North American Nickel Inc. announces that ongoing field work on its Post Creek and Halcyon properties has resulted in the expansion of the recently discovered Footwall Embayment Structure.

President and C.O.O., Mark Fedikow, states, “Our newly interpreted Footwall Embayment Structure and the area of associated stockwork and disseminated mineralization at Post Creek/Halcyon is expanding as our field work continues. The embayment now measures approximately 600 x 300 metres, and we have adjusted our 1,500 metre drill program accordingly. The drill program is now underway.”

Post Creek Embayment Structure and Associated Stockwork Zone

North American Nickel’s ongoing exploration program in the vicinity of the CJ#1 and CJ#2 zones, recently interpreted as a zone of stockwork and disseminated mineralization associated with a possible Footwall Embayment Structure, has been enlarged due to beep mat and general prospecting activities. The zone of brecciation characterized by fragments and inclusions of quartz diorite and partial melt material and mineralized with disseminated pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite, has now been observed in outcrop, historic trenches and in float material for a distance of 600 metres in an east-west direction and 300 metres in a north south orientation.

The general configuration of this zone has evolved from two distinctive linear features (CJ#1 and CJ#2) to an ovoid-shaped area of mineralized breccia that abuts, and partially encapsulates, ground electromagnetic anomalies defined by a recently completed InfiniTEM ground EM survey. In its survey, Abitibi Geophysics have interpreted the CJ#1 and CJ#2 anomalies as “massive to near-massive sulphide mineralization at approximately 55 metres below surface”. These anomalies are targets in the current drill program. See http://explorationgeophysics.info/?p=1821.

To view “Figure 1. The extent of the Footwall Embayment associated zone of stockwork and disseminated mineralization on the Post Creek and Halcyon properties, the CJ#1 and CJ#2 zones and location of proposed drill holes“, please visit the following link:http://northamericannickel.com/Theme/NAN/files/Maps/POS%20QD%20Locations%20on%20GE_v001_r1y0o4.JPG.

The Halcyon property is located 35 kilometres north-northeast of Sudbury in the SE corner of Parkin Twp. at latitude 46º 48′ N and Longitude 80º 50′W. It consists of 46 unpatented mining claim units and is readily accessible by paved, all-weather gravel and bush roads. The property is situated approximately 2 kilometres north and along trend from Quadra-FNX’s, currently producing copper-nickel-PGE Podolsky Mine and is adjacent to the Post Creek property. The property is underlain by a suite of Huronian aged sedimentary rocks in uncomfortable contact with an older Archean volcanic assemblage that includes mafic and felsic volcanic rocks and iron formation. Only minimal exploration has been undertaken, although results have documented I.P., electromagnetic and magnetic geophysical targets with associated and coincident geochemical anomalies for Ni, Cu, Co, Au and Zn.

The Post Creek project is located 35 km east of Sudbury in Norman and Parkin townships and consists of 35 contiguous unpatented mining claims and one isolated claim covering an area of 688 hectares. The property is strategically located adjacent to the producing Podolsky North and Podolsky copper-nickel-platinum group metal deposit of FNX Mining. The property lies along the north-east extension of the Whistle Offset Dyke Structure which is a major geological control for Ni-Cu-PGM mineralization.

North American Nickel Inc.  announces the discovery of a second mineralized quartz diorite offset dyke within the Whistle Offset Structure on its North Range Post Creek property in Sudbury, Ontario.

Based on the results of Abitibi Geophysics deep-looking EM surveys, it is now recognized that the new Offset dyke, CJ#2, also has a coincident electro-magnetic anomaly and the source of this anomaly is estimated to be within 55 metres of surface. The geophysical interpretation by Abitibi Geophysics is that the EM anomaly can be attributed to “massive to semi-massive sulphide mineralization”. http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/nan816_F3.pdf

President and C.O.O. Mark Fedikow states, “Continued exploration by our ground team in the immediate vicinity of our newly discovered CJ#1 offset dyke at Post Creek, has resulted in the discovery of a second Offset dyke. It occurs approximately 135 metres east of the initial CJ#1 Offset, announced in June. Prospecting and mechanical excavators have exposed additional outcrop along the trend of this new dyke which provides additional exposure to assist in the definition of drill targets for our planned September program. The new offset dyke, also discovered by NAN prospector Mr. Cecil Johnson, is now called the CJ#2 Offset.”

Post Creek Whistle Offset Quartz Diorite Dyke-New Discovery, CJ#2

The CJ#2 and the CJ#1 Offset dykes are located approximately 2.8 km north of the currently producing Quadra-FNX Podolsky copper-nickel-PGE Mine and are along the projection of the Whistle Offset structure. Significant copper-nickel-PGM ore bodies in the Sudbury mining camp are associated with Offset dykes such as those discovered on the Post Creek property.

A small outcrop with textures and mineralogy diagnostic of offset dyke material was exposed beneath the roots of an overturned tree and observed by NAN prospector Cecil Johnson during ongoing Beep Mat magnetometer and general prospecting activities. Subsequent mechanical stripping and power washing has now exposed 100 m of the east-west trending CJ#2 offset dyke.

The association between CJ#1 and CJ#2 dykes is unknown at this time. It is conceivable that these two dykes are portions of a much larger and extensive offset dyke. Both the CJ#1 and CJ#2 dykes have similar textures and lithologic associations and both are mineralized with disseminated pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite (Figure 2).

Preliminary Geologic Interpretation of CJ#1 and CJ#2

Current interpretation of the CJ#1 and CJ#2 dykes by NAN field staff, based on recently acquired geologic information; suggest the discoveries may represent the keel of an offset dyke or the footwall expression of an embayment structure. Both dykes can be described as pods of quartz diorite associated with a broad corridor of partial melt material developed during the formation of the Sudbury Intrusive Complex (“SIC”). The localization of mineralization at, or near, constrictions in the dykes and/or abrupt changes in direction will be assessed in the near future with a drill program. It is planned for September and will assess the CJ#1 and CJ#2 Offset dyke-associated shallow EM anomalies, including the seven InfiniTEM targets defined on the Post Creek property.

Three holes were surveyed during the geophysical InfiniTEM® survey for a total of 1,261 meters. The first priority targets selected consist of Off-hole anomalies located near mineralized intercepts. For example, the survey conducted in hole F00-01 indicates that at a depth of 190 meters the drill hole intercepted only the edge of a good conductor located 10-20 meters away and extending down-dip. The assay result at that depth was of 3% Cu over 9.5 meters within a zone of 2.3% Cu over 19.3 meters.

Other drill targets were defined by the surface geophysical survey (6.7 km-line) and are located  within 100 meters from surface. From the seven  surface anomalies defined, the first one to be drilled is in strike with known copper mineralization along a favourable fault contact that is  extending for more than 600 meters. This geophysical anomaly, extending for more than 100 meters, has never been tested and is open down dip.

The deposit consists of four lenses of rich zinc-copper mineralization, which outcrop on surface. By way of example, drill intersections with 12.4% Zn and 1.8% Cu over 8.7 metres, and 10.7% Zn and 0.7% Cu over 10.1 metres have been encountered in one of the zinc-rich lenses. Spectacular copper intersections are also found, e.g., holes E82-77 with 2.5% Cu over 34.1 metres, E82-54 with 2.7% Cu over 36.2 metres, and E82-46 with 7.9% Cu over 7.5 metres. The massive to semi-massive mineralization, consisting mainly of chalcopyrite, pyrite, and sphalerite, is located in basalts forming the uppermost portion of an Ordovician ophiolitic complex.