MacDonald Mines Completes Winter Program at Butler Lake-Assays Pending; Drilling to Commence on the Semple-Hulbert Property
TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - May 9, 2011) -MacDonald Mines Exploration Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:BMK) ("MacDonald" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the commencement of a 3,000 meter diamond drill program on its Semple-Hulbert Property in the James Bay Lowlands of Northern Ontario. The program follows the Butler Lake drill program which consisted of 3800 metres of drilling over 17 diamond drill holes targeting volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS), nickel-copper-platinum group element (Ni-Cu-PGE), and vanadium targets.
The Semple-Hulbert drill program will focus on high priority Ni-Cu-PGE targets in a never-before-drilled geologic complex that geophysically has been interpreted to resemble the Voisey's Bay Ni-Cu deposit.
Butler Lake Property
The recently completed drill program on the Butler Lake Property consisted of 17 diamond drill holes, 7 targeted VMS mineralization, 2 targeted Ni-Cu-PGE mineralization, and 8 targeted vanadium.
VMS - (Copper/Zinc)
Stringer, semi-massive, and massive sulphides consisting of pyrite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, and sphalerite were intersected in 6 of the 7 VMS drill holes. Samples have been submitted to Activation Laboratories Ltd. (ActLabs) in Thunder Bay for analysis, with assay results expected by May 16.
Nickel
Disseminated magmatic sulphides were intersected within each of the 2 Ni-Cu-PGE drill holes. Samples have been submitted to ActLabs for analysis, with assay results expected by May 16.
Vanadium
During the course of the on-going Butler Lake VMS and Nickel exploration programs, geologists noted the elevated presence of vanadium mineralization in some of the drill core. Subsequently, 8 diamond drill holes were selected to test 4 target areas that were thought to contain vanadium mineralization. Using hand held XRF analyzers, it was determined that all 8 drill holes had potentially significant vanadium mineralization. Samples have been submitted to ActLabs for analysis, with test results expected in early May. Given Management's experience with Vanadium Mineralization, samples have already been forwarded to SGS Lakefield for Metallurgical Testing.
Continued Exploration
The Company will be conducting the next phase of drilling on the Butler Lake property once all of the current exploration data and assays have been received and analyzed. Geochemical and geophysical signatures will be utilized to direct the drill program which is anticipated to begin in July, 2011.
Semple-Hulbert Property
Drilling has commenced on the highly prospective Semple-Hulbert Property, located within the traditional territory of the Kasabonika Lake First Nation. The Company recently signed an accord with the Kasabonika Lake First Nation Community and exploration is now proceeding.
The Semple-Hulbert claim group was initially targeted by MacDonald's because it had:
Geophysical Interpretation of Semple-Hulbert
Larry Hulbert, D.Sc. has reviewed the geophysical data for Semple-Hulbert, and has provided the following observations regarding interpreted geology:
In detail, the magnetic fabric of the intrusive body is remarkably similar in size, shape and form to that of the Voisey's Bay Complex in Labrador which hosts world-class Ni-Cu deposits, and was the last significant Ni-Cu discovery in North America (1994).
Magnetically, the mafic-ultramafic rocks underlying the Semple-Hulbert property stand out regionally as a striking magnetic anomaly. Based on the Geological Survey of Canada regional airborne magnetic surveys the intrusive rocks on this property are approximately twice as magnetic as any other known mafic-ultramafic body in the "Ring of Fire" (ROF) including the southeast portion of the ROF which hosts the recently discovered world-class Ni-Cu-PGE, Cr and Fe-Ti-V deposits. Detailed magnetic surveys conducted as part of a VTEM airborne geophysical survey over the Semple-Hulbert property enhanced the significance and understanding of this regional anomaly even further.
The detailed VTEM magnetic survey outlined a "spoon-shaped" intrusion. The East-West trending linear magnetic feature is analogous to the handle of the spoon and geologically is believed to represent a feeder-dyke. At its eastern end it flares out to a width of approximately 3 km and resembles the bowl portion of a spoon. This bowl shaped area represents the main mass of the magmatic chamber. The distinctive magnetic fabric within the main mass of the intrusion clearly defines an internal stratigraphy indicative of magmatic layering as is the case at Voisey's Bay. When one examines the location of the electromagnetic conductors from the VTEM survey relative to the magnetically defined geology the Voisey's Bay analogue and exploration model is most compelling.
Qualified Person
Quentin Yarie, P.Geo., is the qualified person in regard to the technical data contained within this news release, and will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the Company's exploration programs.
The Semple-Hulbert drill program will focus on high priority Ni-Cu-PGE targets in a never-before-drilled geologic complex that geophysically has been interpreted to resemble the Voisey's Bay Ni-Cu deposit.
Butler Lake Property
The recently completed drill program on the Butler Lake Property consisted of 17 diamond drill holes, 7 targeted VMS mineralization, 2 targeted Ni-Cu-PGE mineralization, and 8 targeted vanadium.
VMS - (Copper/Zinc)
Stringer, semi-massive, and massive sulphides consisting of pyrite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, and sphalerite were intersected in 6 of the 7 VMS drill holes. Samples have been submitted to Activation Laboratories Ltd. (ActLabs) in Thunder Bay for analysis, with assay results expected by May 16.
Nickel
Disseminated magmatic sulphides were intersected within each of the 2 Ni-Cu-PGE drill holes. Samples have been submitted to ActLabs for analysis, with assay results expected by May 16.
Vanadium
During the course of the on-going Butler Lake VMS and Nickel exploration programs, geologists noted the elevated presence of vanadium mineralization in some of the drill core. Subsequently, 8 diamond drill holes were selected to test 4 target areas that were thought to contain vanadium mineralization. Using hand held XRF analyzers, it was determined that all 8 drill holes had potentially significant vanadium mineralization. Samples have been submitted to ActLabs for analysis, with test results expected in early May. Given Management's experience with Vanadium Mineralization, samples have already been forwarded to SGS Lakefield for Metallurgical Testing.
Continued Exploration
The Company will be conducting the next phase of drilling on the Butler Lake property once all of the current exploration data and assays have been received and analyzed. Geochemical and geophysical signatures will be utilized to direct the drill program which is anticipated to begin in July, 2011.
Semple-Hulbert Property
Drilling has commenced on the highly prospective Semple-Hulbert Property, located within the traditional territory of the Kasabonika Lake First Nation. The Company recently signed an accord with the Kasabonika Lake First Nation Community and exploration is now proceeding.
The Semple-Hulbert claim group was initially targeted by MacDonald's because it had:
- The strongest regional magnetic anomaly
- The strongest regional gravity feature
- Been mapped as an ultra-mafic feature on regional geology maps
Geophysical Interpretation of Semple-Hulbert
- The geophysical data exhibits the characteristics of an intact intrusive body.
- Modeling of the magnetic data outlined a magnetic feature, which is dimensionally about >10km long by 3-4km wide and extending to at least 3km below surface.
- 8 electromagnetic targets (conductors) located within the interpreted intrusive are targeted for drilling
- Within this body the magnetic response varies spatially – suggesting multiple geologic events.
- This interpretation fits the analogy to the Voisey's Bay deposit; that being multiple magma pulses over time.
- The modeling also exhibits features similar in nature to four of the Voisey's Bay intrusive components; the Eastern Deeps, Discover Hill Zone, the Ovoid, and the Reid Brook Zone (feeder sheet).
- Each of these components has an associated group of strongly conductive responses which have been targeted in the upcoming drill program.
Larry Hulbert, D.Sc. has reviewed the geophysical data for Semple-Hulbert, and has provided the following observations regarding interpreted geology:
In detail, the magnetic fabric of the intrusive body is remarkably similar in size, shape and form to that of the Voisey's Bay Complex in Labrador which hosts world-class Ni-Cu deposits, and was the last significant Ni-Cu discovery in North America (1994).
Magnetically, the mafic-ultramafic rocks underlying the Semple-Hulbert property stand out regionally as a striking magnetic anomaly. Based on the Geological Survey of Canada regional airborne magnetic surveys the intrusive rocks on this property are approximately twice as magnetic as any other known mafic-ultramafic body in the "Ring of Fire" (ROF) including the southeast portion of the ROF which hosts the recently discovered world-class Ni-Cu-PGE, Cr and Fe-Ti-V deposits. Detailed magnetic surveys conducted as part of a VTEM airborne geophysical survey over the Semple-Hulbert property enhanced the significance and understanding of this regional anomaly even further.
The detailed VTEM magnetic survey outlined a "spoon-shaped" intrusion. The East-West trending linear magnetic feature is analogous to the handle of the spoon and geologically is believed to represent a feeder-dyke. At its eastern end it flares out to a width of approximately 3 km and resembles the bowl portion of a spoon. This bowl shaped area represents the main mass of the magmatic chamber. The distinctive magnetic fabric within the main mass of the intrusion clearly defines an internal stratigraphy indicative of magmatic layering as is the case at Voisey's Bay. When one examines the location of the electromagnetic conductors from the VTEM survey relative to the magnetically defined geology the Voisey's Bay analogue and exploration model is most compelling.
Qualified Person
Quentin Yarie, P.Geo., is the qualified person in regard to the technical data contained within this news release, and will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the Company's exploration programs.
The Company's contact information is presented below. For more detailed information about the Company and its projects, please visit our website at http://www.macdonaldmines.com/.
During the course of the on-going Butler Lake VMS and Nickel exploration programs, geologists noted the elevated presence of vanadium mineralisation in some of the drill core.
ReplyDelete