Westmin, Atna identify new zone at Wolverine project

Partners Westmin Resources (WMI-T) and Atna Resources (ATN-T) have drilled into a narrow interval of high-grade massive sulphide mineralization in the Sable area of the Wolverine project in southeastern Yukon.

Hole 106 intersected a true thickness of 0.6 metre grading 15.7% zinc, 0.65% copper and 0.62% lead, plus 2.26 grams gold and 183 grams silver per tonne at a downhole depth of 114.3 to 114.9 metres.

The hole is centred 1,600 metres southeast of the Wolverine deposit and fewer than 100 metres from the eastern boundary of the Puck property, which is under option from Expatriate Resources (EXR-V).

Follow-up hole 108 stepped out 65 metres to the east of hole 107, close to the edge of the Wolverine property, and intersected “visually similar mineralization,” the partners report. Assays are pending.

Hole 100 was drilled to test the mineralization 100 metres downdip of these two holes.

The size of this potential new discovery is uncertain. No significant values were reported in either hole 107 (a 100-metre stepout west of discovery hole 106) or hole 98 (a 200-metre stepout downdip of hole 107).

On the neighboring Puck claims, no significant results were reported for hole 16, which was collared more than 200 metres east of hole 108.

The Wolverine project is held 60% by Westmin and 40% by Atna. Each of these companies can earn a 50% interest in the Puck property from Expatriate by spending $2 million on exploration over two years.

In the meantime, stepout drilling at Wolverine has extended the previously defined limits to the north and to the east.

Hole 104 stepped out in the north-central portion of the deposit, between the Lynx and Wolverine zones and downdip of hole 48, drilled last year (4.9 metres grading 5.34% zinc, 0.26% copper and 1.68% lead, plus 1.6 grams gold and 379 grams silver). Hole 104 intersected two narrow intervals — a true width of 1.1 metres grading 10.48% zinc, 0.71% copper and 1.61% lead, plus 1.52 grams gold and 344 grams silver, followed by a 1-metre interval grading 9.22% zinc, 0.1% copper and 2.43% lead, plus 2.95 grams gold and 376 grams silver.

Hole 90 tested the northern extension of the Lynx zone downdip of hole 56, drilled last year (6.9 metres grading 12.96% zinc, 0.8% copper and 1.08% lead, plus 0.69 gram gold and 214 grams silver) and intersected a 5.4-metre true thickness grading 11.38% zinc, 1.26% copper and 1.54% lead, plus 1.43 grams gold and 350 grams silver.

Stepping out on the eastern extension of the Wolverine zone, hole 102 cut a true width of 3.7 metres grading 9.67% zinc, 1.05% copper and 1.07% lead, plus 1.92 grams gold and 420 grams silver. The intersection was encountered downdip of hole 100, which returned 1.7 metres grading 12.95% zinc, 0.44% copper and 2.46% lead, plus 5.03 grams gold and 719 grams silver.

A further 25 metres to the east, hole 105 hit 5.1 metres true width grading 11.23% zinc, 0.35% copper and 1.52% lead, plus 1.96 grams gold and 392 grams silver.

Further expansion in the eastern area is limited by two holes, 180 metres to the north and east.

To date, 18 holes have extended the previously defined limits of the deposit, which was estimated at 5.3 million tonnes grading 12.95% zinc, 1.41% copper and 1.53% lead, plus 1.81 grams gold and 359.1 grams silver.