Sharpe, Freewest continue drilling Wisconsin base metal play

Drilling continues to yield encouraging results for partners Sharpe Energy & Resources (VSE) and Freewest Resources Canada (TSE) on their Wisconsin Massive Sulphide program.

The latest results come from the Bend property about 40 miles west-southwest of the Horseshoe deposit. The Horseshoe property is the site of a previously announced intersection (T.N.M., Jan. 9/95). Based on 33 holes drilled by previous operators, the Bend deposit contains an indicated resource of 3.3 million tons grading 2.05% copper, 0.07 oz. gold and 0.41 oz. silver per ton. In addition, there is a separate adjoining resource of 602,850 tons averaging 0.88% copper, 0.21 oz. gold and 0.26 oz. silver. The deposit is open downdip and along strike.

Drilling by Sharpe and Freewest is designed to add tonnage to the Bend deposit near the surface, along the east and west margins of the deposit. The first hole in the new program, B94-17, intersected the ore zone from 620.6 to 786 ft., at a vertical depth of about 500 ft. Significant assay results from two massive sulphide zones include: 2.6% copper and 0.069 oz. gold from 620.6 to 631.5 ft., and 1.19% copper and 0.045 oz. gold from 672 to 698.8 ft. Assay results are pending for a stockwork zone from 698.8 to 786 ft.

A second hole, B94-18, intersected the mineralized horizon from 552 to 774.5 ft. The section from 554 to 611.8 ft. contained significant copper mineralization consisting of 3-5% chalcopyrite and 1-5% tenantite. This intersection represents a 5-to-9-fold increase in the true thickness of copper mineralization intersected in nearby holes drilled by previous operators. Assays are pending. A third hole, B95-19, is currently underway, testing the western margin of the deposit.