 43-101
Technical Report, Alpala Porphyry Copper-Gold-Silver Deposit -
Mineral Resource Estimation, January 2021” with an Effective date:
18 March 2020 and Amended Date: 15 January 2021 (the “Amended
Technical Report”), filed at www.Sedar.com on January 29, 2021:
https://cornerstoneresources.com/site/assets/files/5574/2101_cascabel_mre3.pdf.
Alpala Copper Equivalency (CuEq) was calculated
(assuming 100% recovery of copper and gold) using a Gold Conversion
Factor of 0 613 (CuEq = Cu + Au x 0.613), calculated from a nominal
copper price of US$3.40/lb and a gold price of US$1,400/oz.
2 See “About Cornerstone” below.
3 TAM Copper Equivalency (CuEq) was calculated
(assuming 100% recovery of copper and gold) using a Gold Conversion
Factor of 0 751 (CuEq = Cu + Au x 0.751), calculated from an
updated nominal copper price of US$3.30/lb and a gold price of
US$1,700/oz. Copper equivalent grades have been
determined as ratios that take
into account reasonable assumptions for
metallurgical recovery based on similar deposit
types, i.e., TAM
shares the same geological and structural setting as
the Alpala deposit
3 kilometres away for which metallurgical
recoveries have been
estimated. See Metallurgical
recoveries for Cu and Au in Table 14-32 on page 271 of the Alpala
Technical Report referred to in footnote 1 above, and Reasonable
Prospects for Eventual Economic Extraction, below.
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