The vertical hole cut 85 metres of diatreme facies, xenolith-rich, kimberlite breccia from surface before entering into what has been interpreted as meta-basalt. The magnetic feature measures 200 metres in diameter and would appear to be a pipe-like body that plunges to the east. Aurora centred the hole without doing any follow-up ground geophysical surveys.
Split core of the kimberlite material will be sent for microdiamond and indicator-mineral analysis. Once initial testing has been done, further holes will be drilled to define the limits of the body.
The kimberlite body was discovered in the Belleterre-Angliers portion of the property.
Aurora Platinum is a sister company to diamond explorer
The Midrim and Belleterre properties lie 25 km east of Lake Timiskaming and the Quebec-Ontario provincial border in Baby Twp., in Temiscamingue Cty. The town of Ville Marie is 30 km to the south.
The Midrim property is held under an option in which Aurora can earn a 70% interest by spending $1.2 million on exploration, paying $200,000 in cash and issuing $200,000 worth of shares over three years. Once Aurora has completed its earn-in, the vendor either contributes, dilutes to a 2% net smelter return royalty, or elects to sell its interest, over which Aurora retains a right of first refusal.
Aurora added on to the 15 mining claims that comprise the Midrim option property by staking an additional 159 mining claims for a total package covering 70 sq. km. The Belleterre property is contiguous with Midrim, comprising 72 mining claims totalling 29 sq. km. Aurora can earn a 70% interest in Belleterre from Hinterland Exploration by spending $1.5 million on exploration, paying $125,000 and issuing $350,000 worth of shares over four years. The vendor will then either contribute, dilute to a 10% net proceeds interest, or sell, subject to Aurora’s right of first refusal.
Three rigs
The Midrim-Belleterre land package contains known nickel/ copper/platinum-group-metal occurrences, including Midrim, Lac Croche, Alotta, Delphi, Patry, Duchesne and Zullo. A summer drilling program is utilizing three rigs to define the limits of mineralization at Midrim and Alotta, expand a deeper mineralized zone at Midrim, and test geophysical targets near Midrim and Alotta. In addition, Aurora will drill-test each of the known prospects.
Drilling on the Alotta prospect has yielded:
– a 21-metre intercept grading 2% nickel, 2.14% copper and 0.11% cobalt, plus 0.5 gram platinum and 1.5 grams palladium per tonne, in hole 19;
– a high-grade 1-metre intercept of 20.53% copper, 0.75% nickel, 1.55 grams platinum and 5.5 grams palladium in hole 18; and
– a 13.9-metre interval grading 2.13% nickel, 2.36% copper, 0.1% cobalt, 0.71 gram platinum and 1.79 grams palladium in hole 32.
At Midrim, a new, deeper zone was discovered 110 metres below surface, returning:
– 12 metres of 0.94% nickel, 1.28% copper, 0.5 gram platinum and 1.38 grams palladium in hole 46;
– 6.7 metres grading 1.1% nickel, 1.56% copper, 0.1% cobalt, 0.53 gram platinum and 1.9 grams palladium in hole 53;
– 2 metres of 1.84% nickel, 2.68% copper, 0.12% cobalt, 1.8 grams platinum and 3.2 grams palladium in hole 57; and
– 6.3 metres grading 1.04% nickel, 1.6% copper, 0.48 gram platinum and 1.38 grams palladium in hole 58.
Aurora is also exploring for platinum group metals at its wholly owned Lansdowne property in northwestern Ontario and in a joint venture with
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