ECR Minerals plc has received positive results from diamond drilling and trenching at the Itogon epithermal gold project, northern Philippines. The results indicate the potential for an extensive supergene enriched oxide gold resource from surface in the main prospect area at Itogon.
The drilling was completed in April 2015 and comprised six diamond drill holes totalling 808 metres.

Beneath the zone of supergene enrichment, five of the six diamond drill holes intersected steeply dipping zones of gold mineralisation, with intersections including 4.4 metres @ 2.12 grams/tonne gold; 7.5 metres @ 0.89 grams/tonne from 3.8 metres, 2.9 metres @ 1.55 grams/tonne from 13.8 metres and 8.0 metres @ 2.25 grams/tonne from 77 metres; and 10.6 metres @ 1.03 grams/tonne from surface and 5.0 metres @ 1.38 grams/tonne from 48 metres.

This suggests that drilling to date has only tested the uppermost parts of the epithermal system and not the main feeder structures. This is significant as the high grade intersections to date are associated with narrow, moderately silicified quartz veins, which indicates the potential for more strongly silicified feeder structures which may be associated with significant gold mineralization.

The diamond drilling has also provided important structural information with respect to key controls on mineralization. Specifically, it appears that NE-SW trending structures may have exerted an important control on mineralization, an observation consistent with the structural setting of other gold deposits in the district.

ECR is also undertaking an extensive trenching program of 11 trenches/test pit lines, the results of which will provide additional data regarding the grade and distribution of mineralization. To date, assay results have been received in respect of two trenches and include mineralized intervals of 12 metres @ 0.43 grams/tonne and 42 metres @ 2.54 grams/tonne. Further assay results are pending.

ECR’s CEO Stephen Clayson says, “With the benefit of these drilling results and further trenching results, when these become available, the directors expect to be in a position to proceed with an initial, inferred category resource estimate to serve as a first quantification by ECR of the supergene enriched oxide gold mineralization which occurs from surface in the main prospect area.

“In aid of this objective, an aerial topographical survey of the main prospect area was completed earlier this month. In addition, further exploration with a view to more fully testing the potential of deeper level feeder structures and the distribution of grade within the supergene zone is now being planned.”