Sunstone Metals Ltd. announced the discovery of a well mineralised gold-silver-base metal epithermal system at the Limon target within the Bramaderos project in southern Ecuador. The Limon target area is located 2.7km north-east of the Brama-Alba gold-copper deposit, which hosts a porphyry Mineral Resource of 2.7Moz AuEq. This discovery reinforces the concept of multiple mineral deposits within the 50km2 Bramaderos concession and highlights the potential for significant growth of mineral resources at higher grades.

Mineralisation in LMDD017 comprises epithermal gold-silver-base metal intervals. Locally there is visible gold, and this is associated with sphalerite (zinc sulphide) (Figure 4) and locally copper as chalcopyrite and chalcocite (copper sulphides). The geometry, plus full lateral and vertical extent, of this epithermal system will be tested with follow-up drilling.

One drilling rig is currently operating at Limon, drilling hole LMDD020. This hole has drilled through a shallow epithermal zone and is now drilling deeper targeting an underlying porphyry system. Further holes have been planned to follow-up on LMDD017, and these will commence in April after completion of LMDD020.

The Bramaderos project straddles the Pan American highway, and is close to available hydroelectric power, supporting the economics of potential development opportunities. Ecuador sources 88% of its power from hydroelectricity and is ideally placed to participate in the global demand for clean energy sourced metals. The project is also supported by nearby commercial airports and significant cities (Loja, population 200,000) and has strong community support.

At El Palmar in northern Ecuador, drilling at the T2 target is progressing well. As previously reported the upper part of hole EPDD026 intersected trace levels of mineralisation and encouraging alteration. The drill hole then intersected a post mineralisation intrusive unit and has now exited that and is drilling altered rock with some mineralisation and veining above the target zone.

The visual copper content appears to be increasing. Limon drill status plan and broad area of alteration defined by magnetite-destructive alteration resulting in the subdued magnetic signature at Limon over an area of 2 Km by 0.8 Km. This large porphyry-related alteration system is bound by major bounding faults.

Epithermal gold systems ­ such as the one discovered in LMDD017 ­ are common around the fringes of, and overprinting, large porphyry systems.