Side Topic: Progress Report on Marum/Micrex Diamond Joint Venture
-[For information rumination and reference purposes]-
September 17, 1998 -- Marum Resources Inc., operator of the
Marum/Micrex diamond exploration joint venture, today issued
a six-month progress report to Micrex Development Corp,
summarized as follows:
The Joint Venture
The Micrex/Marum Chinchaga joint venture area consists of
eleven townships, approximately 250,000 acres, overlying the
Chinchaga craton in northwestern Alberta. To date, most of the
exploration has been restricted to the portion of the joint
venture property on the east side of the Chinchaga River.
Overburden Determination
Field work indicates that overburden cover is thin throughout
the project area. This is an important consideration in
northern Alberta. Outcrops consist of Upper Cretaceous
sedimentary rocks of the same age as the surface rocks that
occur on the Ashton/AEC property. Overburden, consisting of
glacial till, soil and vegetation mat, is generally less than
three metres thick.
Drill Core Geochemistry
Drilling on adjacent and nearby exploration permits indicates
the presence of volcanic layers of probable kimberlitic origin.
This determination was made on the basis of recovered indicator
minerals that include certain minerals that are only formed in
ascending kimberlite magmas.
Aeromagnetics
High-resolution 200m line spacing aeromagnetics have been
flown over approximately 10% of the Marum/Micrex project area.
The de-cultured magnetics indicate the existence of 22 discrete
anomalies. Particular care was taken to ensure that these
anomalies reflect near surface geological features and not the
natural gas production infrastructure that makes the area so
easily accessible.
Geological Mapping and Geochemical Sampling
Samples of basal tills and thoroughly weathered rock below basal
tills contain abundant black shards and "twists" of locally
derived black volcanic melt glass which contain high
concentrations of iron, magnesium, chrome and, in some cases,
nickel hotspots. Geochemistry and electron microscopy suggests
that these grains are condensation products from mafic to
ultramafic, possibly kimberlitic, volcanoes. The samples
also contain other diagnostic kimberlite indicator minerals such
as complex, multi-phase ilmenite grains with magmatic reaction
rims of perovskite, multiple populations of corundum, and
inclusion-rich spinels. As well, some medium- to high-chrome,
low-calcium pyrope garnets with good crystal forms and etched
surfaces have been identified in the area. Overall, the
geochemical program has been an outstanding success and has
validated the area as being highly prospective for diamond
exploration . . .
===============
Full News Release* (e.g., further exploration & drill plans) found here:
Message 5768122
-and eventually at the MMU website: marumresources.com
=== === ===
*This release only offers support for the Ashton area discovery's validity.
- - - - - -
Ashton wants to lie low lately, it seems,
but it does not diminish the ADP's legitimacy!
As is said here, I too believe Ashton will have a diamond mine in Alberta.
______
A very good night to all,
-j
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