Donner, partners perform early-stage exploration at Voisey’s Bay

Donner Minerals (DML-V) and its joint-venture partners have obtained results best described as teasers from their $9.2-million first-phase exploration program at South Voisey’s Bay, Labrador.

So far, about 35% of the initial, 22,500-metre phase of drilling has been completed. Teck (TEK-T) is acting as general contractor and can earn half of Donner’s interest in the properties. Sixteen holes have been drilled thus far, and Donner says the resulting data have enhanced the geologic model.

At Donner’s joint-venture project with Northern Abitibi Mining (NAI-A), situated on the Northern Gabbro, nine holes totalling 3,300 metres have been drilled. Six of these were collared near last year’s sulphide intersection in hole 97-96, which returned 15.7 metres grading 1.13% nickel, 0.78% copper and 0.2% cobalt.

Numerous thin intersections of semi-massive and massive sulphides have been intersected in what Donner describes as “a pervasive contaminated zone” at the base of the olivine gabbro.

Results include the following:

* Hole 98-98, collared 140 metres northeast of hole 97-96, intersected a 1.2-metre interval grading 0.77% nickel, 0.4% copper and 0.12% cobalt at a downhole depth of 164.9 metres. The gabbro-gneiss contact was intersected at a depth of 166.1 metres. Donner reports that the hole was terminated at 262.1 metres.

* Hole 98-99 was drilled 100 metres west of hole 98-98, and 100 metres north of hole 97-96. No significant mineralization was encountered.

* Hole 98-101 was collared 200 metres northeast of 97-96 and hit 0.9 metre of 0.75% nickel, 0.78% copper and 0.14% cobalt, starting at a depth of 170.14 metres. The gabbro-gneiss contact was hit at a depth of 171 metres, and the hole reached a final depth of 273.1 metres.

* Hole 98-102 was put down 200 metres north of 97-96 and hit two mineralized intersections, starting at a depth of 179.8 metres. The first intercept averaged 0.75% nickel, 0.49% copper and 0.17% cobalt over a 1.3-metre interval. The second intercept started at 182.3 metres downhole and averaged 0.66% nickel, 0.45% copper and 0.15% cobalt over 0.9 metre. The hole hit the base of the gabbro at a depth of 183.2 metres and was drilled to a final depth of 274.6 metres.

* Hole 98-103B stepped out 60 metres northeast of hole 98-102 and hit 1.2 metres averaging 0.62% nickel, 0.42% copper and 0.13% cobalt, starting at a downhole depth of 167 metres. The hole was drilled to a depth of 270.4 metres and intersected the gabbro-gneiss contact at 176.8 metres.

* Hole 98-104 was collared 60 metres east of hole 97-96 and hit 1.2 metres of 0.53% nickel, 0.75% copper and 0.07% cobalt at a depth of 160.8 metres.

The base of the gabbro unit was intersected at a depth of 162.8 metres, and the hole was terminated at 447.8 metres.

A low-frequency, multi-channel pulse electromagnetic (PEM) survey has been selected to penetrate the graphite in the upper gabbro and discriminate between massive sulphides and the widely spread disseminated sulphides in the contaminated portion of the basal gabbro. The survey has identified a strong, 42-channel, low-frequency anomaly 600 metres southeast of the massive sulphide intersections drilled in late 1997. This conductive area has yet to be drill-tested.

Holes 98-105, 106, 108 and 111 are in progress in an effort to test gravity anomalies on the western side of the Donner-Northern Abitibi property. The drilling is intended to identify possible feeder zones and determine the attitude of the gabbro-gneiss contact on the western part of the property.

On Donner’s joint venture with Major General Resources (MGJ-V), situated west of the Northern Abitibi-Donner property, 1,831 metres have been drilled in three holes. A fourth hole, 98-112, is in progress and has been designed to test a discrete gravity anomaly.

The three holes were collared on the same drill pad, 400 metres southeast of hole 97-90.

* Hole 97-92 was deepened to a final depth of 1,097 metres from 372 metres, and was terminated in gabbro. The gabbro has been interpreted as a north-southerly striking, sub-vertical feeder dyke 200-300 metres wide.

Hole 97-107 was drilled to 547 metres and it, too, cored mainly gabbro, whereas hole 98-107, drilled to 559 metres, intersected a 0.2-metre lens of massive sulphides with anomalous concentrations of nickel and copper.

On the property shared with NDT Ventures (NDE-V) and Latitude Minerals (LTU-V), which lies south of the Northern Abitibi-Donner claim group, one hole was drilled to a final depth of 712.6 metres. The hole, 97-73, was originally drilled to a depth of 391.7 metres. The extension was designed to test for the possibility of a second olivine gabbro at depth. The hole was terminated while still in gneiss. Additional drilling is scheduled once a PEM survey is carried out over the claim block.

On Donner’s joint venture with Cypress Minerals (CYP-V), 1,438.4 metres have been drilled to date. The property is on the southern gabbro, 10 km southeast of the Donner-Northern Abitibi property.

* Hole 97-79 was deepened to 999.7 from 701 metres, and hole 97-91 was extended to 1,098.8 from 311.8 metres. Both holes were drilled to test gravity anomalies that are believed to be associated with magmatic feeder zones. Hole 97-91 was terminated in gabbro. However, a strong, off-hole electromagnetic anomaly was identified 100 metres northeast of the hole at a depth of 370 metres. A PEM survey will attempt to define the anomaly prior to follow-up drilling.

* Hole 97-79 intersected 11.5 metres of disseminated-to-semi-massive sulphides at a downhole depth of 729 metres. Assays average 0.38% nickel, 0.28% copper and 0.06% cobalt. The gabbro gneiss contact was intersected at a depth of 758.1 metres. The hole is west of a prominent gravity anomaly that is believed to be another feeder zone. Electromagnetic surveys and follow up drilling will test the anomaly.

* Hole 98-110 is in progress, having intersected “contaminated gabbro” to a depth of 96 metres. It then passed through 105.8 metres of gneiss before intersecting a second gabbro unit 316.4 metres downhole. Drilling has reached a depth of 397 metres and was last reported to be in a graphitic paragneiss. The hole will be continued, as Donner hopes to explore the possibility of a third gabbro unit at depth.

Follow-up drilling will depend on results from assays and a PEM survey.

On ground wholly owned by Donner, on the southern gabbro, hole 97-89 was halted in gabbro last year and has been deepened to 1,151.5 metres. It also ended in gabbro. Donner says the thick gabbro might explain the southern extension of the feeder system adjacent to hole 97-79, collared on Cypress-Donner claims to the northwest.

The second hole, 98-100, was drilled to a depth of 214.6 metres in order to test a geophysical anomaly. The hole encountered pyrrhotite and graphite in gneiss at the basal contact, yet no significant assays were reported.