Pezim group dominant in northwestern B.C. activity

The onset of summer means the start of exploration programs in northwestern British Columbia, and once again Murray Pezim’s stable of juniors appear to be the dominant group active in the region.

A drill program has already started on the Rock & Roll property in the Iskut River district north of Stewart. Previous work on the Black Dog and SRV zones outlined preliminary reserves of 640,000 tons grading 0.072 oz. gold and 9.8 oz. silver per ton, 0.79% lead, 3.08% zinc and 0.64% copper.

Partners Eurus Resource (VSE) and Thios Resources (VSE) are currently testing the northwestern down-plunge extension of the Black Dog zone, and the southeasterly strike extent of both the Black Dog and SRV zones.

The Pezim stable of juniors has other properties being explored in the established Iskut River and Eskay Creek camps, but this year the group plans a number of aggressive work programs in less explored regions further afield.

The Metla area, roughly between the Golden Bear mine near Dease Lake and the Tulsequah River mining camp, should see plenty of action now that a number of companies have mobilized field crews to their respective properties in the region.

One of the more closely watched programs is likely to be carried out by Galico Resources (VSE) on its Metla area properties. The company can earn a 60% interest in the Metla claim from Cominco, and it also acquired by staking the surrounding Metlatulin Mountain project which is not subject to the Cominco option agreement.

Previous work by Cominco on the Metla claims located a large zone of gold and base metal-bearing boulders. These targets as well as others will be tested during Galico’s 1991 program which will include drilling, mapping, prospecting, geochemical sampling and geophysical surveys. About $1.1 million will be spent on the property this summer. A number of other Pezim juniors will be actively exploring less advanced properties in the Metla area, with this work including drill programs by Glider Resources (VSE) and Core Ventures (VSE) on their respective properties.

A substantial amount of drilling is anticipated for the Sheslay property not far from the Golden Bear mine road, but east of the Metla region. The property is considered to have good porphyry copper and sulphide targets.

The Spectrum property in the North Iskut River area near Highway 37 will also be the focus of a major drill program. Eurus can earn a 50% interest in the property from Columbia Gold Mines (VSE) by spending $8 million on exploration over four years. This year’s program will include about 25 holes totalling 15,000 ft.

The Spectrum property hosts both high-grade gold mineralization and disseminated low grade gold-copper mineralization. Drilling this year has the objective of outlining five million tons of reserves averaging 0.3 oz. gold per ton within the high-grade gold zones.