Sunrise Resources posts positive update on Bay State project

Mineral exploration and development company Sunrise Resources posted a summary of progress to date on its priority Bay State Silver Project on Tuesday.

The AIM-traded firm said historical production was focused on Chihuahua Vein, with significant production including direct shipping ores up to 7,200 g/t silver.

It said surface samples of vein material left behind by old miners average 387 grammes/tonne silver along a 280 metre strike length of the Chihuahua vein system.

Underground sampling returned bonanza values of up to 4kg/tonne silver within replacement style mineralisation at end of adit over 61cm.

It also returned over 1kg/tonne silver average for 18 samples along 230m strike length to end of adit.

Surface and underground sampling together suggest a 500m minimum strike length for drill targeting, the board said, with five holes drilled to date on Chihuahua vein system.

Three holes hit high grade silver mineralisation, including 1,460 g/t silver over 0.2m from 164.13m in Hole 15SRDD002, 566 g/t silver over 0.5m from 70.71m in Hole 15SRDD001, and 503 g/t silver over 1.4m from 185.32m in Hole 15SRDD003.

A fourth hole demonstrated the continuity of the Chihuahua vein system at 300m below surface, with the board saying further drilling was provisionally scheduled for spring 2017.

“The company has achieved significant progress at Bay State on a limited budget,” said executive chairman Patrick Cheetham.

“Through surface and underground sampling on the Chihuahua vein we have demonstrated high silver grades over a strike length of around 500m and have confirmed the occurrence of bonanza grades that supported historical production of direct smelter feed grades in the past.

Cheetham said the company has drilled five holes so far on the Chihuahua vein, three have hit high grade silver mineralisation and one has demonstrated continuity of the vein system at a depth of 300m below surface.

“That's an excellent strike rate and we have been successful in predicting the location of the Chihuahua Vein in all but one hole.

“This success was underpinned by careful and systematic sampling, and planning which is continuing.”

Cheetham explained that due to the high cost of drilling in winter, it is proposed that follow-up drilling be scheduled for spring.

“This is likely to include further drill testing along strike south of Mining Canyon and deeper drilling beneath the existing high grade drill intersections obtained north of Mining Canyon.”