Blackheath Completes Preliminary Work at Borralha Tungsten Project
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Sep 16, 2013) - Blackheath Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE:BHR)(FRANKFURT:04B) ("Blackheath") is pleased to report the completion of a preliminary trenching program at the past-producing Borralha Tungsten Project in northern Portugal, where Blackheath holds the rights to a 100% interest. The program successfully confirmed significant amounts of tungsten at surface in the Santa Helena Breccia both in areas that were previously mined and also in new discovery zones.
Six trenches were excavated across the southern portion of the surface of the Santa Helena Breccia zone at Borralha. Results are encouraging and included 20 metres with a grade of 0.33 % WO3 (tungsten trioxide) including 5 metres of 1.09% WO3. Two geological test holes were also drilled into the sub-horizontal quartz-wolframite (tungsten) vein system (see Figure 1). Other work included mapping and topographic surveys, grid preparation and geochemical sampling.
Santa Helena Breccia Trenching (see Figure 2)
The Santa Helena Breccia zone at Borralha, which has never been drilled, has been partially mined by open pits in areas of more extensive tungsten-bearing quartz veins. Other tungsten veins have been scavenged over the years, often by "apanhistas" or illegal miners, and all mining ceased in 1985 as a result of world-wide low tungsten prices. The breccia body is over 500 meters in length, 200 meters wide at the south end and open to an unknown depth.
The goal of the initial trenching program, in the Santa Helena Breccia, was to assess the area outside the partially mined open pits prior to commencing a drill program. Six trenches were excavated and, while it was not possible to recover samples from most of the previously scavenged surface workings, trenching results outside these workings are encouraging and showed extensive tungsten mineralization at surface in the breccia. The trenches were dug with a backhoe, cleaned and then the bedrock was sampled using a hand held diamond saw to cut a channel sample along their length of the trench.
Five trenches have widths and grades of potential economic interest, subject to further work. Mineralization of disseminated wolframite occurred in all of the trenches in the breccia and appears to be concentrated in some zones. Trenching results included the following among others of lower value. (A general cut-off grade of 0.05% WO3 has been used)
Sample | From (m) | To (m) | Trench Width (m) | WO3 % | |
Trench T1 (all samples) | 0 | 100 | 100 | 0.13 | |
including | 75 | 95 | 20 | 0.33 | |
including | 85 | 90 | 5 | 1.09 | |
Trench T2 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0.23 | |
and | 120 | 125 | 5 | 0.27 | |
Trench T4 | 35 | 85 | 50 | 0.10 | |
including | 35 | 65 | 30 | 0.14 | |
Trench T5 | 55 | 110 | 55 | 0.14 | |
including | 55 | 65 | 10 | 0.41 | |
and including | 85 | 90 | 5 | 0.24 | |
and including | 105 | 110 | 5 | 0.33 | |
Trench T6 | 0 | 50 | 50 | 0.10 | |
including | 0 | 25 | 25 | 0.13 |
Trench 3 showed anomalous values less than 0.05% WO3.
Drilling
The two preliminary geological test drill holes, BO-1 and BO-2, of approximately 150 meters depth each were completed in an area on strike with past productive sub-horizontal quartz-wolframite veins on the far north side of the property well outside the Santa Helena Breccia.
Both holes were geologically interesting as Hole BO-1 intersected 14 quartz veins and veinlets and Hole BO-2 intersected 4 quartz veins and veinlets. Encouragingly, Hole BO-1 also intersected at a depth of 29 metres, what appears to be an old "apanhista" working, not visible at surface, with 90 cm of no recovered core. This large gap corresponds to an area that was exploited in a previously unknown sub-horizontal vein.
Drilling results included the following among others of lower value:
Drillhole | From (m) | To (m) | Interval (m) | WO3 % |
BO-1 | 19.40 | 20.40 | 1.00 | 0.23 |
BO-1 | 47.30 | 48.30 | 1.00 | 0.21 |
BO-2_13 | 48 | 49 | 1.00 | 0.29 |
"We are greatly encouraged by the results of this preliminary exploration program at Borralha," said James Robertson, President & CEO of Blackheath Resources. "The potential of the Santa Helena Breccia zone, surrounding and including the partially mined historic open pits, could be demonstrated in a short time with a surface drill program. We are now at a stage that we can confidently proceed with drill target locations. The exact magnitude of Borralha will be realized over time, but we can now start to see why Borralha was such an important and prolific tungsten mine."
The Borralha concession is located 60 km northeast of the major northern city of Porto and covers 127.5 km2 over several past producing zones. The mine was the second largest tungsten mine in Portugal, after Panasqueira. Tungsten occurred in numerous vertical and sub-horizontal veins as well as two breccia bodies, of which the Santa Helena breccia is the larger.
Mining continued almost uninterrupted from 1903 to 1985, by French, British and German companies with two standstill periods; from mid 1944 to late 1946, imposed by law, and from 1958 to late 1962. Production ceased in 1985 when tungsten prices dropped to sub-economic levels. The total production of wolframite and scheelite (tungsten minerals) concentrates from 1904 until the closing of Borralha is estimated at about 18,500 tonnes, although this number is approximate, and may be substantially less than the true value.
About Blackheath:
Blackheath Resources Inc. is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange, and is focused on tungsten exploration and development in Portugal. The Company holds the Covas, Arga and Borralha tungsten projects and also the Bejanca tungsten/tin project. Exploration is currently underway at all four projects. Management of Blackheath has previous experience in tungsten mining operations in Portugal through Primary Metals Inc., the operator of the Panasqueira Tungsten Mine from 2003 to 2007.
Further information about the company's activities may be found at www.blackheathresources.com and under the company's profile at www.sedar.com.
On behalf of the Board,
James Robertson, P. Eng., CEO, President & Director
This news release was prepared by Company management, who take full responsibility for its content. Barry J. Price, M.Sc., P.Geo. is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 of the Canadian Securities Administrators. He has reviewed the technical disclosure in this release. Tungsten analyses were performed by ALS Chemex in Vancouver, Canada using standard ME-XRF05 assay techniques.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
To view Figure 1, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/bhr0916fig1.jpg.
To view Figure 2, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/bhr0916fig2.jpg.
Contact
Blackheath Resources Inc.
Alexander Langer
604 684-3800
info@blackheathresources.com
www.blackheathresources.com