Royal Oak, Falco cut copper, zinc

A $4-million exploration drive by Falconbridge on Royal Oak Mines’ (TSE) base metal property 20 miles west of Sudbury, Ont., has turned up encouraging mineralization almost two miles away from a known deposit.

Drilling 10,000 ft. to the east of the Errington deposit, which contains 6.9 million tons grading 1.22% copper, 4.21% zinc, 1.09% lead as well as precious metal credits, Falconbridge hit a 31-ft. interval grading 2.54% copper and 4.13% zinc at a depth of about 900 ft.

Closer to Errington mineralization, the base metal producer cut stronger widths grading up to 4.1% copper and 7.3% zinc.

Falconbridge’s deep exploration program began in 1989, when the senior company optioned the property from Royal Oak’s predecessor, Giant Yellowknife Mines. After drilling more than 115,000 ft. in 98 holes on both the Errington and Vermilion deposits, Falconbridge has earned a 51% interest in the ground. But the property dates back to as far as 1890, the year it was staked by prospector Robert Bell. Since then, exploration and development efforts have been sporadic. In the 1920s, a pilot mill treated a 142,000-ton bulk sample. During the 1950s, four shafts with extensive underground workings were driven into the two deposits.

“The property has been around for donkey’s years,” said Ross Burns, vice-president of exploration for Royal Oak. “But it’s been sitting in limbo for a long time.”

Mineralization is associated with the contact between Onwatin slate and the Onaping Formation. Royal Oak says the deposits, which lie within the Sudbury basin, are sedimentary-exhalitive in nature.

On the east end of the property, near the smaller Vermilion deposit, Falconbridge’s best of 15 holes yielded 6.3 ft. grading 1.8% copper and 9.1% zinc. The Vermilion hosts reserves of 2.7 million tons grading 1.49% copper, 5.11% zinc, 1.37% lead, 0.032 oz. gold and 1.93 oz. silver.

The partners continue to drill the property under a 51-49 joint venture. Meanwhile, Royal Oak has staked 123 claims in the Shining Tree area of northeastern Ontario following Fort Knox Gold Resources’ (TSE) discovery of ore-grade nickel and copper mineralization on its property in Fawcett Twp. Royal Oak says its “Papoose Creek” property covers five miles of favorable stratigraphy with several known electromagnetic anomalies. The stratigraphy, which hosts the Fort Knox discovery, has been displaced to the south along the Michiwakenda fault.

Fort Knox’s recent results include a 110-ft. intersection grading 1.03% nickel and 0.43% copper. About a mile to the north of that intersection, the company encountered strong widths of anomalous zinc and copper mineralization.