DIAMOND PAGE — Ashton identifies additional kimberlite

Diamond explorer Ashton Mining of Canada (aca-t) has discovered yet another kimberlite at the Buffalo Hills project in northern Alberta, bringing to 16 the number found since January.

Newly discovered kimberlite K14C is 300 metres northeast of pipe K14 and 250 metres east of the recently discovered K14B kimberlite. The geophysical anomaly representing K14C suggests the kimberlite is a separate and distinct target closely associated with the original K14 pipe. Ashton says further delineation drilling will be required to determine the relationships between the K14 kimberlites.

Meanwhile, two macrodiamonds and 39 micros were recovered from an initial 36-kg sample taken from surface test-pitting on the K14B kimberlite. (Ashton defines a macro as equal to, or exceeding, 0.5 mm in size in at least one dimension.)

To date, 14 tonnes of kimberlite have been collected from kimberlites K14 and K14B for dense media separation analysis. Final results are expected to be available toward the end of October.

The K14 pipe is the most prospective of all the kimberlites discovered to date. A total of 12 macros and 190 micros was recovered from a previously reported 204.1 kg of drill core sample.

Elsewhere on the property, Ashton has collected a mini-bulk

reverse-circulation drill sample from pipe K6, and is currently drilling the K5 kimberlite complex using two core rigs.

The first testwork on the recent kimberlite discoveries K1A and K1B yielded only a single microdiamond from each of their respective 46.6-kg and 43.1-kg core samples.

Ashton is the operator of the Buffalo Hills joint venture and can earn a 42.5% interest in the original 1.4-million-acre property from Alberta Energy (aec-t) by spending $5 million on exploration. Pure Gold Resources (pug-t) holds the right to a 15% interest.

In related news, Ashton has completed nine drill holes on the Roundrock property in the Northwest Territories, 200 km north of Yellowknife. Two of the holes tested the previously discovered Aquila kimberlite system, intersecting limited intervals of kimberlite and brecciated granitic material. About 150 kg of kimberlite were recovered.

Ashton says the recent drilling indicates the Aquila body is highly irregular, smaller than anticipated and unlikely to be of economic dimensions. Past drilling yielded 3 macros and 16 micros from 125 kg of core.

The other seven drill holes tested geophysical anomalies related to nearby indicator mineral dispersion fans. Kimberlite dykes up to 3 metres wide were intersected in two of the holes, which were collared 500 metres and 1,500 metres north of the Aquila system.

The Roundrock property comprises 115,953 acres and is held equally by Pure Gold and Lytton Minerals (ltl-t). Ashton holds an option to earn a 51% interest.