Atna eyes Carlin prospects

Vancouver — Branching out from its base metal roots, Atna Resources (ATN-T) has agreed to acquire several prospective gold mining claims in Nevada’s prolific Carlin trend.

Among these are the Triple Junction and Dixie Fork claims, at the southern end of the trend.

The former lies 20 km south of Newmont Mining‘s (NEM-N) 5-million-oz. Rain operation and hosts a similar geological setting. Previously reported chip samples returned up to 7 grams gold per tonne. The mineralization is associated with argillic and silicic alteration enriched in both arsenic and barite and cut by felsic dykes.

Atna is also picking up the nearby Dixie Fork (formerly Irene) project, which occupies an area that also hosts felsic dykes and barium enrichments, and where a graben is cut by the Rain structural trend.

Atna can acquire a 100% interest in the properties by paying the owner $20,000 upon signing and agreeing to pay another $15,000 and issue 100,000 shares after one year. The vendor retains a 3% net smelter return royalty (NSR).

The properties have been tested by shallow holes to vertical depths of less than 75 metres. Additional mapping and geophysics will attempt to define favourable structures for drill-testing.

“Atna is diversifying its property portfolio to include gold exploration opportunities,” confirms President David Watkins. “Being in one of the world’s most productive gold mining districts, Triple Junction and Dixie Fork have the potential for large, high-grade gold deposits.”

Moving to the northern end of the Carlin trend, Atna has also inked a deal to acquire the Golden Cloud and Beowawe properties.

Golden Cloud ties on to the southern boundary of Great Basin Gold‘s (GBG-V) Ivanhoe deposit, being developed by Hecla Mining (HL-N). Earlier work identified banded-to-vuggy chalcedonic and opaline quartz with anomalous gold and mercury values, and recent prospecting exposed opaline sinters with visible cinnabar mineralization.

At Beowawe, 20 km to the south, previous drilling hit multiple quartz-rich structures with anomalous gold and mercury values. Banded chalcedonic quartz has been identifed in outcrop.

Atna will run a geophysical and geochemical program over both projects to define drill targets.

The Golden Cloud/Beowawe deal requires that the junior make an advance royalty payment of US$20,000, followed by US$20,000 after the first year. The payments increase to US$100,000 by the fifth year. It must also issue 150,000 shares over two years and drill 3,000 metres within three years. The owner retains a 3% NSR.

Adds Watkins: “We plan to add more gold exploration properties to our portfolio in Nevada, and in Mexico and Chile.”