DIAMOND PAGE — Partners change course on Baffin Island

A kimberlite cluster found on the northern end of Baffin Island, Nunavut, is likely a dud.

Partners Mountain Province Mining (MPV-T) and Opus Minerals (OPUS-C), which announced the discovery earlier this year (T.N.M., Sept. 27/99), say their analysis of hand samples point to low grades. Accordingly, future efforts will focus on four mineral trains discovered elsewhere on the property. All are said to contain more favourable indicator minerals (such as ilmenite and eclogitic garnet), some of which formed in the diamond stability field.

Airborne magnetic surveys are scheduled for early spring and will be followed by soil sampling and drilling.

Mountain Province and Opus are equal partners at the project, collectively holding 313,627 ha.