VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA — (Marketwire) — 08/09/11 — , or visit:
Astral Mining Corporation (TSX VENTURE: AA)(TSX VENTURE: AA.WT)(PINK SHEETS: AAMJF)(FRANKFURT: A7DA) („Astral“ or „the Company“) is pleased to provide a progress report on the ongoing exploration program on its Los Crestones property, Sinaloa State, Mexico. Los Crestones covers 4,168 hectares and is located within the Sierra Madre gold-silver belt of Western Mexico. Surface work reported below is part of ongoing systematic exploration to refine targets for first-ever diamond drilling programmed to commence in the next two weeks.
Recent exploration activities included geological mapping, soil sampling, and grab and chip sampling from outcrops and underground workings. With these results the company has confirmed primary zones of interest for diamond drilling. A number of vein/breccia zones and showings have been identified on the project and are the focus of continued sampling and mapping. Surface sampling to date leads Astral to believe that the mineralized low sulphidation epithermal system at Los Crestones traced for almost 1km shows great potential in a proven gold-silver belt, host to a number of past and present producing mines.
Highlights of recent exploration include;
Fieldwork completed over the past 6 months was designed to;
Results from the current program indicate that the known strike lengths of the three largest outcropping vein/breccia occurrences are approximately: 680m (Corona), 850m (Bohemia) and 930m (Indio). Soil sampling has identified additional anomalies along strike of known veins highlighting the potential for additional discoveries. Hand trenching of altered volcanics at one site along the Corona trend suggests mineralization is present within veins and also hydrothermally fractured wallrocks. Additional soil and rock sample anomalies adjacent to, and in between, the major known veins warrant further work.
Astral interprets the exploration results to date on Los Crestones to be highly encouraging and is progressing with plans for diamond drilling. Concurrently, Astral-s community relations consultant is finalizing agreements with local stakeholders. A 2,500m drill program to test priority targets is planned to commence shortly.
Technical Summary
Select Chip and Grab Sampling Highlights
Chip Sampling
Chip sampling and hand trenching focused on the three major vein/breccia trends in the central showing area. Corona, Bohemia and Indio „veins“ are elongate siliceous bodies composed of true quartz veins and silicified breccias hosting pyrite, chalcopyrite, specular haematite, malachite and occasional galena and sphalerite. The veins exploit structures oriented roughly north-south and dip around 65 degrees to the east. The veins cut across an east-west ridge and small-scale historical workings are evident on all three veins on the southern flank of the ridge. The veins are observed to reach up to 5m in width in outcrop and investigation of underground workings show that the „veins“ are composed of quartz veins withinsilicified and mineralized breccia zones. A total of 292 chip and grab samples have been collected in the course of exploration work and elevated gold and silver values have been returned from the three known occurrences as well as several additional zones.
Hand Trenching
A total of 170m of hand trenching primarily focused along the Corona trend, seen in outcrop as a strongly altered, limonitic zone of shearing/brecciation host sporadic quartz/calcite veining. Corona is less silicified and less visually obvious than the Indio and Bohemia veins some 300m to the east. Previously reported results from Astral-s due-diligence sampling (see Jan 11, 2011 news release) returned 3m averaging 5.3g/t gold and 3m averaging 4.14g/t gold from rock surfaces exposed by historical trenching at Corona and the intervals were considered to approximate a true width. Hand trenching was conducted in areas where accessible and a best result of 12m averaging 2.1g/t gold was returned from across this area in oxidised, argillically altered andesites, true width of the interval is approximately 10m. Trenching was completed downslope and along strike from the old workings. Diamond drilling will test this high priority mineralized structure.
Soil Sampling
Astral initially completed three orientation soil lines perpendicular to the veins, Soil lines were 1km long, spaced 100m apart and samples were collected on 25m centres. Anomalous results were observed to reflect the location and orientation of the expected mineralized trend. In particular, gold, silver and copper values mapped the trace of known veins. Positive results prompted Astral to expand the soil program. To date 602 samples have been collected from 14 east-west lines for a total coverage of approximately 140 hectares. Assay results range from below detection up to 2.17g/t gold, 22.3 g/t silver and 0.4% copper in soil. Maps showing gridded soil geochemical plans are provided on Astral-s website at .
Ongoing surface work includes further soil and rock sampling and prospecting. Currently the site is accessible by ATV/quads only and Astral is progressing with its application to upgrade the project road to allow support vehicle access. A 2,500m diamond drilling program utilizing a man-portable drill is programmed to commence shortly.
Chip and grab samples were collected by Astral-s team at Los Crestones to provide representative indications of mineralization. Where possible, samples were collected as continuous chips over pre-determined lengths although in practice, the intense silicification in some zones often made sampling along the chip traces difficult. Astral has attempted to complete sampling systematically and is highly encouraged by results to date. The company is currently planning rigorous follow up work including mechanical trenching/channel sampling and diamond drilling to confirm results from reconnaissance sampling.
Samples were labeled, bagged and shipped to Acme Laboratories- sample preparation facility in Guadalajara, Jalisco state where they were received and prepared for shipment to Acme-s Vancouver laboratory for analysis. Samples were run for a multi-element suite by aqua regia digestion of 0.5 g charge with ICP-MS finish (method 1DX1) and a standard 30g fire assay for gold (method 3B01). Samples returning over-limit (greater than 10g/t) gold or (greater than 100g/t) silver were re-analysed by lead collection fire assay fusion with a gravimetric analysis (method G603+G612). Samples returning over-limit (10,000g/t) copper were re-analysed by method 7AX aqua regia digestion with ICP-ES/ICP-MS finish. Gold, Silver and Copper results are tabulated above.
Technical details contained in this news release have been reviewed by Dale Brittliffe, P.Geo., a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 and Astral-s V.P. Exploration.
Astral Mining Corporation is a Canadian company engaged in the exploration and development of precious metal properties in North America. By focusing on exploration in mining-friendly districts, the Company minimizes the political and social risks encountered in many other parts of the world. With a new gold discovery at the Company-s Jumping Josephine Gold Project in Southern British Columbia and an experienced technical team and seasoned management, Astral is poised to leverage this expertise into early exploration success. Further details on Astral Mining Corporation and its high-quality portfolio of exploration projects can be found at .
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
Mr. Manfred Kurschner, President & CEO
Astral Mining Corporation
Cautionary Note to US Investors: This news release may contain information about adjacent properties on which we have no right to explore or mine. We advise U.S. investors that the SEC-s mining guidelines strictly prohibit information of this type in documents filed with the SEC. U.S. investors are cautioned that mineral deposits on adjacent properties are not indicative of mineral deposits on our properties. This news release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral recovery processes, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements.
2011 Number 11
The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or the accuracy of this release.
Contacts: Astral Mining Corporation Manfred Kurschner President & CEO (604) 569-0800
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