East Star provides Kazakhstan drilling update

Highlights:

• 92.5 m of mineralisation recorded above a cut-off grade of 0.38% copper equivalent (CuEq being Cu, Pb, Zn and Ag).
• Thick and high-grade intersections within the conceptual open pit shell modelled by independent consultants including:
  • VU_23_DD_001
    • 2.9 m @ 2.07% CuEq from 19.4 m
    • 15.0 m @ 1.56% CuEq from 27.4 m (including 10 m @ 2% CuEq from 30.4 m)
  • VU_23_DD_002
    • 11.8 m @ 1.41% CuEq from 171.0 m
    • 10.3 m @ 1.77% CuEq from 186.8 m
  • VU_23_DD_003
    • 2.4 m @ 2.45% CuEq from 74.0 m
    • 5.0 m @ 0.86% CuEq from 101.4 m
  • VU_23_DD_004
    • 10.7 m @ 0.79% CuEq from 55.8 m (including 4.4 m @ 1.26% CuEq from 55.8 m, and 0.5 m @ 2.71% CuEq from 62.0 m)
  • VU_23_DD_005
    • 8.0 m @ 0.55% CuEq from 225.7 m
• High-grade mineralised zones match well with high-grade zones identified in >42 000 m of historical drilling.
• Extensive previously unidentified lower-grade mineralised envelopes around higher-grade intersections.
• Predominantly copper mineralisation with up to 6.6% zinc identified in some intersections.
• Gold offers potential for additional upside once assays are complete.

Alex Walker, East Star CEO, commented:

“We are delighted with the results of high-grade assays from our recent Verkhuba drilling campaign. We can now definitively demonstrate that the Verkhuba Deposit has multiple copper-rich ore grade intervals at mineable depths. Grades are relatively consistent with the 1.4 – 1.8% copper grade range derived from the 5 – 6 Mt open-pit resource calculated from the independent resource model. This gives confidence in the accuracy of the more than 42 000 m of historical drilling used in calculating our JORC-compliant exploration target. Additional ore lenses and lower grade halos not reported in historical drilling, and therefore not a part of the existing resource model, should increase the total tonnes of ore expected in future resource models.

The vast majority of the ore is copper; however, it is good to see zinc as well as silver in intersections. Silver grades, not included in the previous resource model, indicate the potential for gold credits that could further improve the project’s economics - which are already compelling given existing regional infrastructure.

Kazakhstan continues to be a fantastic jurisdiction for resource exploration, with strong support for new projects being demonstrated at the federal and local levels. There’s a lot to be excited about in East Star’s future.”

Read the article online at: https://www.globalminingreview.com/mining/14122023/east-star-provides-kazakhstan-drilling-update/