NDU and Billiton intersect more high grade at Blende

Drilling on the Blende property in the central Yukon continues to return good lead-zinc-silver values over wide widths. The property is a joint venture between NDU Resources (VSE) and Billiton Metals Canada, which is earning a 50% interest by spending a total of $4.3 million on the property before Dec. 31, 1991.

Archer Cathro & Associates’ Al Archer, the engineer on the property, describes the mineralization as one zone, miles long, which ranges in width from 500 to 600 ft. Within the zone are fairly continuous individual vein zones, shear zones, and breccia zones in a linear pattern.

The zone dips at about 65 degrees along a 22 degrees slope which Archer points out adds to the potential of an open pit scenario.

He said that this year’s drilling program, now complete, outlined the mineralization over a 2,000-ft. strike length to a depth of about 500 ft. The zone remains open at both ends and Archer noted that the best surface outcrops, located to the west, have yet to be drilled.

Archer believes that if a threshold of 20 million tons can be reached at a grade of 8-10% combined lead-zinc, the deposit could support a mine.

The following are results for six holes with the final three holes of this year’s program still pending: InterceptLength Lead Zinc Silver Hole (ft) (ft) (%) (%) (%) 90-10 98-124 26 4.3 7.8 4.8 297-310 13 2.0 5.7 1.0 511-580 69 3.9 1.5 0.8 90-11 56-173 117 2.0 3.7 0.9 496-521 25 4.8 5.4 3.9 90-12 371-381 10 0.5 4.4 0.3 797-879 82 1.8 3.1 1.1 90-13 433-463 30 0.5 4.3 0.4 823-830 7 0.8 4.0 0.2 90-14 328-364 36 0.2 3.0 0.3 699-706 7 6.1 2.6 1.4 758-772 14 1.6 4.9 0.3 90-15 115-344 229 5.1 2.3 3.8