Flag encouraged by Wanapitei samples

Samples from Flag Resources’ (ASE) Wanapitei property in Mackelcan Twp., Ont., have returned anomalous values of nickel, cobalt and gold.

The samples, taken from altered sandstone north of Jones Lake, indicate that there has been fluid movement, alteration and mineralization within the large geophysical anomaly. Flag believes the mineralization, which is similar to the nearby Sudbury assemblage, could originate from the underlying basic intrusives.

The best results from the 14 grab and chip samples grade up to 0.15% nickel, 0.31% cobalt and 5 grams gold per tonne.

Nearby, Falconbridge is looking for Sudbury-type mineralization in the basement rocks. The company’s first hole, which failed to reach the contact between thick overlying sediments and the basement stratigraphy, was completed to a depth of 2,200 metres in Sheppard Twp. A subsequent, down-the-hole electromagnetic survey returned “no significant results,” according to Sudbury exploration manager Paul Severin.

Severin said Falconbridge will be reviewing core from the deep hole and will likely drill one or two more holes somewhere on its 1858-claim package next summer. He said the company would consider deepening the first hole. The 54-mile-long Wanapitei anomaly, northeast of Sudbury, is the larger twin to the Sudbury anomaly. Flag owns 554 claims on the western edge of the Wanapitei anomaly, while Teck (TSE) owns 200 claims.