Zeus Massive Sulfide Body
Zeus is located at the northern extremity of the 360 meter strike of the mineralized system at the El Roble mine at a depth of 350 to 450 meters below the surface. This body has been intersected in one drill hole (ATDHR-26), which encountered 119 meters of high-grade mineralization, and has the potential to be as large as the mined-out Main Body, which measured 100 meters down dip by 80 meters along strike by 45 meters thick and produced over 700,000 tonnes of ore. Diamond drill core hole ATHDR-27 has intersected massive sulfide mineralization approximately 30 meters to the north along strike, which is interpreted as part of Zeus. Assays for this intercept are pending.
The mineralization is characterized by mound massive sulfide and breccia textures. Based on the sulfide mineral zoning it is possible that the Aquiles body may be connected to Zeus.
Aquiles Massive Sulfide Body
Aquiles is defined by drill holes ATDHR-23 and ATDHR-24 and is located in the hanging wall less than 30 meters above Zeus at a depth of 400 meters. Aquiles is characterized by pyritic, massive and semi-massive mineralization with somewhat lower copper content but higher gold, with some intervals as high as 4.5 meters of 8.13 g/t Au (ATDHR-24 from 196.5 to 201.0m). This body is presently interpreted as being separate from Zeus, however, it may be connected in that the mineralogy, textures and grades are very similar to the upper portions of the Zeus mineralization.
Development of Exploration Concepts
The continuing discovery of massive sulfide bodies (Zeus, Maximus, Goliath, Aquiles, Orion, Apolo, Andromeda) has provided data which supports and enhances the current exploration model of the El Roble VMS system. Recognition of stockwork feeder mineralization in Orion, and in the footwall of Maximus and Goliath, shows that the feeder system has dimensions of at least 100 meters by 100 meters. Based on the geometry of all massive sulfide bodies and zoning patterns of VMS systems in general, there is potential to find as much or more mineralization below the 2000 meter level as was mined above that level. Textural and metal zoning supports this concept and the system appears to be open to additional mineralization to the north and south, as well as below the 1750 meter level. It also provides room for exploration in the footwall of the VMS system for additional feeder mineralization. Atico's next phase of underground drill will test these concepts.
Underground Drill Assay Results:
------------ Intercept---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total Inter- Azimuth Dip Depth From To val Cu Au AgHole ID (degrees) (degrees) (m) (m) (m) (m) (%) (g/t) (g/t)----------------------------------------------------------------------------ATDHR-26 10 -70 283.6 72.5 76.5 3.95 13.00 4.49 38.51---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 82.6 85.0 2.40 4.10 2.28 5.77---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 96.1 100.2 4.08 6.59 4.70 22.34---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 144.0 263.7 119.7 6.89 6.26 16.50----------------------------------------------------------------------------Including 145.8 156.3 10.43 11.68 14.14 33.83---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 161.2 169.6 8.40 10.81 12.41 37.74---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 176.7 182.5 5.82 8.06 14.03 18.32---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 183.4 192.0 8.58 11.52 8.77 28.50---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 193.1 200.3 7.20 15.46 3.83 7.26---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 201.1 203.1 2.05 22.04 1.39 3.90---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 203.9 209.7 5.85 11.71 5.88 21.68---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 217.6 222.3 4.75 7.53 25.94 66.31----------------------------------------------------------------------------ATDHR-25 45 -70 229.3 88.5 93.0 4.50 3.23 6.40 20.75---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 109.0 110.7 1.70 3.38 1.70 8.96---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 118.3 119.4 1.16 0.50 3.68 8.63----------------------------------------------------------------------------ATDHR-24 215 -85 244.8 189.5 220.5 31.00 0.49 3.03 17.58----------------------------------------------------------------------------Including 196.5 201.0 4.50 1.12 8.13 48.89----------------------------------------------------------------------------ATDHR-23 225 -85 237.0 191.0 218.3 27.30 1.14 3.88 21.20----------------------------------------------------------------------------Including 197.0 201.2 4.20 0.85 7.64 62.54---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 214.0 218.0 4.00 3.54 4.05 21.60----------------------------------------------------------------------------ATDHR-22 180 -45 135.2 57.3 58.0 0.65 1.56 0.40 6.73----------------------------------------------------------------------------ATDHR-20 60 -65 203.5 128.0 148.4 20.40 5.25 1.28 6.16----------------------------------------------------------------------------Including 128.0 133.9 5.95 6.80 2.48 12.08----------------------------------------------------------------------------Drill Hole ATDHR-21 did not report any significant values
