Aston Bay Holdings: 13% copper and further copper discovery at Storm

American West Metals and Aston Bay Holdings (TSX.V: BAY, FSE: 6AY, WKN: A2AUFP) have identified new copper mineralisation at the Storm copper project on Somerset Island in the Canadian province of Nunavut. At the same time, the resource potential of the Cyclone deposit has increased significantly with exceptionally high-grade intercepts of up to 13% copper.

At the Storm project, the short summer season in northern Canada is being utilised intensively. Drilling has now exceeded 20,000 metres and will continue around the clock. To date, 14 diamond drill holes and 128 reverse circulation drill holes have been completed.

The partners achieved very good results with drill hole SR24-035. At a depth of 57.9 metres, it intersected a 3.1 metres long section with 3.9% copper and 10.5 g/t silver. It contained a 1.5 metres long zone in which the copper content increased to 5.9% and the silver content was 16.0 g/t. A second mineralisation was drilled around 20 metres deeper. It consists of 1.4% copper and 5.0 g/t silver, starts at a depth of 71.6 metres and contains a 1.5 metres long section in which the copper mineralisation increases to 3.1% and the silver content to 11.0 g/t.

The SR24-031 hole, a step-out hole drilled outside the known zone of mineralisation, also ended on a very positive note, containing 1.1% copper and 3.5 g/t silver over a length of 27.4 metres. Mineralisation begins at a depth of 96 metres and from a drilling depth of 109.7 metres, a 4.6 metre interval begins where the copper grade increases to 3.1% and the silver grade increases to 7.7 g/t.

High-grade 13.5% copper and 23 g/t silver over 54.9 metres

Three mineralised zones were intersected in drill hole SR24-057. 1.5 metres of 13.5% copper and 23 g/t silver were intersected at a depth of 54.9 metres. The second mineralised zone begins at a depth of 85.3 metres. It is 3.1 metres wide and contains 2.0% copper and 8.0 g/t silver. A further 1.5 metres with 1.8% copper and 3.0 g/t silver were intersected at a depth of 109.7 metres.

This not only confirms the extraordinary resource potential of the Cyclone deposit, but also indicates an increase at the edges. However, new copper discoveries are also indicated in the deeper zones. Here, moving loop electromagnetics (MLEM) is proving to be very helpful, as it makes it possible to penetrate into the deeper layers of the deposit.

Subsequent drilling confirmed the results, as drilling of an MLEM anomaly in an untested area south of the Thunder prospect intersected strong visible copper sulphides at approximately 181.4 metres downhole. This new discovery has been named Squall.

Deep exploration at a depth of 400 metres is also currently underway at the Tornado deposit. Two EM anomalies have been identified here that coincide spatially with the copper uncovered. Drilling of the 1,300 x 500 metre EM anomaly below the Cirrus deposit is underway, with diamond drilling planned to a depth of 600 metres. Although the exact drill results at this location are still pending, the visual findings already indicate that the use of the new technology at the Storm project has been a success and is very likely to lead to new discoveries and increased mineralisation.