Initial drilling of Medusa Mining’s Lingig copper prospect in the Philippines has returned intersections bearing gold and copper mineralization.

While it is very early in the exploration program, the company believes, based on evolving geological interpretations, that this is potentially a large mineralized copper system.

The diamond drilling is being carried out by Medusa’s Philippines ’ subsidiary Philsaga Mining Corporation.

The intercepts include 125.1 metres @ 0.03 grams/tonne gold and 0.26% copper, 267 metres @ 0.06 grams/tonne gold and 0.62% copper and 224 metres @ 0.11 grams/tonne gold and 0.77% copper.

Mineralization drilled to date is hosted within a 200-300 metre thick thrust fault which is interpreted to be linked to a 2km by 1.5km intensely silica and clay altered, stockworked and brecciated quartz dacite intrusive complex that is about 1200 metres to the south. Some of the deeper creek exposures within this complex exhibit copper sulphide mineralization.

Since beginning drilling in June 2008, the company has completed about 4000 metres in 8 holes using one drilling rig.

One drilling rig will continue working along the thrust zone and will then work its way southwards.

It is intended later in the year, that a second drilling rig will be added to commence drilling the very large potential porphyry copper target.

The extensive quartz dacite intrusive complex to the south of the current drilling covers an area of about 2km by 1.5km. In 1996-97 Barrick Gold (Phils) undertook extensive sampling of outcropping altered material targeting bulk gold mineralization. An old report indicates that 16 outcrop samples returned gold values in the range from 0.2 to 1.5 grams/tonne gold, however detailed sample location maps are not available.

A comprehensive program of outcrop sampling, and in some areas, soil sampling, is in progress at this complex.

www.medusamining.com.au