Potential looks sharp on Noranda/ Getty gold play

Results from the final three deep drill holes have sharpened the potential of the Tundra gold property held by Noranda Exploration Co. and partner Getty Resources.

Located about 130 miles northeast of Yellowknife, N.W.T., the Tundra property was tested by a series of five deep drill holes this winter. The first two holes intersected wide sections of gold mineralization at depths exceeding 1,600 ft — or more than 1,200 ft below known reserves. Some of the significant assays from those two holes include 0.26 oz gold per ton over 42.3 ft in F-41 and 0.27 oz over 19.7 ft in F-40. (N.M., Jan 19/87)

Previous work by Noranda outlined probable reserves of 1.28 million tons grading 0.28 oz to a depth of 400 ft in the Main zone. The zone averages 11 ft in width. The latest round of holes has established the continuity of the zone below the 400-ft level and opened up the possibility of a major increase in reserves.

John D. Harvey, president of Noranda Explorations, explains that the Main zone (which is located on the Fat claim) consists of four lenses. Above the 400-ft level are three lenses, while below that level is a new lens to a vertical depth of 1,200 ft.

The latest three holes are F-42, F-43 and F-44. They are located 330 ft south, 1,000 ft south and 1,000 ft north of hole F-37, respectively.

Hole F-37 was drilled to a vertical depth of 1,200 ft by Noranda back in 1985. Among its better intercepts are 26.2 ft averaging 0.44 oz, 0.38 ft of 0.56 oz and 13.5 ft of 0.34 oz. These deeper higher-grade intersections occur within 290 ft of mineralization which averages 0.12 oz.

Mr Harvey says the next phase of deep drill testing on the Main zone is scheduled to resume mid- month. “We’ll be completing approximately 6,000 m of drilling to further verify the Main zone,” he says. This program will consist of fill-in holes and possibly more step-out holes.

The program should be completed by May before break-up, he says, but could be accelerated if the results warrant it. Once the program is completed, the results from holes will be collated with a figure put on the geological reserve picture.

The results of the latest three holes are listed below. Due to excessive flattening, hole F-42 did not test the mineralized zones at depth. It was abandoned in mineralization because of technical problems.

Intersection Width Oz Hole (ft) (ft) Au/ton F-43 518.2- 547.8 29.6 0.20

577.4- 606.9 29.5 0.23

including 6.7 0.40

667.7- 711.3 43.6 0.22

including 11.5 0.43

724.2- 727.7 3.5 0.24

1,142.4-1,151.2 8.8 0.26 F-44 433.1- 449.5 16.4 0.19

892.4- 897.3 4.9 0.48

971.1- 981.0 9.9 0.22 F-22 535.4- 540.4 5.0 0.20

572.5- 603.7 31.2 0.22

including 11.5 0.29

976.0- 982.6 6.6 0.15

1,018.7-1,043.3 24.6 0.18