Mustang Geothermal to start shallow drilling program at Peru concessions

The shallow gradient drill program provides for up to 200, 2-meter-deep drill holes which will be drilled using a motorized, man-portable soil-auger. Temperature is measured at the bottom of the hole using a resistivity-temperature-device (RTD) probe.  The purpose of measuring precise temperature at a two meter depth is to explore for thermal anomalies resulting from a “blind” geothermal system at depth. The first meter of the soil acts as an insulating layer with temperature varying according to daily fluctuations, but the second meter of the drill hole tracks temperature that reflects deeper variations that are related to geothermal heat sources.

This method has been used to discover several blind geothermal systems that have ultimately resulted in the development of producing geothermal electrical power plants. The method is a relatively inexpensive method for determining near-surface manifestations of geothermal activity and existence of otherwise “blind” systems. The drill program will start on the Condoroma Property, located near the settlement of Chaquelles, 29 kilometers southeast of the Swiss based Xstrata plc’s Antapaccay copper project.

Mustang plans to drill 100 shallow-temperature holes across the Condoroma geothermal concession to identify additional geothermal “hot-spots” and refine deeper drill targets on the property. The shape and size of the anomaly, coupled with geological and geophysical data are intended to narrow down the prospective areas for deeper exploration drilling.

“The ability to quickly and inexpensively generate additional information and potential new exploration targets at Condoroma as well as our other Mustang’s geothermal concessions is important in fast-tracking the development of a geothermal resource in Peru and production of electrical power to meet the surging needs in Southern Peru,” commented the Richard Bachman, CEO of Mustang.”

Source: Company release via Sacramento Bee