VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Atico Mining Corporation (the “Company” or “Atico”) (TSX.V: ATY | OTC: ATCMF) is pleased to announce an update on the exploration program and the start of regional exploration drilling at the El Roble property in Colombia.
A strategic review of historical and recent exploration programs has defined high priority targets within the favorable stratigraphy that hosts the currently producing high grade Cu/Au VMS El Roble mine. The data review highlighted strong evidence of a second event of epithermal mineralization observed which overprinted the known VMS mineralization resulting in upgraded copper and gold content. The highest priority targets are identified by alteration and VMS mineralization with the upgraded Cu/Au content that are coincident with geophysical anomalies.
Anomaly 8 was selected from the review as the first target for a follow-up diamond drilling program. It is defined by values of up to 11% Cu in outcropping hydrothermal breccia within a 900m by 300m area of soil and rock copper anomalies with values greater than 800 ppm Cu. It is coincident with EM (VTEM) and magnetic (GMAG) geophysical anomalies. The drill program is currently in progress and the anomaly is not fully tested. Two holes have cut favorable stratigraphy and strong alteration with massive sulfide pyrite fragments. A third drill hole was abandoned due to a major fault zone. An additional 3,050 meters of drilling is planned during 2023 at Anomaly 8.
The strategic analysis of historical and recently generated information by the El Roble exploration team was undertaken during the period of January to July 2022 and included drilling campaigns both within the mine and follow-up of regional targets. This reinterpretation, which had the support of expert consultants and universities with staff specializing in mining and exploration, resulted in a better understanding of the concept of VMS clusters and identification of these clusters within the property (La Calera Zn - Ag cluster, La Batea Fe Cluster, Santa Anita Zn - Ag Cluster) as well as generation of new exploration areas.
Overall, this reinterpretation has resulted in high priority targets for future exploration programs. The current drill program that began late in the last quarter of 2022 to follow-up Anomaly 8, is confirming the validity of the data review.
Qualified Persons
Garth Graves, P. Geo., consultant geologist for Atico Mining Corporation and a qualified person in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release.
El Roble Mine
The El Roble mine is a high grade, underground copper and gold mine with nominal processing plant capacity of 1,000 tonnes per day, located in the Department of Choco in Colombia. Its commercial product is a copper-gold concentrate.
Since obtaining control of the mine on November 22, 2013, Atico has upgraded the operation from a historical nominal capacity of 400 tonnes per day.
El Roble has Proven and Probable reserves of 1.00 million tonnes grading 3.02% copper and 1.76 g/t gold, at a cut-off grade of 1.3% copper equivalent with an effective date of September 30, 2020. Mineralization is open at depth and along strike and the Company plans to further test the limits of the deposit. On the larger land package, the Company has identified a prospective stratigraphic contact between volcanic rocks and black and grey pelagic sediments and cherts that has been traced by Atico geologists for ten kilometers. This contact has been determined to be an important control on VMS mineralization on which Atico has identified numerous target areas prospective for VMS type mineralization occurrence, which is the focus of the current surface drill program at El Roble.
About Atico Mining Corporation
Atico is a growth-oriented Company, focused on exploring, developing and mining copper and gold projects in Latin America. The Company generates significant cash flow through the operation of the El Roble mine and is developing its high-grade La Plata VMS project in Ecuador. The Company is also pursuing additional acquisition of advanced stage opportunities. For more information, please visit www.aticomining.com.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
Fernando E. Ganoza
CEO
Atico Mining Corporation
Trading symbols: TSX.V: ATY | OTC: ATCMF
Investor Relations
Igor Dutina
Tel: +1.604.633.9022
Neither the 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.
No securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved of the contents of this news release. The securities being offered have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the ‘‘U.S. Securities Act’’), or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States, or to, or for the account or benefit of, a "U.S. person" (as defined in Regulation S of the U.S. Securities Act) unless pursuant to an exemption therefrom. This press release is for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities of the Company in any jurisdiction.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements
This announcement includes certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, without limitation the use of net proceeds, are forward-looking statements. Forward- looking statements involve various risks and uncertainties and are based on certain factors and assumptions. 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. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company’s expectations include uncertainties relating to interpretation of drill results and the geology, continuity and grade of mineral deposits; uncertainty of estimates of capital and operating costs; the need to obtain additional financing to maintain its interest in and/or explore and develop the Company’s mineral projects; uncertainty of meeting anticipated program milestones for the Company’s mineral projects; the world-wide economic and social impact of COVID-19 is managed and the duration and extent of the coronavirus pandemic is minimized or not long-term; disruptions related to the COVID-19 pandemic or other health and safety issues, or the responses of governments, communities, the Company and others to such pandemic or other issues; and other risks and uncertainties disclosed under the heading “Risk Factors” in the prospectus of the Company dated March 2, 2012 filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com.
