Tosca Reports 70 Feet (21.3 M) of 6.71% Cu Including 26 Feet (7.9 M) of 14.1% Cu at Red Hills High Grade Zone; Additional Drilling under Way
The preliminary results are sufficiently encouraging to warrant an immediate expansion of the drill program. A second phase, involving 1500 meters (approximately 5000 feet) of additional drilling is now underway.
The primary scope of the Phase One drill program was to verify results from historic diamond and rotary drill intercepts from the shallow copper blanket and to test for continuity and grade of the large molybdenum ('moly?) system located below.
To date the Company has received assay results from the first six holes (TMC-01 to TMC-06).
Four of the 17 holes (TMC-02 to TMC-05) tested the high grade copper zone located outside of the copper blanket. Five of the seventeen holes were drilled through the copper blanket to depths of more than 1,000′ to test the moly system.
Hole TMC-01 (220′, vertical) was drilled along the south western lobe of the copper blanket. It intersected two intervals of 0.23 % and 0.20% Cu from 75′ to 130′ and from 140′ to 220′ respectively.
Holes TMC-02 to TMC-05 were drilled to investigate the geometry of the high grade copper zone lying outside the boundaries of the copper blanket. Inclined hole TMC-03 ( -60 °, 167 ° azimuth, 248′ depth) encountered strong chalcocite mineralization over a 70 feet interval (110′ to 180′) which averaged 6.71% Cu, including 14.16% Cu over 26 feet from 140 to 166 feet. The remaining 3 holes returned low copper values except for 10′ of 0.79% Cu in hole TMC-02.
Hole TMC-06 was collared at the site of an historic diamond drill hole (DH-35) that had assayed 0.39% Cu over 50 feet from 130′ to 180′. Hole TMC-06 returned 0.45% Cu over 50 feet from 135′ to 185′, thus validating the historic results from this site.
The results from hole TMC-03 in the high grade copper zone are 'very encouraging,? quotes Ron Shenton, president. 'The high grade in this area is not part of the copper blanket tonnage and more work needs to be done to determine its size and geometry. The validation of the 88 historic drill holes with new results will be a big step toward establishing a resource.?
Phase two of the drill program is primarily aimed at expanding the database of the copper blanket, thus allowing for a better understanding of the historic resource and the collection of representative samples for metallurgical testing. Two holes will also be drilled to explore for deep moly mineralization.
The goal of the Company is to establish a NI-43-101 compliant resource on the shallow copper blanket, and to test metallurgical recoveries of copper and moly by year end. This will form the foundation for a Preliminary Economic Assessment ('PEA?) of the copper blanket.
As described in the Company's news release dated March 2, 2011, the Red Hills project consists of a large molybdenum porphyry system overlain a by a copper (chalcocite) enrichment blanket developed below the oxide-sulphide transition zone. Eighty eight holes were drilled on the property between 1955 and 1972. This work led to the identification of a non-43-101 compliant resource of 17 million tons grading 0.35 Cu% with associated moly mineralization in the shallow copper blanket. The previous activity also led to the discovery of a linear trend of high grade copper mineralization defined by three vertical holes which included 33.55 metres of 9.09 % Cu. Based on historic drilling, the molybdenum mineralization occurs within a horseshoe shaped area measuring 1,000 m x 200 m and is open in two directions and at depth. Although many of the holes drilled in the molybdenum system were stopped in mineralization at shallow depths, the deeper holes were mineralized throughout (e.g. hole Duval 07: 642 meters @ 0.076% Mo).
Drilling and QA/QC
The drilling was carried out by Ruen Drilling of Idaho, using a wire-line rig and NQ core recovery. The core boxes are transported to Marfa, Texas, where Tosca maintains a secure office/warehouse facility. The core undergoes geotechnical and geological logging by Tosca geologists. Sample intervals are designated and the core is split in half using a rock saw.Half of the core is left in the boxes and the other half is bagged and shipped to Skyline Assayers and Laboratories ('Skyline) in Tucson, Arizona to be analyzed for Cu and Mo using ICP/OES. Skyline is an ISO/17025 accredited laboratory. Skyline monitors quality control through the introduction of blanks, standards and duplicates. In addition, Tosca′s employees routinely insert blanks and standards in the sample stream.
The first six holes of the current drill program were logged in Marfa and the whole core sent to Skyline Labs for sampling and cutting under the supervision of M3 Engineering of Tucson, AZ, and Mine Development Associates (MDA) of Reno, NV. M3 and MDA are working with Tosca in the development and implementation of the 2011 drill program and metallurgical testing programs and will be involved in the upcoming P.E.A.
Luca Riccio, PhD, P.Geo, a qualified person as defined by NI 43-101, is responsible for the technical information contained in this release.
On Behalf of the board of directors,
'Ron Shenton'
For further information, please visit the company's website at www.toscamining.com or call 604-687-6562. Email info@toscamining.com
This News Release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral recovery processes, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. Tosca Mining Corp. relies upon litigation protection for forward looking statements.
The TSX Venture Exchange (TSX Venture)) has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the contents of this news release, which has been prepared by management.
RED HILLS Drill Plan ? To view this graphic, please click on the following link:
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Tosca Mining Corp.
Ron Shenton, President
604-687-6562
info@toscamining.com