Sunstone Hits 175m at 0.5g/t AuEq, Grows Bramaderos Resource Picture

Sunstone Metals has extended the known mineralisation at its Bramaderos gold-copper project in Ecuador, with the final hole at the Porotillo prospect returning 175.7 metres at 0.5 grams per tonne gold equivalent from surface.

The intercept graded 0.32g/t gold and 0.11% copper. Higher-grade zones ran through the upper and lower parts of the hole, and the company said the mineralisation remains open at depth and to the south.

Drilling and trenching at Porotillo has now defined mineralisation over a northwest-southeast extent of 550 metres and a northeast-southwest extent of up to 240 metres. Grade shells at both Porotillo and Copete showed several domains grading above 0.5g/t AuEq.

Managing director Patrick Duffy said the results would feed into an impending resource update. “The Porotillo discovery now measures a large area of around 550m by 240m, and this will feed into our impending resource update, along with other significant areas of mineralisation outlined by our recent drilling and trenching campaigns,” he said.

Sunstone completed 25 holes for 4,776 metres across the Porotillo, Copete and Melonal prospects between February and June. Assays are pending for four more holes and nine channels at Melonal, plus three long trenches at Porotillo. Those results are due through August and early September before the resource update begins.

The company is also drilling a 1,200-metre exploration hole at the Limon deposit, targeting a deeper porphyry gold-copper system.

Bramaderos already holds a mineral resource estimate of 220 million tonnes at 0.5g/t AuEq for 3.6 million ounces, plus a porphyry exploration target of between 4.1 million and 11.2 million ounces within up to 505 million tonnes grading 0.41 to 0.68g/t. The Limon deposit carries its own exploration target of 900,000 to 1.7 million ounces within 30 to 44 million tonnes at 0.9 to 1.2g/t.

A scoping study completed last year flagged the project as viable with large growth potential. Sunstone is now focused on growing the resource further while advancing studies toward development.

The 26 mineralised holes now drilled outside the existing resource envelope underline the potential for expansion beyond the current 3.6 million ounce base, the company said.

AlphaScala rates STM at 55 out of 100 on its Alpha Score, a Moderate rating in the Technology sector.