Blackheath Resources Inc. Reports 11m of 2.09% WO3 and Historical Reserves at Vale das Gatas
The permit area includes the historic Vale das Gatas Tungsten Mine, the second largest past producer of tungsten in Portugal, which closed in 1986 as a result of low tungsten prices, and also an undeveloped mineralized zone, the Prainelas Sector, to the south, where Blackheath has focussed on a programme of surface and underground mapping and sampling. Prainelas hosts multiple, closely spaced, parallel sub-vertical mineralized veins with evidence of narrow, but high grade, wolframite (tungsten) mineralization and additional silver values. Assays of selected samples, which may not be representative of average values, taken across the vein from underground exploration adits on two of these veins, Brasileira and Santa Rita, are given below together with results taken along the vein from stockwork samples at Santa Rita:
Target | Sample | From | To | Sample Width | WO3 | Ag | ||||||
(m) | (m) | (cm) | % | ppm | ||||||||
Brasileira Vein | ||||||||||||
Br_01 | 131.5 | 132 | 25 | 0.77 | 36 | |||||||
Br_01b | 131.5 | 132 | 15 | 2.39 | 0 | |||||||
Br_02 | 130.5 | 131 | 28 | 1.05 | 63 | |||||||
Br_02b | 130.5 | 131 | 18 | 2.26 | 0 | |||||||
Br_03 | 125 | 125.5 | 25 | 1.51 | 88 | |||||||
Br_03b | 125 | 125.5 | 15 | 2.24 | 0 | |||||||
Br_04 | 139 | 139.5 | 35 | 0.04 | 429 | |||||||
Br_05 | 148 | 148.5 | 50 | 0.53 | 35 | |||||||
Br_06 | 130 | 130.5 | 18 | 1.94 | 35 | |||||||
Average | 25.4 | 1.42 | 76 | |||||||||
Sta. Rita Vein | ||||||||||||
StR_03 | 118 | 118.5 | 50 | 0.21 | 35 | |||||||
StR_04 | 192 | 192.5 | 25 | 0.15 | 8 | |||||||
Average | 37.5 | 0.18 | 22 | |||||||||
Sta. Rita Stockwork | ||||||||||||
StR_01 | 55 | 60 | 5.0m | 1.53 | 17 | |||||||
StR_02 | 60 | 66 | 6.0m | 2.56 | 57 | |||||||
Or | 55 | 66 | 11.0m | 2.09 | 39 | |||||||
Multiple, closely-spaced mineralized veins have been identified at Prainelas and a drill program of five diamond drill holes is planned to test the potential for bulk mining.
Historic Reserves and Resources
During the most recent work program at Vale das Gatas, Blackheath reviewed a historical mining reserve estimate reported by the Ministry of Industry and Energy of the Government of Portugal in 1991. Included in the report are detailed historical resource blocks originally described as of both proven and probable mineralization.
Mineralization is present in a multiple clusters of veins that are mainly shallowly dipping to the south. The property has several such clusters named Vale das Gatas (Mine A, Mine B, Rebolais and Vinhheiros) and Prainelas (Prainelas, Santa Rita, and Brasileira) to the south, all of which have been explored by underground workings and some of which are flooded at depth. At Vale das Gatas, on one of the veins, Vein A, in the area between Mine A and Rebolais, historical "Reserves" containing tungsten, tin and silver were described in 1991 and are outlined below:
HISTORICAL RESERVES - "A" VEIN - 1991 | ||||||||
Vale das Gatas Mine, Portugal - Tungsten, Tin and Silver | ||||||||
CATEGORY | TONNES | % WO3 | % SnO2 | Ag g/t | ||||
Proven | 47,216 | 0.664 | 0.205 | 79.46 | ||||
Probable | 72,001 | 0.468 | 0.173 | 108.00 | ||||
Note: These reserve and resource estimates are historical in nature, are not intended to represent current resources, and have not been verified by the Company or its consultants but are believed to be relevant and informative although not compliant with current NI 43-101 standards and should not be relied upon. This is the most recent known historical reserve and resource estimate and does not fall into any current NI 43-101 resource estimate category.
The Vale das Gatas mine was the second most prolific past producer of tungsten in Portugal, after Borralha, also held by Blackheath. The Vale das Gatas mine closed in 1986 as a result of a significant decline in tungsten price. At its peak, the mine employed over 1,000 workers and produced up to 635 tonnes of tungsten concentrates annually. The average recovered grade of the mine was 0.35% WO3 per tonne. At least 40 tungsten-bearing sub-vertical quartz veins have been identified over some 1,200 metres in the Prainelas sector, with lengths up to 1,200 metres at surface. To date, Blackheath has identified approximately 300 old exploration workings on the property. These workings include adits, trenches and small open pits.
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 past-producing Covas (where a recent NI 43-101 resource estimate has been completed -- see News Release March 31, 2015), Borralha (a large, mineralized, bulk tonnage target with encouraging drill results to date -- see News Release April 21, 2015), and Vale das Gatas tungsten projects and also the Bejanca tungsten/tin project where a historic resource estimate indicates a significant resource of tin and tungsten in eluvial material on surface -- see News Release November 20, 2013. 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"
James Robertson, P. Eng., CEO & 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 prepared, supervised the preparation, or approved the scientific and technical disclosure in the news release. Tungsten analyses were performed by ALS Minerals, an accredited laboratory in Vancouver, Canada using standard procedures.
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.
For further information contact:
Blackheath Resources Inc.
Alexander Langer, President
604 684-3800
info@blackheathresources.com