Wide massive sulphide intersection at High Lake West

Recent drill holes at the High Lake West Zone base metal deposit in Nunavut have intersected wide intervals of massive sulphide mineralization.

Operator Wolfden Resources (WLF-T) drilled two new holes on the 2450 North section (near the northern end of the deposit’s known strike length), intersecting 50.9 metres of massive sulphides in one hole and 6.3 metres in the other. The longer intersection graded 0.81% copper, 7.59% zinc, 103 grams silver and 3.8 grams gold per tonne.

The narrower intersection also carried similar high precious-metal grades, averaging 3.85% copper, 2.88% zinc, 144 grams silver and 1.3 grams gold per tonne.

Drill results released in May and June showed significant widths of massive-sulphide mineralization on between sections 2350 North and 2500 North, representing a strike length around 250 metres for the northeast-striking deposit. The deepest mineralized intersections are at vertical depths around 850 metres (on section 2400 North) and 700 metres (on 2500).

Drilling on the West Extension, southwest along strike from the West Zone, also encountered base-metal mineralization with precious-metal credits. Three holes drilled on sections 2200 North and 2150 North cut significant widths of massive sulphides: 4.6 metres grading 0.56% copper and 5.04% zinc, with 45.7 grams silver and 2.6 grams gold; 7.2 metres grading 2.61% copper and 2.19% zinc, with 73.5 grams silver and 0.6 gram gold; and 5.4 metres grading 2.13% copper and 4.01% zinc, with 74.5 grams silver and 0.3 gram gold per tonne.

Another hole, drilled on 2200 North, intersected narrow sulphide mineralization, while another on 2250 North returned no significant results. Four earlier holes drilled on 2250 North intersected base-metal mineralization over core lengths of 1.5 to 9.9 metres.

The West Zone is about 1.7 km southwest of High Lake’s A, B and D zones, discovered in the 1950s and now held by Wolfden. Historical estimates on the three previously discovered zones put the resource at a total 5.3 million tonnes grading 4.05% copper, 2.36% zinc, 31.7 grams silver and 1.8 grams gold per tonne.

Kennecott Canada, a unit of Rio Tinto (RTP-N), holds a 1.5% net smelter return on any production from the deposit. Teck Cominco (TEK-T) has a right of first refusal on the property.