Focal tests South Bradley samples

Although only one sample was evaluated by a certified Canadian lab using fire assaying, Focal Resources says six grab samples from the South Bradley project “appear to confirm” previous values reported from Central Bradley. Situated in northeastern Alberta, the projects are 1.5 miles apart.

Focal reported commercial values of gold and platinum group metals from several holes drilled on Central Bradley earlier this year (T.N.M., April 26/93). But since results were from uncertified labs using non-traditional techniques, the Alberta Stock Exchange requested that Focal retain a certified Canadian lab to fire assay core from ongoing drilling. The fire assay checks of exploration drilling are slow in coming. Partial results were released from two holes sent to an American mining company for fire assaying. The 5-ft. intervals returned values of 0.23 oz., 0.06 oz., 0.26 oz., 0.05 oz. and 1.35 oz gold. No results were released for platinum group elements.

Focal also released results (gold and silver only) from a metallurgical leach test on a sample from the first drill hole. But, like the latest results from the grab samples, this does not confirm previously reported exploration drilling.

A half pound from each of the six 10-lb. grab samples was sent to four different labs for assaying, said Vice-president Richard Fischer. Three of the samples were assayed using instrumentation analysis, returning positive values for gold (0.37, 0.38 and 0.49 oz.), silver (1.21, 1.17, 1.84 oz.), platinum (0.41, 0.43 and 0.64 oz.), rhodium (0.25, 0.23 and 0.37 oz.) and palladium (0.41, 0.40 and 0.39 oz.).

Values of 0.17 oz. gold and 0.24 oz. gold were reported from the two samples tested by fire assaying. The only sample tested by a certified Canadian lab using fire assaying returned 1.31 oz. gold, 5.26 oz. silver, 0.073 oz. platinum, 0.002 oz. rhodium and 0.0007 oz. palladium.

The company has now outlined about two million tons of “material,” Fischer said, the grade of which has not yet been determined. He added that Focal has retained a consultant “to review and verify an extraction process which has been developed over a number of years.” Once this is completed, Focal plans to carry out a feasibility study leading to construction of an extraction plant.