Santander keeps on giving as Trevali traces mineralisation at depth

5th December 2017 By: Henry Lazenby - Creamer Media Deputy Editor: North America

VANCOUVER (miningweekly.com) – Zinc miner Trevali Mining has published encouraging results from its 2017 exploration programme, where directional diamond drilling continues to intersect multiple zones of high-grade zinc mineralisation within and below the Santander Pipe target, at its Santander zinc mine, in Peru.

Highlights include 64.6 m grading 7.26% zinc (Zn), including 6.5 m at 20.4% Zn and 0.43% copper; 33.9 m at 6.35% Zn, including 13.9 m at 10.4% Zn and 6.9 m at 17.2% Zn.

Vancouver-based Trevali said that the true width is estimated at about 70% to 90% of the reported intervals.

“From our initial discovery drill hole in February 2008, Trevali has enjoyed almost ten-years of accretive resource growth and replacement at Santander. Given the coarse style of the mineralisation, absence of significant amounts of barren sulphide and location immediately adjacent to the mine infrastructure, the Santander Pipe forms a compelling high-priority target,” stated president and CEO Dr Mark Cruise.

Trevali said the exploration team currently has two surface and two underground drill rigs expanding the mineralised system, which remains to be fully delineated. The Santander Pipe target, as currently defined, is a roughly cylindrical body with a diameter of about 120 m.

The Santander Pipe was continuously mined between 1957 and 1991 to a vertical depth of 480 m below ground surface. Based on historical mine records the pipe produced eight-million tonnes of ore grading 10.88% Zn, 0.98% lead, 0.31% copper and 2.1 oz/t silver during this period. Due to a combination of low commodity prices coupled with a general lack of development, mining ceased in high-grade mineralisation and remains open for expansion at depth.