GLOBAL SEARCH FOR DIAMONDS — Shore Gold reports Fort la Corne gem count Geophysical surveys planned for unexplored Saskatchewan land holdings

Saskatoon, Sask.-based Shore Gold (SGF-A) is encouraged by results received from the first phase of drilling at its diamond properties near Fort la Corne, Sask.

Five drill holes were completed on four magnetic anomalies, with all holes intersecting kimberlite and a total of 184 diamonds recovered from 1,017 kg of material.

Holes 96-1 and 96-5 were drilled to test a singular circular anomaly 500 metres in diameter, with relatively little success (five diamonds from a 552-kg sample in Hole 1; sampling is not yet completed on Hole 5).

Far more fruitful were Holes 96-2, 96-3 and 96-4, which were drilled 1.5 km west of hole 96-1 to test the strongest portions of a larger (2-by-1.5-km) magnetic anomaly.

The largest diamond recovered measures 1.62 mm; it is one of 10 diamonds recovered that have one dimension measuring 0.5 mm or greater. More than 90% of the diamonds are clear and white with no adhesions.

Shore reports that 92% of the stones recovered come from a visually distinct kimberlite zone near the top of the kimberlite-sediment sequence.

Samples taken for indicator mineral analysis indicate the presence of a significant number of high-sodium eclogitic garnets, suggesting the kimberlite has a strong eclogitic component.

Following what Shore officials view as “extremely positive” Phase I results, the second phase of drilling is under way. This second phase includes taking a mini-bulk sample of several tonnes using large-diameter core, as well as continuing the program of definition and exploratory drilling.

While most of the core will be processed for recovery of large stones using a gravity circuit, samples from exploratory holes and some of the definition holes will be treated by caustic fusion for microdiamond recovery as well.

The unexplored holdings will be subjected to an airborne magnetic survey, to be followed by ground geophysics on potential kimberlite targets.

Shore Gold has a 100% working interest in more than 31,000 acres in the Fort la Corne area, more than half of which has yet to be explored. Its former partner, Rio Nevada Mines (RN-A), recently sold its 25% interest in much of the Fort la Corne ground to Shore for 250,000 shares and a 3% net profit interest.