Drilling under way at Schell Ranch bet by Colony Pacific

Drilling is under way at the 100%- owned Schell Ranch property in Calaveras Cty., Calif., says Colony Pacific Explorations President Pierre Lebel.

Five holes, SR No 16 to SR No 20, were drilled at 100 ft spacing along strike and down dip from hole SR No 15. This latter hole, drilled in December, graded 3.43% copper, 0.64% lead, 20.49% zinc, 10.70 oz silver and 0.392 oz gold per ton over a core length of 17 ft and at a depth of 150 ft from surface.

Four of the five holes have intersected massive and/or stringer sulphide mineralization at anticipated depths, says Mr Lebel. Widths of the well mineralized zones range from four to more than 10 ft.

The dominant mineral is pyrite which accounts for more than 90% of total sulphides. Only short sections with base metals content, very little tetrahedrite and no visible gold were observed, he says.

Mineralization remains open down dip and to the south. Since the geology, geochem and geophysics indicate potential for extension to the south, hole SR No 21 was collared 200 ft south along strike from holes SR No 19 and SR No 20.

Geology, geochem and geophysics carried out over parts of Iron Mountain North zone, about 1,500 ft to the north of hole SR No 15, Iron Mountain South area, suggest that a similar system exists there, says Mr Lebel.

The property is located about 60 miles north of the company’s Blue Moon project where Westmin Resources is scheduled to resume drilling this month.