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June 26, 2008,
Vancouver, BC -- El Ni�o Ventures Inc. ("El Ni�o" and "the
Company") (TSX.V: ELN; Frankfurt: E7Q) announces an update on its
exploration program in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). El Nino
began its 2008 exploration program in April and is making progress on a
planned 25,000 metres of drilling covering all of its research permits.
Jean Luc Roy, President & CEO of El Nino states, "Our technical
team is working diligently to execute on our exploration program. The
objective is to assess the full potential of our DRC land package by the
end of October. Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling is being used primarily
to confirm structures and potential mineralisation and diamond drilling is
being used to follow-up on areas where mineralisation has been encountered.
We look forward to sharing the results of our efforts with our shareholders
over the next 6 months." The following is an overview of current work
and plans for the remainder of the 2008 exploration program:
Infinity Projects
(P.R. 5214, P.R. 5215, P.R. 5216, P.R. 5217)
The Infinity Projects
("Infinity") were acquired in 2007 and formed the basis of El
Nino's 2007 exploration campaign in the DRC. In the first quarter of 2008
El Nino field crews completed follow-up soil sampling on selected areas of
Infinity generating additional drill targets and better defining known
mineralization. El Nino has completed 4956 metres of Reverse Circulation
(R.C.) drilling including 31 R.C. drill holes (total of 3073 metres) on
P.R. 5217 and 23 R.C. drill holes (total of 1883 metres) on P.R. 5215. This
drilling has targeted copper and cobalt soil anomalies over prospective
rocks of the Roan Group and tested structural targets identified by
interpretation of the 2007 airborne geophysical program.
El Nino Ventures P.R. 5215 and
P.R. 5217
The R.C. drill has been
mobilized to the central area of P.R. 5214 to begin a planned 3000 metre
program designed to test an area of Roan Group rocks which have been
subject to several stages of faulting and folding presenting a target of
prospective stratigraphy and structural complexity.
One of the highlights of the 2007 exploration program was the intersection
of 3% Cu over 10 metres on P.R. 5217. El Nino recently commenced diamond
drilling on P.R. 5217 to further test this area. To date one diamond drill
hole, (ANCU-DD-001), has been completed. Three diamond drill holes are
planned in the central western portion of P.R. 5217 to test structural
targets reaching depths of 200 to 220 metres.
A 1,500 metre diamond drill program is planned for south-eastern corner of
P.R. 5215 as a follow-up program to the R.C. drilling that has been
completed in this area.
The diamond drill will then be used to follow-up on targets defined by the
R.C. drill program on P.R. 5214. It is anticipated that between 1800 and 2500
metres of diamond drilling will be allocated to this follow-up program.
El Nino Ventures P.R. 5214
El Nino is currently
reviewing a proposal to undertake a 3000 metre AirCore drilling program
over P.R. 5216 to test copper and cobalt soil anomalies identified from a
soil sampling program completed in May of this year. AirCore drills are
capable of reaching depths of 70 m through soil, laterite and softer
lithologies. Assay results from drilling on Infinity are expected to start
coming in August 2008.
Harmony Project (P.R. 2461)
The acquisition of the
Harmony Project ("Harmony") was announced in February of 2008. An
extensive soil sampling program is currently underway on P.R. 2461 with a
subsequent airborne geophysics survey. A gradient magnetometer and
radiometric survey is being planned to cover this permit using a fixed wing
aircraft.
After the R.C. program on P.R. 5214 is complete, the R.C. drill will then
move to P.R. 2461 where it will complete a program of approximately 20
holes totalling approximately A 2000 metre to test the Roan Group
stratigraphy on the west of the permit. This program should be completed in
3 to 4 weeks.
El Nino Ventures P.R. 2461
Field Prep Lab
Acquisition
El Nino has acquired a Prep Lab from ALS Chemex that will be used in the
field under the supervision of ALS Chemex. The will be operational shortly.
The decision to purchase a field prep lab will provide El Nino with faster
turnaround times on assay results. A significant bottleneck currently
exists at all laboratories. This facility will allow El Nino to greatly
reduce turnaround times for assay results.
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