- Drill targeting at Monte da Bela Vista sector underway;
- Whole new area at MBV ready for initial drilling;
- Compilation/digitization of Lousal Mine data planned for September-October.
Avrupa Minerals Ltd. (AVU:TSXV) is pleased to provide the following update for the ongoing project work at the Monte da Bela Vista discovery area, within the Alvalade JV in the Pyrite Belt of south Portugal. The program is a joint venture between Avrupa Minerals and Minas de Aguas Teñidas, S.A. (MATSA) and is operated by Avrupa through the JV entity PorMining Lda. In 2013-14, Avrupa discovered copper-zinc mineralization in the Monte da Bela Vista (MBV) area and drilled seven scout diamond drill holes there.
Paul W. Kuhn, President and CEO of Avrupa Minerals, commented, “Review of the surface geology at Monte da Bela Vista quickly got the Company involved in the area. We completed mapping, sampling, and scout drilling there, back in 2013-14. While not intersecting ore-grade mineralization, at the time, we knew there was still plenty of room to find a deposit between our seven wide-spaced drill holes. Flash forward to 2021, and we have gone back with a fresh look, based on all of our new drilling at Sesmarias, re-interpretation of the exploration model, and coverage from the VTEM geophysical survey. Results of this work lead to a whole new prospective area to drill, just a few hundred meters from most of the previous drilling.”
Monte da Bela Vista (MBV)
Following drilling in 2013-14 at MBV, the Company returned to the mineralized area this spring/summer for more detailed mapping and rock chip sampling, and a re-log of the historic core holes, using knowledge gained during the ongoing Sesmarias campaign. The updated geo-structural model, successfully being utilized in the Sesmarias area, is providing new targets at MBV, particularly in the parts of the area where the target mineral horizon is not exposed at the surface (southwest sector). Previous drilling by Avrupa targeted exposed VS mineral horizon rocks (northeast sector) with moderate success, but it appears that the best of the exposed mineral horizon zone may have been eroded away or removed structurally. Combination of results from the VTEM survey, recent mapping and sampling, and an enhanced understanding of the structure and geology, suggests a new, buried and relatively untouched target zone, immediately adjacent to the southwest of the exposed VS mineral horizon rocks, and directly on trend with massive sulfides at the Lousal Mine.
Figure 4. Map of the Monte da Bela Vista target area. Note exposed mineral horizon rocks to the NE side of the dashed line, with strong copper in soils anomalism (100-600 ppm), and buried mineral horizon rocks to the SW, with no strong copper in soils anomalism. However, the strong VTEM anomalism is located in the SW sector, aligned with the northern extension of the Lousal massive sulfide system.
The Company has now finished much of the initial targeting work at MBV with the acquisition of the final tranche of ionic leach soil sampling results. The Company collected 380 soil samples covering the MBV target area, and all geochemical results have returned from the lab. As expected, strong anomalism of target metals and pathfinder elements is present in the exposed mineral horizon sector in the northeast. In the buried mineral horizon sector in the southwest, strong anomalism in lead, barium, and manganese, along with detectable gold and silver anomalism, suggests the potential for buried massive sulfides, particularly along strike continuation of the Lousal massive sulfide bodies. The presence of a strong VTEM anomaly directly over the geological/geochemical target enhances the interpretation for potentially positive results here. Finalization of the geological mapping in the southwest sector and re-logging of the historic drill core will complete the targeting process, and allow positioning of collar locations for the initial drilling program.
Along with drilling of other targets generated by the VTEM survey (see news release of August 12th), we anticipate the probability of requisitioning a second drill rig for this work during Q3/Q4 2021.
Lousal Mine
Finally, in conjunction with work at Monte da Bela Vista and Sesmarias, we expect to compile and digitize historic data from the Lousal Mine, in order to reconstruct the mine digitally. Knowledge of the workings and mining results will help immensely in defining new targets and extensions of mineralization at the historic mine. Surface geological mapping earlier this year has shown that the complexity of the mineral horizon at Lousal is quite similar to what we see in the Sesmarias district drilling and what we are beginning to see in the field in the MBV area. Complexities emanating from the detailed work at Sesmarias and Monte da Bela Vista pushed back the planned startup of the Lousal targeting work to early-mid September.
Minas de Aguas Teñidas, S.A. (MATSA) is a private Spanish mining company, which owns and operates three mines in the province of Huelva (Andalusia, Spain): Aguas Teñidas, Magdalena, and Sotiel. MATSA also holds 1,312 km2 of exploration permits in the south of Spain and 1,106 km2 in Portugal. Focused on innovation and the most advanced technology to develop modern and sustainable mines, MATSA is a 50:50 joint venture company of Mubadala Investment Company, which manages a global asset portfolio, endorsing the vision of a globally integrated and diversified economy through sustainable returns for its shareholder, the Government of Abu Dhabi, and Trafigura, one of the world’s leading commodity trading houses.
Avrupa Minerals Ltd. is a growth-oriented junior exploration and development company directed to discovery of mineral deposits, using a hybrid prospect generator business model. The Company holds one 100%-owned license in Portugal, the Alvalade VMS Project, now optioned to MATSA in an earn-in joint venture agreement. Avrupa focuses its project generation work in politically stable and prospective regions of Europe, presently including Portugal and Kosovo. The Company continues to seek and develop other opportunities around Europe.
For additional information, contact Avrupa Minerals Ltd. at 1-604-687-3520 or visit our website at www.avrupaminerals.com.
On behalf of the Board,
“Paul W. Kuhn”
Paul W. Kuhn, President & Director
This news release was prepared by Company management, who take full responsibility for its content. Paul W. Kuhn, President and CEO of Avrupa Minerals, a Licensed Professional Geologist and a Registered Member of the Society of Mining Engineers, is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 of the Canadian Securities Administrators. He has reviewed the technical disclosure in this release. Mr. Kuhn, the QP, has not only reviewed, but prepared and supervised the preparation or approval of the scientific and technical content in the news release.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
