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| | Thu Jun 12, 2008
ROCA - MAX Property Exploration Update
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| | Vancouver, British Columbia: Roca Mines Inc. (ROK: TSX-V) ("Roca" or "the Company") provides the following update on exploration activities at the MAX Property near Revelstoke, British Columbia.
Summary
- Underground drilling results confirm new feeder zone and refine deep targets;
- Geological interpretation highlights multi-phase intrusive events and large-scale intrusions at depth;
- Surface exploration drilling has commenced on a biogeochemical molybdenum anomaly near the MAX Mine Portal area;
- Surface drilling to be conducted on a large-scale tungsten zone identified previously by others and significantly expanded by Roca in 2006.
Underground (2007) Final Drilling Results
Five diamond drill holes totaling approximately 4,800 m were completed in 2007 (see Company's News Release dated February 7, 2008). All holes were collared from a common underground drill station within the No.1 Adit, east of the deposit currently being mined. The Company has now received final assays for drill holes MX07-04 and -05.
Results from the five holes have identified extensions to known mineralization and indicate the potential for additional porphyry systems at depth. As previously reported, hole MX07-03 drilled at -65 degrees on Mine Section 8 below the eastern margin of the known resource, intersected a number of narrow, well mineralized zones, interpreted to represent sub-vertical feeders within a well recognized pre-, inter-, and post mineral structure known as the "Z" Fault zone.
The lower half of Hole MX07-03 (previously partially reported) and Hole MX07-04, oriented along the lower southwest margin of the MAX deposit were both variably mineralized over much of their lengths and will help to guide future exploration but are not considered significant at this time.
Hole MX07-05 oriented to test the area immediately adjacent on Mine Section 9, shows that the narrow feeders coalesce into a larger cohesive mineralized zone, open to depth and open laterally. This new zone extends some 200 m below the boundary of the known MAX resource and will be a focus of further underground exploration drilling in the future.
Core sampling of Drill Hole MX07-05 returned the following selected assay results;
Drill Hole # From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Mo (%) MoS2 (%)
MX07-05 136.0 307.0 171.0 0.104 0.17
Including 136.0 139.0 3.0 0.491 0.82
Including 207.0 211.5 4.5 0.286 0.48
Including 238.5 263.0 24.5 0.389 0.65
327.0 367.5 40.5 0.126 0.21
Including 357.0 367.5 10.5 0.329 0.55
Relative to the trend of the MAX Mine HG production zone, the true width of the drill intervals is estimated to be 30% of the intervals shown above.
Roca's underground exploration drilling has thus far intersected strong hydrothermal alteration, indications of several intrusive phases, and significant multiple episodes of mineralization below the MAX deposit.
Detailed petrographic studies by previous workers also concluded that there are at least four intrusive pulses, and a highly repetitive mineralizing event at MAX. The size of the inferred system is also significant. It is estimated that a pluton at depth could have a diameter of roughly 1,000 m, based on the width of the contact metamorphic aureole on surface, whereas the intrusion at the centre of the deposit is roughly 200 m in diameter. This suggests that the known deposit may have other zones and/or other deposits that are not yet discovered.
Indications of a larger intrusion at depth, significant molybdenite intercepts in Holes MX07-03 and -05, as well as a repetitive mineralizing event provide compelling evidence for additional porphyry mineralization below the MAX deposit. Additional exploration drilling will be collared from new locations within the mine workings in the future.
Sampling and logging of the drill holes was conducted under the supervision of David Melling, P.Geo., a qualified person as defined by NI43-101. The sampling program included quality control procedures, in addition to internal quality control at the assay laboratory, ACME Analytical of Vancouver, BC an ISO 9001:2000 accredited laboratory.
Surface Exploration Drilling of Molybdenum and Tungsten Targets Commences
Roca has mobilized a diamond drill to the MAX project to commence exploration drilling on two primary surface targets on the MAX Property. The targets are in close proximity to the MAX Molybdenum Mine but represent potentially separate mineralized zones, including;
1. A newly discovered surface molybdenum biogeochemical anomaly (150 m X 350 m) centered approximately 500m west of the MAX mine portal area was identified during a survey conducted by the Geological Survey of Canada's (GSC) Targeted Geoscience Initiative -- 3 (TGI-3) in late 2007. This anomaly was not previously identified because it lies beyond the historical limits of a soil geochemical sampling grid, and in an area of no previous drilling. The biogeochemical survey also identified the surface expression of the MAX deposit itself, providing confirmation of the potential success of this targeting technique. An additional geochemical anomaly was discovered approximately 350m southeast of the MAX deposit and a soil sampling grid will be established at that location this summer.
2. The Ridge and Upper Ridge Tungsten zones located approximately 1.2 km southwest of the MAX mine portal area were most recently explored by others in 1979, including a total of three diamond drill holes. Of interest, drill hole 79-13 intersected 56 feet (17.3 m) of 0.395% scheelite (WO3) (see Company's news release dated December 12, 2006). The tungsten area was significantly expanded by Roca in 2006 when the Company's prospectors discovered scheelite mineralization southeast of the Ridge Zone and hosted in low-sulphide, garnet-rich skarn boulders and outcrop. With the addition of the Upper Ridge Zone, the strike length of tungsten mineralization as indicated by all of the outcrop sampled to date and encompassing all zones now totals 1,450 m in length and extends over a vertical range of 600 m. Roca's initial drill program will test the size and potential of this large mineralized and near-surface zone.
Tungsten is an essential metal, noted for its hardness and high-melting point. It is used primarily in cemented carbide and high-speed steel tools for the construction and mining industries and for general wear protection of steel alloys. Like molybdenum, tungsten metal and concentrates are currently trading at or near record high prices.
Mr. Scott Broughton, P.Eng. is the Qualified Person responsible for the preparation of this news release.
ROCA MINES INC.
"Scott Broughton"
Scott E. Broughton, P.Eng. -- President & CEO
For further information contact:
Doug Fosbrooke
Investor Relations
Tel: 604-684-2900
Fax: 604-684-2902
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.Rocamines.com
The TSX Venture Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. |
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