Alpha Minerals Reports Remaining Assays on R00E, R390E and R780E Zones at Patterson Lake South, Athabasca Basin
05.06.2013 | Marketwired
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/05/13 -- Alpha Minerals Inc. (TSX VENTURE: AMW) (FRANKFURT: E2GA) ("Alpha" or "the Company") and its 50% Joint Venture partner Fission Uranium Corp. (formerly Fission Energy Corp.) are pleased to report assay results from the remaining seventeen drill holes from the winter 2013 program at its Patterson Lake South ("PLS") Property. The new results show continuous areas of broad uranium mineralization at shallow depth in all three PLS zones. Of particular note is hole PLS13-066 which returned an interval of 63.5m at 1.15% U3O8, including 2.0m at 9.51%.These assays are the final results from the winter 2013 exploration program which saw a drill strike rate of 82% in the discoveries of two new mineralized uranium zones (R390E, R780E), and significant growth of the R00E zone. The discovery of the R390E and R780E zones were located by testing radon in water anomalies associated with the PL-3B EM conductor.
Assay Highlights include:
R00E Zone
- Hole PLS13-067 (line 045E) intersected:
-- 6.0m (61.5m-67.5m) of 4.80% U3O8 including:
-- 4.0m (63.5m-67.5m) of 6.86% U3O8
R390E Zone
- Hole PLS13-061 (line 360E) intersected:
-- 23.5m (110.0m-133.5m) of 1.39% U3O8, including:
-- 6.0m (126.0m-132.0m) of 4.34% U3O8
- Hole PLS13-066 (Line 420E) intersected:
-- 63.5m (82.5m-145.5m) of 1.15% U3O8, including:
-- 2.0m (133.0m-135.0m) of 9.51% U3O8
R780E Zone
-- Hole PLS13-060 (Line 780E) intersected:
-- 7.0m (144.0m-151.0m) of 1.22% U3O8, including:
-- 2.5m (146.5m-149.0m) of 3.00% U3O8
R00E Zone
Assays reported for four vertical collared holes in this news release represent close spaced delineation drilling on lines 045E and 060E of the R00E zone. Interpretation thus far shows mineralization to be primarily focused in a footwall steeply south dipping package of E-NE trending pelitic gneiss, sandwiched between semi-pelitic gneiss to the north and quartz-feldspar gneiss to the south. Delineation drilling has also shown mineralization to cross lithological boundaries into the footwall and hanging wall adjacent the pelitic gneiss. This lithologic package appears to be parallel along strike to the approx. 073 degrees oriented basement EM conductor identified from airborne and ground geophysical surveys.
As was the case with previous drill results from the R00E zone, the main mineralized horizon appears to be structurally controlled and generally flat lying within the pelitic (+/- graphite) unit, with the upper level of the mineralized zone occurring at or near the top of the Archean basement rocks, either within or immediately below a thin veneer of Devonian sandstone (see cross-sections lines 045E and 060E). Mineralization has been traced northward extending into the semi-pelitic package on lines 025W, 040W and 060W, and remains untested on the other grid lines.
Table 1: R00E Zone - Composited Mineralized Intervals (Down-hole measurements)
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Zone Hole ID Grid Line From (m) To (m) Interval (m) U3O8 (wt%)
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R00E PLS13-065 060E 51.00 53.50 2.50 0.12
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PLS13-067 045E 50.50 52.00 1.50 0.09
61.50 67.50 6.00 4.63
63.50 67.50 4.00 6.86
110.00 110.50 0.50 0.05
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PLS13-069 045E 52.00 53.50 1.50 0.36
100.50 101.50 1.00 0.06
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PLS13-071 045E No significant mineralization
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Composite Parameters
1. Minimum Thickness: 0.50m
2. Grade Cut-Off: 0.05 U3O8 (wt%)
3. Maximum Internal Dilution: 2.00m
R390E Zone
Assays reported for eight vertical collared holes in this news release (PLS13-044, 046, 061, 062, 064, 066, 068 and 070) represent close spaced delineation drilling on lines 360E, 375E, 390E, 405E and 420E of the R390E zone. As is the case with the R00E zone, R390E mineralization is spatially located proximal to the north of the PL-3B basement EM conductor and situated within a well-defined resistivity low corridor. Drill hole interpretation thus far defines the area of highest grade mineralization to be associated with a steeply south dipping pelitic (+/- graphitic) lithology sandwiched between semi-pelitic gneiss to the north and quartz-feldspar gneiss to the south, where the mineralization is focused primarily near the contact between the pelitic gneiss and quartz-feldspar gneiss. Holes drilled on Line 390E have encountered moderate mineralization in the footwall semi-pelitic rocks to the north (PLS13-068 and 070) and the hanging wall quartzitic gneiss to the south (PLS13-046). This lithologic package appears to be parallel along strike with that of the R00E zone.
Most significant are the results of holes PLS13-061 (located 15m grid west of hole PLS13-053) and PLS13-066 (located 15m grid east of hole PLS13-051). Hole 061 (line 360E) shows the uranium to be concentrated within two zones: a) an upper 21.0m wide interval (77.0m - 88.0m) that averages 0.26% U3O8, and b) a lower 23.5m wide interval (110.0m - 133.5m) that averages 1.39% U3O8. Hole PLS13-066 (line 420E) shows the uranium to be concentrated in a continuous 63.5m interval (82.0m - 145.5m) that averages 1.15% U3O8 and includes several higher grade intervals from 2.0m to 6.0m wide.
Table 2: R390E Zone - Composited Mineralized Intervals (Down-hole measurements)
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Zone Hole ID Grid Line From (m) To (m) Interval (m) U3O8 (wt%)
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R390E PLS13-044 390E 56.00 73.00 17.00 0.24
60.00 61.00 1.00 1.24
77.00 83.00 6.00 0.32
86.00 89.50 3.50 0.38
96.50 103.50 7.00 0.46
101.00 102.50 1.50 1.36
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PLS13-046 390E 96.50 98.00 1.50 0.13
127.50 129.00 1.50 0.04
206.50 207.50 1.00 0.15
239.00 240.00 1.00 0.14
243.50 244.00 0.50 0.16
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PLS13-061 360E 77.00 98.00 21.00 0.26
92.50 97.50 5.00 0.75
102.50 103.50 1.00 0.25
110.00 133.50 23.50 1.39
126.00 132.00 6.00 4.34
137.50 140.00 2.50 1.17
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PLS13-062 375E 51.00 55.00 4.00 0.36
86.00 98.50 12.50 0.19
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PLS13-064 405E 83.50 84.50 1.00 0.29
90.50 91.50 1.00 0.11
95.00 96.00 1.00 0.06
110.50 121.00 10.50 0.08
125.50 136.00 10.50 0.43
130.00 132.00 2.00 1.37
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PLS13-066 420E 82.00 145.50 63.50 1.15
88.00 90.50 2.50 4.50
101.00 107.50 6.50 2.60
122.00 124.00 2.00 2.14
133.00 135.00 2.00 9.51
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PLS13-068 390E 96.00 111.00 15.00 0.26
116.00 117.00 1.00 0.10
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PLS13-070 390E 85.50 89.00 3.50 0.13
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Composite Parameters
1. Minimum Thickness: 0.50m
2. Grade Cut-Off: 0.05 U3O8 (wt%)
3. Maximum Internal Dilution: 2.00m
R780E Zone
Assays reported for three vertical collared holes in this news release (PLS13-048, 055 and 060) represent close spaced delineation drilling on line 780E. The R780E zone discovery was the result of drill testing a radon in water anomaly identified during the January - February 2013 survey conducted by RadonEx Exploration Management. The radon anomaly is on trend to the E-NE from the R00E and R390E zones, and is situated close to the east end of the PL-3B EM conductor and associated resistivity low corridor that is inferred to be terminated by a cross cutting structure.
Similar to the R00E and R390E zones, interpretation of mineralization at the R780E zone, shows that mineralization is primarily focused within the graphitic pelitic rock, and mineralization continues across the footwall semi-pelite contact. However, the most northerly hole, PLS13-048 intersected mineralization entirely within the footwall semi-pelitic rocks.
The best developed mineralized zones were returned from hole PLS13-060, which had a total of 11 discontinuous intervals from 0.5m - 15.5m wide within 124.5m (133.5m - 258.0m). The strongest mineralization was a 7.0m interval (144.0m - 151.0m) that averaged 1.22% U3O8, including a higher grade 2.5m interval (146.5m - 149.0m) at 3.0% U3O8.
Table 3: R780E Zone - Composited Mineralized Intervals (Down-hole measurements)
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Zone Hole ID Grid Line From (m) To (m) Interval (m) U3O8 (wt%)
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R780E PLS13-048 780E 155.00 164.50 9.50 0.08
167.00 173.50 6.50 0.18
176.00 177.00 1.00 0.07
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PLS13-055 780E 109.50 114.00 4.50 0.40
117.00 118.00 1.00 0.15
141.50 145.50 4.00 0.40
166.00 176.00 10.00 0.57
173.50 176.00 2.50 1.87
192.00 192.50 0.50 0.39
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PLS13-060 780E 133.50 141.00 7.50 0.18
144.00 151.00 7.00 1.22
146.50 149.00 2.50 3.00
154.00 156.50 2.50 0.13
159.50 175.00 15.50 0.20
183.00 189.50 6.50 0.39
193.50 196.50 3.00 0.14
203.50 209.00 5.50 0.36
212.00 216.50 4.50 0.36
221.00 226.50 5.50 0.11
247.50 248.00 0.50 0.20
257.50 258.00 0.50 0.38
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Composite Parameters
1. Minimum Thickness: 0.50m
2. Grade Cut-Off: 0.05 U3O8 (wt%)
3. Maximum Internal Dilution: 2.00m
Regional Tests
Two drill holes tested regional targets further along trend and on a parallel conductor to the north.
Line 2190E - PLS13-057 was targeted as a follow-up test to hole PLS13-040 (see news release March 11, 2013), which was targeted on an EM conductor and coincident intense resistivity low located approximately 2.2km to the east of the R00E zone. Hole 040 was interpreted to be analogous to the northern semi-pelitic unit which bounds mineralization further to the west at the R780E zone. Hole 057 was drilled to test further to the south where it was interpreted to be in the pelitic corridor. However, no pelitic sediments or mineralization was encountered in PLS13-057. Overall uranium values are low, ranging from less than 2ppm to 5ppm.
Line 990E - PLS13-063 was targeted based on a limited radon in sediment anomaly coincident with one of the central EM conductors and a resistivity low. Basement rock was encountered at 54.5m. A favorable sequence of alternating pelitic and semi-pelitic gneiss was intersected from 54.5m - 163.7m (end of hole). A Diabase unit was intersected from 128.7m - 132.4m. Overall uranium values are low, ranging from less than 2ppm to 13 ppm.
Composited U3O8 mineralized intervals are summarized in Table 4 below.
Table 4: Regional East - Composited Mineralized Intervals (Down-hole measurements)
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Zone Hole ID Grid Line From (m) To (m) Interval (m) U3O8 (wt%)
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Regional PLS13-057 2190E No signficant mineralization
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East PLS13-063 990E No signficant mineralization
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Composite Parameters
1. Minimum Thickness: 0.50m
2. Grade Cut-Off: 0.05 U3O8 (wt%)
3. Maximum Internal Dilution: 2.00m
Composited U3O8 mineralized intervals are summarized in Tables 1-4. Samples from the drill core are split in half on site. Most samples are standardized at 0.5m down-hole intervals. One-half of the split sample is sent to the laboratory for analysis and the other half remains on site for reference. All intersections are down-hole, core interval measurements and true thickness are yet to be determined.
Split core samples were submitted to SRC Geoanalytical Laboratories (an SCC ISO/IEC 17025: 2005 Accredited Facility) of Saskatoon for assay analysis, which includes a 63 element ICP-OES, uranium by fluorimetry (partial digestion), and boron. Samples within mineralized intervals and any samples which return greater than 500ppm U, are assayed for weight % U3O8, as well as fire assayed for gold. Further assay results will be released when received.
Patterson Lake South Property
The 31,000 hectare (76,000 acres) PLS project is a 50%/50% Joint Venture held by Alpha Minerals Inc (AMW) and Fission Uranium (FCU). The Joint Venture property is 100% owned with no underlying royalties or vendor payments. Fission is the Operator of the Joint Venture until April 1st 2014. The property is accessible by road with primary access from all-weather Highway 955, which runs north to the former Cluff Lake mine, (greater than 60M lbs of U3O8 produced from multiple open pit and underground mines), and passes through the nearby UEX-Areva Shea Creek discoveries located 50km to the north, currently under active exploration and development.
Garrett Ainsworth, P.Geo., Vice President Exploration is the Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 who was project manager of the winter 2013 work program at Patterson Lake South. The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 and reviewed on behalf of Alpha Minerals Inc., by Ben Ainsworth, P.Eng., a Qualified Person.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Alpha Minerals Inc.
Ben Ainsworth
President, CEO and Director
Please refer to the Alpha Minerals Inc. website (www.alphaminerals.ca) for further and updated information.
This press release contains "forward-looking information" that is based on Alpha's current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections. This forward-looking information includes, among other things, statements with respect to Alpha's development plans. The words "will", "anticipated", "plans" or other similar words and phrases are intended to identify forward-looking information.
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Contacts:
Alpha Minerals Inc.
Robert (Bob) Meister
(604) 629-0293
Toll Free: 1-866-629-0293
info@alphaminerals.ca
www.alphaminerals.ca
