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Published: 29 November -0001
July 21
Bear Creek announces drilling continues to intersect high-grade silver, mineralized footprint expands, and metallurgical testing continues to show high leach recoveries at Santa Ana, Peru
Bear Creek Mining (TSX Venture: BCM) (\"Bear Creek\" or the \"Company\") is pleased to announce results for 27 additional diamond drill holes (4,643 meters). Drilling at Santa Ana now totals 45,946 meters in 251 drill holes. Santa Ana is located in southeastern Peru 200 kilometers south of the Company\'s Corani silver-base metal deposit which is currently advancing under pre-feasibility studies. Highlights of this press release include:
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Drill hole Intersects Including
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SA-133 116 m @ 103 g/t Ag 22 m @ 438 g/t Ag and 1.3% Zn
and 0.9% Zn
SA-135 68 m @ 216 g/t Ag 12 m @ 442 g/t Ag and 8m @
935 g/t Ag
SA-138 82 m @ 86 g/t Ag 8 m @ 125 g/t Ag and 1.7% Zn
and 0.9%Zn and 10 m @ 317 g/t Ag, 1.9% Zn
SA-124 80 m @ 64 g/t Ag 16 m @ 229 g/t Ag and 2.6% Zn
and 1.3% Zn
SA-132 46 m @ 94 g/t Ag
SA-139 22 m @ 242 g/t Ag
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Andrew Swarthout, President and CEO of Bear Creek, states \"We are extremely pleased that recent drilling results verify higher-grade, leachable silver mineralization occurs in at least two zones with excellent continuity, which have the potential to provide the basis for robust starter pits. These higher grade zones with large tonnages developing in the 90 g/t silver range provide confidence that Santa Ana can become as important economically to Bear Creek as our Corani silver-base metal deposit which is currently in pre-feasibility stage.\"
Mr. Swarthout continues \"Exploration upside also remains an exciting opportunity at Santa Ana as the deposit remains open. For instance, many of these latest higher grade zones were discovered beneath surface expressions with little evidence of the existence of silver mineralization; supporting our thesis that additional hidden or \"blind\" discoveries will continue to be made. In addition, two of the better holes (SA-138 and SA-139) are located well beyond the current resource boundary also indicating significant remaining growth potential throughout the still under-explored district.\"
One-hundred-fifty-six drill holes have been now been completed since the first resource estimate in January 2008. \"We are very excited to be able to soon see the effects of this recent drilling on the resources, both in size and grade, as we prepare for updating the model in September.\"
New drilling results are as follow. All intercepts are down-hole lengths and true widths have not been calculated.
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Silver
Drill Inclin- Total Interval (grams
Hole Azimuth ation Depth From To (m) per Lead Zinc
No. (degrees) (degrees) (m) (m) (m) DTH tonne) (%) (%)
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SA-124 90 -60 173.6 8 88 80 63.7 0.5 1.3
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Includes 34 50 16 229.1 1.1 2.6
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116 138 22 33.6 0.4 0.9
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SA-126 90 -70 68.5 12 55 43 72.9 0.6 0.8
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Includes 28 42 14 135.9 0.8 1.4
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SA-126A 90 -55 160.2 8 76 68 28.0 0.1 0.3
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SA-128 90 -70 158.2 98 122 24 32.7 0.2 0.2
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142 152 10 35.6 0.3 0.5
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SA-129 90 -70 154.4 8 78 70 33.7 0.2 0.4
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Includes 50 52 2 303.0 0.4 0.2
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SA-130 120 -70 301.4 180 186 6 102.0 0.9 1.8
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220 230 10 25.0 0.1 0.2
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268 280 12 67.7 1.5 1.9
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SA-130A 300 -70 203.7 No significant intervals
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SA-131 90 -70 184.3 2 20 18 27.9 0.2 0.3
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36 48 12 22.7 0.2 0.4
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94 96 2 357.0 2.3 3.1
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150 160 10 31.8 0.1 0.1
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SA-132 90 -70 155.0 68 114 46 94.0 0.3 0.5
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Includes 68 78 10 290.6 0.4 0.1
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SA-133 90 -70 173.0 14 130 116 102.7 0.3 0.9
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Includes 60 82 22 438.2 0.5 1.3
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168 172 4 118.5 2.5 1.9
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SA-134 90 -70 161.7 0 48 48 27.2 0.2 0.3
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44 48 4 115.0 0.8 0.5
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108 122 14 36.0 0.4 0.7
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SA-135 90 -70 169.5 1 12 11 35.2 0.2 0.2
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22 52 30 40.8 0.2 0.3
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includes 30 32 2 358.0 0.3 0.5
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98 166 68 215.6 0.6 0.7
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Includes 100 112 12 441.8 0.6 0.9
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and 128 130 2 460.0 3.2 3.4
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and 154 162 8 934.0 1.2 0.7
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SA-136 90 -70 156.0 14 30 16 48.4 0.5 0.3
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40 52 12 42.2 0.4 0.1
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92 98 6 65.7 0.2 0.4
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SA-137 90 -70 160.5 24 52 28 29.1 0.2 0.5
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Includes 44 48 4 83.5 0.3 0.8
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74 82 8 25.3 0.3 0.9
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128 158 30 39.7 0.3 0.4
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SA-138 90 -70 169.2 28 36 8 45.5 0.3 1.3
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48 54 6 35.0 0.4 0.3
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64 146 82 85.8 0.6 0.9
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includes 66 74 8 125.2 1.2 1.7
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and 112 122 10 316.6 1.1 1.9
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and 136 142 6 182.3 0.9 0.9
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158 168 10 30.2 0.2 0.5
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SA-139 300 -70 212.5 40 62 22 241.8 0.6 0.2
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includes 44 52 8 641.5 1.5 0.2
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132 146 14 182.6 0.4 0.3
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includes 132 134 2 338.0 0.2 0.4
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140 146 6 283.7 0.8 0.3
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194 204 10 46.2 0.2 0.4
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SA-139A 120 -60 163.4 12 16 4 26.5 0.1 0.1
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62 66 4 67.5 0.2 0.4
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94 100 6 84.3 0.4 0.2
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SA-140 90 -70 174.7 1 30 29 51.9 0.3 0.4
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includes 4 10 6 138.0 0.5 0.2
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50 56 6 32.3 0.2 0.6
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76 86 10 26.6 0.4 1.0
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116 122 6 35.7 0.2 0.4
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154 166 12 23.0 0.1 0.3
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68 116 48 --- --- 1.0
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SA-141 90 -70 165.3 8 36 28 25.9 0.1 0.1
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66 118 30 94.0 0.5 1.2
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includes 80 84 4 733.5 1.4 4.1
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152 162 10 41.8 0.5 0.9
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50 96 46 --- --- 1.3
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SA-142 90 -70 151.0 18 60 42 52.7 0.5 0.6
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includes 44 48 4 279.0 1.4 2.2
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and 58 60 2 103.0 1.8 1.3
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130 138 8 53.0 0.4 0.7
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SA-143 90 -70 175.0 42 46 4 56.0 0.4 0.8
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134 172 38 51.7 0.1 0.3
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154 160 6 181.3 0.1 0.2
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168 170 2 108.0 0.3 0.2
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SA-144 90 -70 155.3 4 8 4 90 0.3 0.1
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62 96 34 33.4 0.4 0.5
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Includes 88 90 2 163.0 0.6 0.4
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SA-145 300 -60 161.2 50 56 6 34.3 0.3 0.2
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106 110 4 75.5 2.1 0.6
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SA-146 90 -70 196.0 36 44 8 34.3 0.3 0.7
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118 124 6 122.3 0.3 0.2
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146 184 38 83.6 0.5 0.8
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includes 172 176 4 478.5 1.2 2.4
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154 176 22 --- --- 1.2
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SA-147 90 -70 166.0 4 52 48 74.0 0.6 0.6
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includes 40 46 6 254.3 1.6 1.1
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118 130 12 39.0 0.2 0.6
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22 136 114 --- --- 0.8
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SA-148 90 -70 213.6 4 100 96 37.6 0.3 0.8
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includes 86 96 10 125.0 1.0 1.8
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168 208 40 74.5 0.5 0.4
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Includes 176 188 12 176.0 0.2 0.2
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120 176 56 --- --- 1.0
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SA-149 90 -70 160.2 134 160 26 62.6 0.2 0.4
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Includes 150 160 10 105.8 0.2 0.6
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Hole TDs in 154g/t Ag
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(Full drill results can be found at www.bearcreekmining.com. To access the silver drill hole map directly please refer to http://www.bearcreekmining.com/i/pdf/072108map.pdf
Close-spaced drilling on 25 x 50 m centers has been completed on eight lines spaced throughout the mineralized area. An additional four detailed lines are planned and will be drilled over the coming weeks. New holes in this report, including SA-124, SA-133, SA-135 and SA-138 located on three separate lines, demonstrate that drilling on 25 x 50-meter centers will continue to:
- Further improve the project economics by intersecting additional
blind, high-grade silver mineralization that wider-spaced drilling
might miss;
- Establish continuity of mineralization, converting inferred resources
into measured and indicated resources; and
- Convert blocks that were considered to be waste into mineralized
material and reduce the stripping ratio as drilling density increases
and expansion drilling continues.
Another extension of a significant structural corridor to the southwest of the current resource was intersected in hole SA-139 with intervals of 22 m @ 242 g/t Ag, 14 m @ 183 g/t Ag and 6 m @ 284 g/t Ag. The drill hole extends the mineralization 300 meters southwest of the first resource estimate, and mineralization remains open.
Three drills continue on the property completing close-spaced infill and deposit extension drilling. Currently, two drills are focusing on confirming and expanding higher-grade silver zones with the objective of defining plus 90 g/t silver bodies. The third drill is following new extensions, such as the one discovered by drill holes SA-139 and SA-138.
Metallurgy-ongoing leach testing continues to support high recoveries in heap leach conditions in all areas explored to date and across all silver grade ranges. As reported, column leach testing performed at McClelland Laboratories indicates that greater than 70% silver recoveries can be expected in a heap leach (see news release dated Feb 25, 2008). Continuous agitation bottle roll testing being performed at RDI\'s testing facilities in Denver, Colorado indicate similar leaching characteristics to the columns throughout the deposits. Additional column testing will be performed in the pre-feasibility stages of the project to further confirm recoveries.
A second resource estimate is planned for release in September and will include approximately 156 additional drill holes, over double the number used in the first resource estimate of January 2008.
The TSX Venture Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy
or accuracy of this release.
Regulatory footnotes:
All of Bear Creek\'s exploration programs and pertinent disclosure of a technical or scientific nature are prepared by or prepared under the direct supervision of David Volkert, P.Geo., Bear Creek\'s Vice President of Exploration and/or Marc Leduc, P. Eng., Vice President of Technical Services and the President and CEO, Andrew Swarthout, P.Geo., who serve as the Qualified Persons under the definitions of NI 43-101. All diamond drilling has been performed using HQ diameter core with recoveries averaging greater than 95%. Core is logged and split on site under the supervision of Bear Creek geologists. Sampling is done on two-meter intervals and samples are transported by Company staff to Juliaca, Peru for direct shipping to ALS Chemex, Laboratories in Lima, Peru. ALS Chemex is an ISO 9001:2000-registered laboratory and is preparing for ISO 17025 certification. Silver, lead, and zinc assays utilize a multi-acid digestion with atomic absorption (\"ore-grade assay method\"). The QC/QA program includes the insertion every 20th sample of known standards prepared by SGS Laboratories, Lima. A section in Bear Creek\'s website is dedicated to sampling, assay and quality control procedures.
Certain disclosure in this release, including management\'s assessment of Bear Creek\'s plans and projects, constitutes forward-looking statements that are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors relating to Bear Creek\'s operation as a mineral exploration company that may cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and other factors are disclosed in Bear Creek\'s continuous disclosure filings with Canadian securities regulators including its most recent annual information form, available on www.sedar.com. Bear Creek expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
SOURCE: Bear Creek Mining Corporation
Andrew Swarthout - President and CEO, or Patrick De Witt - Investor Relations, Phone: (604) 685-6269, Direct: (604) 628-1111, E-mail:
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., please visit the Company\'s website (www.bearcreekmining.com)