Australian-American Mining Corporation has signed a drilling contract with National EWP, a leading provider of drilling services in the US, for the Bluebell copper-gold-silver project in Arizona.

The initial 5000m RC drilling program at Bluebell will focus on testing the open pit exploration target, with holes targeting the top 200m of the mineralised system. A number of holes will also be targeting the down dip extension of the recently reported high grade surface intersection of 38m @ 1.2 per cent copper, 0.5g/t gold and 22.9g/t silver.

The company has received all necessary permits to begin drill pad preparation and it is expected that the drill rig will be onsite in late January.

“This is an exciting time for the company as it prepares for the maiden drilling program on the Bluebell project," AusAmerican managing director Richard Holmes said.

"The recent high grade surface intersection has reinforced the concept that the old timers “high graded” the underground mine and the drilling will be focussed on defining the mineralised stock work."