EXPLORATION ’95 — Illegal miners eye Norcan concessions in

Companies interested in Venezuela’s gold potential are particularly attracted to areas worked by illegal local miners, called garimpieros, as this work provides a good indication of prospective targets where exploration efforts should be directed.

But the reverse can also happen, as one junior company working in Bolivar state’s El Dorado district recently discovered.

Norcan Resources (VSE) carried out trenching last September on the eastern portion of its NCJ-La Trinidad project, exposing, in the process, several high-grade gold veins. As a result, more than 250 illegal miners are now working these veins on the junior’s property.

The unauthorized activity is focused in the area of trenches 1, 2 and 3, where the company had previously reported results of 1.09 oz. gold per ton across 13 ft., 0.46 oz. across 6.5 ft., 0.41 oz. across 10 ft. and 0.28 oz. across 45.5 ft.

Norcan says the illegal miners have been following the high-grade vein structure for a distance of 330 ft. along strike, and to a depth of 30 ft. The Venezuelan National Guard is aware of the situation and is reportedly in the process of removing the illegal miners.

As for Norcan, it plans a drill program to test these structures during the next phase of exploration.

Norcan was formed as a result of the 1994 amalgamation of New Aegis Resources and Nucore Resources.

The company has spent more than $2.6 million exploring the contiguous NCJ-La Trinidad concessions, where targets include bulk-tonnage, low-grade gold mineralization associated with a dioritic intrusive, and higher-grade narrow zones associated with quartz veining.