Western Copper Continues Extension of Higher Grade Supergene Mineralization at Casino
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwire) -- 09/14/10 -- Western Copper Corporation ('Western Copper' or the 'Company') (TSX: WRN) is pleased to announce the final results from the 2010 exploration program at its wholly owned Casino Project, located in the Yukon.
The 2010 drill program completed in August confirmed the flat-lying, shallow copper and gold enriched supergene zone extends over a 2.0 km by 1.2 km area - a significant expansion over its previously outlined extent as identified in the 2008 Pre-feasibility Study (Figure 1). The average core length of the supergene from the drilling is 85 m. The copper and gold enriched zone remains open to the north for further expansion.
Notable results from the 14 holes drilled since the last update include hole CAS-074 with 241.9 m of 0.80 CuEq, which continued the expansion of the supergene zone to the southwest. Expanding the zone to the still open north is hole CAS-079 with 30.0 m of 0.45 CuEq.
Additional infill drilling was also completed as part of this drilling campaign which confirmed the excellent grades through the supergene and hypogene zones in the south of the deposit with CAS-082 returning 117.0 m of 0.87 CuEq in the supergene and 226.2 m of 0.56 CuEq in the hypogene.
Highlights of the holes drilled and assayed since the last press release are summarized in Table 1 and a complete listing of drill-holes and results drilled in 2010 are shown in Table 2. Hole locations are shown on Figure 1.
Table 1: Highlights from current drilling program
From CuEq
Drill-hole (m) To (m) Width (m) Au (g/t) Cu (%) Mo (%) (%)
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CAS-074 124.0 241.9 117.9 0.38 0.33 0.036 0.80
CAS-079 61.0 91.0 30.0 0.10 0.25 0.024 0.45
CAS-082
Supergene 117.0 234.0 117.0 0.52 0.40 0.020 0.87
Hypogene 234.0 460.2 226.2 0.28 0.25 0.021 0.56
Copper Equivalent Metal Prices: US$2.00/lb copper, US$875.00/oz gold and
US$11.25/lb molybdenum
Western Copper has now completed 26,400 m of new drilling since the pre-feasibility was completed in 2008. Nearly all of the new drilling has been drilled in areas outside of the previously defined area of mineralization or in areas previously considered waste.
'The expansion of the higher grade, near surface supergene mineralization into areas previously thought to waste should positively impact the economics of the Casino deposit by lowering the stripping ratio,' said Dale Corman, Chairman & CEO, 'This higher grade supergene gold and copper mineralization remains open to the north showing there is further potential to improve both the size of the supergene mineralization and the economics of the project.'
The Casino project is located 380 km northwest of Whitehorse, Yukon and has a NI 43-101 compliant reserve estimate containing 8 million oz of gold, 4.4 billion lb of copper, and 475 million lb of molybdenum, contained in approximately 1 billion tonnes of ore.
Scott Casselman, P.Geo., is the qualified person responsible for the execution of the Casino Project exploration program and the preparation of the technical information in this news release.
QA/QC including assurance of chain of custody has been implemented in accordance with industry best practices. Split core samples are prepared and analyzed by ALS Chemex. Prepared samples are initially run using a four acid digestion process and conventional multi-element ICP-AES analysis. Additional assaying for total copper and molybdenum is run using a 4 acid digestion - AES or AAS method to a 0.001% detection limit. Gold assays are run using 30 gram sample fire assay with an AA finish to a 0.005 ppm detection limit. The QA/QC procedure involves regular submission of Certified Analytical Standards and blanks and property specific duplicates, with check assaying performed by Acme Analytical Laboratories Ltd.
ABOUT WESTERN COPPER CORPORATION
Western Copper is a Vancouver based exploration and development company with significant copper, gold and molybdenum resources and reserves. The Company has 100% ownership of four Canadian properties. The two most advanced projects are the Casino Project and the Carmacks Copper Project both located in the Yukon. The Casino Project is one of the world's largest open-pittable copper, gold and molybdenum deposits. For more information, visit www.westerncoppercorp.com.
On behalf of the board,
F. Dale Corman, Chairman & CEO
This press release includes certain 'Forward-Looking Statements' within the meaning of section 21E of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, including without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization and reserves, financing plans, exploration results and future plans and objectives of Western Copper are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors: The United States Securities and Exchange Commission permits U.S. mining companies, in their filings with the SEC, to disclose only those mineral deposits that a company can economically and legally extract or produce. Certain terms, such as 'measured', 'indicated', and 'inferred' 'resources', are used in the Company's disclosure documents filed in Canada that the SEC guidelines strictly prohibit U.S. registered companies from including in their filings with the SEC. U.S. investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in Western Copper's Form 20- F, File No. 000-52231, which may be secured from the Company, or from the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml.
To view Figure 1, please click on the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/w914.pdf
To view Table 2, please click on the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/w914t.pdf
The Toronto Stock Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the contents of this news release.
Contacts:
Western Copper Corporation
Paul West Sells
President & COO
604.684.9497
604.669.2926 (FAX)
info@westerncoppercorp.com
www.westerncoppercorp.com