The property covers most of the northern portion of the River Valley intrusion and is being examined for its copper, nickel and platinum group metal (PGM) potential.
The second phase will target an area north of previously reported hole 8 (the northernmost to date) and test for the continuity of mineralization indicated by earlier surface sampling and induced-polarization (IP) surveys.
The River Valley property is primarily underlain by rocks of the River Valley intrusion, a large, layered mafic intrusion that comprises more than 100 sq. km. The intrusion is dominantly composed of pyroxenite and dark- and light-coloured gabbros, with subordinate anorthosite, gabbronorite and troctolite. The property covers most of the northern contact of the intrusion and all of the northern offshoot of the main body of intrusion.
Most of the known mineralization occurs as disseminated and bleb sulphides hosted within a heterogeneous rock package of pegmatites and breccias near the margin of the intrusion.
To date, Pacific North West has five target areas along the contact of the intrusion: Dana Lake, Hen Lake, Central Reef, Azen Creek and East Reef. Drilling to date has been restricted to the Dana Lake zone. Situated in the northwestern corner of the claim group, it consists of eight zones: Road, Road east, North 1, North 2, North 3, Central, Trench and South. Together, these represent a strike length of 700 metres.
The first phase of drilling tested a 400-metre section of ground, beginning north of the Road zone and ending at the Central zone. Holes 11, 12 and 13 tested the South zone, 400 metres south of the Central zone. Every hole in the 13-hole program cut PGM values. The holes were drilled in a northwesterly trending fence that parallels the strike of the gneiss-intrusion contact. All holes were drilled to the east, towards the gneiss-intrusion contact, at an angle of minus 45. The holes were not positioned to determine the structure of the mineralization but rather to scout the area for mineralization. The dip, true thickness and downdip extent of the mineralization have yet to be determined.
Highlights from the drilling campaign are outlined below.
Hole 8 intersected 130.5 metres grading 0.069 gram gold, 0.29 gram platinum, 0.836 gram palladium and 0.018 gram rhodium, starting at a down-hole depth of 17.1 metres. The hole also cut 0.11% copper and 0.02% nickel in the same interval.
Hole 7 cut 97.9 metres grading 0.076 gram gold, 0.364 gram platinum, 1.148 gram palladium and 0.027 gram rhodium, starting at a down-hole depth of 123.1 metres. The hole also intersected 0.12% copper and 0.02% nickel over the same interval.
Hole 1 intersected 61.9 metres averaging 0.092 gram gold, 0.412 gram platinum, 1.297 grams palladium and 0.029 gram rhodium, starting at 34.1 metres down-hole. The same interval assayed 0.12% copper and 0.02% nickel.
Hole 10 cut 85.75 metres grading 0.067 gram gold, 0.314 gram platinum, 0.927 platinum and 0.024 rhodium, starting at 29.75 metres down-hole. The hole also assayed 0.01% copper and 0.02% nickel in the same interval.
Hole 2, collared about 50 metres west of hole RV-10, undercut mineralization in hole 10, and intersected 48.3 metres grading 0.087 gram gold, 0.466 gram platinum, 1.48 grams palladium and 0.028 gram rhodium, starting at 93.2 metres down-hole. The same interval assayed 0.14% copper and 0.02% nickel.
As part of the next phase of exploration, Pacific North West intends to perform some in-fill drilling to ascertain the downdip extent of mineralization between lines 600 North and 215 South. The junior has also targeted the Trench zone (in the 400-metre gap between holes 6 and hole 11) for follow-up drilling. Grab samples from the Trench zone assayed as high as 13.17 grams combined platinum, palladium rhodium and gold.
Stripping and sampling were recently carried out over an IP anomaly in the Dana Lake area, with results expected in mid-summer. Stripping and sampling have also begun in the Hen Lake area, 3 km south of Dana Lake.
Anglo American Platinum (Amplats), a traded subsidiary of the South African major, stands to earn a half-interest in various properties owned by Pacific North West in return for spending $4 million on exploration. Another 10% interest can be earned by completing a feasibility study, and 5% more can be gained by financing the project through to production. Amplats will spend at least $1 million on exploration at River Valley and related projects this year.
Another promising target in Pacific North West’s portfolio is the Janes property, a few kilometres west of the River Valley project. The junior has completed a geophysical survey and two diamond drilling programs that totalled 1,600 metres in 19 holes. Channel samples have returned values as high as 4.4 grams combined platinum-palladium-rhodium-gold over 13 metres. The most promising drill hole intersected 15 metres grading 3.1 grams combined platinum-palladium-rhodium and gold.
The property overlies gabbroic rocks of the Nipissing Diabase and Gowganda formation sedimentary rocks. The gabbro intrusive is believed to define a lopolith or funnel-shaped body with the potential to host economic PGE-copper and nickel deposits
The junior intends to define further targets by means of down-hole geophysics, possibly followed by a third phase of drilling to test mineralization to the south and farther downdip.
Pacific North West Capital has 20.2 million shares fully diluted, $1.7 million in cash and zero debt.
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