Timmins camp still luring junior explorers

Work continues on projects in the Timmins West camp in northeastern Ontario, where four of six recently drilled holes at the Bristol Twp.

property of Holmer Gold Mines (HGM-A) have encountered gold mineralization and where further drilling by Band-Ore Resources (BAN-T) at its Thorne property is extending the mineralization there.

Holmer’s drill holes, which tested induced-polarization (IP) anomalies, encountered gold in quartz veins in sericitized volcanic rocks. Drill hole 4 intersected a 4-metre core length grading 28.4 grams gold per tonne and a separate 0.3 metre grading 17.1 grams. The hole carried an average gold grade of 2.2 grams over 75.5 metres, including those two intersections.

Hole 3 graded 6.2 grams over 4 metres, including a 1-metre length grading 14.7 grams. A 0.95-metre intersection, separate from the 4-metre intersection, graded 11.6 grams. In all, the hole averaged 1.5 grams over 43.2 metres.

Hole 5 graded an average 0.9 gram over 55 metres, including a 2.8-metre interval grading 9.3 grams. Hole 6 graded 1.1 grams over 18.6 metres, including a 0.3-metre interval of 13.2 grams and a 3-metre interval of 3.9 grams.

The two other holes, 1 and 2, failed to intersect significant gold values.

The company believes hole 1 overshot the structure but that additional mineralization may exist west of a diabase dyke intersected in hole 2.

Holmer also acquired a patented claim adjoining its property’s eastern boundary. The company says IP surveys conducted on the claim indicate that the chargeable zone tested by the recent drilling extends across the property’s boundaries. Chargeable zones appear to extend over a strike length of 2.2 km.

Band-Ore has released further results of drilling at the Thorne property, where it is delineating a gold deposit discovered in the early part of the year.

Assay results have come back from drill hole 101, collared about 1.2 km east of the discovery holes. The hole cut a 3.5-metre intersection grading 5.2 grams gold. Previous reports noted that mineralization in this hole was similar to the gold-mineralized intersections farther to the west (T.N.M., Sept. 30/96).

Four delineation drill holes on the main part of the prospect intersected gold mineralization with grades generally higher than 3 grams. The best results were obtained in hole 93, where a 2-metre intersection graded 24.6 grams gold and a separate, 6.6-metre intersection returned 3.4 grams. Typical intersections in the other holes assayed in the 4-to-8-gram range over widths of 1.3-4.1 metres.

Holmer and Band-Ore are only two of several junior companies with exploration projects under way in the Timmins area. The following programs are either in the planning stages or in progress:

* Black Pearl Minerals (BLKP-C) and Band-Ore Resources will carry out drilling on a small claim group. The former intersected gold mineralization in three of the 12 holes it drilled recently on its main claim block (T.N.M., Sept. 9/96). Drill hole 2 cut 9.6 metres grading 7.7 grams gold. More recently, hole 8 intersected 1.5 metres grading 5.9 grams, and hole 12, 1 metre of 7.5 grams.

* Nova West Resources (NVE-V) has started drilling at its Jo-Lynn property in Denton Twp., about 10 km southwest of Holmer’s property. Four drill targets have been selected from IP survey results.

* Prospectors Alliance (PALL-C), formerly Montclerg Resources, holds several prospects in the Timmins West area, including a 25% interest in claims held by Black Pearl, and ground in the vicinity of Holmer’s Bristol Twp. project.

* Dynamic Ventures (DVL-A) has acquired a 75% interest in a property in McArthur Twp., 20 km southeast of Band-Ore’s discovery. Grab samples from a 4.5-metre-wide quartz-pyrite-chalcopyrite vein at surface returned 1.1-86.5 grams gold and 0.07-2.07% copper.

* An option deal will allow Marl Resources, a private company, to earn a 60% interest in seven Bristol Twp. claims held by Pelangio Larder Lake Mines (PLLM-C). The claims lie southeast of Holmer’s property and 3 km north of the Band-Ore discovery. To earn its interest, Marl will spend $35,000 on exploration by Dec. 15 and issue 2.5 million shares to Pelangio. This shareholding will give Pelangio a 84% interest in the property. IP surveys are under way.

* In the Night Hawk Lake area, east of Timmins, Royal Oak Mines (RYO-T) will earn a 70% interest in Pelangio’s Mord property by spending, over three years, $135,000 cash and $150,000 on exploration work.

Pelangio will retain a 30% working interest following the earn-in. Royal Oak must maintain the property in good standing during those three years and spend a minimum of $10,000 in the first two.