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map of TNR mines in Argentina

EL TAPAU

Two main targets include gold in veins and a potential large-tonnage copper-gold porphyry system. Rock chip samples uncovered gold values as high as 19 g/t, with an average value of 2.2 g/t. TNR can earn a 70% interest in the property.
El Tapau Photo Gallery

STATUS

Work carried out to date on El Tapau by TNR has included detailed geological mapping, rock sampling, IP survey, trenching, and a 3,000 metre drill program.

DRILL RESULTS

- TNR Gold Drills 9.15 g/t Gold and 78.98 g/t Silver over 0.75 Metres at El Tapau - January 06, 2009

- TNR Gold Drills 82.25 Metres of 0.49% Copper at El Tapau - Sept 22, 2008
map of TNR mine El Tapau in San Juan province, Argentina Batidero Northern Properties Las Carachas La Ortiga El Tapau Los Azules El Salto

Location

Within the Eastern Andes of San Juan Province, Argentina, El Tapau is strategically located just 50 km from TNR's El Salto property and 130 km from the city of San Juan. El Tapau is accessible year-round by paved and gravel roads.

Technical Details

Geologically, the property occurs within the "Yellow Belt" district of San Juan Province, representing an intrusion-related, high-sulphidation copper-gold system. The property is predominantly underlain by fine to medium-grained quartzites of the Carboniferous Agua Negra Formation, which has been intruded by composite granitic plutons and related dikes and sills. The youngest and economically important phase is the feldspar-phyric biotite granite to quartz monzonite of the Triassic-age Tocota stock occupying most of the property.

Alteration within and proximal to the stock is weakly to strongly potassic but tourmaline with sericitic and argillic zones have also been discovered adjacent to cuprous and auriferous quartz tourmaline veins and breccias. The veins are variably mineralized with chalcopyrite, pyrite, galena, arsenopyrite, bornite-covellite with crysocolla, malachite, azurite, specularite and other ferrous oxides as secondary minerals. Quartz vein stockwork and stringer zones occur locally and are variably mineralized with chalcopyrite, pyrite, bornite-covellite with crysocolla, and malachite-azurite as secondary minerals. The veins and breccias are apparently controlled by structures, occurring within and/or adjacent to faults.

The lithology, alteration and mineral assemblage are suggestive of the porphyry-type copper-gold system on the property. Drilling previously conducted intercepted 0.70% Cu in a porphyry-style setting while drilling a gold target. Systematic rock sampling in 2006 by TNR yielded gold values ranging from trace to 19 g/t gold, averaging 2.2 g/t gold from 157 rock sample sites. TNR has completed a 3D IP survey on the property, which is designed to delineate a previously discovered chargeability anomaly that was open ended beneath the anomalous gold area. This confirms the potential for vein hosted gold in the porphyry system.