Fjordland Options Heffley Copper-Gold Porphyry Property, Northeast
of Kamloops, Southern British Columbia
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Apr 2, 2014) -
Fjordland Exploration Inc. (TSX-VENTURE:FEX) is pleased to announce
that on March 25, 2014 it signed a Letter Agreement with a private
owner for the 1,940-hectare (ha) Heffley Property in southern B.C.
The option agreement to purchase a 100% interest in the Property
covers recently interpreted prospective ground for the discovery of
a copper-gold porphyry-type deposit and/or an Iron Oxide Copper
Gold (IOCG) deposit.
The road-accessible Heffley Property is located approximately 30
km northeast of Kamloops, just outside of where New Gold Inc. put
the New Afton copper-gold-silver mine back into production in
mid-2012 as an underground block caving operation with a current
average throughput of over 12,000 tonnes per day. New Afton's
proven and probable reserves at December 31, 2013 were stated at
48.82 million tonnes grading 0.84% Cu, 0.56 g/t Au and 2.2 g/t Ag.
Measured and indicated mineral resources (inclusive of reserves)
total 104.9 million tonnes grading 0.86% Cu, 0.68 g/t Au and 2.3
g/t Ag (1).
The Heffley Property occurs within the prolific Quesnel terrane
and lies at the contact between Upper Triassic Nicola Group and
Devonian to Permian Harper Ranch Group volcanic and sedimentary
packages. These rocks have been intruded by the syntectonic Heffley
Creek pluton, estimated to measure 5 km by 2.6 km, which has alkali
affinities, including the presence of ultramafic rocks, gabbros and
diorites. Its age (208 Ma) and associated copper and gold
porphyry-style mineralization bears a close resemblance to the Iron
Mask batholith that hosts the New Afton and Ajax deposits. In
general, bedrock exposures at Heffley are sparse and patchy and
limited to steeper hillsides and road cuts.
The Heffley Property has seen very limited exploration (no
induced polarization surveys or drilling), which is surprising,
given its proximity to Kamloops and the abundance of mines/mineral
deposits in the region. Access into the region was improved into
the Shaw Hill area of the Property in the late 1990s-early 2000s,
when logging took place. Between 1993 and 2004, there was virtually
no systematic exploration of the area. In 1999, during a regional
mapping program carried out by the Geological Survey Branch (GSB)
of the provincial government, a grab sample from an outcrop on a
new logging road up the flank of Shaw Hill yielded an assay of
0.82% Cu and 14.4 g/t Ag. Another sample assayed 6.18 g/t Au and
0.46% Cu. At the same time, the GSB documented an unusual magnetite
skarn, located approximately 2 km to the northwest of the Heffley
Property. Government geologists noted similarities in the setting
and characteristics of the skarn to the Ernest Henry (Australia)
and Candelaria (Chile) IOCG mines (2).
In 2005, the owner hand panned rough edge placer gold with
quartz along a road cut leading uphill to Shaw Hill. In 2006, the
owner discovered additional copper showings on the west flank of
Shaw Hill.
In October 2010, Gold Fields Canada Exploration Holdings ("Gold
Fields"), recognizing the porphyry potential, optioned the
Property. During 2010-2012, Gold Fields completed geological
mapping, prospecting, and soil and rock geochemical sampling over
the central portion of the Property, principally in the Shaw Hill
area. In October, 2013, Gold Fields allowed its option to lapse, as
a result of corporate restructuring. Soil sampling programs
completed by Gold Fields, using a handheld XRF analyzer, yielded a
2 km by 2 km copper-gold anomaly across the northwest slope of Shaw
Hill, as well as an anomaly further to the west. Rock sampling and
prospecting programs completed by Gold Fields yielded two copper
and gold anomalous zones. One on the west side of Shaw Hill
measures approximately 700 m by 400 m; the second is located to the
west of Shaw Hill. Copper assays as high as 8780 ppm were obtained;
gold values ranged up to 55 to 70 ppb.
Limited rock sampling by Fjordland yielded grab sample assays of
mineralized diorites/gabbros including 1.337% Cu, 115 ppb Au;
0.607% Cu and 58 ppb Au, and 0.114% Cu and 1300 ppb Au. Copper
mineralization (chalcopyrite, malachite and tenorite) typically
occurs as disseminations, in fractures and in quartz vein
stockworks.
During 2014, Fjordland intends to complete a minimum of 20
line-kilometres of induced polarization surveying over the Shaw
Hill area, followed by diamond drilling.
Under the terms of the Agreement, Fjordland must pay to the
owner $10,000 cash on signing, an additional $10,000 cash on July
1, 2014 (optional) and a final cash payment of $180,000 on January
8, 2015 (optional). The Company will also reserve a 2% net smelter
returns (NSR) for the owner that may be bought by the Company for
$2,000,000. Commencing on the 6th anniversary of the execution date
of the exercise of the option, the Company will make an annual
pre-production royalty payment of $20,000 payable to the owner.
This royalty pre-payment would be deductible from the royalty
buyout. The Agreement includes a mutual 4-kilometre (km) Area of
Influence clause.
On April 1, 2014, Fjordland acquired an additional 2,144 ha,
surrounding the Heffley Property, which now totals 4084
hectares.
Tom Schroeter, President & CEO of Fjordland states: "We are
pleased to option this property which yields an opportunity to
explore for and discover a copper-gold porphyry deposit that has
previously received very limited exploration. The Property's
excellent location and infrastructure will allow for the delivery
of very cost-effective and systematic exploration programs; in line
with the Company's focus on exploration in southern British
Columbia and evidenced by its successes at the Woodjam and Dillard
projects."
Further information about the Heffley porphyry copper-gold
project is available on Fjordland's website at
http://www.fjordlandex.com/dillard_property.html.
T.G. Schroeter, P.Eng.,/P.Geo., who is a qualified person within
the context of National Instrument 43-101, has read and takes
responsibility for this news release.
About Fjordland Exploration Inc.
Fjordland Exploration Inc. is a mineral exploration company
focused on the discovery of copper and gold deposits in British
Columbia. Fjordland currently has a portfolio of 18 properties. It
has a 100% interest in 6 properties known as "Tak" totalling 43,486
hectares (ha) near the Woodjam property in the Cariboo region of
central BC. Fjordland and Serengeti resources Inc. are (50/50)
partners in the "Milligan West" project totalling 15,736 ha,
adjoining Thompson Creek Metals Ltd's Mt. Milligan copper-gold mine
which came into production in late 2013. Fjordland and Serengeti
are 35%/65% partners exploring 8 precious and base metals
properties ("QUEST" project) totalling 22,367 ha, in the Quesnel
terrane between the Mount Polley and Mt. Milligan mines. Fjordland
has a 100% interest in the St. Mary's property totalling 13,600 ha
in the Iron Range area, southern BC. Fjordland has options to
acquire a 100% interest in the adjoining Dillard and Dill
(collectively named "Dillard") copper and gold properties totalling
2,592 ha. Fjordland has an option to acquire a 100% interest in the
Heffley Property totalling 4,084 ha. Fjordland's shares trade on
the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "FEX". For further
information visit Fjordland's website at www.fjordlandex.com.
Tom Schroeter, President & CEO
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services (as
that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange)
accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this
release.
Footnotes: |
(1): New Gold News Release, February 6, 2014 |
(2): Ray and Webster (2000) in Geological Fieldwork 1999, Paper
2000-1, B.C. Ministry of Energy and Mines, pages 273-286 |
Fjordland Exploration
Inc.604.893.8365604.669.8336info@fjordlandex.comwww.fjordlandex.com
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