Aston Bay and American West Metals Confirm High Grade Copper and Zinc Mineralization at the Tempest Prospect, Storm Copper Project, Canada
Aston Bay and American West Metals Confirm High Grade
Copper and Zinc Mineralization at the Tempest Prospect, Storm
Copper Project, Canada
• Up to 38.2% Cu and 30.8% Zn in assays for select grab sampling of surface gossan rocks
at the underexplored Tempest Prospect
• Prospective gossans have been mapped for more than 4km at Tempest, which is located
40km south of the Storm Copper targets drilled in 2023
• A ground electromagnetic (EM) survey at Tempest has defined a series of EM anomalies
that coincide with the high-grade copper and zinc gossans, providing high-priority drill
targets for the 2024 field program
• Magnetic data indicates that Tempest may be located on a major structural unconformity
- a geological setting that is highly prospective for base metals
• The impressive results at Tempest further highlight the large -scale regional potential
within the Project area
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / November 27, 2023 / Aston Bay Holdings Ltd.
(TSXV:BAY)(OTCQB:ATBHF) ("Aston Bay" or the "Company") reports the assay results from
reconnaissance sampling and new geophysical surveys from the Tempest Prospect ("Tempest"),
located within the Storm Copper Project ("Storm" or the "Project") on Somerset Island, Nunavut.
The program was conducted by American West Metals Limited ("American West"), who is the
operator of the Project.
"It is encouraging to confirm copper and zinc mineralization from surface samples at Tempest,
as this opens a new area for further exploration at Storm," stated Thomas Ullrich, CEO of Aston
Bay.
"Gossans are zones of surface-weathered metal mineralization, and the chalcocite and sphalerite
in these zones are associated with EM geophysical anomalies over a 4 km-long trend. The
magnetic signature here suggests that the older underlying basement rocks are close to the
surface - that contact between the metamorphic basement and sedimentary rocks is a favourable
zone of permeability to potentially host mineralization, while the basement rocks themselves can
be a source of metal as well."
Figure 1: Zinc and lead-rich gossan in outcrop from the Tempest Prospect, Storm Project,
Nunavut. Sample ID Y010803.
COPPER AND ZINC MINERALIZATION CONFIRM OUTSTANDING
EXPLORATION OPPORTUNITY
The Tempest Prospect is located approximately 40 kilometres south of the known copper
discoveries at Storm (Figure 6). The area was discovered through historical rock and soil
sampling which defined copper gossans over 250m, with assays returning copper grades up to
32% Cu from historic select grab samples.
The geology of the area is interpreted to contain the southern extension of the highly prospective
Storm sediment-hosted copper horizon, overlapping much older Proterozoic rocks that outcrop to
the west. This geological setting and the unconformity between two main geological terranes are
interpreted to be highly prospective for base metal mineralization.
A small reconnaissance sampling and field mapping program during the 2023 field season was
aimed at expanding the understanding of the area. The mapping revealed a series of gossans that
are significantly more extensive than originally defined. The gossans have now been traced over
4km of strike to the north and south of the original Tempest Prospect, significantly upgrading the
exploration potential of the area.
Seven select grab samples were taken of gossanous rock outcrop and float, and one was taken
from exposed gneiss basement. Several gossanous samples contain highly anomalous base
metals with copper grades up to 38.2% Cu (chalcocite-mineralized dolostone with heavy
malachite weathering rind Y010804) and zinc grades 30.8% Zn (sphalerite-mineralized
dolostone with rusty-coloured weathering Y010801).
The gossan samples at Tempest differ in composition from those typically found at Storm with
higher abundances of zinc, lead and gold. The Storm gossans generally contain only copper +/-
silver, with only trace abundances of zinc and lead. This may indicate that the gossans at
Tempest are derived from a different style or combination of styles of mineralization.
Tempest remains underexplored and further, more detailed, and extensive geochemical sampling
is required to fully define the highest priority target areas.
Sample ID Sample Type Cu % Zn % Pb % Fe
%
Ag
g/t
Au
ppb
Y010801 Gossan 0.18 30.8 0.05 22.8 9 4
Y010802 Gossan 0.56 0.36 0.12 - 2 -
Y010803 Gossan - 1.6 0.3 - 1 -
Y010804 Malachite/chalcocite
float 38.2 0.17 0.1 5.8 3 277
Y010811 Gossan/Ironstone - - - 11.8 2 53
Y010812 Gossan/Ironstone - 0.01 - 28.3 0.5 2
Y010813 Gossan 0.16 - - 45.7 3 8
Y010814 Basement/gneiss - - - 3.7 0.5 -
Table 1: Tempest rock sample descriptions and geochemistry from the 2023 program.
Figure 2: Aerial view of the northern gossan at the Tempest Prospect. This section of the
prospective trend has outcropping gossans that can be traced for 600m (brown-rust coloured).
Figure 3: Photo of the southern area of the Tempest copper and zinc gossans looking north. The
brown-red rust-coloured gossans are indicative of potential base metal mineralization below
surface and can be traced for over 4km along strike. Aston Bay CEO, Tom Ullrich, is seen at the
right of the photo for scale.
GROUND GEOPHYSICS - NUMEROUS EM ANOMALIES IDENTIFIED
A ground Loupe Time-Domain Electromagnetic (TDEM) and magnetic survey were completed
over the Tempest area during August 2023 to aid with mapping the stratigraphy and to define
potential targets for further exploration work. Approximately 9km2 was covered during the
survey (Figure 4 & 5).
Loupe TDEM is a man-portable, rapid, and inexpensive system developed by Loupe Geophysics
(www.loupegeophysics.com.au) used to assess the conductivity of an area, particularly where
there is significant outcrop and little to no weathering. The system is designed to measure
electrical conductivity in the near-surface (generally between 20-30m depth) at high resolutions.
The TDEM survey has defined a series of conductive anomalies that lie along the strike of the
stratigraphy and are coincident with the copper/zinc gossans in a number of areas (Figure 5). The
conductors are localized and modeling of the data estimates that they are potentially steeply
dipping. The relatively short strike length of the conductive features is positive and suggests that
the anomalies may not be related to conductive stratigraphic horizons such as black shales,
graphite, or iron sulfides.
A ground magnetic sensor was also used during the survey over the northern and southern areas
of Tempest to supplement the existing airborne magnetic data.
The results of the TDEM are still being assessed but are highly encouraging with multiple
anomalies and gossans untested. Follow-up surveys will include high-powered Moving Loop EM
(MLEM).
Figure 4: Plan view map of the Tempest Prospect showing the mapped gossans and geochemical
sampling points, overlaying aerial photography.
Figure 5: Plan view map of the Tempest Prospect showing the mapped gossans and geochemical
sampling points, overlaying TDEM image (late time conductivity - Gate 6) and aerial
photography.
GEOLOGICAL SETTING AND BASE METAL POTENTIAL
While the geological understanding of the Tempest area is continuing to evolve with ongoing
exploration, the current interpretation of the geological and geophysical data of the southern
Storm Project area indicates the presence of both the extensive Storm sediment-hosted copper
horizon as well as Proterozoic aged basement rocks. Both of these units are highly prospective
for base metals, while the contact is a favourable zone of permeability for transport of metal-
bearing fluids and metal mineralization.
The magnetics of the Tempest area are characterized by strong linear, north-south orientated
magnetic features that are interpreted to represent uplifted ("horst") blocks of the Proterozoic
basement rocks (Figure 6). The basement rocks in this area are close to surface (outcropping
locally), covered by a thin veneer (<200m) of the same sedimentary basin stratigraphy as at
Storm. In contrast, the depth-to-basement modelling of the magnetic data indicates an over
2,000m thick sequence of sedimentary rock in the Storm area. The Proterozoic rocks at Tempest
are interpreted to be bounded by steeply dipping horst and graben faults with significant vertical
displacement.
The proximity of the two terranes in the Tempest area marks a major structural and tectonic
boundary. The unconformable contact between the two geological terranes is highly prospective,
with the basement rocks being an important potential source of metals, with the contact being a
zone of high permeability for mineralizing fluids.
The metal association of the Tempest gossans and geological setting indicates that the area has
the potential for a unique mix of Storm and Seal-style mineralization (i.e., a spatially close
association of the prospective zinc and copper stratigraphic horizons), as well as Volcanogenic
Massive Sulphide (VMS) and SEDEX style base metal deposits in the older, underlying
Proterozoic basement rocks. The potential discovery of VMS-style base metal mineralization in
the Proterozoic rocks at Tempest would be the first of its type within the Project area, and
confirm the prospectivity of the Proterozoic basement.