Mining Stocks News; Soltera (OTCPK: SLTA) Gains Right to Mine Surface Gold Deposits at El Torno, Argentina
Soltera aims for full production within the next two months
Jujuy, Argentina - April 12, 2010 –Soltera Mining Corp. (OTCPK: SLTA; Frankfurt: SN7) (www.solteramining.com) reports the company has entered into two agreements with the El Torno mineral title owner, which combined give Soltera the right to mine surficial gold at El Torno, in northern Argentina, in addition to certain exploration rights over a prospective copper area, Sur Eureka.
Dr. Fabio Montanari, President and CEO of Soltera Mining Corp reports the two contracts should be considered together. The net result is that Soltera has paid a total of US$150,000 to the title owner and has acquired the following:
* the rights to mine and process gold-bearing surface deposits at El Torno in a 90%-10% joint venture with the title owner for a period of four years renewable for a further four years, and
* at Sur Eureka, the first right of refusal for three years (until 30 July 2013) on a 2,926 hectare property that has copper-gold potential, is located strategically within the prospective copper belt area, and is only 5 km away from the El Torno gold property.
El Torno - Joint Venture to Exploit Surficial Gold
El Torno is located in northern Argentina near the international border with Bolivia. The 78 km2 area has potential for world-class gold deposits of two types; vein gold in a very large quartz vein system that extends intermittently north-south for 14 km and has been worked underground in the past; and dispersed gold in suites of small veins and stockworks that are separate from the main system and could be major open-pit targets. One interesting point is that the gold seems to be commonly free and some is in micro-plate form, thereby offering the possibility of recovery by simple mechanical rather than chemical processes (Ethical Gold Exploitation).
Soltera intends to fully investigate both the underground and open-pit targets, but has been limited to date by lack of funding. It should be noted that exploration of the large-scale gold targets will continue as revenue from the surficial exploitation or additional funding becomes available.
The El Torno area contains a third type of gold deposit known as elluvial which is formed of weathered material derived from gold-bearing bedrock. Broad patches of this material, usually 2 m to 3 m deep, are distributed throughout the area, commonly centred on the large open-pit targets. It is easily worked and, in fact, material from one area was extracted by the mineral title owner until three years ago when he ceased operations due to ill health. The weathered gold-bearing material was dug by back hoe and transported some 3 km to a gravity processing plant located just outside the El Torno title area.
Soltera has now formed a joint venture with the mineral title owner to extract and process the elluvial material. Full details of the agreement are available in an 8-K filed with the SEC (see SEC 8-K filing). In essence the joint venture gives Soltera the rights to mine the surface deposits and process the material at the existing plant, with the mineral title owner receiving 10% of gold produced. The agreement is for four years renewable for another four years provided that half the elluvial material has been worked. In the event that production ceases for any reason, Soltera is entitled to take possession of the processing plant.
There is no firm data confirming the tonnage and grade potential, but there certainly appear to be substantial tonnages of surface material suitable for processing. We know that gold was produced from a part of this material using existing equipment for a period of at least two years and that the equipment is still in good condition and serviceable. Furthermore, we think it highly likely that considerable fine pure gold was lost in the recovery process and it may be possible, by using additional simple processing methods (such as spirals) to recover this gold.
Soltera will now immediately bring the existing processing equipment on-stream and carry out test-work on the source material. The objective is to achieve full production within the next two months.
Sur Eureka - Exploration Contract with an Option to Purchase
Sur Eureka is a mineral title area of 2926 hectares with some old mine workings and potential for copper and gold mineralisation, located about 5 km from El Torno. It is in a broad area of copper showings, with the main old Eureka Mine about 2 km to the north.
Exploration work carried out during 2007 and 2008 by the Soltera/TNR Gold Corp joint venture suggested that Sur Eureka is the most promising part of the copper-rich belt. Certainly, possession of the Sur Eureka property controls exploration throughout the area.
Soltera has a contract with the mineral title owner (see SEC filing ), the main terms being that Soltera pays the mineral title owner US$150,000 (already paid) for the exclusive right to explore the property for six months (until end July 2010) and thereafter the right of first refusal to purchase the property for a period of three years.
Additional information on El Torno
The central parts of the El Torno gold-bearing quartz vein system have been worked since the Incas, resulting in approximately 1000 metres of underground galleries. The gold is concentrated in a 2 m thick zone along the western side of the system. More recent drilling and other exploration work by Peñoles and Puma Minerals estimated that a 1.3 km length of the vein could have the potential for over 500,000 ounces of gold to a depth of 100 m or 2 million ounces to a depth of 400 m at an assumed grade of 10 g/t gold (non-NI 43-101 compliant). Stream sediment geochemical exploration by Soltera suggests that the vein system is mineralized throughout its full 14 km length. The potential will be tested by geophysical surveys and diamond drilling.
The Soltera stream sediment surveys also showed broad and strong gold anomalies over wide areas of the country rocks as far away as 3 km from the main vein. These are centered on suites of small veins and stockworks within the country rocks and they appear to be major open-pit targets. These targets will be tested by a programme of trenching, sampling and drilling.
Contact:
Fabio Montanari
President/CEO
Soltera Mining Corp.
1-888-768-5552
Email: info@solteramining.com
Website: http://www.solteramining.com/
* Soltera is a featured showcase company on Investorideas.com and its mining portals.
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