Technical Summary on Kabba Project Being Presented at Geological Society of America Annual Meeting
September 23, 2015 News Release TSX-V Symbol: BCU
TECHNICAL SUMMARY ON KABBA PROJECT BEING PRESENTED AT GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY of AMERICA ANNUAL MEETING
Vancouver, British Columbia – Bell Copper Corporation (“Bell” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: BCU) is pleased to announce that Mr. Wyatt Bain will be making a technical presentation at the Geological Society of America symposium in Baltimore, Maryland on Monday, November 2, 2015, covering his research on the Company’s Kabba porphyry project in Arizona. Mr. Bain did his research while completing a Master of Science Degree in Geoscience under the direction of Dr. Jean Cline at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Mr. Bain applied cutting-edge scientific techniques in his investigation of core samples from Bell’s Kabba K-10 drillhole and from outcrops of the faulted Kabba footwall. His technical presentation, entitled "The application of fluid inclusion research to porphyry copper exploration in the Kabba prospect, Mohave County, Arizona", will describe his scientific test of Bell’s concept that the Kabba porphyry system was cut by a fault, separating the deep, low-grade roots of the system from the potentially mineralized parts near K-10.
Mr. Bain’s two-year research project focused on the mineralogy and trapped microscopic fluid inclusions of veins in the K-10 core and footwall outcrops. He used standard microscopic techniques to accurately determine the identities and sequence of minerals that were deposited by the Kabba ore fluid and to estimate the temperature and pressure of the fluid when the Kabba system was active. Mr. Bain also analyzed the chemistry of key microscopic fluid inclusions at the laboratory of Prof. Christoph Heinrich at ETH Zurich in Switzerland. At ETH Zurich, Mr. Bain fired a precisely focused ultraviolet, exciplex-Argon fluoride laser at the microscopic inclusions, ionizing the inclusions and then classifying the chemicals in a process named Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICPMS). The LA-ICPMS analyses demonstrated that there were many distinct varieties of fluid inclusions, some of which carried significant amounts of copper and other metals.
A few of the key conclusions cited in Bain’s thesis include:
- The mineralization, alteration, and distribution of fluid inclusion types from the footwall and the hanging strongly suggest that the hanging wall and footwall formed as part of the same hydrothermal system, and that the hanging wall formed at a shallower depth than the footwall.
- Based on the microthermometric behavior of the fluid inclusions found in the hanging wall and footwall it is possible for fluids found in the footwall to have evolved into the fluids found in the hanging wall.
- The distribution of fluid inclusion types in the footwall and hanging wall were identical to the distribution of fluid inclusions found in the roots and intermediate depth zones in other known porphyry systems.
- Patterns in the concentrations of Sr, Ba, and Rb relative to Cu in all inclusions groups in the hanging wall and foot wall are consistent with those found in other porphyry
systems and this further suggests that the Kabba system is similar to other productive porphyry systems found around in the world.
- The exploration model used to guide drilling in the hanging wall, which is predicated on the assumption that the hanging wall and the footwall formed as part of the same hydrothermal system and have since been separated along a north-south trending normal fault, is broadly supported by the comparison between the vein minerals, alteration types, and fluid inclusion data from the hanging wall and footwall.
Mr. Bain recommended further exploratory drilling at Kabba to understand the potential of the prospect. He is continuing his research into ore-forming fluids by pursuing a doctoral degree in the Lowell Program in Economic Geology at the University of Arizona.
“Mr. Bain has applied advanced instruments to generate a body of evidence that is consistent with the premise at the heart of Bell’s Kabba exploration effort. The long pyrite- rich intersection obtained this summer in drillhole K-11 further supports the Company’s contention that Kabba represents an extraordinary opportunity to make a significant greenfields porphyry discovery. Our efforts to get K-12 drilled as soon as possible reflect our commitment to shareholders to quickly deliver value from any such discovery.”
- Dr. Timothy Marsh PhD, PEng., President & CEO Bell Copper Corporation
Qualified Person
The technical content of this release has been reviewed and approved by Timothy Marsh, PhD, PEng., the Company’s CEO and President, and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Dr. Marsh’s qualifications as Qualified Person derive from his registration as Professional Engineer (Geological) #34499 in the State of Arizona and as Registered Member #4047103 of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration (SME).
No mineral resource has yet been identified on the Kabba Project. There is no certainty that the present exploration effort will result in the identification of a mineral resource or that any mineral resource that might be discovered will prove to be economically recoverable.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Bell Copper Corporation
"Timothy Marsh"
Timothy Marsh, President, CEO & Director
For further information please contact the Company Tel: 604 248 5187
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