Louvicourt Twp. find spurs area drilling activity

The discovery of a large copper- zinc massive sulphide deposit in Louvicourt Twp. east of Val d’Or, Que., by Aur Resources (TSE) and Societe Miniere Louvem (TSE) leaves one to wonder if similar finds in the camp are waiting to be uncovered by other companies. Encouraged by the Aur-Louvem find, a handful of senior and junior explorers are looking for satellite deposits in Louvicourt and the surrounding townships of Bourlamaque and Pascalis. “Anything can happen,” says Exploration Vice- President Jean De Patie at Louvem’s parent company St. Genevieve Resources (TSE), one of the busiest outfits in the camp.

The Aur-Louvem deposit, containing 36 million tons of grade 3.11% copper and 1.34% zinc, is hosted in a favorable belt of volcanic rocks extending all the way from the East Sullivan mine in Bourlamaque Twp., five miles east through Louvicourt village.

As Aur looks for a deep extension of its discovery below 3,000 ft., all the exploration companies at work in the area are looking for gold and base metal deposits along that belt. Here is a roundup of what is happening in the Val d’Or mining camp this month.

On the southern portion of Wrightbar Mines’ (ME) Bourlamaque Twp. claims, St. Genevieve is investigating what the company has called a “nice-looking pulse E.M. anomaly.”

St. Genevieve is earning a 50% stake in the south end of the property by looking for the downdip extension of a 536,368-ton (grading 1.3%) copper deposit.

But after drilling five holes, St. Genevieve has yet to encounter the massive sulphides that Jean De Patie believes are buried around 2,000 ft. below surface.

“There are stringer zones galore but no massive sulphides,” says De Patie.

He expressed pleasure with the progress so far on the Monique Exploration (ME) gold property. Under an agreement with affiliate Louvem, Monique may earn a 30% stake in the 900-acre property, three miles from the former Louvem copper-zinc mine.

With geological reserves in four well-defined zones standing at one million tons grading 0.18 oz. gold per ton, De Patie is planning the next drill campaign while deciding what dilution factor to use.

Recent drilling has focused on the project’s G zone which alone contains 400,000 tons of probable reserves.

On an adjacent property west of the Aur-Louvem claims, Aurizon Mines (TSE) and partner Ezekiel Explorations are looking for the western extension of the base metal horizon hosting the Aur discovery.

After completing 17,066 ft. of drilling on the Connell Corner claims, Aurizon says reserves in the E zone (one of two known copper-bearing zones on the property) have increased by 165,000 tons to 740,000 tons grading 2.36% copper and 0.02 oz. gold.

While drilling on the E zone, Aurizon intersected 18.4 ft. of grade 0.61% copper at a depth of 1,550 ft. Aurizon has also been able to confirm the pyroclastic rocks hosting the Louvem No. 4, 1 and 6 zones are present on its own claims.

At least two majors, Cambior (TSE) and Noranda (TSE) have asked to take at look at core extracted from the Connell claims and Aurizon Chairman Frank Lang says he hopes to make an announcement in the near future.

Noranda Exploration, a unit of Noranda, is already involved in the Val d’Or camp by virtue of its 21% stake in Louvem and a recent agreement with Kingswood Explorations.

Under that deal, Kingswood must spend $1.2 million over four years to earn a 50% stake in an 18-claim property bordering the old East Sullivan mine in Bourlamaque Twp.

According to Kingswood President Wayne O’Connor, a 7-hole program now in progress is expected to include deep drilling to test for a sulphide stringer zone that plunges northeast toward the optioned claims from East Sullivan.

Meanwhile, about half a mile further south, hole No. 3 is under way at the Consolidated Abitibi Resources (ME) property where Kingswood can earn a 55% interest.

O’Connor is also busy placing together the financing for a 30,000- ft. program scheduled to begin next month on the Geomaque Exploration (TSE) property southwest of East Sullivan in Bourlamaque Twp. Kingswood can earn a 50% stake in the project by spending $1.2 million over four years.

Not to be discounted in the race to find other satellite deposits around Val d’Or is the region’s biggest land holder, Aur Resources. With more results from its Louvem discovery imminent, the company is planning a 20,000-ft. program while earning a 70% interest in the Consolidated Abitibi Resources project.

The Abitibi property, directly south of Louvem discovery claims, is known to contain a 1.3-million- ton grading 0.75% copper deposit.

Future targets for Aur Resources are the Zakor massive sulphide zone on the southern portion of the Louvem property where a 10-ft. intersection averaging 1.98% was previously reported. “Prospects for the discovery of new base metal deposits on the Louvicourt property in addition to the recent discovery are excellent,” Aur says.