Expatriate cuts copper in Yukon

Drilling has encountered strong copper mineralization at the fully owned, 334-claim Ice property of Expatriate Resources (EXR-V) in the Finlayson Lake area of southeastern Yukon.

Hole 96-2 intersected 33.25 metres grading 2.02% copper between a depth of 24.99 and 58.24 metres, including a 3.41-metre interval grading 4.36% copper and 5.76 metres of 5.56% copper.

The mineralized section is a mixture of copper oxides and supergene-enriched sulphides hosted by clay-altered and brecciated mafic volcanic rocks. It was intersected 45 metres downdip from a soil geochemical anomaly associated with leached gossans.

Hole 2 was collared 220 metres north of hole 96-1, which was strongly leached and weakly mineralized over a 42.5-metre interval of volcanics before passing through an unmineralized chert unit. Assay results are pending.

A third hole is being drilled, and soil sampling and geophysical work are under way in the vicinity of the discovery.

To date, Expatriate has drilled a total of 25 holes on six of its properties, including Ice, Puck, Red Line, League, Slap Shot and Hat Trick. With the exception of the Ice property results, no significant intervals of potentially ore-grade mineralization have been encountered. However, most drill holes have cut favorable stratigraphy containing sections of weak mineralization and strong alteration.

Westmin Resources (WMI-T) can opt, by year-end, to earn a half interest in one of four properties — Puck, League, Hat Trick and Slap Shot — by spending $2 million over two years. An additional three holes will be drilled on the Puck property later this month.

Although additional drilling at Red Line, League and Hat Trick is warranted, Expatriate intends to delay the work until other targets have been tested with at least one hole each.

Expatriate’s holdings in the Finlayson-Wolverine Lake area extend over 4,000 claims, comprising 24 properties. Exploration work, including geological mapping, prospecting, soil geochemistry and ground geophysics, has been carried out on parts of 18 properties to date.

Elsewhere in the region, partners Westmin and Atna Resources (ATN-T) have reported assay results for two additional holes in the northwestern area of the Wolverine deposit.

Hole 96-39 intersected the massive sulphide zone 100 metres updip of hole 96-35, returning a true width of 5.5 metres grading 1.88 grams gold and 373 grams silver per tonne, plus 16.96% zinc, 2.27% copper and 1.36% lead.

Hole 96-40 is the most westerly-drilled hole to date, extending over the northern part of the deposit, 50 metres to the west. A 2-metre true width interval averaged 1.32 grams gold and 273 grams silver, as well as 14.51% zinc, 2.84% copper and 0.82% lead. Drill-testing is being carried out updip of hole 40.

The Wolverine project is held 60% by Westmin and 40% by Atna. The partners are drilling off the partially defined deposit, previously estimated to contain 3 million tonnes grading 1.87 grams gold and 350.2 grams silver, plus 12.99% zinc, 1.27% copper and 1.43% lead.