28 January 2022
Friday, 28th January 2022
Corporate
American West Metals Limited (ASX: AW1) (“American West” or “The Company”) is pleased to report on its quarterly activities for the period ending 31 December 2021. During the quarter, the Company’s focus was ramping up exploration activities at the West Desert and Storm/Seal Projects following a successful IPO.
Dave O’Neill, Managing Director of American West Metals commented: “We are extremely proud of what American West achieved over the last quarter. In addition to listing on the ASX with a strongly supported IPO, a significant amount of effort has been applied to exploration activities at both our flagship West Desert and also the Storm/Seal Projects. We look forward to sharing further results with our shareholders and what’s next for American West.”
American West Metals completed ground electromagnetic (EM) surveys at the high-grade Storm Copper and Seal Zinc-Silver Projects (Storm, Seal or the Projects) on Somerset Island, Nunavut. These geophysical surveys were the first to be completed since American West Metals became project operator under the option agreement with Aston Bay Holdings (TSX-V: BAY).
STORM FIXED LOOP ELECTROMAGNETIC SURVEY
American West Metals completed fixed loop EM (FLEM) surveys that targeted extensions along strike and below known mineralisation, and over previously defined geophysical anomalies. The surveys were designed to provide greater definition of the existing targets, and to identify new targets ahead of the proposed 2022 drilling campaign.
Previous EM surveys have successfully identified several strong conductive anomalies that are associated with known copper mineralisation in the Storm Project area.
One of these is a large (>750m in strike) conductive anomaly associated with the 4100N Zone where previous high-grade intersections include 15m @ 3.88% Cu from 72.4m in hole ST99-47. A strong conductive anomaly was also recognised at the 2750N Zone where previous high-grade intersections include 110m @ 2.45% Cu from surface in hole ST97-08, and 56.3m @ 3.07% Cu from 12.2m in hole ST99-19.
The 2021 EM surveys have confirmed the correlation between the previous anomalies and high-grade copper mineralisation at the main Storm Copper showings. Numerous shallow conductors have been modelled that are coincident with mineralisation confirmed by drilling.
Figure 3: Storm Copper Project – Recent FLEM conductors, drilling and major faults overlaying recent FLEM image (Ch16 – hotter colours indicate higher conductivity) and aerial photography.
The known high-grade copper mineralisation at Storm lies along and adjacent to the margins of a ~1 km wide, fault-bounded valley or graben. Significantly, inversion and plate modelling of the new EM data has also defined multiple high-priority conductors associated with the Storm graben within areas previously untested by drilling.
Seven untested shallow conductors were identified (Figure 1, dark blue rectangles). All seven shallow conductors are located along, or in close proximity to the bounding faults of the Storm graben, and in areas of elevated density, identified by a 2017 airborne gravity gradiometry (AGG) survey (Figure 4). The conductors east of the 2200N and 2750N zones are also associated with significant copper in soil geochemical anomalies and mapped surface gossans, making them compelling targets for the discovery of further copper sulphides.
Seven untested deeper conductors of interest were also identified in the Storm Copper area by the 2021 surveys (Figures 3, dark red rectangles). Six of the seven anomalies are located along or adjacent to the bounding faults of the Storm graben.
The geometry and mostly gentle dips of the modelled deep conductors suggest that they may be related to stratiform type targets, and may be indicative of traditional sedimentary type copper mineralisation at depth. Given the highly resistive nature of the host geology (dolomites), even subtle conductors are considered to be prospective when combined with coincident geochemical or airborne gravity anomalies.
Figure 4: Storm Copper Project – Recent FLEM conductors, drilling, mapped copper gossans, major faults overlaying GDD Fourier image (vertical gravity gradient - hotter colours indicate higher densities).
SEAL TEST EM SURVEY
The opportunity was also taken this season to complete the first ever ground EM survey over the high-grade zinc-silver Seal Deposit. Three survey lines were completed as a test to determine the response of the massive sulphide mineralisation.
The results indicated that the known mineralisation at Seal is not visible to this particular EM system, and therefore no anomalies could be identified in the vicinity of the deposit. Whilst this work does not preclude other EM systems effectively being used to explore around Seal, the nearby Tier 1 Polaris Zinc-Lead deposit was discovered using gravity surveys, and this will continue to be the preferred geophysical tool for testing the extensive Seal stratigraphic horizon.
BACKGROUND ON GEOPHYSICS AT STORM
Electromagnetics were proven to be an effective exploration tool when the Storm area was first surveyed with airborne EM in 1997. This survey determined a clear relationship between known, outcropping copper mineralisation with newly identified EM anomalies. Subsequent higher resolution airborne and surface EM surveys, backed up by drilling, further confirmed this association.
The 2021 FLEM surveys utilised a time domain electromagnetic (TDEM) system, featuring low noise / high power, and were completed using a fixed conventional loop configuration. A total area of approximately 18km2 was completed for 945 stations, with a nominal station spacing of 100m at the Storm Copper prospect and 50m at the Seal Zinc deposit. Infills on a number of prospects at Storm were completed at 50m spacings.
Further ground EM surveys will be planned for the 2022 season to screen the Tornado and Blizzard areas. These areas lie east along strike from Storm and have existing copper in soil and gravity (AGG) anomalies.
Click here for the full release.