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Attention Business Editors:
Winspear Rsources Ltd. reports microdiamond results from the Snap Lake area of the
Camsell Lake property, NWT
VANCOUVER, Jan. 26 /CNW/ - Winspear Resources Ltd. (WSP-V) is pleased to
report microdiamond results received from caustic fusion analyses of
kimberlite drill core intersections obtained during the 1998 winter/ spring
and summer / fall seasons from the Snap Lake area of the Camsell Lake
property, NWT in which Winspear has 67.7% interest and is Operator.
Microdiamond results have also been received from approximately 250 kg of
kimberlite representative of each of the two 100 tonne kimberlite samples
obtained from the NW dyke. These results are subject to on-going evaluation by
MRDI Canada, a division of H.A. Simons Ltd.
Microdiamond results are being collected by Winspear to form a database
from which it is hoped to derive a macro-grade predictive model for areas of
the NW dyke down-dip from the sub-crop. Interpretation of this microdiamond
data is in progress; for this reason, no estimate of macrodiamond grade is
presented. Rather, these data are presented as the best tool presently
available by which to gauge the uniformity of diamond distribution in the NW
dyke.
Results reported here and obtained by Lakefield Research differ from
previous results because of changes in analytical procedures and additional
procedural requests made by Winspear. Lakefield now recovers diamonds down to
as small as 0.1mm in order to improve the recovery efficiency of diamonds
greater than 0.15 mm. Consequently, some microdiamonds are now recovered that
previously would have been lost during analysis. Furthermore, Winspear has
requested that Lakefield sieve all diamonds and report those diamonds falling
within certain sieve-size intervals as these data are more meaningfully
incorporated into a geostatistical database. Evaluation of diamond
distribution size-frequency curves suggests that some smaller diamonds may be
lost during recovery while larger diamonds are not statistically represented
in the parcels. The diamond size considered to be most representative of the
diamond population in any one sample includes all those diamonds that remain
on a 0.3 x 0.3 mm screen and pass through a 1.18 x 1.18 mm screen (+0.3 mm /
-1.18 mm). For comparative purposes, diamonds that occur in this size interval
for a sample or group of samples are normalized to diamonds / 1000 kg. At
this early stage of evaluation, this value is regarded as the best measure by
which to evaluate the variability of diamond abundance throughout the NW dyke.
Mini-bulk sample results:
Microdiamond results obtained from each of the pits from which
approximately 100 tonnes of kimberlite were processed are presented below. The
samples submitted for microdiamond analyses are approximately one-quarter of
one percent by weight of the mini-bulk samples.
<<
Pit 1 Pit 2
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mini-Bulk Sample results
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dry Tonnes processed 105.7 94.0
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carats recovered 90.69 138.21
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Recovered Grade (carats / tonne) 0.858 1.470
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Caustic Fusion results
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Weight processed (kg) 262.62 274.19
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Diamonds +0.15 mm x 0.15 mm screen 503 1001
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(normalized to diamonds / 10 kg) 19.2 36.5
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diamonds +0.30 mm /-1.18 mm 127 241
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(normalized to diamonds / 1000 kg) 484 879
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diamonds +1.18 mm x 1.18 mm screen 7 2
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(normalized to diamonds / 1000 kg) 26.7 7.3
>>
The three largest diamonds recovered from these caustic fusion analyses
of 536.8 kg of kimberlite from both pits are 0.234, 0.208, and 0.130 carats.
These results together with the distribution of coarse diamonds obtained
from processing each of the two 100 tonne samples have been combined to form a
grade-size curve for the samples that will help interpret the microdiamond
analyses of drill intersections from elsewhere on the NW dyke.
Diamond Drill holes:
Microdiamond contents of all significant kimberlite intersections have
been obtained from the Spring and Summer programs in the Snap Lake area and
are presented below.
NW Dyke
Most diamond drill intersections of the NW dyke were obtained from the
northwest peninsula area of Snap Lake during the summer program. Kimberlite
intersections from forty holes were analysed from some of which an upper and
lower kimberlite member were analysed separately. Four holes contain only
thin intersections of kimberlite from the thinning up-dip edge of the
kimberlite in the southern part of the peninsula, 2 holes were drilled beyond
the up-dip edge of the NW dyke, while one hole was not drilled deeply enough
to intersect the NW dyke. All these holes were drilled on approximately 72
metre centres over the peninsula. In addition, a cluster of 19 holes on 20
metre centres was drilled in an area proposed for one of the 1999 bulk sample
sites (referred to as the ''Detailed Area'' in the table below. For
comparative purposes, the drilled area and the area to be tested by drilling
in the 1999 program has been subdivided into blocks of 400 metre x 400 metre
squares. Microdiamond results obtained from within each of these blocks are
presented below:
<<
Microdiamond Analyses
NW Dyke - NW Peninsula area
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
BLOCK
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
I-11 J-11(x) J-12 K-11 K-12 ''Detailed
area''
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of
intersections 5 19 3 14 4 19
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total weight
analysed (kg) 53.76 368.41 82.62 240.75 86.07 369.14
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total diamonds
+0.15 x 0.15 mm
screen 206 1504 264 965 322 1328
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(normalized to
diamonds / 10 kg) 38.3 40.8 31.9 40.1 37.4 36.0
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diamonds +0.3 mm,
-1.18 mm 40 362 74 251 88 319
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(diamonds / 1000 kg) 744 983 896 1042 1022 864
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diamonds
+ 1.18 mm x 1.18 mm 2 21 1 10 1 9
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(normalized to
diamonds / 1000 kg) 37.2 57.0 12.1 41.5 11.6 24.3
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
(x) Area J11 data contains only those core intersections from holes
drilled on 72 metre centres. Although the ''Detailed Area'' in
which holes were drilled on 20 metre centres falls with the J11
block, the two sets of data have been separated for the purpose
of this presentation.
From all the above holes drilled on the NW peninsula during the summer /
fall of 1998, a total of 1200.75 kg of kimberlite was analysed by caustic
fusion. This is approximately one-half of one percent of the amount of
kimberlite treated from Pits 1 and 2. The three largest diamonds recovered by
caustic fusion analyses of this drill core weigh 0.747, 0.691, and 0.469
carats respectively.
North Shore:
Three holes drilled on the north shore in the 1998 summer program
intersected hypabyssal kimberlite dyke material; in one hole, there are two
intersections of dyke material. These holes have opened up the north shore as
an exploration target and appear to have extended the strike length of the NW
kimberlite to approximately 1350 metres. Although these holes are located in
two separate blocks, they are grouped for the purpose of this release.
<<
Number of intersections 4
---------------------------------------------
Total weight analysed (kg) 38.72
---------------------------------------------
Total Diamonds +0.15 x 0.15 mm screen 194
---------------------------------------------
(normalized to diamonds / 10 kg 50.1
---------------------------------------------
Diamonds +0.3 mm / -1.18 mm 44
---------------------------------------------
(normalized to diamonds / 1000 kg) 1136
---------------------------------------------
Diamonds + 1.18 x 1.18 mm 0
---------------------------------------------
(normalized to diamonds / 1000 kg) 0
---------------------------------------------
>>
NW dyke - down-dip:
During the 1998 drill programs, three diamond drill holes intersected the
NW dyke down-dip and over a wide area that extends approximately 2200 metres
east of the subcrop on the NW peninsula. Although each hole occurs in
separate 400 metre blocks, they are grouped for the purpose of this release.
<<
Number of analyses 3
---------------------------------------------
Total weight analysed 33.35
---------------------------------------------
Total Diamonds + 0.15 x 0.15 mm screen 110
---------------------------------------------
(normalized to diamonds / 10 kg) 33.0
---------------------------------------------
Diamonds +0.3 mm, -1.18 mm 27
---------------------------------------------
(normalized to diamonds / 1000 kg) 810
---------------------------------------------
Diamonds +1.18 x 1.18 mm 1
---------------------------------------------
(normalized to diamonds / 1000 kg) 30.0
---------------------------------------------
>>
SE Arm:
During the 1998 Spring program, several drill intersections were obtained
of hypabyssal kimberlite and kimberlite breccia material. These intersections
have been interpreted as possibly representing three separate dykes that dip
between 11 and 23 degrees to the northwest; they have been labeled A, B, and C
respectively from southwest to northeast. Caustic fusion results have been
obtained on the more significant intersections from each of these bodies and
are presented below:
<<
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
DYKE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
A B C
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of analyses 4 4 8
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total weight analysed (kg) 18.59 42.36 82.3
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total diamonds + 0.15 x 0.15 mm screen 84 176 260
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(normalized to diamonds / 10 kg) 45.2 41.5 31.6
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diamonds +0.3 mm, -1.18 mm 21 49 55
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(normalized to diamonds / 1000 kg) 1130 1157 668
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diamonds +1.18 x 1.18 mm 0 4 2
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(normalized to diamonds / 1000 kg) 0 94.4 24.3
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
Grade Estimates:
The microdiamond data from Snap Lake will be used to interpret a diamond
grade above a commercially acceptable bottom stone-size cut-off (for example,
+1.18 mm). With respect to this interpretation, Winspear notes the following:
- Geostatistical evaluation of the data presented above is in progress
and is not yet complete.
- There is as yet no firm understanding of the sample size required to
generate a satisfactory grade estimate. For Snap Lake, this refers to
the number of drill holes that may have to be combined to achieve a
usable sample size for grade estimation purposes.
- The relation between microdiamond content and those diamonds large
enough to be recovered in a commercial plant is not well understood at
this time. This will be clarified by results obtained from processing
the 6000 tonne bulk sample later this year. Until then, information
obtained from the mini-bulk sample of 200 tonnes will be used.
By using microdiamond data reported in this fashion together with
macrodiamond recoveries from the mini-bulk samples taken from Pits 1 and 2, a
basis has been provided by which grade estimates can be made for other areas
of the dyke. Winspear and its consultants caution against the use of the
caustic fusion data for these purposes. In particular, they note that such an
interpretation assumes a constancy of the grade-size relationship. It is
recommended that microdiamond results not be used for grade prediction until
such time that Winspear and its consultants may announce the relation between
microdiamond content and grade. Until then, microdiamond analyses are being
presented solely as a measure of the variability of diamond abundance from
place to place in the NW dyke.
Winspear notes that while it is attempting to evolve a means of grade
prediction, these techniques cannot be used to predict diamond value.
Summary:
Significant points of the information presented above are as follows:
- Evaluation of microdiamond results obtained from the NW peninsula area
suggests that techniques are available by which to compare relative
diamond abundance throughout the NW dyke.
- Evaluation of caustic fusion results of drill core obtained from
drilling of the NW dyke in the NW peninsula area during the 1998
summer program indicates that diamond distribution in this area of
the NW dyke is relatively uniform.
- Normalized diamond abundance as estimated from caustic fusion results
of drill core is approximately equal to or greater than normalized
diamond abundance estimated from caustic fusion results obtained from
kimberlite representative of Pits 1 and 2.
- Normalized diamond abundance in Pit 1 appears to be significantly
lower than diamond abundance in the NW dyke elsewhere in the NW
peninsula area. By contrast, normalized diamond abundance in Pit 2
is similar to other areas of the NW dyke in the NW peninsula area.
Reasons for this difference between the two mini-bulk sample sites
are currently being evaluated but may reflect, in part, excess
contamination of the Pit 1 sample by footwall rocks during the
sampling process.
- Despite fewer samples and lower total analysed weights, caustic
fusion results of kimberlite from the down-dip portion of the NW dyke,
from kimberlite on the north shore of Snap Lake, and kimberlite dykes
from the SE arm are consistent with the interpretation that diamond
abundance in these areas is similar to results obtained from drill
intersections of the NW dyke on the NW peninsula.
Results as discussed above are plotted on the accompanying map to allow
their comparison relative to location in the Snap Lake area.
Winspear remains encouraged by the preliminary results presented above.
These results are the object of on-going work that will be reported when
significant conclusions are available. To facilitate direct comparison of
these results with anticipated results from the 1999 program, Winspear intends
to report new results in a similar format to that above.
Winspear Resources Ltd.
(signed)
-----------------------
Randy C. Turner, P. Geo
President and Director
The Vancouver Stock Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept
responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the contents of this news
release.
BUSINESS/PHOTO EDITORS: A copy of the Winspear Resources Ltd. map of the
Snap Lake area is available at www.winspear.com
-30-
For further information: Randy C. Turner (604) 687-6644 or toll-free
1-800-686-7744, fax (604) 687-1405, Web site www.winspear.com, Email
randgrp@helix.net |
