Cornish Metals Inc said that recent high grade copper assay results at United Downs could indicate a copper-tin-silver mineral resource to complement the tin mineral resource at South Crofty in Cornwall.
UNITED DOWNS RESULTS
The Canadian company today reported results from three diamond drill holes at United Downs.
Drill hole UD21-011A intersected five parallel zones of high-grade copper-tin-silver mineralisation beneath United Mines.
United Mines was an underground copper mine operating between 1700 and 1870 with historical grades reported to be in excess of 7.5% copper.
Hole UD21-011A is the third to intersect the down dip extension of United Mines.
Holes GWDD-001 and GWDD-002 (drilled in 2020) intersected 6.91m grading 0.80% copper, and 4.04m grading 4.44% copper and 2.06% tin.
Cornish Metals added that high grade mineralisation had now been confirmed over a 500m strike length and is open along strike and to depth.
The next drill hole is planned to test mineralisation for a further 400m along strike to the east.
| Drill Hole | From (m) | To (m) | Length (m) | Copper (% Cu) | Tin (% Sn) | Silver (g/t Ag) |
| UD21_011A | 652.55 | 655.08 | 2.53 | 4.61 | 0.05 | 32.4 |
| including | 653.57 | 654.35 | 0.78 | 10.40 | 0.09 | 73.0 |
| UD21_011A | 670.85 | 673.11 | 2.26 | 1.47 | 0.15 | 4.4 |
| UD21_011A | 676.51 | 679.24 | 2.73 | 4.45 | 0.12 | 25.7 |
| including | 678.42 | 679.24 | 0.82 | 6.26 | 0.32 | 29.8 |
| UD21_011A | 701.16 | 703.74 | 2.58 | 2.08 | 0.67 | 12.9 |
| including | 702.96 | 703.26 | 0.30 | 11.25 | 0.77 | 65.3 |
| and | 703.26 | 703.74 | 0.48 | 1.42 | 1.68 | 7.2 |
| UD21_011A | 751.25 | 751.93 | 0.68 | 0.03 | 0.70 | 0.3 |
GRANITE
Copper, tin and silver mineralisation in this region is hosted in metasediments, locally known as killas, which overlie granite.
The killas are projected to extend at least 400m below the intercepts in UD21-011A.
The granite underlying United Downs is considered to be highly prospective for tin mineralisation as at the company’s South Crofty tin project located 8km to the west.
OTHER DRILLING
One drill rig is testing the polymetallic Trenares target immediately south of Mt Wellington Mine within the United Downs project area.
The second drill rig is testing targets on the southern flank of Carn Brea located 1.5km southeast of the South Crofty tin project.
Cornish Metals said the site had potential to host tin-bearing lode structures in the vicinity of the historic Great Flat Lode mining district.
TIN GRADES
Chief executive Richard Williams added that the latest intersections clearly demonstrated the potential for United Downs to host a copper-tin-silver mineral resource to complement the tin mineral resource at South Crofty.
“Confirmation that high grade mineralisation continues beneath the historic United Mines validates the exploration potential we believe exists throughout Cornwall and within our mineral rights holdings.”
“It is very interesting to see the tin grades starting to appear in the deeper intersections, which adds weight to our theory that the whole United Downs area is prospective for tin beneath the old copper mines, the same zonation that is clearly evident at South Crofty, just a few kilometres to the west.”