BUFFALO DIAMONDS LTD ("BUFD.U-Z") - Additional G10 Garnets Found On Calling Lake Property, - Initial
Drill Targets Identified
Buffalo Diamonds Ltd. (the "Company") is pleased to announce that an additional 54 Gurney's G10 harzburgitic
pyrope garnets ("G10 garnets") have been confirmed by the Saskatchewan Research Council ("SRC") in samples
collected from the Calling Lake and Varlaam Properties, bringing the total number of G10 garnets recovered from
these two properties to 66. The variety, quantity, angularity and localised nature of diamond indicator minerals ("indicators") found in the Calling Lake West
and Calling Lake Southeast Target Areas suggest that these indicators come from a nearby diamond bearing kimberlite source.
In addition, a recently completed airborne magnetic survey has identified numerous significant magnetic anomalies and associated structures within these two
target areas. The Company considers these anomalies to be its highest priority drill targets in its exploration for diamond bearing kimberlites at Calling Lake.
Beach Sediment Sampling
Sixty of the G10 garnets were recovered from four 25 kilogram beach sediment samples taken from the Calling Lake West and Calling Lake Southeast Target
Areas. The angular nature and high numbers of G10 garnets and other indicators recovered from samples in both target areas strongly suggests that they have
not traveled far from a diamond bearing kimberlite source.
The four samples (samples A,C,D,and E below) collectively produced 1002 subangular to angular pyrope garnets as well as chrome diopside, eclogitic garnets
and picroilmenite. Only the pyrope garnets from these four samples were microprobed and less than five percent of the oxide portion of the concentrate was
picked for picroilmenite and chromite. Samples C,D, and E were collected at 500 metre intervals along the western shore of Calling Lake, approximately ten
kilometres northwest of sample A.
Sixty (or approximately 6%) of the pyrope garnets recovered from these four samples classified as G10 garnets. The following table summarizes all samples
which have produced G10 garnets; the location of the sample sites is shown on the accompanying map.
Total G10 Total
Sample Pyropes Garnets Indicators Target Area
A 152 11 >500 Calling Lake SE
B 2 1 n/a Calling Lake SE
C 103 5 >500 Calling Lake West
D 342 12 >500 Calling Lake West
E 405 32 >500 Calling Lake West
F 2 1 5 Calling Lake West
G 1 1 1 South of Calling Lake
H 1 1 1 Northeast of Calling Lake
I 5 1 5 Calling River East
J 1 1 1 Calling River East
In June of this year, a short follow up surface sampling program was completed in the Calling Lake West Target Area and along the entire shoreline of Calling
Lake. The majority of the sand grains in beach sediment along much of Calling Lake's shoreline are well rounded and frosted indicating that they have travelled
a significant distance in an alluvial environment. There is, however, an abrupt change in the beach sediment along the 4 to 5 kilometre stretch of the western
shoreline of Calling Lake where samples C,D, and E were collected. In this area, beach sediment changes from quartz-feldspar sand to sand interbedded with
1" to 2" purple to violet layers of pyrope garnets and oxide grains. The heavy minerals within these layers of pyrope garnets and oxide grains are largely
comprised of sub-angular to angular pyrope garnets, with lesser amounts of chrome diopside, chromite, picroilmenite and olivine. The variety, quantity,
angularity and localised nature of this occurrence of indicator minerals suggest that they have not traveled far from a weathered diamond bearing kimberlite
source.
The SRC has also confirmed high concentrations of indicators approximately ten kilometres to the south-east, along a short stretch of the southern shoreline of
Calling Lake, where twelve of the 66 G10 garnets were recovered in samples A (11) and B (1). Sampling of beach sediment from the shoreline between the
Calling Lake West and Calling Lake Southeast Target Areas returned diamond indicator mineral counts ranging from none to 11 indicator minerals as
compared with greater than 500 indicators in samples within those Target Areas. The very localised nature of these two highly anomalous areas is likely the
result of the erosion of two separate kimberlite sources.
Varlaam Airborne Magnetic Survey
The Company's airborne magnetic survey on the Varlaam Property, including additional detail flying, is now nearing completion. Several significant magnetic
features have already been observed in the preliminary data and correspond well with the highly anomalous indicator results from the Calling Lake West and
Calling Lake Southeast Target Areas. As follow up, the Company has requested Terraquest, its airborne geophysical contractor, to provide additional airborne
magnetic coverage to achieve a 100-metre line spacing in the Calling Lake West Target Area. A detailed interpretation of the airborne survey by Kit Campbell,
the Company's geophysical consultant, is currently in progress. The results of Mr. Campbell's interpretation will be used to select and prioritize kimberlite drill
targets in addition to those already identified.
Phase II Auger Program
The Company has also received all the results from visual analyses of indicators from the Phase II overburden auger sampling program. A total of 71 auger
holes were completed at 59 separate sites. The majority (62) of the holes were completed in the Calling River East Target Area, up ice from the discovery site
of the gem quality macro diamond recovered by the Company from a basal till sample collected in 1998 (see press release, Jan. 13, 1999). A total of 377
samples were collected and analysed by the SRC for indicators. Multiple samples were collected from each hole with a single sample collected for each
distinctive overburden unit.
Preliminary visual indicator counts from all samples ranged from none to 43 indicators and from none to 118 indicators from a single auger site or hole.
Collectively, the most abundant indicator picked from all samples was picroilmenite (97%) with only a few silicates (pyrope garnet-10, eclogitic garnet-0,
chrome diopside-9, olivine-3) and a few chromite grains (7). Where only a portion of the oxide concentrate was picked, picroilmenite and chromite counts
have been normalised to 100%. Undisturbed bedrock was intersected only once during the program in hole BAH98-57, located less than a kilometre south of
the macro diamond discovery site. The overburden depth in hole BAH98-57 is 40 metres and no indicators were recovered.
The purpose of the auger program in the Calling River East Target Area was to establish whether the macro diamond and anomalous quantities of indicators in
the Calling River were part of a dispersion train which could be traced to a weathered kimberlite source up ice direction from the Calling River. It appears that
indicators recovered in and adjacent to the Calling River in the Calling River East Target Area are the result of the dispersion of indicators from Calling Lake, to
the east along the Calling River drainage.
The initial visual indicator results from the auger program suggest that the highest concentration of indicators (and nearly all of the silicate indicator minerals
picked), occur in auger holes immediately north and within several kilometres of the Calling River. As well, indicator counts from surface and auger till samples
were typically lower than the anomalous quantities of indicator minerals observed in samples of stream sediment from Calling River. During transport, the
indicator minerals may have subsequently become concentrated in the Calling River paleo- drainage system or were reworked locally and incorporated into till
by subsequent glaciation.
The Company will focus its exploration efforts on priority rating the recently discovered airborne anomalies and structures associated with the highly anomalous
quantities of G10 garnets and other indicators on the Calling Lake Southeast and Calling Lake West Target Areas. The Company intends to carry out a
program of diamond drilling on these kimberlite targets this fall and over the winter.
For additional technical information regarding the Company's latest exploration results, please contact our office at 1-604-331-8772.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of BUFFALO DIAMONDS LTD.
"Chet Idziszek" Chet Idziszek, President TEL: (604) 331-8772
BUFFALO DIAMONDS LTD. FAX: (604) 331-8773 |
