Cornerstone Capital Resources Inc.: Cascabel Project Update
3D Geophysical Modeling, Channel Sampling and Geological Model at High Grade Alpala Zone
MOUNT PEARL, NEWFOUNDLAND -- (Marketwired) -- 05/01/13 -- Cornerstone Capital Resources Inc. ("Cornerstone" or "the Company") (TSX VENTURE: CGP) (FRANKFURT: GWN) (BERLIN: GWN) (OTCBB: CTNXF) is pleased to provide a further update on recent developments at the Cascabel Project in northern Ecuador as it prepares for drilling on the Cascabel concession. The 5,000 hectare Cascabel Project is optioned to SolGold Plc, which can earn up to an 85% interest in the Project (see news release dated February 19, 2013). SolGold is directing the exploration program and Cornerstone is implementing the program.
Highlights
-- 3D magnetic modelling supports the presence of a copper and gold rich
magnetic core zone at the apex of a deep regional intrusion feeding
copper gold rich solutions to Cascabel
-- Magnetic core zone covers an area of 1000m x 500m under the clay-silica-
pyrite cap south east of the outcropping rich copper gold Alpala zone at
Cascabel
-- Geochemical trenching and mapping confirms mineral zonation typical of a
predictable rich porphyry copper gold system
-- The extent of surface copper and gold mineralization, and accompanying
clay, pyrite and silica cap rocks cover most of an area of 2km2
-- A very significant copper-gold porphyry target is supported by 3D
magnetic data, surface alteration mapping and the extent of copper-gold-
molybdenum anomalism in soil sampling data
-- Very strong support received from Cascabel communities and provincial
institutions during the EIS social participation process
-- Drill permitting well advanced
-- Drill contractor selection during May
Cascabel Project Update
Recent 3D inversion modeling of helimagnetic survey data over the Cascabel concession has been undertaken by Moore Geophysics (Melbourne, Australia) to map the 3D geometry of the magnetic bodies below the outcropping copper and gold rich Alpala porphyry mineralization. The modeling has defined an interpreted intrusive batholith at depth, with a magnetic apophyse or protrusion extending close to the current land surface east of the area of mineralized trenches at Alpala. Cornerstone has reason to believe that this magnetic apophyse may represent part of the magnetic core of the Alpala porphyry system, and this has assisted with the definition of planned holes for the upcoming drilling program.
Several other targets on the property have also been modeled and results will be released in the near future.
Cornerstone has received assays from seven additional areas of channel sampling at the Alpala porphyry copper-gold prospect. These areas all lie within the pyritic argillized cap-rocks that overlie the erosionally-exposed window of quartz stockwork veining that was previously reported as being highly mineralized. The best intersection in these cap rocks was in trenches TH64B-D which assayed 63.03m @ 0.18 g/t Au and 0.19% Cu, including 12.67m @ 0.42 g/t Au and 0.16% Cu. These recent results have allowed Cornerstone to understand the geometry of the high grade stockwork mineralization in greater detail. Channel sampling is continuing over a broader swathe of terrain around the exposed Alpala stockwork veins to further understand the distribution of mineralization at surface.
In preparation for the commencement of drilling at the Alpala porphyry prospect, six drill contractors have visited the Alpala site to tender for the planned drilling program. Final selection of the preferred drill contractor will take place in early May.
ENAMI E.P. (the Ecuador state-run mining company) and CODELCO of Chile (the world's largest copper producer) have formed a joint venture to conduct advanced exploration at the world-class Junin porphyry deposit and property, located approximately 60km southwest of Cascabel. Cornerstone believes that the presence of Codelco in Ecuador since November 2011 is a sign of the increasing attractiveness of Ecuador to major foreign investors.
3D Inversion modeling of magnetic data
The high grade Alpala Prospect is located within the T1 porphyry copper-gold target located in the southern part of the Cascabel concession area. The centers of porphyry copper-gold systems are typically highly magnetic due to the presence of the mineral magnetite within the central potassic-altered zones. Recent 3D inversion modeling of magnetic data over the property was conducted by Moore Geophysics (Melbourne, Australia) to enable the geometry of magnetic bodies to be mapped in three dimensions. The south-western inversion model is located over the broader Alpala region (Figure 1 - All figures found at http://www.cornerstoneresources.com/i/pdf/NR13-08Figures.pdf).
The modeling has identified magnetic basement rocks at around 2km depth that are interpreted to represent an intrusive batholith. This batholith is interpreted to be the source of intrusions that, while still molten, ascended and generated the Alpala porphyry mineralization at shallower levels. The modeling has also identified a magnetic apophyse, approximately 1 kilometre by 600 metres in dimension, just east of the area of mineralized trenches at Alpala (Figures 1 and 2). The areas around the periphery of this magnetic apophyse - which encapsulate the recent channel sampling at central Alpala - will be targeted in the forthcoming drill program. Figure 3 shows the interpreted target zone for additional quartz stockwork veining as a carapace around the magnetic apophyse.
Channel sampling results and development of geological model
Assay results have been received from seven new areas of channel sampling. Four of the new channel cuts lie over or north of the zone of outcropping mineralized quartz stockwork veins (TH62, TH63, TH64, TH65) while the other three lie over or south of the zone of outcropping quartz veins (TH66, TH67, TH68). Assay results of all trenches from the Alpala prospect area assayed to date are listed below.
Table 1: Results for all channel samples at the Alpala prospect.
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Intersection
Channel Width Gold Copper Announcement
No. (m) (g/t) (%) Zone Date
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TH51 24.13 0.04 0.03 Pyrite Shell 24 January 2013
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TH50 9.98 0.10 0.04 Pyrite Shell 24 January 2013
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Weak Quartz
TH49 22.39 0.16 0.30 Stockwork 24 January 2013
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TH48 13.22 0.06 0.08 Pyrite Shell 24 January 2013
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Intense Quartz
TH46 45.63 0.81 0.59 Stockwork 24 January 2013
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Intense Quartz
TH47 5.48 0.75 0.06 Stockwork 24 January 2013
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Intense Quartz
TH57 45.50 0.46 0.25 (i) Stockwork 25 March 2013
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Intense Quartz
TH56B 21.45 0.47 0.42 Stockwork 25 March 2013
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Intense Quartz
TH56A 56.93 1.16 0.34 Stockwork 25 March 2013
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Intense Quartz
TH56D 0.65 0.32 0.52 Stockwork 25 March 2013
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Intense Quartz
TH56C 2.31 0.30 0.96 Stockwork 25 March 2013
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TH62 13.14 0.02 0.05 Pyrite Shell New results
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Weak Quartz
TH63 8.84 0.03 0.04 Stockwork New results
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Weak Quartz
TH64A 4.1 0.02 0.03 Stockwork New results
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Weak Quartz
TH64B 8.3 0.02 0.35 Stockwork New results
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Weak Quartz
TH64C 18.65 0.18 0.24 Stockwork New results
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Weak Quartz
TH64D 36.08 0.22 0.13 Stockwork New results
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Weak Quartz
TH65 25.59 0.04 0.11 Stockwork New results
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Weak Quartz
TH66A 6.32 0.03 0.15 Stockwork New results
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Weak Quartz
TH66B 1.0 0.11 0.15 Stockwork New results
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Weak Quartz
TH66C 1.4 0.19 0.14 Stockwork New results
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Weak Quartz
TH66D 2.5 0.22 0.17 Stockwork New results
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Weak Quartz
TH67A 4.1 0.06 0.24 Stockwork New results
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TH67B 5.45 0.02 0.06 Pyrite Shell New results
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TH67C 11.7 0.01 0.05 Pyrite Shell New results
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TH67D 7.5 0.005 0.02 Pyrite Shell New results
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TH67E 8.0 0.03 0.02 Pyrite Shell New results
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TH68A 17.97 0.01 0.02 Pyrite Shell New results
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TH68B 16.46 0.01 0.03 Pyrite Shell New results
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TH68C 7.83 0.01 0.03 Pyrite Shell New results
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TH68D 7.32 0.01 0.02 Pyrite Shell New results
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TH68E 4.14 0.003 0.01 Pyrite Shell New results
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(i) Cu value cut to 10% in one sample.
The high grade intersections (greater than 0.3 g/t Au (up to 1.16 g/t Au) and greater than 0.3% Cu (up to 0.96% Cu)) are associated with the outcropping window of more intense quartz stockwork veining (Table 1). This zone of mineralized quartz stockwork veins is exposed within the erosional hollow of the Alpala creek, which has cut down to locally expose a small part of a much larger zone of underlying stockwork veining. This zone of higher grade copper and gold is anticipated to extend under cover in all directions and at depth at Alpala (Figures 4 and 6).
The lower grade intervals (0.1-0.3 g/t Au and 0.1-0.3 % Cu) are associated with the transition between the underlying intense quartz stockwork veining and the overlying barren zone where quartz veins are absent. In this peripheral zone of the quartz stockwork shell, the quartz vein intensity is weak, accounting for the lower copper and gold grades. The zones of extremely low grade are associated with the argillic (clay) altered capping rocks that contain networks of oxidized pyrite veins (Figures 5 and 6). These rocks dominate the areas of higher elevation and conceal the larger Alpala porphyry system. These zonal relationships typify the zonation in most of the world's intact classic copper gold porphyry systems.
These results and the developing geological understanding at Alpala gives Cornerstone geologists high confidence that the project is located on the apex of a large and rich copper-gold porphyry system, most of which is preserved below the current level of erosion, and concealed by the argillic-altered cap-rocks north west and south east of Alpala.
Channel sampling is continuing over a broader swathe of terrain around the exposed Alpala stockwork veins to further understand the distribution of mineralization at surface.
Preparation for drilling program at Alpala
Six drilling contractors have been invited to tender for the Phase 1 drilling program at Cascabel and have visited the Cascabel concession and Alpala prospect. Quotations have been received and are currently being evaluated.
The drill contract will be awarded in early May. Logistic preparations for the drilling program are well underway. The Phase 1 drill program will comprise 6 drill holes, for a total program of 2800m. Preliminary selection of drill site locations has been completed, and access on the ground is currently being assessed for suitability for drill pad construction.
The water permitting is well advanced. Permits are expected to be granted in the next two weeks.
Cornerstone and its partner SolGold Plc continue to progress through the regulatory requirements for issue of the Environmental License, which allows advanced exploration including drilling. The EIA (Environmental Impact Study) was presented to the provincial government regulatory agencies in Ibarra on April 22 and to the Cascabel area communities on April 26. The Project received very strong support at both events. Drilling is allowed to commence immediately upon approval of the EIS.
About Cornerstone:
Cornerstone Capital Resources Inc. is a mineral exploration company based in Mount Pearl, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, with a diversified portfolio of projects in Canada, Ecuador and Chile, and a strong technical team that has proven its ability to identify, acquire and advance properties of merit. The company's business model is based on generating exploration projects whose subsequent development is funded primarily through joint venture partnerships. Commitments from JV partners constitute significant validation of the strength of Cornerstone's projects.
Qualified Person(s)
The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Yvan Crepeau, P.Geo., President of Cornerstone Ecuador S.A. and Minera Cornerstone Chile Limitada (Ecuadorian and Chilean projects), a qualified person in accordance with National Instrument 43-101.
Further information is available on Cornerstone's website: www.cornerstoneresources.com or for investor, corporate or media inquiries, please contact:
Investor Relations:
Email: ir@cornerstoneresources.ca
North America toll-free: 1 (877) 277-8377
The link to a recent Corporate presentation is: http://www.cornerstoneresources.com/i/pdf/Presentations_0912_CRICorporate.pdf
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Cautionary Notice:
This news release may contain 'Forward-Looking Statements' that involve risks and uncertainties, such as statements of Cornerstone's plans, objectives, strategies, intentions and expectations. The words "potential," "anticipate," "forecast," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "may," "project," "plan," and similar expressions are intended to be among the statements that identify 'Forward-Looking Statements.' Although Cornerstone believes that its expectations reflected in these 'Forward-Looking Statements' are reasonable, such statements may involve unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors disclosed in our regulatory filings, viewed on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. For us, uncertainties arise from the behaviour of financial and metals markets, predicting natural geological phenomena and from numerous other matters of national, regional, and global scale, including those of an environmental, climatic, natural, political, economic, business, competitive, or regulatory nature. These uncertainties may cause our actual future results to be materially different than those expressed in our Forward-Looking Statements. Although Cornerstone believes the facts and information contained in this news release to be as correct and current as possible, Cornerstone does not warrant or make any representation as to the accuracy, validity or completeness of any facts or information contained herein and these statements should not be relied upon as representing its views subsequent to the date of this news release. While Cornerstone anticipates that subsequent events may cause its views to change, it expressly disclaims any obligation to update the Forward-Looking Statements contained herein except where outcomes have varied materially from the original statements.
On Behalf of the Board,
Brooke Macdonald, President and CEO
Neither 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.
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