SouthernEra Resources Limited
NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, CANADA UPDATE
- Kimberlite sill discovered at Back Lake Diamond Project
- New kimberlite body discovered at Yamba Lake Diamond Project
- Encouraging microdiamond results from DHK block, Lac de Gras
- Preliminary microdiamond results from EG05 Kimberlite, Lac de
Gras block
TORONTO, May 10 /CNW/ - SouthernEra Resources Limited (SUF-TSE) is
pleased to report progress on diamond exploration on its projects in the
Northwest Territories of Canada. (See also attached map).
Back Lake Diamond Project (SUF 70%)
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The Back Lake diamond project (a joint venture between SouthernEra
Resources Limited, Kennecott Canada Exploration Inc., Kalahari Resources Inc.,
and Island-Arc Resources Corp.), is located 100 kilometres south of Lac de
Gras within the southern kimberlite field that includes the Snap Lake
kimberlite sill and the Kennady Lake kimberlite pipes.
Munn Lake Kimberlite Area:
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The focus of the Back Lake exploration programme during the past three
months has been to locate the primary source of the kimberlite float located
on the shore of Munn Lake. Microdiamond testing of the kimberlite float has
returned 226 diamonds from 581.29 kilograms of processed kimberlite. Sixty-two
diamonds are greater than 0.5 mm in their largest dimension. The largest
diamond is 0.12 carats, with one 0.03 carat and three 0.01 carat diamonds
recovered.
An attempt to define the primary kimberlite source, utilizing a sonic
drill to collect till samples from the bottom of Munn Lake, was completed
during March. The sonic drilling programme was successful in recovering
kimberlite rock fragments and kimberlitic heavy mineral indicators from the
till samples. Two sonic drill holes also intersected a kimberlite bedrock
body.
A follow-up core diamond drilling programme, consisting of 10 holes, has
been successful in defining a kimberlite sill that dips approximately 30
degrees to the northeast. The drill holes tested an area of 300 by 150 metres.
A total of 8 drill holes intersected kimberlite with an estimated true width
ranging from approximately 0.25 metres to 12.00 metres in thickness. The sill
is open along its strike length and down dip.
The kimberlite hosts up to 60% eclogitic xenoliths. Chrome diopsides up
to 8 cm long, pyrope and eclogitic garnets, picroilmenites, and chromites have
been recovered from the core. Over 40% of the recovered pyrope garnets from
the core occur within the G10 field, suggesting that the diamond potential of
the kimberlite is excellent.
Approximately 50 kilograms of kimberlite have been submitted for the
recovery of microdiamonds and results are pending.
Further drilling is planned to test the strike and down dip extent of the
kimberlite sill after a full review of all data.
Yamba Lake Diamond Project (SUF 51%)
--------------------------
The Yamba Lake project (a joint venture between SouthernEra Resources
Limited, Tanqueray Resources Ltd., Mill City International Inc. and Cypango
Ventures Inc.), is located within the Lac de Gras kimberlite field
approximately 46 kilometres to the north of the producing BHP/Dia Met
Minerals' Ekati diamond mine.
Following the completion of an 8,000 line-kilometre helicopter mounted
magnetic and electromagnetic airborne survey, diamond drilling commenced on
14th April to test geophysical targets indicative of kimberlite pipe
intrusions.
To-date, 29 airborne geophysical targets have been followed up with
ground magnetic and electromagnetic (HLEM) surveys. Ground geophysical surveys
are currently in progress.
Nine diamond drill holes have been completed. Drill testing of 5
geophysical targets has resulted in the discovery of one new S141 kimberlite
body. The discovery hole, drilled at an inclination of -45 degrees, tested an
elongated land based magnetic low. Kimberlite was intersected from 62.00 to
76.75 metres. A second hole to define the dimensions of the body is underway.
In addition, one drill hole tested the known Ptarmigan pipe and three
drill holes tested the T-10 kimberlite pipes. Kimberlite was intersected in
all four drill holes and, upon completion of core logging, samples will be
submitted for the recovery of microdiamonds.
Forty-four percent of the chromites recovered from the Ptarmigan pipe
occur within the diamond stability field, suggesting that the diamond
potential for this kimberlite is good. Past microdiamond results from the T-10
pipe include the recovery of 62 microdiamonds and 6 macrodiamonds from 83.6
kilograms of kimberlite. (81.34 micro-/macrodiamonds per 100 kg.)
Processing of the airborne geophysical data set is in progress and final
maps should be available in three weeks. It is hoped that this airborne data
will increase the possibility of identifying more kimberlite targets.
Kimberlitic indicator minerals continue to be recovered from more than
1,000 till samples collected last summer. Several pyrope garnets with
excellent G-10 chemistry, and which cannot be traced to the previously
discovered kimberlites, have been recovered from samples. This would seem to
indicate the presence of further kimberlite bodies.
SouthernEra is encouraged by the new geophysical and drilling results and
expects to continue the drill programme into the summer, in order to evaluate
land-based and near-shore kimberlitic targets. All kimberlite will be tested
for diamond content.
DHK Block, Lac de Gras (SUF 25%)
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A new land based kimberlite body, kimberlite DD2002, was discovered by
Kennecott on the DHK block at Lac de Gras. Kimberlite DD2002 is located about
150 metres northeast of kimberlite DD42. A 2.1 metre true width interval of
volcaniclastic kimberlite was intersected. The kimberlite consists of 70%
olivine and up to 1% pyrope garnets. Caustic fusion of 7 kilograms of
kimberlite returned 6 microdiamonds (85.71 micros/100 kg).
Lac de Gras Block (SUF 40%)
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Preliminary microdiamond results have been returned from the EG05
kimberlite pipe discovered during February 1999 on the Lac de Gras block. A
total of 27 microdiamonds and 1 macrodiamond were recovered from 129.4
kilograms of kimberlite from hole number 3 (21.59 micro-/macrodiamonds per 100
kg.). The highest individual sample returned 16 microdiamonds from 8.7 kg of
kimberlite (184 microdiamonds per 100 kg.).
EG05 is located 75 metres from shore and is under 7.5 metres of water in
Lac de Gras. Four holes were drilled into the kimberlite pipe. The first two
holes were lost. A third hole recovered 46.7 metres of kimberlite and was
abandoned due to difficult drilling conditions. A fourth hole recovered 183
metres of kimberlite, ending in kimberlite. Microdiamond results are pending
from over 600 kilograms of kimberlite from drillhole number four.
Further testing of the EG05 kimberlite pipe will depend upon the
microdiamond results from drillhole number 4.
%SEDAR: 00004535E
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