Wolfden cuts massive sulphides at High Lake West

Drilling at the High Lake West Zone base metal deposit in Nunavut have intersected wide intervals of massive sulphide mineralization.

Operator Wolfden Resources (WLF-T) drilled two new holes on the 2450 North section (near the northern end of the deposit’s known strike length), intersecting 50.9 metres of massive sulphides in one hole and 6.3 metres in the other. The longer intersection graded 0.81% copper and 7.59% zinc, plus 103 grams silver and 3.8 grams gold per tonne.

The narrower intersection carried similarly high grades of precious metals averaging 144 grams silver and 1.3 grams gold per tonne, plus 3.85% copper and 2.88% zinc.

Drill results released in May and June showed significant widths of massive-sulphide mineralization between sections 2350 North and 2500 North, representing a strike length around 250 metres for the northeast-striking deposit. The deepest mineralized intersections are at vertical depths of around 850 metres (on section 2400 North) and 700 metres (on 2500).

Drilling on the West Extension, southwest along strike from the West zone, also encountered base metal mineralization with precious metal credits. Three holes drilled on sections 2200 North and 2150 North cut significant widths of massive sulphides: 4.6 metres grading 0.56% copper and 5.04% zinc, with 45.7 grams silver and 2.6 grams gold; 7.2 metres grading 2.61% copper and 2.19% zinc, with 73.5 grams silver and 0.6 gram gold; and 5.4 metres grading 2.13% copper and 4.01% zinc, with 74.5 grams silver and 0.3 gram gold per tonne.

Another hole, drilled on 2200 North, intersected narrow sulphide mineralization, while another on 2250 North returned no significant results. Four earlier holes drilled on 2250 North intersected base metal mineralization over core lengths of 1.5-9.9 metres.

Flotation testing on West zone samples shows recoveries of 84-89% of copper into a concentrate grading 24-29% copper, and 60-67% recovery of zinc to a concentrate grading 52-55% zinc. A further 8% of the zinc, along with 77% of the gold and 58% of the silver, reported to the copper concentrate.

Comminution tests showed a work index of around 10.5 kW-hours per tonne. The base metal minerals are adequately liberated in a grind, with 80% of the grains smaller than 0.1 mm.

The West zone is 1.7 km southwest of High Lake’s A, B and D zones; discovered in the 1950s, it is now held by Wolfden. Historical estimates on the three previously discovered zones put the resource at a total 5.3 million tonnes grading 4.05% copper, 2.36% zinc, 31.7 grams silver and 1.8 grams gold.

Kennecott Canada, a unit of Rio Tinto (RTP-N), holds a 1.5% net smelter return on any production from the deposit. Teck Cominco (TEK-T) has a right of first refusal on the property.