Westmin, partners plan addit at Debbie/Yellow project

A $5-million exploration program at Westmin Resources’ Debbie/Yellow project near Port Alberni, B.C. will include a 1.2-mile underground adit into the Mineral Creek and Linda gold zones. Nexus Resource Corp., Angle Resources and Reward Resources are participating in the project on a joint venture basis.

Work is scheduled to begin when permitting is completed in approximately 4-6 weeks, notes Arthur E. Soregaroli, vice- president exploration for Westmin’s mining division. The adit will parallel a fault structure that controls gold mineralization in the Mineral Creek zone where it will also terminate.

One recent hole drilled 1,560 ft north of Mineral Creek returned 0.55 oz gold across 3.3 ft, 0.12 oz over 2.6 ft and 0.12 oz across 6.6 ft, which extended the potential of the gold-bearing structure. This area will be drilled from the adit along with other portions of the fault structure in the Mineral Creek and Linda gold zones. Bulk sampling for metallurgical test purposes is also planned.

The 1988 program provides for large-scale exploration in and around the 900 zone as well as other parts of the property. The pipe-like 900 zone has returned several spectacular intersections including 44.3 ft of 1.1 oz gold, 47.1 ft of 4.1 oz and 19.9 ft of 1.5 oz. Soregaroli says they haven’t concluded their 1988 plans for this zone adding: “We may even go underground there as well.” Mineral Creek is the largest zone but it appears to be lower grade than the 900 zone which is now a secondary target.

The exploration program will involve a $4-million expenditure on the Debbie property and $1 million on the Yellow. Westmin doesn’t have any interest in Yellow at present but it can earn 24.5% by putting up approximately $800,000 for the upcoming program. Reward would then have 12.5% and Angle the remainder.