PAX -- High-grade Zinc-Lead Mineralization Intersected in Don Zone
11:10 EST Monday, December 11, 2006
globeinvestor.com
FSC / Press Release
High-grade Zinc-Lead Mineralization Intersected in Don Zone
Vancouver, British Columbia CANADA, December 11, 2006 /FSC/ - Pacifica Resources Ltd. (PAX - TSX Venture), is pleased to provide an update on drill hole results from the Don Valley. The new holes have increased the open-pit mineral potential for the Don zone and identified higher grade mineralization at depth for follow-up in 2007. The successful follow-up to the 2005 Don zone discovery completes the successful drilling of 11 kilometres of favorable strata in the Don Valley. The Selwyn Project hosts the world-class Howard's Pass SEDEX zinc-lead deposits.
Location of the new zones and detailed drill plan maps are available at www.pacifica-resources.com.
Highlights
* DON-42 intersecting 16.33 metres of zinc-lead mineralized Active Member grading 6.92% zinc and 2.62% lead including 3.88 metres grading 12.98% zinc and 6.95% lead. Don zone intercept below open-pit target in a 275 metre step out from the DON-4 discovery.
* 191 drill holes have been completed year to date for a total of 39,809 metres
Don Zone Underground Target Discovery
The Don zone open-pit target was initially discovered in 2005 through stratigraphic drilling in Don Valley to define the extension of the mineralized zinc-lead Active Member from the Anniv East deposit that contains a NI 43-101 compliant Inferred mineral resource of 18,380,000 tonnes grading 4.46% zinc and 1.28% lead calculated by John Nilsson, P.Eng. and John J. O'Donnell, P.Geo., (see Pacifica March 28, 2006 disclosure on www.sedar.com). Prior to the initial discovery of the Don zone, and subsequently the HC zones, there was little know about the 11 kilometre portion of favorable strata between the Anniv East and Brodel zones that was never drilled.
Discovery drill hole DON-4, intersected 34.10 metre true thickness of zinc-lead mineralization that included two mineralized intercepts, 7.81 metres grading 7.93% zinc and 1.80% lead from 146.55 to 155.47 metres and 7.13 metres grading 4.71% zinc and 1.74% lead from 177.36 to 185.51 metres (see September 6 and October 25, 2005 news releases).
DON-42 is located 170 metres from Don 4 and is the deepest intersection in the DON Zone that has been defined over an area of 350 by 625 metres. The intercept in DON-42 is 100 metres lower in elevation than DON-41 the next deepest drill hole in the Don zone and approximately 200 metres deeper in elevation than DON- 22 that also hosts higher grade mineralization in the HC West zone. The Don zone remains open to expansion along strike and at depth.
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Drill Hole From To Thickness Pb Zn Pb+Zn True
(m) (m) (m) (%) (%) (%) Thickness (m)
DON-42 242.75 282.50 39.75 1.86 5.18 7.04 26.60
Including 254.50 278.90 24.40 2.62 6.92 9.54 16.33
Including 266.80 278.90 12.10 3.79 9.10 12.89 8.10
Including 273.10 278.90 5.80 6.35 12.98 19.33 3.88
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The intersection in DON-42 of 16.33 metres true thickness of higher-grade zinc-lead mineralization within the Active Member with narrower intervals of higher grades signals a transition to thicker intervals of higher grade at depth similar to as seen in the XY zone and more recently in both Anniv Central and HC zones (see November 30, 2006 news release).
HC West Open-Pit Target Follow-up Drilling
During 2006, fifteen drill holes have been completed on the HC West zone open-pit target in the Don Valley during 2006 (November 30, 2006 news release). The drilling defines a strike length of 970 metres for HC West within the shallow open pit environment.
Infill drill holes DON-37 and DON-38 re-enforce the significant open-pit mineral potential of the HC West zone. Don 37 is 300 metres west of discovery drill hole DON-16, and 300 metres east of DON-24 and DON-25. The presence of several higher-grade zinc-lead bands within the Active Member in holes DON-37 and 38 combined with similar higher grade intercepts identified in the HC West zone provides further encouragement for development of deeper resources suitable for underground mining in Don Valley (see news release on October 25, 2006).
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Drill Hole From To Thickness Pb Zn Pb+Zn True
(m) (m) (m) (%) (%) (%) Thickness (m)
DON-037 101.20 122.00 20.80 1.37 4.84 6.21 20.40
Including 104.65 110.90 6.25 1.09 4.61 5.70 6.20
Including 113.50 122.00 8.50 2.45 7.54 9.99 8.40
Including 116.65 122.00 5.35 3.25 9.97 13.22 5.30
DON-038 75.00 96.00 21.00 0.56 3.11 3.67 20.50
Including 75.30 78.20 2.90 1.03 8.68 9.71 2.80
Including 85.20 96.00 10.80 0.73 3.63 4.36 10.50
Including 85.20 85.60 0.40 2.71 17.32 20.03 0.40
-****-
The zinc-lead mineralized Active Member remains open for expansion along strike and at depth.
Don Valley - Focus For 2007 Major Drilling Program
Pacifica has now successfully drilled the entire 11 kilometer strike length of the Don Valley and identified four new zinc-lead zones of mineralization within the range of open-pit target mining, adding significantly to the mineral potential of the Selwyn Project. Additional drilling is planned in spring 2007 for these new open-pit targets to expand the growing mineral potential in the Don Valley, as Brodel, HC, HC West, Don East, and Don zones all remain open for expansion. A key part of future drilling will be to follow-up on deeper high grade intercepts to define the full extent and character of the higher grade mineralization as the focus of a new potential for significant resources suitable for underground mining over much of the length of Don Valley.
The Selwyn Project exploration program is being reviewed by Vice President Exploration, Mr. Jason Dunning, M.Sc., P.Geo. The onsite activities for the Selwyn Project are directed by Exploration Manager, John J. O'Donnell, P.Geo. Both Mr. Dunning and Mr. O'Donnell are Qualified Persons within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101. All assay data has been through internal validation of quality assurance and quality control. Pacifica has established a sampling and assay control program with blind insertion of assay blanks, standards and duplicates for the Selwyn Project; however, it should be noted that there is also a quality control and quality assurance program in place at both ACME
Analytical Laboratories Ltd. ("ACME") and ALS Chemex that includes blanks, duplicates and standards. At ACME, silver and base metal analyses are conducted by a 17-element, four-acid digestion, ore-grade ICP-AES technique. At ALS Chemex, silver and base metal analyses are conducted by a 25-element, four-acid digestion, ICP-AES technique with overlimit protocols for zinc, lead, copper, antimony, arsenic, and barium conducted by an ore-grade aqua-regia digestion with an instrument finish (ALS-Chemex).
Note that all discussion of NI-43-101 compliant Indicated and Inferred mineral resources are referenced in the March 2006 NI 43-101 report for Howard's Pass. In reviewing historical resources, all discussion of Indicated mineral resources that predate introduction of NI 43-101 should be considered as Inferred mineral resources. All historical Inferred mineral resources that predate NI 43-101 should be considered as areas of mineral potential requiring further definition through drilling. Historical mineral resources are referenced in the June 2005 NI 43-101 report for Howard's Pass. Copies of the reports can be viewed at www.sedar.com.
Pacifica's main focus is the exploration of its Selwyn Project in eastern Yukon and Northwest Territories. The Selwyn Project hosts very large tonnages of zinc-lead mineralization. The known deposits have the potential for large scale production of zinc and lead, at a time when World's zinc mine supply is in deficit and there are few new zinc-lead mines under development.
This press release may contain forward-looking statements based on assumptions and judgments of management regarding future events or results that may prove to be inaccurate as a result of exploration and other risk factors beyond its control and actual results may differ materially from the expected results. Additional drilling is required to confirm the potential of the new discovery areas and expansions of the current resource areas. Furthermore, there is no assurance that the resources being defined can be developed as an economically attractive mine, and there are many uncertainties associated with permitting and other factors that could delay such development.
For more information contact:
Dr. Harlan Meade, President and CEO
Jasmin TamDoo, Manager of Investor Communications
Telephone: (604) 682-5474
Toll-free: 1-877-682-5474
International Toll-free: 800-8682-5474
Facsimile: (604) 682-5404
info@pacifica-resources.com
www.pacifica-resources.com
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