Sun Metals Corp. (TSX-V: SUNM)   is pleased to announce that additional high-grade mineralization has been returned from the southern area of the 421 zone contributing to the previously announced 900 metre corridor of continuous high-grade copper-gold mineralization at the 100% owned Stardust project in northcentral B.C.   

The latest drill results provide information below the previously announced drill hole DDH20-SD-457M (See September 29, 2020 news release) that established continuity from the 421 zone to the overlying Canyon Creek zone. This lower intercept in drill hole DDH20-SD-460D establishes a lower vertical connection of the mineralization into the 421 zone (See Figures 1 and 2).

• Drill hole DDH20-SD-460D was drilled as an undercut daughter hole to DDH20-SD-457M to explore the vertical continuity of high-grade copper-gold mineralization in this critical area of the 421 zone. The hole intercepted:
  • 3.34% Copper Equivalent (CuEq)¹ over 40.40m² grading 1.74% Copper (Cu), 1.41 grams per tonne (g/t) Gold (Au) and 26.6 g/t Silver (Ag), from 588.00m
  • Including 6.02% CuEq over 16.00m grading 3.12% Cu, 2.55 g/t Au and 48.2 g/t Ag, from 588.00m

This further supports that Stardust’s high-grade copper-gold massive sulphide mineralization has now been traced along one of the continuous pathways in the currently known 900m of plunge length from surface (See Figure 3).  

“The Stardust mineralized system continues to produce spectacular intercepts of high-grade copper-gold mineralization as we reveal the details of how the mineralization ties together. The latest result from hole DDH20-SD-460D is found within a continuously altered and variably mineralized section of core 100.8 metres long with an overall grade of 1.51% CuEq. This mineralized system clearly has the physical characteristics of a bulk mineable underground target, so we are pleased with how it is progressing” states Sun Metals President & CEO Steve Robertson.

The discovery outcrop of the Canyon Creek zone, found by Dr. Peter Megaw in 1999, is the top of a 900m plunging corridor of high-grade copper-gold mineralization (See Figure 3). The developing concept of the size, grade and continuity of the continuous corridor of mineralization establishes Stardust as one of the premier, undeveloped high-grade copper-gold projects in Canada.

DDH20-SD-459D

Drill hole DDH20-SD-459D tested the lower boundary of the high grade trend of the 421 zone below hole DDH20-SD-456M.  The hole intersected a moderate intersection of mineralization grading 1.85% CuEq over 4.80m grading 0.92% Cu, 0.81 g/t Au and 16.2 g/t Ag, from 675.00m after encountering over 150m of continuous alteration with weak mineralization throughout.

DDH20-SD-458M

Drill hole DDH20-SD-458M was drilled approximately 200 metres below the 421 zone to test for lower feeders and additional mineralization within the system.  The hole intercepted strong alteration with widespread albeit weak copper-gold mineralization indicating there is significant hydrothermal activity below 421 zone and room for additional discovery at depth. The varying hydrothermal alteration was intercepted over a core length of 580m. 

Table 1: Significant Drill Results

• Figure 1 – Plan View: http://www.sunmetals.ca/_resources/images/NROct21Fig1.pdf
• Figure 2 – Long Section: http://www.sunmetals.ca/_resources/images/NROct21Fig2.pdf
• Figure 3 – 900m Plunge Length View: http://www.sunmetals.ca/_resources/images/NROct21Fig3.jpg
• Drill Results Table: http://www.sunmetals.ca/_resources/images/NROct21MasterDrillResults.pdf

Quality Assurance / Quality Control

Drilling completed on the project in 2020 was supervised by on–site Sun Metals personnel who collected and tracked samples and implemented a full QA/QC program using blanks, standards and duplicates to monitor analytical accuracy and precision. The samples were sealed on site and shipped to Bureau Veritas (BV) in Vancouver BC for analysis.   BV’s quality control system complies with global certifications for Quality ISO9001:2008.  Core samples were analyzed using a combination of BV’s AQ270 process for low level concentrations (ICP–ES/MS aqua regia) and the MA270 process for higher level concentrations (ICPES/MS 4 acid digestion).  Gold assaying was completed with FA330, a 30–gram fire assay with ICP–ES finish.    Base metal overlimits were finalized with titration, with gold overlimits completed with a gravimetric finish. A silica wash was used between high–grade samples to ensure no sample carry over.  

A total of 11,988m of drilling was completed in 17 drill holes with 3,147 samples shipped to the lab. Lab turnaround time has been significantly negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and consequently, only results from six drill holes have been received at the time of this release. Additional results from the program will be reported when they are received from the lab.

Prices used to calculate the CuEq values¹ in this project have been updated from previous reporting on the Stardust project. In some drill intercepts in the 421 zone, up to half of the value can be from gold, silver and zinc and the increase in price of those commodities relative to copper has motivated the update to prices nearer to current spot price quotations. As a result, the previously reported intervals that are referred to in the figures and table related to this release have been updated and will be different than previously presented.   

Technical aspects of this news release have been reviewed, verified and approved by Ian Neill P.Geo., Vice President Exploration of Sun Metals, who is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Minerals Projects.

About Sun Metals

Sun Metals is advancing its 100% owned flagship, high-grade Stardust Project located in northcentral British Columbia, Canada. Stardust is a high-grade polymetallic Carbonate Replacement Deposit with a rich history.  Sun Metals also owns the Lorraine copper-gold project (joint-ventured with Teck Resources Limited), and the OK copper-molybdenum project. 

The Canyon Creek copper-gold skarn zone at Stardust was the subject of a 2018, NI 43-101 resource estimate published by the Company titled “Stardust Project NI 43-101 Technical Report Omineca Mining Division, British Columbia” with an effective date of January 8, 2018. In that report, GeoSim Services Inc. provided the following estimate.

Stardust Project – Canyon Creek zone Mineral Resource Estimate³:

Figure 4– Mineralized drill core from 602 metres in DDH20-SD-460D showing high-grade copper replacement style mineralization. The 1.00m sample ran 12.67% CuEq(¹) (CNW Group/Sun Metals)