Royal Road Minerals Announces Regional Sampling, Mapping and Initial Scout Drilling Results from Its Santo Domingo Porphyry Copper Gold Project, San Juan Province, Argentina
Royal Road Minerals Announces Regional
Sampling, Mapping and Initial Scout Drilling
Results from Its Santo Domingo Porphyry
Copper Gold Project, San Juan Province,
Argentina
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - November 21, 2023) - Royal Road Minerals Limited (
TSXV: RYR
)
("
Royal Road
" or the "
Company
") is pleased to provide results of initial scout drilling, regional
sampling and mapping from its Santo Domingo porphyry copper and gold project in San Juan Province,
Argentina.
The Santo Domingo district is located 120 km east of San Juan City at an average altitude of
approximately 1,200 meters above sea level. The district comprises at-least three exposed porphyry
copper-gold-molybdenum occurrences (El Arriero, Divisoria and Alunita) and a vein-hosted gold and
polymetallic vein system (Yvette) located within a mineral rights package covering a total area of
approximately 185 square kilometers. Royal Road has entered into an option agreement with an
individual titleholder to acquire 100% of the mineral rights package (see Press Release, February 15,
2023).
In preparation for exploration activities at Santo Domingo, Royal Road has completed environmental
impact assessments, renewed and updated environmental impact permits, deposited relevant
insurances, completed social, environmental, flora and fauna and archaeological studies and acquired
all necessary permits, including hazardous waste and surface water extraction. The Company has held
concertation meetings with departmental and provincial officials, has conducted public audiences and
established environmental and social quality control committees within its local communities. Water for
scout drilling was provided by the local municipality, trucked to site and recycled at the drill rig.
The Company has completed geological mapping, grid-based soil geochemical sampling, channel and
select rock chip geochemical sampling and has concluded the first scout-drilling program to be
conducted at Santo Domingo. Highlights are as follows:
The Santo Domingo porphyry occurrence can be mapped over an area of approximately 10
square kilometers and is characterized by a discrete inner breccia-controlled porphyry copper-
molybdenum mineralized system, surrounded by a copper-gold system, zoning outwards towards
the east to a polymetallic vein system
Initial scout drilling has served to identify depth potential at the El Arriero breccia-controlled, dyke-
dominated, porphyry copper-molybdenum system and to highlight the stark difference between El
Arriero and the broader, surrounding copper-gold porphyry style mineralization
Mapping and sampling have confirmed that the broader copper-gold porphyry system is
represented by variably exposed magnetite matrix breccias, quartz-magnetite veinlets and
sheeted veinlets related to porphyry dykes (see Figure 1). Rock-chip geochemical results have
returned up to
3.6% copper and 86.8 grams per tonne
gold (see Table 1) and saw cut channel
samples have returned best results of
20 meters at 1.2 grams per tonne gold
Regional mapping and rock-chip channel sampling reveals the copper-gold porphyry system zones
outwards towards the East to the Yvette polymetallic vein network which is a linked curvilinear
brittle shear-controlled zone of some 3 kilometers strike length and 180 meters aggregate width.
Rock chip sampling from sub-meter to 1.5-meter-wide veins at Yvette have returned significant
results including
115.7 grams per tonne gold, 1,967 ppm silver, 1% copper and 17.4% zinc
(see Table 1). Veins are hosted in 10-30-meter-wide individual shear zones
The Company is currently completing further regional mapping and planning airborne geophysics
over the Santo Domingo project
FIGURE 1 - The El Arriero Copper Molybdenum Target
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FIGURE 2
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Four diamond drill holes were drilled into the El Arriero target for a total of 1664 meters (see Figures 3
and 4,
link here to drill results table
). Drill holes targeted copper soil-geochemical anomalies and rock-
chip channel results and intercepted potassic-altered diorite porphyry dyke bodies and granodiorite
emplaced into a discrete poorly-sorted collapse breccia. B-type quartz, pyrite, chalcopyrite veinlets and
micro-breccias in diorite dykes returned anomalous copper (up to 0.7 % Cu, average 0.03%) and
molybdenum contents (up to 0.19%, average 36ppm) associated with biotite alteration. Granodiorite
dyke bodies are interpreted to be a later mostly barren intrusive phase related to a sericite - illite
alteration overprint. Drill holes did not intercept economic copper or molybdenum grades over significant
widths, with the exception of AR-DDH-001 however, which drilled out of the breccia body and into the
wall rock, all drill holes remained in the potassic altered and weakly mineralized dyke and breccia
system implying potential for a more assembled porphyry target at depth where the diorite dykes may
coalesce. Drill hole AR-DDH-004 ended in 4 meters at 0.01% molybdenum.
FIGURE 3
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FIGURE 4
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The Alunita to Yvette Copper-Gold Target
Scout drilling, mapping and rock-chip geochemistry (including historic samples) reveals a more broadly
distributed copper and high-grade gold porphyry system which includes the Divisoria and Alunita
occurrences and essentially surrounds El Arriero, extending over an area of approximately 10 square
kilometers and eastwards to the Yvette polymetallic vein system (see Figure 1). Gold and copper values
are associated with magnetite rich breccias, quartz-magnetite veinlets, and sheeted veinlets related to
porphyry dykes. As part of this scout drilling program two drill holes, ARR-DDH-005 and 006, totalling
298 meters were drilled into the copper-gold system adjacent to El Arriero and beneath and in the
vicinity of a continuous saw-cut channel sample which returned 20 meters at 1.2 grams per tonne gold.
Best results from drilling were 5 meters at 0.9 grams per tonne gold (ARR-DDH-006 from 70-75 meters)
with most other intersections of greater than 1 gram per tonne gold limited to one meter or sub-meter
intervals (see Figure 5). The Company is planning airborne magnetics and radiometrics to best define
future drill-targets within this extensive zone of alteration and mineralization.
FIGURE 5
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The Yvette Polymetallic Vein System
Yvette is a polymetallic fault-controlled vein network extending over 3 kilometers in known strike length
and up to 180 meters in width. The area is characterised by multiple historic underground gold and silver
mines developed on sub-meter to 1.5-meter-wide veins hosted in shear zones of 10 to 30 meters width.
Channel rock chip sampling has returned best results of 0.7 meters at 15.0 grams per tonne gold,
48.5ppm silver 0.1% copper and 0.4% zinc and grab rock chip samples have returned up to 115.7
grams per tonne gold, 1,967 ppm silver, 1% copper and 17.4% zinc (Table 1). To-date continuous saw-
cut channel sampling has not been conducted across the broader shear zone structures which host the
mineralized veins.
"This new work has identified a porphyry copper-gold-molybdenum mineralized system at Santo
Domingo of unknown extent and with complex overprinting and vertical preservation relationships," said
Dr Tim Coughlin, Royal Road's President and CEO. "The next step is obviously airborne geophysics
focused particularly on identifying new drill objectives in the copper-gold part of the system, exploring
potential for a deeper more coherent porphyry copper-molybdenum body at El Arriero and mapping out
the broader shear-zone control to high-grade polymetallic veins at Yvette."
Table 1: Rock Chip Sample Summary Santo Domingo
Prospect
Total No Samples
Ranges
Copper %
Gold g/t
Silver ppm
Zinc %
Copper Gold Porphyry Region
(Divisoria, Alunita, Arriero West)
1533
Maximum
3.64
86.8
200.0
8.71
Mean
0.03
0.5
1.5
0.02
Minimum
Below laboratory detection
Yvette vein-system
658
Maximum
1.00
115.7
1967.0
17.37
Mean
0.03
1.8
51.1
0.64
Minimum
Below laboratory detection
TABLE 1
About Royal Road Minerals
Royal Road Minerals is a mineral exploration and development company with its head office and
technical-operations center located in Jersey, Channel Islands. The Company is listed on the TSX
Venture Exchange under the ticker RYR and on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the ticker RLU. The
Company's mission is to apply expert skills and innovative technologies to the process of discovering
and developing copper and gold deposits of a scale large enough to benefit future generations and
modern enough to ensure minimum impact on the environment and no net loss of biodiversity. The
Company currently explores in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Morocco, and Colombia. More
information can be found on the Company's website
www.royalroadminerals.com
.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the
policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this
release.
The information in this news release was compiled, reviewed, and verified by Dr. Tim Coughlin, BSc
(Geology), MSc (Exploration and Mining), PhD (Structural Geology), FAusIMM, President and CEO of
Royal Road Minerals Ltd and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Royal Road
Minerals employees are instructed to follow standard operating and quality assurance procedures
intended to ensure that all sampling techniques and sample results meet international reporting
standards. More information can be found on Royal Road Minerals web site at
www.royalroadminerals.com
.
Quality Assurance and Quality Control:
Core and reconnaissance samples were prepared and analysed at the ISO9001:ISO14001 certified
Alex Stewart Laboratory facilities in Mendoza, Argentina. All samples were assayed by fire assay for
gold with AA finish (30 g charge) and for copper and other 31 elements by total four acid digestion and
ICP-OES Radial / MS analysis (0.2 g aliquot). Samples returning greater than 5 g/t gold and/or greater
than 200 g/t silver were assayed using gravimetric analyses. Samples returning greater than 1% Pb and
/ or greater than 1% Zn were assayed using total four acid digestion and ICP-OES ore grade. A QA/QC
program (12,6 %) was implemented on batches of samples including CRM material, field duplicates and
laboratory duplicates (rejects and pulps) to control assay accuracy and precision.
The following information was derived from previous operator's public announcements.
Rock chip samples were prepared at the Acme Analytical Laboratories ("AcmeLabs") preparation
facility in Mendoza, Argentina and assayed by fire assay (50 gram charge) at the AcmeLabs laboratory
in Chile and for ICP-MS 32 elements (15 grams charge) at the AcmeLabs laboratory in Vancouver, all
ISO-9001:2000 certified laboratories. Samples returning greater than 10 g/t gold and/or greater than
100 g/t silver are assayed using gravimetric analyses. Samples returning greater than 1% Pb and / or
greater than 1% Zn are assayed using aqua regia digestion ore grade / AAS.
Cautionary statement:
This news release contains certain statements that constitute forward-looking information and forward-
looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking
statements") describing the Company's future plans and the expectations of its management that a
stated result or condition will occur. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the
Company, or developments in the Company's business or in the mineral resources industry, to differ
materially from the anticipated results, performance, achievements or developments expressed or
implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include all disclosure regarding
possible events, conditions or results of operations that is based on assumptions about, among other
things, future economic conditions and courses of action, and assumptions related to government
approvals, and anticipated costs and expenditures. The words "plans", "prospective", "expect", "intend",
"intends to" and similar expressions identify forward looking statements, which may also include, without
limitation, any statement relating to future events, conditions or circumstances. Forward-looking
statements of the Company contained in this news release, which may prove to be incorrect, include, but
are not limited to the Company's exploration plans.
The Company cautions you not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which
speak only as of the date they are made. There is no guarantee that the anticipated benefits of the
Company's business plans or operations will be achieved. The risks and uncertainties that may affect
forward-looking statements include, among others: economic market conditions, anticipated costs and
expenditures, government approvals, and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's filings
with Canadian provincial securities regulators or other applicable regulatory authorities. Forward-looking
statements included herein are based on the current plans, estimates, projections, beliefs and opinions
of the Company management and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-
looking statements should assumptions related to these plans, estimates, projections, beliefs and
opinions change.
For further information please contact:
Tim Coughlin
Phone: +44 (0)1534 887166
To view the source version of this press release, please visit
https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/187814