Oct 28 2010
Northern Tiger Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE:NTR) has announced that all assays from drill programs at the Sonora Gulch and DAD properties have now been received.
Highlights include two drill-hole discoveries of gold mineralization in areas not previously drilled by the Company. In addition, long intercepts of anomalous copper and molybdenum were intersected in porphyry style alteration that further demonstrates the property's porphyry potential.
"We are very pleased that Northern Tiger's Exploration Team has discovered significant gold mineralization in two separate areas that were not previously drilled. These new drill-hole discoveries demonstrate the significant potential for discovery of gold mineralization within the 9 km2 gold-in-soil anomaly NTR has outlined on the property," says Greg Hayes, President of Northern Tiger. "The identification of characteristic porphyry alteration assemblages combined with sizeable intercepts of anomalous copper and molybdenum has also met the primary objective of the 2010 drill program and demonstrates that a porphyry copper-gold-molybdenum system is at the heart of Sonora Gulch's mineralization. Our very first and modest drill program to look at the project's porphyry potential is encouraging. We have demonstrated potential for two separate but related exploration targets and we are analyzing results to define potential ore-grade base metal and precious metal targets."
Northern Tiger owns 100% of the Sonora Gulch Project, which is located in the central Yukon's Dawson Range. Twelve diamond drill holes totalling 2,875 metres were collared in 2010 (see news release dated September 2, 2010). Two of the twelve holes were abandoned at shallow depths due to difficult drilling conditions. The program was primarily designed to test for the presence of a porphyry copper-gold-molybdenum system as suggested by surface geochemical exploration results. Two of the twelve holes also intersected significant gold mineralization.
Previous work by Northern Tiger has outlined an east to west 9 km2 (6 km by 1.5 km) striking soil anomaly defined by anomalous gold and silver +/- arsenic, antimony, bismuth and tellurium located around a central zone of anomalous copper and molybdenum (2 km by 1 km). Within this area a characteristic progression of increasing alteration was noted. Propylitic alteration (epidote, chlorite, calcite) and argillic alteration (illite, muscovite, kaolinite) is associated with the gold anomalies. Phyllic (quartz, sericite, pyrite) alteration is progressively stronger towards the inner copper and molybdenum soil anomalies. The majority of the holes drilled in 2010 cored well developed alteration and some mineralization (5 to 25% pyrite +/- base and precious metals) hosted by Wolverine Creek meta-volcanic and meta-sedimentary rocks. Deeper holes within the porphyry target area intersected patches of moderate to strong potassic alteration (feldspar, biotite/phlogopite, chlorite, gypsum) and skarn mineralization. Variable amounts of quartz veining and fracture controlled chalcopyrite and molybdenite mineralization, typical of porphyry copper mineralization, was also noted in many holes.
A number of the drill holes targeted anomalies identified by a deep penetrating geophysical survey done by Quantec Geosciences Ltd. (the "Titan 24 Survey" – see news release dated July 15, 2010) and also tested radiometric and magnetic targets identified from a 2009 airborne geophysical survey. Quantec recommended a total of 29 drill holes (including 14 high priority holes) to test chargeability anomalies identified by the Titan 24 Survey. Due to the relatively modest size of drill program versus the large number of promising targets, and logistical limitations of using a skid mounted drill, only five of the recommended Titan 24 chargeability targets were drill tested in the 2010 drill program. The balance will be considered for drilling in 2011. The two new gold discoveries are also obvious targets for further follow-up.
DAD Project
A two hole (404 metre) diamond drilling program was completed on the DAD property to test a induced polarization (IP) anomaly coincident with a copper-in-soil geochemical anomaly (see news release dated September 2, 2010). The holes cored short lengths of the target Granite Mountain Batholith (host to the Minto copper-gold deposits) before intersecting an underlying sequence of pyrite rich meta-sedimentary rocks. This unit - which is interpreted to be the source of the chargeability anomaly - is not mapped on the surface in the area, either locally or regionally. Copper values up to 363 ppm and gold up to 103 ppb were returned over short intervals. The Company is reassessing this target.
3Ace Project
The diamond drill program planned for the 3Ace Project (see news release dated September 21, 2010) has been completed with three holes collared into the Main Zone and six holes into the Sleeping Giant Zone for a total 1,240 metres. All nine holes intercepted the target quartz vein structures and also revealed additional smaller but discrete quartz veins filling the intensely fractured, quartz flooded host rocks. This is a feature not noted in surface mapping, probably due to the poor bedrock exposure. All drill core has been shipped to Whitehorse where it is being logged and split for assay. Initial assay results are expected soon and it is the Company's intention to release them in two separate batches, one for the Main Zone and one for the Sleeping Giant zone.
This News Release has been reviewed and approved by Dennis Ouellette, B.Sc., P.Geol., a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Samples from Sonora Gulch were analyzed by ALS Chemex of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada using 50 gram fire assay and 35 element ICP analysis. Samples from 3Ace were analyzed by Inspectorate America Corporation of Richmond, British Columbia using 50 gram fire assay and 50 element, 4 Acid ICP analysis. Samples returning in excess of 30 g/t gold are also sent for metallic screen fire assay testing.
Source: Northern Tiger Resources Inc.