WMC proves up Tiriruniak

Infill drilling is confirming the continuity of the Tiriruniak zone at the Meliadine West gold project near Rankin Inlet in Nunavut.

Meliadine West is a three-way partnership among WMC International, with 56% and acting as operator, Cumberland Resources (CBD-T), with 22%, and Comaplex Minerals (CMF-T), with 22%. Cumberland and Comaplex are being carried through to production, at which time WMC can buy out 2% from each for $1-4 million.

In total, 127 core holes have been completed so far, with results from 37 of those now available. Gold values varied from 2.24 grams over 2.09 metres to 106.1 grams over 0.7 metre. Highlights include:

* hole 346, which returned 7.62 grams over 8.36 metres and 12.43 grams over 12 metres;

* hole 360, which averaged 5.1 grams over 21 metres and 5.89 grams over 3 metres;

* hole 381, which intersected 1.55 metres grading 33.43 grams and 8.55 metres grading 14.63 grams; and

* hole 403, which hit 7.44 metres grading 16.3 grams and 10.65 metres grading 7.84 grams.

All holes were collared on 50-metre centres and drilled to no more than 200 metres in depth. Intersections were calculated using a cutoff grade of 3 grams and no upper limit, similar to conditions set for resource estimates.

Tiriruniak is the largest of four closely spaced deposits, which host combined inferred resources of 23.7 million tonnes grading 8.5 grams gold.

In 1999, $6.7 million will be spent on that zone alone, adding to the more than $30 million spent on the entire property since WMC optioned it in 1995.