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Abstract
The 2008 Haquira drill campaign was completed in mid-December with a total of 57 diamond-drill holes (29,083 m). Six holes were drilled for bulk metallurgical samples and 10 holes from Haquira East (AHAD-111 to AHAD-120) have been previously reported (August 8, 2008) and incorporated into the first interim resource estimation for primary Cu-Mo-Au mineralization at Haquira East (November 24, 2008). Antares has drilled an additional 41 holes (19,902 m) at the Haquira project subsequent to the cut-off for inclusion in the first interim resource estimate. Nine of these holes (9,443 m) were drilled to delineate further primary mineralization at the Haquira East deposit and are presented in this release. Seven holes (5,076 m) were drilled to test new primary sulphide targets at the Haquira West and Potato Patch zones and 25 holes (5,383 m) were drilled as infill holes to improve the resource classification status of the near-surface, leachable secondary secondary-copper mineralization of the Haquira West zone. Results from the Haquira West and Potato Patch holes will be announced as separate releases in the next few weeks.
Drill holes AHAD-130 and AHAD-159 were drilled on drill section 1800NW along the south-eastern margin the known zone of mineralization. They were drilled to better define higher grade mineralization previously encountered in AHAD-085 and AHAD-099 with a specific objective to test for an extension of mineralization to the south-southeast of and below AHAD-099. AHAD-130 was drilled parallel to and between holes AHAD-099 and AHAD-100 to complete the 100 m grid spacing along this line. The hole encountered deep oxidation with well-developed secondary copper mineralization to a depth of 334 m before entering into well-developed primary Cu-Mo-Au sulphide mineralization in sedimentary wall rock cut by numerous monzonite porphyry dikes. AHAD-159 was drilled from the same site as AHAD-082 and at the same bearing (235 degrees) and inclination (- 70 degrees). AHAD-082 terminated at 249.8 m in 42.8 m of primary sulphide mineralization with 0.97% Cu and 0.077% Mo. AHAD-159 closely reproduced the results of AHAD-082 and extended the strong mineralization to a total depth of greater than 1000 m with the majority of the mineralization hosted in monzonite porphyry dikes which coalesce into a stock below 538 m depth. Hole AHAD-159 is the best mineralized hole to date at Haquira. Both AHAD-130 and AHAD-159 have significant intervals with all assays consistently above 1.00% Cu and will undoubtedly add higher grade tonnage to the resource at Haquira East. This mineralization is open to depth and to the south and southeast. Mineralization was previously thought to be closed off to the south on drill section 1700NW but with these new results it is now apparent the holes AHAD-100 and AHAD-101 were probably cut short at about 500 m prior to entering into better mineralization at depth. AHAD-101 terminates in 17 m of 0.65% Cu and 0.012% Mo and AHAD-100 terminates in 84 m with 0.35% Cu and 0.029% Mo with notably increasing Mo grades with depth.
Drill hole AHAD-143 is located approximately 450 m to the southwest of AHAD-117 on drill section 1900NW and was drilled to the northeast (055 degrees) with an inclination of -70 degrees to further test the possibility of additional mineralization to the southwest of Haquira East. The hole was collared 250 m to the northwest of AHAC-077, a previous reverse-circulation hole that cut 18 m of 0.68% secondary copper mineralization beneath a thick leached cap. AHAD-143 also encountered approximately 380 m of deep oxidation prior to intersecting 16.50 m of 2.11% Cu and 19.05 m of 0.97% Cu as secondary copper oxides and chalcocite. The hole remained in sedimentary wall rock to a total depth of 1005.55 m with only one small monzonite porphyry dike encountered. The lower portion of the hole is mineralized with two zones of 61.10 m of 0.41% Cu and 66.25 m of 0.38% Cu mineralization. Much of this lower mineralization is hosted in quartzite wall rock, a notably poor host rock. These levels of mineralization in quartzites may be indicative of nearby better grades in monzonite porphyry. Although the primary mineralization encountered in AHAD-143 and AHAD-125 is deep and lower grade there does appear to be evidence that the Haquira East system continues to the southwest and additional drilling is warranted to determine if additional mineralization can be found closer to the surface.