Ero Copper Corp. [ERO-TSX, NYSE] provided an update on its continuing regional nickel sulphide exploration program within the Curaca Valley, Brazil. Drilling activity over the past several months has focused on delineating the Umburana system, which has a current strike length of approximately 5 km. Mineralization, which outcrops at surface, remains open to depth, to the north and between the VB and Lazaro (LZ) zones.
To date, the company has received assays on 97 diamond drill holes across the Umburana System, including 63 diamond drill holes within the VB Zone and 34 within the LZ Zone. New results from drilling conducted since September 2022 are highlighted by the VB zone. VB-41 returned 11.2 metres at 1.86% nickel, 0.26% copper and 0.05% cobalt (2.08% NiEq), including 5.0 metres at 3.71% nickel, 0.13% copper and 0.09% cobalt (4.00% NiEq). The interval includes 1.9 metres of massive-sulphide textures grading 7.09% Ni, 0.18% Cu and 0.18% Co (7.61 per cent NiEq).
VB-52 returned 25.9 metres at 0.69% Ni, 0.18% Cu and 0.02% Co (0.80% NiEq), including 15.5 metres at 1.01% Ni, 0.25% Cu and 0.03% Co (1.17% NiEq).
VB-59 returned 18.7 metres at 0.79% Ni, 0.14% Cu and 0.02% Co (0.90% NiEq), including 6.8 metres at 1.49% Ni, 0.22% Cu and 0.04% Co (1.68% NiEq).
LZ zone: LZ-25 returned 46.1 metres at 0.20% Ni, 0.04% Cu and 0.03% Co (0.28% NiEq), including 2.6 metres at 0.75% Ni, 0.18% Cu and 0.06% Co (0.96% NiEq).
LZ-32 returned 11.3 metres at 0.43% Ni, 0.10% Cu and 0.02% Co (0.51% NiEq), including 7.0 metres at 0.61% Ni, 0.14% Cu and 0.03% Co (0.73% NiEq).
In addition to new drill results, the company has commenced metallurgical test work on the Umburana System. While the program remains ongoing, initial metallurgical tests, completed on three composite samples of varying grades, demonstrates nickel recoveries through the rougher circuit ranging from 77% to 91% across a range of grind sizes, suggesting that the vast majority of nickel within the Umburana System is contained within sulphide minerals with very little nickel encapsulated within silicate minerals that would render the nickel unrecoverable.
David Strang, CEO, said: “We are excited by the continuity and growth we are seeing with the Umburana System, which we believe demonstrates the Curaca Valley’s potential to be a globally significant magmatic sulphide district for both copper and nickel. Notably, the VB Zone has increased from one distinct zone of mineralization to three, with massive-sulphide nickel mineralization extending to a depth of approximately 325 meters and remaining open to depth and along strike. Furthermore, our exploration team has identified several new and distinct nickel targets within the Curaca Valley with similar geological signatures to the Umburana System, which we are currently drilling or plan on drilling later this year.”
Ero is a high-margin, high-growth, clean copper producer with operations in Brazil and corporate headquarters in Vancouver, B.C. The Company’s primary asset is a 99.6% interest in the Brazilian copper mining company, MCSA, 100% owner of the company’s Caraiba Operations (formerly known as the MCSA Mining Complex), which are located in the Curaca Valley, Bahia State, Brazil and include the Pilar and Vermelhos underground mines and the Surubim open pit mine, and the Tucuma Project (formerly known as Boa Esperanca), an IOCG-type copper project located in Para, Brazil. The company also owns 97.6% of NX Gold S.A. which owns the Xavantina Operations (formerly known as the NX Gold Mine), comprised of an operating gold and silver mine located in Mato Grosso, Brazil.
