EXPLORING FOR DIAMONDS AND THE NORTH — Aber program tests

With copper mineralization outcropping on surface and a spectacular gossan visible by air, it is easy to see how Kennecott geologists discovered the High Lake deposits with relative ease back in 1955.

But outside of work programs in the 1956-57 period, the property has remained dormant until 1990, when Kennecott had the volcanogenic massive sulphide deposit re-evaluated. At that time, it was reported to host a geologic resource of about five million tons grading 3.5% copper, 2.5% zinc and 0.023 oz. gold per ton in several zones.

The High Lake property has been recently explored by Aber Resources (TSE), which holds the option to acquire between half and 60% under an agreement with Kennecott and Hudson’s Bay Co. The agreements call for Aber to spend at least $7 million by the end of 1997. This year’s program was originally budgeted at $1 million and involved a minimum of 4,000 metres of drilling; however, this was expanded to 6,000 metres.

“It is a relatively expensive option, which is why we wanted to take a look at the property’s overall potential this year,” said Aber President Gren Thomas. He added that the 1993 program involved drilling of targets discovered in 1990 and 1991 and which are situated away from the AB and D zones. “As a result of that drilling, we’ve come up with three new zones — the West, North and Lake — which appear to be significant.” Results from this drilling have yet to be released. Nevertheless, Robert Hindson, vice-president of exploration, said more drilling, to test these and other targets, may be performed next year. Encouraging gold grades, independent of base metals, were returned from North zone drilling, Aber reports.

This year’s program, contracted to Yellowknife-based Covello Bryan & Associates, also tested the AB and D zones, to define and increase reserves. Assay results are not yet available. “We are improving the copper picture more than the zinc picture on the AB zone,” Lou Covello told The Northern Miner on a tour of the property in late July. “But some of our recent drilling has been done to help us understand the geometry of the zones.” Drilling in 1992 identified an extended, copper-rich, sulphide zone at the top of the AB zone alteration pipe. Late in the season, a hole drilled in the area intersected 71 metres of mineralization averaging 6.9% copper. Aber’s drilling over the past several years is also reported to have expanded the tonnage potential of the zinc-rich D zone, which remains open along strike and at depth.

The High Lake deposits are well situated, 40 km south of Arctic tidewater. Aber is one of several industry partners that helped fund the joint industry-government study of a Marine Transportation system for Coronation Gulf. The study, carried out by Canarctic Shipping, supported the viability of marine transportation using large ice-breaking cargo vessels.