Starfield confirms PGMs

Vancouver — Starfield Resources (SRU-V) has confirmed assays for a high-grade palladium-platinum and rhodium intersection in drill hole 101, which was reported last year.

The high-grade interval was hit several metres above the main nickel-copper-platinum-palladium bearing massive sulphides of the West zone. It is hosted by a distinct fine-grained biotite-rich horizon that contains no sulphide mineralization. Petrographic studies have identified the host minerals to be kotulskite and sperrylite. Kotulskite is a palladium-tellurium-bismuth-bearing mineral and sperrylite is a platinum-arsenide bearing mineral. Starfield reports that kotulskite and moncheite represent the principal host minerals of the platinum group metals (PGM) enrichment throughout the main massive sulphide system.

The original assay results identified a 0.35-metre interval that averaged 26.71 grams platinum, 103 grams palladium and 2.74 grams rhodium. The check assays ranged from 29.58 to 35.03 grams platinum, 101.04-105.64 grams palladium and 3.22-3.68 grams rhodium.

Starfield states that these results verify the PGM content of the high-grade horizon and are part of a comprehensive assessment of analytical procedures on behalf of the company’s consulting geochemist. Further analysis of the PGM content using a second, ISO 9002-accredited laboratory is ongoing.

The junior is currently trying to determine the orientation of the high-grade PGM zone. The first wedge hole, FL02-101w1, was recently completed to a depth of 1,020 metres and reportedly intersected two zones of biotite alteration within the host gabbro unit. The first zone was intersected at a depth of 957.55 metres down-hole and consists of stringers and clots of relatively coarse-grained black biotite alteration over a 0.7-metre interval. This was intersected 3.7 metres above a 1-metre interval of massive and stringer sulphide mineralization.

The second zone was intersected 971 metres down-hole over a core length of 0.6 metre. It is bracketed between massive and stinger sulphides and consists of stingers of fine-grained brown biotite which cut the gabbro at high angles to the core surface. Starfield reports that down-hole directional surveys indicate that these alteration zones are 10 and 12 metres east of the original, high-grade PGM zone.

Starfield is drilling a second wedge hole, which will test the high-grade zone west of the original zone. Assay results from Hole 101w1 are still pending.