Platinova keeps up search in Greenland

The start of drilling at the West Greenland diamond project of Platinova (PAS-T) is set for mid-January.

Much of the 1997 field season was devoted to reconnaissance indicator mineral sampling, as was the case in 1996. A sample processing laboratory was established in the Greenlandic capital of Nuuk, where 2,900 samples from Platinova’s and its partners’ properties were processed.

The analysis led to the recognition of a prospective

southwest-northeast-trending belt extending from the coast to the inland ice cap. The belt traverses Platinova ground, as well as ground controlled by a joint venture involving Lexam Explorations (LEX-M), Aber Resources (ABZ-T) and Fjordland Minerals (FML-V).

Platinova optioned the joint venture’s property and completed an airborne geophysical survey in October. As results of the survey became known, Platinova moved crews in to complete indicator mineral sampling on the anomalies revealed. Thirty-five anomalies have been sampled, but complete results are available for only four. Two of the four have already been selected for drilling.

A 2-to-4-km-wide kimberlite dyke on the optioned property has been traced over 4 km. The dyke contains abundant diamond indicator minerals, and a 40-kg sample yielded two diamonds. Subsequently, an 850-kg sample was collected from various locations along the dyke. The analysis of this material is not yet complete, but Platinova reports that 18 diamonds (half of which were macrodiamonds) have been recovered thus far.