Montreal Exchange Casa Berardi interest

Investor attention continues to be directed toward Quebec’s Casa Berardi area where a couple of seniors and a junior pulled an encouraging drill hole in a joint project in Douay Twp. Four initial holes, including the discovery hole, are planned by Inco, Cambior and Societe d’Exploration Miniere Vior to test for gold mineralization on the western portion of the property. Depending on the results, a further plan of attack will be drawn up. Trading a whopping 6.4 million shares during the week ended Feb. 20, Vior jumped 52cents to $1.90. Inco, trading 244,600 shares, gained 25cents to $27.88, while Cambior slipped 13cents to $18.75 on a volume of 220,300.

Establishing a land position in the area is important and already one deal involving the trio and the owners of adjacent claims to the north and west is under dispute (see Page One story). The two owners of the claims, TSE-listed Golden Rule Resources and ASE-listed Northern Abitibi Mining, are seeking to nullify a recent option deal with Inco, which wants to bring Vior and Cambior in on the option.

Still with the Casa Berardi region, Golden Group Explorations and VSE-listed Durham Resources have commenced an 8-hole exploration program on property in Orvilliers Twp. Golden Group moved up 5cents to 36cents on 108,100 shares.

On the week, the market portfolio dropped almost 25 points while the mining and minerals index gained 18 points. Daily trading volumes were stronger, ranging between 5.1 million and 10.1 million shares.

Consolidated Abitibi Resources (ME) says a drilling program is under way on the Bevcon property by Aur Resources, which is earning an interest in the property and is a major shareholder in Consolidated Abitibi itself. The work is aimed at defining reserves at the Joseph copper zone. Trading 98,700 shares, Consolidated Abitibi dropped 19cents to $1.45. Aur on the week slipped $1.63 to $10.88 with 31,800 shares changing hands.

Having completed its due diligence, Radisson Mining Resources says it no longer wishes to purchase the Beauchastel mining installations of Augmitto Explorations near Rouyn-Noranda, Que. Radisson, which gained 3cents to 65cents on a volume of 412,300, has been searching for a mill to process its Duquesne mine reserves; a production decision for the mine is expected in the near future. Augmitto slipped 1cents to 18cents on 29,500 shares.