Niblack Mineral Development Inc. ("Niblack" or the "Company") (TSX
VENTURE: NIB) and joint venture partner Heatherdale Resources Ltd.
(Heatherdale) (TSX VENTURE: HTR) announce a new mineral resource
estimate for the Lookout Deposit and adjacent Trio Deposit at the
Niblack copper-gold-zinc-silver project in southeast Alaska,
increasing total Indicated resources by 60% and Inferred resources
by 46%. Lookout and Trio are two of six known polymetallic
volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) deposits within the 10 square
mile Niblack property, all of which remain open and are candidates
for future resource expansion.
The new Niblack resource estimate in the indicated category
reflects a substantial increase in total metal contained in the
expanded Lookout and Trio deposits. Contained gold has increased by
59%, while silver, copper and zinc have grown by 86%, 53% and 66%,
respectively.
In addition, ongoing drilling has delineated a 1.5 million tonne
higher-grade zone (at a US $150 Net Smelter Return (NSR) cut-off)
within the Lookout Deposit. This high-grade core is considered to
be ideal as a starter-zone for successful underground mine
development.
"Drilling activity at Niblack has been virtually nonstop over
the past 15 months. The hard work directed toward understanding the
geology and expanding the Lookout deposit has proven to be very
successful. Mineral resources for the Niblack Project in both
categories have increased when compared to the previous (July 2009)
estimate. But more importantly, is the 60% rise in the indicated
resources with respective 59% and 86% increases in contained gold
and silver. The Lookout high grade zone could positively impact the
initial years of production and the payback of capital," said
Niblack President and CEO John Williamson.
"This positive outcome demonstrates both the strength of our
geological model and the robust nature of the mineralization within
the Lookout deposit. Further opportunities exist to expand the
resources at Niblack with additional drilling. Our current task is
to continue to follow the mineralization at Lookout and Trio, which
are still open, and to begin drill testing other high priority
targets on the property."
The mineral resource estimate for the Lookout and Trio deposits
is based on drilling completed to December 23, 2010, and includes
308 drill holes. Mineralization has been modeled as sub-seafloor
replacement and accumulation style VMS deposits. The resource
estimate utilizes three-dimensional modeling techniques and
estimation parameters based on prior experience at Niblack. Mineral
resources at a US$50 NSR cutoff and long-term metal prices, as
estimated by geostatistical methods, are tabulated below.
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LOOKOUT AND TRIO MINERAL RESOURCES MARCH 2011
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Indicated
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Deposit Tonnes Cu (%) Au (g/t) Zn (%) Ag (g/t)
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Lookout (oxide) 183,000 0.22 3.71 0.20 57.43
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Lookout (sulphide) 3,954,000 1.17 2.25 2.36 37.82
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TOTAL 4,136,000 1.13 2.32 2.27 38.70
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Inferred
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Zone Tonnes Cu (%) Au (g/t) Zn (%) Ag (g/t)
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Trio (sulphide) 756,000 1.50 1.75 2.91 26.65
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Lookout (sulphide) 1,736,000 1.09 1.77 2.02 25.52
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TOTAL 2,493,000 1.21 1.77 2.29 25.90
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Notes: US$50 Net Smelter Return (NSR) uses long-term metal forecasts: gold
US$1050/oz, silver US$18.00/oz, copper US$2.50/lb, and zinc US$1.00/lb;
Recoveries used to Cu concentrate of 95% Cu, 56% Au and 53% Ag with payable
metal factors of 96.5% for Cu, 90.7% for Au, and 89.5% for Ag; to Zn
concentrate of 93% Zn, 16% Au, and 24% Ag with payable metal factors of 85%
for Zn, 80% for Au and 20% for Ag. Detailed engineering studies will
determine the best cutoff.
Building on the 2008 discovery of high-grade VMS mineralization
within the Lookout Deposit, exploration and delineation drilling
undertaken in 2009 and 2010 has achieved substantial increases to
the size, grade and extent of the resource. The currently outlined
dimensions of the Lookout Deposit are approximately 2,200 feet by
1,500 feet, with an average thickness of 55 feet. The currently
outlined dimensions of the Trio Deposit are approximately 750 feet
by 400 feet, with an average thickness of 220 feet. In addition to
tonnes and grade, the continuity and geometry of the Lookout and
Trio deposits - in particular their thickness - makes them
attractive candidates for low-cost underground mining.
The continuous, higher-grade zone of mineralization which has
been outlined within the Lookout Deposit is tabulated below.
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LOOKOUT HIGH GRADE ZONE
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Category Cut-off (NSR) Tonnes Cu (%) Au (g/t) Zn (%) Ag (g/t)
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Indicated 150 1,460,000 1.73 3.50 3.84 61.60
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To date, 43-101 compliant mineral resource estimates have only
been prepared for the Lookout and Trio deposits, although there are
four other known VMS deposits at Niblack - including Mammoth, Dama,
Lindsy and Niblack. All of the deposits, including Lookout and
Trio, remain open and are candidates for future resource expansion.
Two drill rigs are currently active at the Niblack property as part
of a comprehensive 2011 drilling program to further expand and
delineate high-grade VMS mineralization within the Lookout, Trio
and Mammoth deposits.
A graphic representation of the Lookout and Trio deposits is
available at www.niblack.com. A technical report documenting the
results of the estimate will be filed at www.sedar.com within 45
days.
The Niblack property is located on Prince of Wales Island in
southeast Alaska. Niblack's location at tidewater presents a number
of project benefits, including year-round marine access, a
well-trained labour force, a mature supply and service sector,
proximity to Asian markets, and the support of community and Alaska
Native corporation partners. The project is located 27 miles (44
kilometres) from Ketchikan, a community of 8,000 people with
important services to support project development, including a deep
water port and international airport. The State's burgeoning
minerals industry also enjoys a competitive tax regime and stable,
predictable permitting and regulatory oversight coordinated by the
Alaska Department of Natural Resources', 'Large Mine Permitting
Team'. For reference, Hecla's Greens Creek, a 2,100-ton per day
underground massive sulphide mine, operates 225 miles (370
kilometres) to the northwest of Niblack on Admiralty Island.
The resource estimates were completed by Deon Van Der Heever,
Pr. Sci. Nat., Senior Manager Mineral Resources for Hunter
Dickinson Inc., a Qualified Person who is not independent of the
Company. The 2011 mineral resource estimates were assessed by
Independent Qualified Person Marek Nowak P.Geo., of SRK Consulting.
The qualified persons reviewed and approved the contents of this
news release.
Peter Kleespies, P.Geol., a Qualified Person as defined under
National Instrument 43-101, is supervising the exploration and
quality assurance and quality control programs on behalf of Niblack
and has reviewed the content of this release.
About Niblack Mineral Development Inc.
Niblack Mineral Development Inc. (TSX VENTURE: NIB) is an
exploration and development company with a number of mineral rich
assets in South East Alaska. The Company's principal asset is the
Niblack advanced stage copper-gold-zinc-silver project. This
project is currently joint ventured to and operated by Heatherdale
Resources Limited (a Hunter Dickinson Company) which has the right
to earn up to a 70% interest in the project.
Niblack Mineral Development Inc. is a member of the Discovery
Group of companies, for more information on the group visit
www.discoveryexp.com.
On behalf of the Board
Niblack Mineral Development Inc.
John Williamson, President, CEO & Director
Sample preparation and analysis for the Niblack project is done
at ISO 9001 accredited ALS Chemex laboratories in Vancouver, BC.
All samples are assayed for gold by 30 g fire assay fusion with
Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) finish. Copper, silver, zinc,
lead and 29 additional elements are determined for all samples by
four acid digestion, followed by ICP-AES finish. All over-limit
copper, zinc or lead results (greater than 10%) and all over-limit
silver results (greater than 200 grams per tonne) are re-assayed by
high grade single element four acid digestion ICP-AES or AAS
analysis. As part of a comprehensive QA/QC program, one standard is
inserted into the sample stream in each group of 20 samples, as
well as one or more field blanks in each analytical batch. One
sample in each group of 20 is a duplicate, which is analyzed by
Acme Analytical Laboratories in Vancouver.
This release includes certain statements that may be deemed
"forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other
than statements of historical facts, that address exploration
drilling, exploitation activities and events or developments that
the company expects are forward looking statements. Although the
company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking
statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are
not guarantees of future performance and actual results or
developments may differ materially from those in the
forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results
to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements
include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes,
continuity of mineralization, uncertainties related to the ability
to obtain necessary permits, licenses and title and delays due to
third party opposition, changes in government policies regarding
mining and natural resource exploration and exploitation, and
continued availability of capital and financing, and general
economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned
that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance
and actual results or developments may differ materially from those
projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information
on the Company, investors should review the Company's continuous
disclosure filings that are available at www.sedar.com.
Information Concerning Estimates of Indicated and Inferred
Resources
This news release uses the terms "indicated resources" and
"inferred resources". Niblack advises investors that although these
terms are recognized and required by Canadian regulations (under
National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral
Projects), the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission does not
recognize them. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part
or all of the mineral deposits in these categories will ever be
converted into reserves. In addition, "inferred resources" have a
great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and economic and
legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an
Inferred Mineral Resource will ever be upgraded to a higher
category. Under Canadian rules, estimates of Inferred Mineral
Resources may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility
studies, or economic studies except for Preliminary Assessment as
defined under 43-101. Investors are cautioned not to assume that
part or all of an inferred resource exists, or is economically or
legally mineable.
"Neither 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."
Contacts: Niblack Mineral Development Inc. Brian Budd Director
of Corp. Development 604-646-4525 or Toll-free: 1-888-331-2269
brianb@niblack.com www.niblack.com or Mobile URL: m.niblack.com
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