Mr. Patrick Power reports
ARCTIC STAR EXPLORATION CORP. COMPLETES SPRING EXPLORATION PROGRAM AT DIAGRAS PROPERTY, NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, CANADA
Arctic Star Exploration Corp. has completed its spring exploration program at its 40-per-cent-owned Diagras property, located in the Northwest Territories, Canada. Diagras totals 22,595 hectares within 31 mineral claims, with a total of 23 known kimberlites. The data from this ground geophysical program has been received and interpreted by the company's technical team and they reported that the work has generated compelling drill targets.
The exploration program comprised ground gravity, magnetic and electromagnetic (EM) surveys focused around historically identified kimberlites, as well as other airborne geophysical anomalies with kimberlite-like signatures.
Margret Lake Diamonds Inc. is a contributing joint venture between the company, which acts as project operator and holds a 60-per-cent interest, and Arctic Star Exploration Corp., which holds a 40-per-cent interest. Diagras is located in the prolific Lac de Gras diamond field, Northwest Territories, Canada, just 35 kilometres from the world-class Diavik diamond mine. The property lies directly on trend with the Diavik deposits currently being mined by a joint venture between Rio Tinto and Dominion Diamond Diavik.
Detailed, modern ground geophysical techniques are being employed to define possible additional kimberlite(s) or kimberlite phases not identified by previous explorers, who did not utilize all these techniques. This exploration approach has been successful elsewhere with recent examples including the discoveries of additional diamondiferous kimberlite at the Kelvin and Faraday kimberlite complex (Kennady North project adjacent to the Gahcho Kue diamond mine). Investors are cautioned that mineral deposits on adjacent properties are not indicative of mineral deposits on Diagras.
The work has been financed in part by significant grants from the government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) mining incentive program (MIP). The company would like to thank the GNWT for its support and recognition of the potential for this quality exploration program; the financing is limited and only granted to those projects judged most likely to bring benefit to the NWT. The companies are grateful for its consideration.
The joint venture has conducted ground geophysical work over three spring seasons and now has enough drill targets to justify drill mobilization, planned for spring 2020. The Diagras project has an active Class A land use permit, which includes drilling. The permit is good until December, 2022, and has the ability for extension.
SUMMARY OF 2019 WORK AND DRILL TARGETS
Target Gravity Ohm mapper Magnetics Drill testing
(stations) (line kilometres) (line kilometres) planned
Anne X X X
Black Spruce 236 12.8 20.2 /
Dodi X X 18
Don X X X
Drew X X X
Emily X X X
Finlay 168 X X
George X X X
Hanna X X X
HL01 34 X X
HL02 104 3.1 8.66 /
HL055 X X 8.3
Jack Pine/Sequoia 253 9.94 39.02 /
Kong 178 5.6 18.72 /
Krista X X 12.6
Lindsey X X 11.6
Nadine 40 83.2
Naomi 126 7.7 16.43
Penelope (DG007) 169 5.8 15 /
Petra 72 7.8 63
Suzanne 199 16.1 18.55 /
Tabatha 253 9.94 39.02 /
Taz X X 11.6
Below is a review of some of the more promising targets generated from this work.
At the Black Spruce kimberlite, Monopros (a subsidiary of De Beers) discovered this kimberlite by drilling a distinct magnetic low in the early 1990s. In the early 2000s, the property was optioned to Majescor, which drilled the edge of the magnetic kimberlite testing in part the EM anomaly. The company's work in 2017 shows a series of gravity lows occurring coincident and adjacent to the south of the known magnetic kimberlite phase. One of these gravity anomalies clearly breaks and disturbs a diabase dike signature, which is a characteristic similar to many known Lac de Gras kimberlites. Results from this year, 2019, show a strong EM anomaly that is partly separate and partly coincident with the magnetic and gravity anomalies. The simplest explanation is that each geophysical signature, the magnetic, the gravity and the EM, represent different phases of the same kimberlite complex. Each phase can have totally different diamond grades and populations. The gravity and EM anomalies require separate drill testing. Three separate targets exist.
At the Jack Pine kimberlite, which is one of the largest kimberlite complexes in the Lac de Gras diamond field (over 1.5 kilometres in its longest dimension), the geophysical methods (ground gravity, EM and magnetics) highlighted obvious magnetic kimberlite phases drilled by previous explorers while also successfully defining a new kimberlite-like geophysical expression believed to have not yet been evaluated by drilling according to available public domain records. Previous drilling in the Jack Pine kimberlite complex has demonstrated it is significantly diamond bearing.
At the Suzanne kimberlite, ground geophysical work has revealed a magnetic low anomaly, a gravity anomaly and a linear EM anomaly interpreted to be over 600 metres in length. Data in the public domain indicates that only one drill hole tested this kimberlite leaving potentially untested kimberlite(s) and/or phases.
At the HL02 kimberlite, DeBeers drilled two long inclined holes: one intersecting only a few metres of hypabyssal-type kimberlite at the end of the hole. It appears from this work that there is an untested gravity and EM target that breaks a diabase dike. This is a classic compelling kimberlite drill target.
At the Kong kimberlite, there is a double lobe magnetic anomaly drilled by Monopros; however, the company's work shows a distinct EM anomaly between the two lobes that has not be tested, which could represent a new kimberlite or kimberlite phase.
At the Penelope Kimberlite target, there is an untested southern EM anomaly that could be caused by an untested kimberlite phase.
The company still has kimberlites that have not been covered by gravity and EM surveys, including the known Anne, Tabatha, Finlay, Don, Drew, George, Emily, Don and Krista kimberlites. Given the high-target generation success rate proven by the company's work to date, these remain a priority. This work can proceed at the same time as the planned drill program. It is important to note that the joint venture has obtained all the permits to conduct this drill program.
Qualified person
The technical data in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Buddy Doyle, a diamond geologist with over 30 years of experience, a qualified person under the provisions of National Instrument 43-101.
About Arctic Star Exploration Corp.
Arctic Star owns 100 per cent of the recently acquired Timantti diamond project, including a 1,171-hectare exploration permit and a 193,700-hectare exploration reservation near the town of Kuusamo in Finland. The project is located approximately 550 kilometres southwest of the operating Grib diamond mine in Russia. Arctic has commenced its exploration in Finland on the Timantti project, where four diamondiferous kimberlite bodies may represent the first finds in a large kimberlite field. The company also controls diamond exploration properties in Nunavut (Stein) and the NWT (Diagras and Redemption).
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