Great Atlantic Resources Corporation (TSXV: gram) provided an update on HM Exploration Corp.’s diamond exploration operations. At the Great Atlantic’s Pelee Island project on Pelee Island, north-central Newfoundland.
HM Exploration Corp. Option to obtain 100% interest in the project. HM Exploration Corp. An update on the first five holes completed this year at the project. HM Exploration refers to their project area as the Lewis Pelly Project. HM Exploration notes that the first five holes of the first drilling program represent 1,088 meters of a planned minimum of 2,500 meters of diamond drilling. All five of these holes were drilled in the Bailey Island Project area of the Great Atlantic.
“We are very pleased to see HM Exploration progressing the Pilley’s Island project with a disciplined and well-executed initial drilling program,” said Chris Anderson, CEO of Great Atlantic Resources Corp. “The early visual feedback reported by HM Exploration is encouraging, particularly as it supports the geological model being tested in the Clifford Jones area. We appreciate the technical work, commitment and professionalism that HM Exploration is providing to the project, and look forward to receiving assay results and further updates as exploration progresses.”
Highlights of this drilling results as reported by HM Exploration include: Three of the first five drill holes intersected massive, sub-massive and disseminated sulphide mineralization.
Copper-bearing sulphide debris flow mineralization was successfully intersected during drilling, confirming the target geological model.
Angular chalcopyrite-bearing clasts are observed in multiple vents, which may indicate limited transport from the source and proximity to the hydrothermal vent environment.
Multiple intervals of mineralization were encountered, including 6.27 m in PI-26-001, 8.00 m in PI-26-002, and 6.98 m in PI-26-005.
Pending checks. HM looks forward to providing updates as drilling continues.
“The goal of our first drilling program is to test VMS-shaped debris flow mineralization visible at the surface,” said Nick Rodway, CEO of HM Exploration Corp. “Three of the first five holes successfully intersected zones of massive, sub-massive, and fine-grained sulphide mineralization, including large chalcopyrite-bearing clasts. Surface grab samples from this area have returned values in excess of 16% copper and we are encouraged to see similar mineralization now intersecting during drilling and the angular nature of the mineralized assemblages may indicate relatively limited transport from their source and are consistent with their proximity to a hydrothermal vent environment.
As reported by HM Exploration, drilling has focused on assessing the continuity of the mineralized system beneath known surface widths and along the Clifford Jones Zone to improve HM Exploration’s understanding of the geological controls on the mineralization. Visual observations from the initial five holes indicate that the targeted copper-bearing debris flow has been successfully intersected, with alteration zones and massive to sub-massive sulphide mineralization observed in the drill cores. Core samples for the first five holes were sent to the laboratory for analysis. Inspection results will be issued once they are returned to HM Exploration.
HM Exploration states that three of the five holes intersect a wide range of massive and sub-massive sulphide mineralization spread over the following core drill lengths.
PI-26-001: 10.74 – 16.56 meters downhole; Excavation length: 5.82 metres; From 51.48 – 57.75 meters at the bottom of the well; The drilling length is 6.27 meters.
PI-26-002: 10.00 – 18.00 meters downhole; Drilling length 8.00 metres.
PI-26-005: 14.00 – 18.00 meters downhole; Drilling length 4.00 meters from 34.04 – 41.02 meters at the bottom of the well; Drilling length is 6.98 metres.
HM Exploration states that the mineralization can be described as clast-dominated debris zones consisting of subangular to angular fragments of massive sulphide (~85% of the intersection) composed of Cpy + Py ± Sph ± Gn suspended in disseminated fine-grained sulphides (Py + Cpy ± Sph ± Gn) and crushed felsic ± mafic rocks. The matrix-dominated debris flow consists of sub-circular to angular layered fragments of massive sulfide (Py + Cpy ± Sph ± Gn) and felsic ± mafic lithic fragments suspended in a matrix of fine-grained sulfide (Py + Cpy ± Sph ± Gn) and crushed felsic ± mafic rocks.
The property is located within the Notre Dame subdistrict in the Dunnage Tectonostratigraphic Area. It should be noted that most of the property lies beneath Ordovician submarine volcanic rocks of the Roberts Arm Group which are regionally identified as part of a mature arc sequence referred to as the Buchans-Roberts Arm Belt that also hosts the historic Buchans Mine.
Mineralization occurs at a lower grade (Spencer’s Dock); Medium grade (old mines); and high-grade sediments (3B-Zone/Clifford Jones) that are of subsea-floor replacement and sapphire varieties. The deposits are often surrounded by extensive alterations of chlorite, sericite, silica, K-feldspar, and pedote that are often observed in bimodal VMS systems. The Spencer’s Dock Zone displays sericite/silica alterations that generally increase in intensity near mineralized areas, while the 3B/Old Mine Zones display sericite/silica alterations that are abundant but less widespread and more intense when close to mineralized areas.
VMS deposits are a globally important source of copper, zinc, lead, silver and gold. The geology of the property shares key characteristics with known volcanic massive sulphide (VMS) areas in Newfoundland, including the past producing Buchanan, Ming and Rambler mines, supporting the exploration potential of the property.
The Lewis Pelly project is accessible by road and is located approximately 25 km east of the city of Springdale, approximately 55 km southeast of Firefly Metals’ Green Bay project and approximately 150 km from the Pine Cove mill and port by major roads.
The property has a long history of mining and exploration dating back to the late 1800s when the Pilley’s Island Pyrite Company Ltd produced the property. Approximately 450,000 tons of massive pyrite ore from the Pilley’s Island Mine-Old Mines.
The property hosts a range of VMS and prospects with high-quality Zn-Pb-Cu-Ag+/-Au junctions. The mineralization is a typical bimodal VMS, with both massive sulphide and sulphide breccias. The geological setting is directly similar to that of Buchans Camp, and the presence of sulphide detrital breccia is a strong vector toward nearby massive sulphide lenses.
Most of the historical offerings that fall within the scope of the property have not seen systematic exploration. Many historical drill holes were shallow and drilled in a vertical direction which limits geological knowledge of the underlying rock and mineralization extents.
Work is planned to validate historical screening results as well as collect new data from Area 3B, Clifford Jones Annex (Bull Road), Bouzanne Shaft, Henderson, Mansfield and Piley’s Cove Showings.
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