Sunstone earns 51% ownership in the Bramaderos gold-copper project in Ecuador
OTTAWA, Aug. 28, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cornerstone Capital Resources Inc. (“Cornerstone” or “the Company”) (TSXV-CGP) (F-GWN) (B-GWN) (OTC-CTNXF) is pleased to provide an update on its 49% owned Bramaderos gold and copper project in southern Ecuador, which it is exploring together with 51% joint venture funding partner Sunstone Metals Limited (ASX:STM) under a farm-in agreement (see “About Bramaderos”, below).
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Project expenditure to earn the initial 51% interest in Bramaderos has been met
- Sunstone has a 90 day period to make an election to proceed to 70% ownership
- Drilling continues at the Limon target
- Mobilization of the second drill rig to the high-grade West Zone gold target is near completion and drilling is expected to commence next week
The required expenditure of US$3.4M on the Property has been exceeded and Sunstone has earned a 51% interest in the Bramaderos Concession through a 51% shareholding in La Plata Minerales S.A. (PLAMIN) the holder of the Bramaderos concession.
Sunstone has elected to exercise the option to become the project operator, and now has a 90 day period within which to make an election to move to 70% ownership by funding all expenditures on the Property up to and including the completion of a feasibility study (as defined in the CIM Standards for Mineral Resources & Mineral Reserves) within five years and making a payment to Cornerstone of the greater of US$250,000 or US$1/gold equivalent ounce in Measured and Indicated Resources in the feasibility study.
Cornerstone CEO Brooke Macdonald said:
“We are very pleased to have reached this milestone and look forward to continuing our exploration program at the exciting Bramaderos Project. We value our relationship with Sunstone and will look to advance the exploration activities and deliver significant value growth for our shareholders through discovery of gold and copper at Bramaderos. The results from our drilling activities to date are delivering significant grades and widths of mineralization and demonstrate the potential to deliver a sizeable gold-copper system.”
Drilling at the Limon prospect is progressing well and drilling at the high-grade West Zone gold target utilizing a second rig is expected to commence next week.
About Bramaderos
Measuring 4,949 hectares, the Bramaderos project is located approximately 130km from the Loja provincial capital in southern Ecuador. The project is easily accessible via the Pan American Highway which crosses the property.
The Bramaderos concession is owned by La Plata Minerales S.A. (“PLAMIN”), which in turn is owned 51% by Sunstone and 49% by Cornerstone, Sunstone having earned its initial 51% interest by spending US$3.4 million over 3 years to complete a phase 1 drill program. Sunstone has 90 days (i.e., until November 27, 2019) to elect to earn an additional 19% to go to 70% by funding a bankable feasibility study within 5 years, and can go to 80% by financing 100% of the cost of construction of a mine and mill (see Cornerstone news releases dated April 10, 2017 and August 28, 2019).
Sunstone has elected to take over as operator now that it has earned its initial 51% interest.
Qualified Person:
Yvan Crepeau, MBA, P.Geo., Cornerstone’s Vice President, Exploration and a qualified person in accordance with National Instrument 43-101, is responsible for supervising the exploration program at the Bramaderos project for Cornerstone and has reviewed and approved the information contained in this news release.
Sampling and assaying
PLAMIN uses a fire assay gold technique for Au assays (FAS-111) and a four acid multi element technique (IMS-230) for a suite of 48 elements. FAS-111 involves Au by Fire Assay on a 30-gram aliquot, fusion and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) at trace levels. IMS-20 is considered a near total 4 acid technique using a 20g aliquot followed by multi-element analysis by ICP-AES/MS at ultra-trace levels. This analysis technique is considered suitable for this style of mineralization.
Standards, blanks and duplicates are inserted ~1/28 samples. The values of the standards range from low to high grade and are considered appropriate to monitor performance of values near cut-off and near the mean grade of the deposit. The check sampling results are monitored and performance issues are communicated to the laboratory if necessary.
Sample security was managed through sealed individual samples and sealed bags of multiple samples for secure delivery to the laboratory by permanent staff of the joint-venture. MS Analytical is an internationally accredited laboratory that has all its internal procedures heavily scrutinized in order to maintain their accreditation. MS Analytical is accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 2005 Accredited Methods.
PLAMIN’s sampling techniques and data have been audited multiple times by independent mining consultants during various project assessments. These audits have concluded that the sampling techniques and data management are to industry standards. All historical data has been validated to the best degree possible and migrated into a database.
Rock samples are collected by PLAMIN’s personnel, placed in plastic bags, labeled and sealed, and stored in a secure place until delivery by PLAMIN employees to the LAC y Asociados ISO 9001-2008 certified sample preparation facility in Cuenca, Ecuador.
Rock samples are prepared crushing to 70% passing 2 mm (10 mesh), splitting 250 g and pulverizing to 85% passing 75 microns (200 mesh) (MSA code PRP-910). Prepared samples are then shipped to MS Analytical Services (MSA), an ISO 9001-2008 laboratory in Langley, BC, Canada, where samples are assayed for a multi-element suite (MSA code IMS-136, 15.0 g split, Aqua Regia digestion, ICP-AES/MS finish) and gold by Fire Assay (MSA code FAS-111, 30 g fusion, AAS finish). Over limit results for Cu (>1%) are systematically re-assayed (MSA code ICF-6Cu, 0.2 g, 4-acid digestion, ICP-AES finish). Gold is assayed using a 30 g split, Fire Assay (FA) and AAS finish (MSA code FAS 111). Over limit results for Au (>10 g/t) are systematically re-assayed (MSA code FAS-415, FA, 30g., gravimetric finish).
Soil samples are dried at low temperature, screened to 80 mesh (MSA code PRP-757), a 15 grams portion is then assayed for a multi-elements suite (MSA code IMS-136, Aqua Regia digestion, ICP-AES/MS finish).
Quality assurance / Quality control (QA/QC)
The MSA Analytical Laboratory is a qualified assayer that performs and makes available internal assaying controls. Duplicates, certified blanks and standards are systematically used (1 control sample every 20-25 samples) as part of PLAMIN’s QA/QC program. Rejects, a 100 g pulp for each rock sample, are stored for future use and controls.
About Cornerstone:
Cornerstone Capital Resources Inc. is a mineral exploration company with a diversified portfolio of projects in Ecuador and Chile, including in the Cascabel gold-enriched copper porphyry joint venture in north west Ecuador.
Exploraciones Novomining S.A. (« ENSA »), an Ecuadorian company owned by SolGold Plc and Cornerstone, holds 100% of the Cascabel concession. Subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, including SolGold’s fully funding the project through to completion of a feasibility study, SolGold will own 85% of the equity of ENSA and Cornerstone will own the remaining 15% of ENSA. SolGold is funding 100% of the exploration at Cascabel and is the operator of the project. SolGold shall receive 90% of Cornerstone’s distribution of earnings or dividends from ENSA to which Cornerstone would otherwise be entitled until such time as the amounts so received equal the aggregate amount of expenditures incurred by SolGold that would have otherwise been payable by Cornerstone, plus interest thereon from the dates such expenditures were incurred at a rate per annum equal to LIBOR plus 2 per cent until such time as SolGold is fully reimbursed. In addition, Cornerstone has an indirect interest in the project comprised of 9.2% of the shares of joint venture partner and project operator SolGold Plc, for a total 22.8% direct and indirect interest in Cascabel.
Further information is available on Cornerstone’s website: www.cornerstoneresources.com and on Twitter. For investor, corporate or media inquiries, please contact:
Investor Relations:
Mario Drolet; Email: Mario@mi3.ca; Tel. (514) 904-1333
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Cautionary Notice:
This news release may contain ‘Forward-Looking Statements’ that involve risks and uncertainties, such as statements of Cornerstone’s beliefs, plans, objectives, strategies, intentions and expectations. The words “potential,” “anticipate,” “forecast,” “believe,” “estimate,” “intend”, “trends”, “indicate”, “expect,” “may,” “should,” “could”, “project,” “plan,” or the negative or other variations of these words and similar expressions are intended to be among the statements that identify ‘Forward-Looking Statements.’ Although Cornerstone believes that its expectations reflected in these ‘Forward-Looking Statements’ are reasonable, such statements may involve unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors disclosed in our regulatory filings, viewed on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. For us, uncertainties arise from the behaviour of financial and metals markets, predicting natural geological phenomena and from numerous other matters of national, regional, and global scale, including those of an environmental, climatic, natural, political, economic, business, competitive, or regulatory nature. These uncertainties may cause our actual future results to be materially different than those expressed in our Forward-Looking Statements. Although Cornerstone believes the facts and information contained in this news release to be as correct and current as possible, Cornerstone does not warrant or make any representation as to the accuracy, validity or completeness of any facts or information contained herein and these statements should not be relied upon as representing its views after the date of this news release. While Cornerstone anticipates that subsequent events may cause its views to change, it expressly disclaims any obligation to update the Forward-Looking Statements contained herein except where outcomes have varied materially from the original statements.
On Behalf of the Board,
Brooke Macdonald
President and CEO
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.