MacDonald Mines Exploration Ltd. announces that it has contracted Abitibi Géophysique Inc. to conduct a gravity survey on land-based targets on the Hornby mineral claims, jointly owned by Temex Resources and MacDonald Mines, and on the Company’s 100% owned BigMac Property.
These claims are interpreted to host the potential for a chromite horizon(s). The Hornby Property is immediately south of KWG/Spider’s “Big Daddy” chromite discovery. Based on the airborne data, Dr. Larry Hulbert, P. Geo, along with Hadyn Butler, P. Geo, have interpreted a number of potential chromite horizons on the BigMac property. The gravity sections will cross these horizons at five locations varying from 2 to 10 kilometres apart.
The gravity survey will help define drill-ready targets along the interpreted horizons. The gravity survey is expected to be completed by mid-March, 2010. The gravity technique has proven capable of defining chromite intercepts in the Ring of Fire and have been successfully utilized by both Freewest (Cliffs) and Spider/KWG in their discoveries.
MacDonald will also refocus exploration attention on its McNuggett Property. Previous drilling results have been the catalyst for the complete re-interpretation of all exploration activity. Quentin Yarie, P. Geo., MacDonald Mines’ new Vice President of Exploration heads this new initiative and he is being assisted by both consulting geologists Hadyn Bulter, P. Geo, and Dr. Larry Hulbert, P.Geo. This analysis has outlined previous drill hole areas where the drilling did not fully explain the anomalous electromagnetic conductors. The revised interpretation has outlined targets that will be drilled in the upcoming exploration program, which is planned to commence in March, 2010.
Abitibi Geophysics is using SCINTREX CG5 AutoGrav for a gravity survey.
Source: McDonald Mines Exploration Press Release, March 3, 2010
Darnley Bay Resources has outlined its 2010 exploration plans for its properties in the Paulatuk NT area. It has completed permitting for airborne surveys to take place in March-April 2010.
Sander Geophysics is preparing to mobilize to Paulatuk for a 5,980 line-km airborne
gravity and magnetic survey covering all of the Darnley’s Bay properties where they encompass the Darnley Bay Gravity Anomaly. The purpose of the survey is to significantly improve the resolution of the previous ground gravity surveys over the Anomaly and to locate targets for drilling.
Geotech Ltd. is preparing to mobilize to Paulatuk for a 2,600 line-km airborne
VTEM time-domain
electromagnetic and magnetic survey covering all of the eastern and northeastern portion of the Company’s properties, where previous sampling and airborne surveys indicate the presence of gabbro sills and dykes.
outline its 2010 exploration plans for its properties in the Paulatuk NT area. It has completed permitting for airborne surveys to take place in March-April 2010.
Paulatuk gravity anomaly: The Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) conducted a regional gravity survey in 1969 as part of its national gravity coverage providing readings at 2.5 km (1.55 miles) to 20 km (12.4 miles) intervals over and surrounding the area of Paulatuk; it discovered the gravity anomaly. In 1970 the Dominion Observatory published the Inuvik-Horton River map sheet. Northgate Exploration Limited flew a helicopter-borne magnetic survey over the most intensive part of the gravity anomaly and detected a coincident magnetic anomaly. A number of seismic profiles were surveyed in the early 1970’s on the western portion of the AMI, most of these are located on the western sedimentary platform. They identified a deep 6-800 metres trough (NW) along the west margin of the dyke swarm, the significance of which is still unknown. The GSC undertook an aeromagnetic survey over the positive gravity anomaly. The survey was flown along north-south oriented flight lines spaced 2 km apart, at a constant height of 610 metres (2,000 feet) above sea level. It defined the positive magnetic anomaly (detected by Northgate in 1970) at 1200 nT amplitude, coincident with the gravity anomaly. The GSC collected samples from a number of basic sills east of the anomaly that contained minor amounts of nickel, copper, platinum, gold, silver and cobalt. These rocks and metallics may be genetically associated with the anomaly. The GSC suggests that the cause of the anomaly (130mGal) may be an igneous intrusive similar to that in the Sudbury Basin, Ontario (30 mGals), Norilsk in Russia (25 mGals), and the Bushveld Complex in South Africa (65 mGals). Ref: GSC Open File Report 2789. The DBR 1997 aeromagnetic survey indicated that the main intrusive has 4 upward extending feeder pipes. The feeder pipes give way to 9 laterally trending shallow magnetic zones, which are referred to as “offshoots” being drill targets for mineral deposits. The aeromagnetic survey in the central portion of the Anomaly, revealed a number of kimberlite targets. These targets could have conveyed diamonds and also fragments of sulphide mineralization to the surface revealing the composition of the Anomaly and the possible presence of Ni, Cu, PGE. DBR carried out ground geophysical surveys on the Thrasher Zone, which revealed 5 electromagnetic conductors within 250 metres of the surface that have coincident gravity and magnetic responses, 3 of the conductors are horizontal and 2 are vertical. The 2 vertical conductors are along fault structures that represent conductive shear zones and possible associated mineralization. They have strike lengths of 1,500 metres, widths of 450-800 metres and are centered 250 metres below surface. (Source http://www.darnleybay.com)
