Rhonda confirms find of lead-zinc-silver in Territories

Drilling by Rhonda Mining (RDM-A) at the Epworth property in the Northwest Territories has revealed lead-zinc-silver mineralization averaging 10 ft.

thick in 21 drill holes.

Ownership of the project is shared equally between Rhonda and Noranda (NOR-T).

The following assays have been reported: 8 ft. grading 10.8% lead and 0.04% zinc, plus 0.613 oz. silver per ton; 8 ft. of 6.98% lead, 1.58% zinc and 0.088 oz. silver; 10 ft. of 3.02% lead, 2.13% zinc and 0.117 oz. silver; 9.8 ft. of 3.68% lead, 1.24% zinc and 0.117 oz. silver; and 9.7 ft. of 1.36% lead, 0.23% zinc and 0.058 oz. silver.

Company geologists estimate that the Esker deposit could contain as much as 100 million tons of mineralization.

“When we began the drill program this year, we expected the results would show we were sitting on a high-tonnage, economic-grade deposit,” says Glen Alston, Rhonda’s corporate secretary. “And, so far, we haven’t been disappointed.”

Alston stresses that much of the mineralization that is spread over the property is of economic interest, and that mineralization at the Esker claims is non-pyritic and contains only minimal contaminants, which he calls “a significant environmental plus.”

Elsewhere on the joint-ventured claims, Rhonda drilled nine holes on seven copper targets. Assay results are pending.

The company jointly owns 600,000 acres of the Epworth property with Noranda, and wholly owns another 420,000 acres.

This fall, Rhonda plans to complete drillhole logging, core sampling, assaying and research. Final results from all the drill holes are expected to be submitted by December.

As well, the company will be holding talks with the territorial government regarding co-ordinating the Esker project.

In April 1997, Rhonda will begin mini-bulk sampling and further drilling to outline the deposits. Mapping, prospecting and exploration drilling will also continue.

The Epworth property is underlain by a 1.8-billion-year-old Proterozoic basin of marine sedimentary rocks. Research by Rhonda and Noranda shows that a widespread mineralizing process has occurred within the basin over an area of hundreds of square kilometres and over a time interval of about 100 million years.