Western advances Rankin Inlet play

Midway through its summer drill program, WMC International, a wholly owned subsidiary of Australia’s Western Mining, has extended the zone of mineralization on the Meliadine West gold property in the Northwest Territories.

Situated 15 km north of Rankin Inlet, the property was held originally by Cumberland Resources (CBD-T) and Comaplex Minerals (CMF-T) in a 50-50 joint venture. Western Mining optioned the western half of the property last year, where it is earning a 60% interest by spending $12.5 million on exploration.

Initial interest in the area focused on the extensive iron formations, found over the 72-km length of the Meliadine property. Drilling by Western last year on the Tiriruniak (previously Fox) zone uncovered gold in sheared mafic volcanics and volcaniclastic sediments, widening the exploration potential of the property. Hole 95-1, the most significant intersection, encountered 8.6 grams per tonne over 7.2 metres, as well as 11.1 grams over 3.1 metres.

Western has resumed drilling on the Tiriruniak Central zone, where it is midway through a 16,000-metre program. Gold mineralization has been encountered over a length of 500 metres, to a vertical depth of 250 metres.

Significant gold values were intersected in two distinct zones in holes 37 and 39. Hole 37 cut 19.8 grams over 4.3 metres, as well as a second, deeper zone of 10.5 grams over 7 metres, while hole 39 intersected 21.9 grams in a 5.5-metre section and 8.5 grams over 8.2 metres. Hole 41 cut a single interval of 9.6 grams over 5.3 metres.

Murray Pyke, executive vice-president of Comaplex Minerals, says mineralization and structures are consistent between holes, in spite of the 100-metre drillhole spacing. He notes that the zone plunges 25 to the east, where the most recent drilling took place.

Western is also testing the F2 zone, 3.5 km to the south, where 200,000 tonnes of 9.2 grams gold were outlined in 1994. Recent results have intersected high grades over narrower widths beneath this resource, including 11.8 grams over 3.1 metres and 10.6 grams over 3.5 metres in hole 96-22. A second hole, 96-26, cut 10.2 grams over 2 metres and 9.3 grams over 2 metres.

The company has three drills on site, two of which are testing the Tiriruniak Central zone, while the third explores the F2.

Meanwhile, Comaplex is continuing to explore the eastern portion of the Meliadine property, where a 6,400-metre program is in progress. With Western Mining’s success on the property, the junior has altered its exploration strategy to include shear zones, re-enforcing the old adage that gold is where you find it.