Nunavut staking rush yields a microdiamond

Staking activity sprouted in a new area of the Northwest Territories recently, and one of the principal landholders has already found a tiny diamond.

Focusing on a large area known to host lamproite pipes — mafic intrusions with the potential to host diamonds — juniors have staked an estimated 3.5 million acres between Dubawnt Lake and Baker Lake, N.W.T.

The new area of activity lies within Nunavut, the recently settled Inuit land claim, and about 300 miles southeast of Lac de Gras, where an estimated 40 million acres have been claimed for diamond exploration.

On the northeast shore of Dubawnt Lake, partners Connecticut Development (VSE), Leeward Capital (VSE) and Skeena Resources (VSE) recently recovered a clear microdiamond from one of four 60-70-kg samples taken from the “Outlet Bay Diatreme,” a pipe originally identified by the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC).

“It should be cautioned that while interesting, one microdiamond is not all that unusual in industry terms,” Richardson Greenshields’ David James said of the find. The first 59-kg sample taken from Dia Met Minerals’ (TSE) Point Lake pipe near Lac de Gras returned 16 macrodiamonds and 65 microdiamonds. The GSC described the pipe as a lamproite, but the joint venture says additional petrographic and lithogeochemical data indicate the intrusion is a kimberlite.

(Kimberlites and lamproites are distinguished by differences in mineralogy and petrology. Although kimberlites used to be considered the only significant primary source of diamond, Australian geologists turned this theory on its head with the discovery of the diamond-rich Argyle lamproite in 1979.)

The Outlet Bay samples also contain significant amounts of diamond indicator minerals including magnesiochromites and one G-11 pyrope garnet. In a press release, Leeward said it would now take a 100-tonne bulk sample from the outcropping pipe.

Other companies known to be acquiring ground in the area include American Bullion Minerals (VSE), Comaplex Minerals (TSE), GWR Resources (VSE), Melinga Resources (VSE), Royal Bay Gold (VSE), Troymin Resources (ASE), Westwin Ventures (VSE) and Zappa Resources (VSE).

Melinga holds interests varying from 25% to 65% in staked claims and exploration permits totalling 1.6 million acres, where numerous indicator minerals have been found around diabase and lamproite dyke swarms. The company, along with its partner Westwin, is seeking approval from the GSC to process thousands of glacial and till samples taken by the government agency over the years.

Troymin is also a big landholder, with 25-50% interests in five prospecting permits totalling 219,378 acres.

— For more diamond exploration coverage, see Page 18.