Astra Intersects 4.5 G/T over 9.0 Metres, Extending Mineralization at Depth at Pampa Paciencia Project, Chile
ASTRA EXPLORATION INC. (TSX-V: ASTR, OTCQB: ATEPF)
NEWS RELEASE
ASTRA INTERSECTS 4.5 G/T OVER 9.0 METRES, EXTENDING MINERALIZATION AT DEPTH
AT PAMPA PACIENCIA PROJECT, CHILE
Vancouver, British Columbia – September 26, 2022 – Astra Exploration Inc. (TSX-V: ASTR,
OTCQB: ATEPF) (“Astra” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce the results of the Phase II
drilling program at its Pampa Paciencia gold-silver project located in Northern Chile.
Drill Highlights:
• PPRC-22-45 intersected 4.5 g/t gold equivalent (AuEq) over 9.0 metres, including 12.7
g/t AuEq over 3.0 metres
• PPRC-22-49 intersected 3.17 g/t gold equivalent over 3.0 metres, including 8.2 g/t gold
equivalent over 1.0 metre
“Drilling at Pampa Pacienc ia continues to produce evidence of a large, mineralized epithermal
system concealed by shallow gravel cover.” Stated Brian Miller, President, CEO of Astra. “With limited
drilling we have discovered three shoots of high-grade mineralization over significant widths and have
defined over two kilometres of vein strike length, all within an area which represents less than 10
percent of the total project. Our team’s targeting methods have been highly successful at discovering
new veins concealed by the shallow cover and data indicates the potential for the district to contain
several additional kilometres of concealed veins – all which would have the potential to host additional
shoots of mineralization.”
Drilling Details:
The Phase II drill program consisted of 3,976 metres of RC drilling in 15 holes, all placed in the
North Zone target with the focus of testing the Paciencia Vein system continuity and some
magnetic targets.
Results from this program are summarized below in Table 1. The drill program defined the
extension of the two previously discovered mineralized shoots and discovered a third shoot of
mineralization at depth in the Paciencia Oeste vein segment with nine metres averaging 4.5 g/t
AuEq, including a high-grade zone with a three-metre interval of 12.7 g/t AuEq in hole PPRC-22-45.
True widths are estimated to be 75-80% of the interval lengths in PPRC-22-45.
Drill Hole
From
(m)
To
(m)
Length
(m)
Aueq_80
(g/t) Au (g/t) Ag (g/t)
PPRC-22-42 - Paciencia Oeste vein 150 164 14 0.43 0.27 12.71
including 151 153 2 0.94 0.71 18
and including 158 161 3 0.67 0.37 23.66
PPRC-22-43 - Paciencia Oeste vein 181 191 10 0.48 0.36 10.10
including 182 183 1 1.97 1.87 8.00
PPRC-22-44 - Paciencia Oeste vein 196 202 6 0.26 0.18 6.33
PPRC-22-45- Paciencia Oeste vein 307 316 9 4.49 2.97 121.78
including 308 311 3 12.70 8.61 327.00
PPRC-22-46 - Tormenta vein 181 192 11 0.22 0.16 4.27
PPRC-22-47 - Paciencia Este vein 155 183 28 0.55 0.44 9.14
including 159 163 4 1.22 1.05 13.50
and including 173 175 2 1.53 1.17 29.00
PPRC-22-48 - Paciencia Este vein No significant results
PPRC-22-49 - Paciencia Este vein 147 150 3 3.17 3.15 1.33
including 148 149 1 8.20 8.17 2.00
And 176 178 2 0.97 0.70 21.50
And 207 209 2 2.17 2.13 3.00
including 208 209 1 4.20 4.14 5.00
PPRC-22-50 - Paciencia Este vein No significant results
PPRC-22-51 - Paciencia vein No significant results
PPRC-22-52 - Paciencia vein 241 259 18 0.30 0.24 5.11
including 251 253 2 0.74 0.59 11.50
PPRC-22-53 - Paciencia splay vein No significant results
PPRC-22-54 - Ground mag target No significant results
PPRC-22-55 - Tormenta vein No significant results
PPRC-22-56 - Paciencia vein No significant results
Table 1: Summary of the results from Phase II RC drilling program.
Three mineralized shoots have been discovered to date (Figure 1). The Paciencia/Paciencia Este
shoot is currently the largest, at approximately 400 metres along strike and approximately 170
metres vertical extension. The second shoot is defined in the Paciencia Oeste vein, with a defined
200 metres of strike (open to the east) and 130 metres vertical extension. A third shoot, discovered
in this Phase II program, remains open in all directions with mineralization starting at a depth of 200
metres below surface. Estimated true width of each shoot is 10-15 metres.
Drill results from the Paciencia vein system are thought to be analogous with the Faride LSE mine,
located eight kilometres south of the Paciencia vein system, and in proximity with the Cerro
Dominador regional fault (Figure 2).
Figure 1: Longitudinal section of the Paciencia Vein System with Phase II results and a comparison
with Faride vein (modified from Camus & Skewes, 19911).
Figure 2: Maps of Astra Pampa Paciencia project and Faride Mine, with detail of the RC drill
programs (Phase I = white stars, Phase II = blue dots) in the North Zone target in comparison with
the Faride vein system and its mineralized shoots (yellow in Paciencia vein segments).
Similarities between Faride and Pampa Paciencia (Figures 1 & 2) based on results from this
program confirm that the Paciencia vein system has the potential for multiple shoots of high-grade
mineralization in a similar structural setting to Faride. The Faride mineralized system is hosted
within several NW to E-W veins covering an area of eight square kilometres. Mineralization is
hosted within a total of eight mineralized shoots separated by NE-striking faults within a 2.2-
kilometre-long NW-striking structure. Historical reserves of 234,000 gold ounces at Faride were
cited following re-mapping of the project by Coeur in the 1990s.2
The magnetic targets that were drilled (Figure 3) intersected veins with low or no precious metal
grades. Anomalous mineralization was intersected in the Tormenta vein (a splay of the Paciencia
vein system to the west, with at least 300 metres of strike length) with 11 metres at 0.22 g/t AuEq at
the intersection with Paciencia Oeste vein. These newly discovered veins are thick structures
(estimated true thickness of 20 metres in PPRC-22-46 and 5 metres in PPRC-22-55) with potential
to host additional mineralized shoots.
Figure 3: Regional ground magnetics map of the Phase II drill hole locations (yellow dots) in the
North Zone. White dots represent Phase I hole locations. Black dots are historical holes.
Figure 4: Ground magnetics at Pampa Paciencia Project. White boundary shows areas of focus
during Astra’s Phase I and Phase II drilling.
To date, Astra’s drilling has focused on a small area of the project (Figure 4) and has demonstrated
that linear magnetic low features, particularly those oriented NW-SE to E-W have a high correlation
with concealed vein structures. There is minimal vein outcrop in the project area, however there is
widespread epithermal mineralization in surface float samples across the entire project (see
February 17, 2022 news release). Company geologists continue to refine additional drill targets by
integrating in-house detailed geology with the application of various geophysical techniques. This is
complemented with the integrated study of hydrothermal alteration and the precipitation conditions
(temperature and salinity) of the different pulses of mineralization at different depth levels of the
veins. Data increasingly suggests the potential for a large-scale epithermal system with several
kilometres of vein structure concealed by shallow cover.
About Pampa Paciencia
Pampa Paciencia is a 3,840-hectare road-access low -sulphidation epithermal (LSE) gold -silver
project located within an active mining district less than 15 kilometres from two major mines (Sierra
Gorda and Spence) and five kilometres from the Faride LSE mine (Figure 3).
Astra has completed property wide mapping and sam pling, geophysical surveys, and localized
trenching and in doing so, has defined a vein boulder field over approximately 75% of the project
area. The veins do not outcrop as the majority of the project area is covered by a thin layer of gravels
and caliche, but the vein float can be used to identify areas of high prospectivity.
Figure 3: Location of the Pampa Paciencia Project in the Paleocene Belt of Northern Chile.
Sampling Procedures
Drill samples were sampled, bagged, and tagged by Astra's geologist and then delivered to the
AAA laboratory in Calama. Samples were prepared with RC PM80 10 CM S2-150 code, and then
analyzed fire assays for gold (AEF-AAS-1E42) and multi elements by ICP (ICP-AES-HF34-61).
Overlimits for gold were analysed by routine AEF_GRV_1E45 and for silver by 4A-
HF_AAS_1E02SL.
Qualified Person Statement
The technical data and information as disclosed in this report has been reviewed and approved by
Darcy Marud. Mr. Marud is a Practicing Member of the Association of Professional Geoscientists of
Ontario and is a qualified person as defined under the terms of National Instrument 43 -101
– Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.
About the Company
Astra Exploration Ltd. is an exploration company based out of Vancouver, BC. Astra is engaged in
the acquisition, exploration, and development of epithermal gold -silver properties in Chile and is
building a portfolio of high -quality projects. Astra’s current focus is the devel opment of the Pampa
Paciencia Project.
For further information please contact:
Brian Miller
Chief Executive Officer
Tel. 604.428.0939
Email: [email protected]
OR
Nikki McEachnie
Manager of Investor Relations, Marketing & Business Development
Tel: 416.209.4940
Email: [email protected]
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TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Mineralization hosted on adjacent and/or nearby and/or geologically similar properties is not
necessarily indicative of mineralization hosted on the Company’s properties.
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1Source: Camus F. and Skewes, M., 1991. The Faride Epithermal Silver -Gold deposit, Antofagasta
Region, Chile. Economic Geology Vol. 86: 1222-1237.
2 Source: Mining, Minerals, and the Environment in Idaho, 1994.
https://www.idahogeology.org/pub/Staff_Reports/1997/S-97-22.pdf