TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Aug. 11, 2010) - ECU Silver Mining Inc. (TSX:ECU) is pleased to announce that it has uncovered additional mineralization in the upper levels of the Santa Juana mine located in the main Velardeña Property.
A vein structure was recently opened over a strike length of 54 metres with an average width of 3.21 metres and grading 3.36 grams per tonne (g/t) gold (Au) and 177 g/t silver (Ag), including a section that graded 6.45 g/t Au and 198 g/t Ag over 8.45 metres. This structure, which was previously defined by drilling, is approximately three times the width of the same structure that was included in the Company's latest mineral resource report. The mineral resource report calculated this structure with similar grades but with a reported width of only 1.1 metres or 34% of what was actually found.
The structure occurs on level 16, an upper level of the Santa Juana mine which currently extends from level 12 to level 19.
Michel Roy, CEO and Chairman of ECU stated, "The importance of this block is that it provides further evidence that we continue to open areas that prove to be more attractive than what is reported in our mineral resource report. In addition, this block is now ready for extraction and, in theory, could, by itself, feed our oxide mill to capacity for a period of about two months. This new zone, as well as others that are being opened, confirms that the next few years of extraction of mineralized material will be in the shallow areas of the mine which will not necessitate any deepening of the shaft."
Recently, with the hiring of a new mine manager, the Company altered its approach to mining, by targeting geologically promising areas in undeveloped sections of the existing mines as well as opening new mining units in other mines. This recent finding is one of the new developments being prepared in several areas of the Santa Juana mine as well as at the Terneras West, Terneras East, San Juanes and Chicago mines. Updates will be published on the other areas as the results become available.
