Cascadero (‘CCD or the Company”) is pleased to announce the results of a thin section study of twelve (12) rock grab samples taken from the Company’s Sarita Este gold prospect, 70% owned by the Company. Sarita Este is located in Salta province in northwestern Argentina in close proximity to First Quantum’s Taca Taca multi-billion tonne Cu-Mo-Au porphyry deposit.
The results of the study suggest that Sarita Este is a high-sulphidation gold bearing epithermal system. Additionally, the phases of alteration present in the host rocks at Sarita Este are consistent with a large hydrothermal system related to porphyry-type mineralization as the samples were collected over a 2 km by 5 km area. The presence of cubic clasts (after pyrite), iron oxides and malachite (after chalcopyrite?) in association with the late silicification indicates that the hydrothermal system matured sufficiently to produce sulphides and therefore the area has the potential to contain a mineralized porphyry-type magmatic system. This sequence of alteration events materially increases the size of the Sarita Este target.
Mr. Bill McWilliam CEO of Cascadero Copper states “we are extremely pleased with the results of this thin section study which are not only strongly positive regarding Sarita Este’s potential but extremely valuable to Cascadero as it further advances and explores this promising early stage gold prospect.
We are especially excited by the introduction of evidence regarding the mineral potential of Sarita Este’s suggested large-size underlying parent. This conclusion completely changes and upgrades the valuation metrics of the Company.”
The presence of iron oxides and malachite after chalcopyrite in association with the late silicification indicates that the hydrothermal system matured sufficiently to produce sulphides and therefore the area has the potential to contain a mineralised porphyry-type magmatic system.
Twelve (12) samples were sectioned. Eleven (11) of the samples are felsic volcanic rocks and the other is granite. The weakly altered medium grained granite is cut by a small quartz vein/breccia zone that exhibits alteration stronger than the surrounding wall rocks. The alteration to sericite is accompanied by both hematite and malachite (possibly after chalcopyrite).
In general, the three massive felsic volcanic rocks (flows?) are more intensely altered than the younger granite. The feldspars are altered to albite. The alteration includes weak propylitic (sericite-chlorite-epidote) alteration and weak to intense silicification.
The tuffaceous felsic volcanic rocks are more intensely altered than the massive rocks with plagioclase altered to albite and intense silicification with the addition of quartz.
The alteration ranges from weak propylitic (sericite-chlorite-epidote) to moderate propylitic (albite-sericite-chlorite-epidote-calcite) to phyllic/silicic and grading to argillic (clay-quartz-jarosite-alunite). The intense silicic alteration is manifest by the addition of quartz as a pervasive replacement, veinlets, stockworks or breccia. The late silicification is associated with cubic casts, limonite, goethite and malachite, which are probably remnants of weathered pyrite and/or chalcopyrite. Electrum (a gold-silver alloy) was tentatively identified in one of the quartz-rich areas.
The variation in alteration from less in the more massive rock to most intense in the more porous tuffaceous rocks is consistent with alteration caused by circulating hydrothermal fluids rather than in-situ alteration during cooling. Alteration that ranges from weakly propylitic to phyllic and argillic are typically found in shells surrounding porphyry style copper and copper-gold deposits. In addition, intense silicification with sulphide minerals and/or gold-silver commonly overprints the earlier alterations in mineralized systems.
The thin sections were prepared by Vancouver Petrographic Ltd. and are described in detailed report delivered to the Company in January 2018.
A “thin section” is a piece of rock or a mineral species specifically prepared to study its optical properties. Each sample is ground to a 0.03 millimetre thickness then polished and placed between two microscopic slides. The samples are then studied to identify resident minerals, determine their volumetric percentages and describe their textures. Petrographic studies are critical to understanding the origin of the rock in order to provide a geological understanding of the property.
George H. Gale, PhD. P.Eng, CPG.,the Qualified person for the Company. Dr. Gale prepared and approved the contents of this news release. George Gale is also a Cascadero Senior geologist and a member of the Company’s advisory board.
Bill McWilliam
Chief Executive Officer
Chairman
O = 604.924.5504
C = 604.999.0391
E = bill@ Cascadero.com
