VANCOUVER (Commodity Online): Capstone Mining Corporation (CS: TSX) has announced assay results from 20 exploration drillholes recently completed at "Minto North" at its high grade Minto copper-gold mine in the Yukon. The drilling has returned with high-grade copper-gold intercepts, confirming the results of the intial discovery and delineation drilling.These most recent drill intercepts from Minto North, which is located approximately 600 metres north-northwest of the current open pit mining operation, are from infill holes designed to better define the resource.

"The results of the infill drilling at the Minto North discovery confirm the high grade nature of this deposit," said Stephen Quin, President COO of Capstone. "Once we have the remaining results, we will complete an updated resource estimate and include this significant addition in the expansion study currently underway."

A 56 hole, 6,575 metre program of infill drilling started on June 13 at Minto North and was completed on August 5, 2009. With a drill hole spacing similar to that used to support the definition of measured indicated mineral resources and mineral reserves elsewhere on the Minto property, this latest drill program increases the amount of drilling at Minto North from 30 holes and 4,371 metres used to define the preliminary mineral resource announced June 9, 2009 to 86 holes and 10,946 metres, sufficient to support a significant upgrade in the mineral resource classification.

It is anticipated that a large portion of the resource previously classified in the indicated and inferred categories will now move into the measured and indicated categories, a key step to facilitate a conversion from mineral resources to mineral reserves, should economic factors dictate. These factors are currently being determined by the Phase IV expansion study, which is recently commenced. Included in the 86-hole total are two holes for an initial geotechnical investigation of pit wall slope angles, a press release said.

Minto North Deposit
The aim of this recently completed infill drill program at Minto North is to boost the confidence in the preliminary mineral resource estimate previously reported on June 9, 2009, sufficient to support a conversion to mineral reserves by demonstrating both continuity of grade and thicknesses. Capstone believes this has now been achieved and has started the process to revise the resource estimate. The 3D geological model is currently being updated and a new estimation will start as soon as all assay data is received; in time for inclusion into the Minto Phase IV expansion study. (Courtesy: PRNewswire)

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