Westmin firms up potential in Yukon

With three drill rigs turning on the Foot property in the southern Yukon, Westmin Resources (TSE) is sizing up the potential of the zinc-rich massive sulphide mineralization.

Westmin can earn a 60% interest in the Foot property, along with the Toe and Pak claims, from owner Atna Resources (VSE) by spending $3 million on exploration over five years.

Encouraged by drill results to date, Westmin has continued to stake claims in the area, bringing its total close to 2,000.

Recent results from a fan of stepout holes 50 metres west of the discovery section on the Wolverine zone include two intervals from hole 95-8, within a 16-metre section of massive, semi-massive and stringer mineralization. The material grades: 4.19% zinc, 0.13% lead and 0.96% copper, as well as 0.33 gram gold and 112.1 grams silver per tonne, over 2.6 metres at a depth of 127.7 to 130.3 metres; in addition to 11.24% zinc, 1.58% lead and 0.77% copper, plus 1.96 grams gold and 485.8 grams silver over 2.6 metres, from 137.9 to 140.5 metres.

Hole 95-9 stepped out 100 metres downdip from hole 95-8 and intersected two zones of mineralization that included: 1.3 metres at a depth of 183.9 to 185.2 metres grading 19.12% zinc, 3.13% lead and 0.33% copper, as well as 2.55 grams gold and 734.8 grams silver; and 7.7 metres from 192.8 to 199.6 metres grading 12.43% zinc, 0.32% lead and 2.67% copper, plus 0.81 gram gold and 183.6 grams silver.

A third stepout hole, on section 95-11, returned an intersection of 24 metres (with a true thickness of 6.5 metres), thereby extending the zone a further 100 metres downdip.

To date, two holes have been completed in stepout drilling 50 metres east of the Wolverine discovery section. Hole 95-10 intersected two zones of zinc-rich massive sulphides measuring 0.5 and 6.1 metres thick, while hole 95-12 extended the downdip 100 metres by intersecting 10 metres of massive sulphides for a true thickness of 7 metres. Assay results for holes 10, 11 and 12 are pending.

Meanwhile, Atna has begun a minimum 3,000-ft. drilling program on the Horsefly property, 80 km southeast of Prince Rupert, B.C. Atna can earn a 60% interest from property owner Ecstall Mining (VSE) by paying $110,000 plus 200,000 shares and incurring exploration expenditures of $2.5 million over four and a half years.

Grab sampling has returned values of up to 13% zinc and 1.6% copper, plus 1 gram gold. Mineralization coincides with several strong, electromagnetic conductive anomalies. Atna plans to test six target zones.