NVT begins expl. in EcuadorNortec JV begins work program on Ganarin project
2006-07-19 15:14 ET - News Release
Mr. Mohan Vulimiri reports
NORTEC COMMENCES WORK PROGRAM ON GANARIN EPITHERMAL GOLD-SILVER PROJECT, SOUTHERN ECUADOR
Nortec Ventures Corp. has commenced the next phase of exploration program on the Ganarin epithermal gold-silver project, southern Ecuador. The exploration program will consist of more trenching with sampling followed up by systematic diamond drilling on the Chamana area, Rio Minas and Loma La Cruz zones. The diamond drilling will consist of 1,000 metres to 1,500 metres and test the mineralization exposed on surface at depth. The company's joint venture partner, Doubloon Exploration Corp. is in receipt of the drill and environmental permits from the Ministry of Mines and Energy, government of Ecuador. The company is in discussion with several core drilling companies in Ecuador with regard to the near-term availability of a drill.
In addition, Nortec announces that the company is in the process of incorporating an Ecuadorian subsidiary, Minera Nortec Ecuador S.A. based in Cuenca, southern Ecuador. Cuenca is Ecuador's third largest city and is the commercial centre for southern Ecuador. This will facilitate and simplify the process of acquiring permits and licences, and carrying out the exploration work programs. The subsidiary company is expected to be operating in approximately two weeks.
The following summarizes the results to date on the Ganarin project.
Chamana
Chamana covers four zones with a surface area of 600 metres by 500 metres with intense silicification, quartz-chalcedony breccias and vuggy-druzy quartz stockwork zones, including silica sinter deposits, were delineated in the Chamana area. These are Chamana Oeste, Chamana Este, Chamana Nor-oeste and Chamana Nor-este. Detailed grid soil sampling on a line spacing of 25 metres over the four breccia zones identified gold soil geochemical anomalies with values as high as two grams per tonne gold. In 1993 Newmont drilled six random rotary holes in the area. One of the holes was designed to intersect the Chamana Oeste breccia zone at depth. The hole was terminated at the top of the breccia zone due to drilling problems, but It returned 3.6 grams per tonne gold over 1.5 metres at the bottom of the hole. Trenching of the zones returned very significant values as shown below.
Rio Minas
Further to its news release in Stockwatch dated Sept. 14, 2005, detailed mapping and systematic follow-up sampling of the high-grade zones is continuing on the Rio Minas zone. Very significant gold values (greater than 1,500 grams per tonne gold over 30 centimetres) were obtained from smectite/clay fracture fillings with rounded chalcedony fragments. These fractures fillings are hosted in very tight rhyolite welded tuffs, suggesting tops of epithermal systems. Drilling is being planned to intersect these structures in favourable host rocks below the welded tuffs.
Geochemical soil surveys at 25-metre line spacing suggest several favourable subparallel structures for precious metal mineralization.
The Rio Minas zone occurs at an elevation of 1,340 metres above sea level, approximately 330 metres below Chamana, 220 metres below Loma La Cruz and at the same elevation as the Chuscuyacu (Red 3). These results suggest that Loma La Cruz and Chamana have significant potential at depth. Details can be referred to in the company's previous news releases. Sampling of the pyritiferous siliceous material from artisan workings located in the lower areas of the Chamana zones returned values as high 8.76 grams per tonne. Drilling will also test these pyritiferous zones.
Mineralization with associated hydrothermal alteration at Ganarin is exposed over an area of 1.5 kilometres (north-south) by 800 metres (east-west) and up to 300 metres vertically. Samples of vein material extracted by artisan miners assayed 8.5 grams per tonne to 145 grams per tonne gold and 9.8 grams per tonne to 49.7 grams per tonne silver. These values are consistent with low- to medium-sulphidation epithermal bonanza deposit model. The economic potential of Ganarin has not been adequately tested. Several abandoned mine workings and arastra mills on Ganarin concessions suggest that the veins were worked on during Spanish colonial times.
The company's management is very pleased with the results to date which suggest that the Ganarin gold-silver property could potentially host several mineralized gold-silver shoots with bonanza grades. Bonanza grades such as the above are very common in low- to medium-sulphidation epithermal deposits. The modes of occurrence of mineralization appear to be very similar to the Comstock and Midas camps in Nevada, United States and the epithermal camps, such as the Kupol district, of eastern Siberia, Russia.
ALS Chemex Labs of North Vancouver, B.C., Canada will perform sample preparation and analyses. The samples will be analyzed for gold by fire assay with atomic absorption finish and for other elements by 34 element aqua regia ICP method.
The Ganarin property is subject to option and joint venture agreements with Doubloon Exploration Corp. whereby, Nortec has the option to acquire 51-per-cent interest in the Ganarin property located in Azuay province, Ecuador. The Ganarin property is situated in the prolific Ganarin mineral belt. Iamgold Corp.'s Quimsacocha gold deposit occurs in the same belt approximately 40 kilometres northeast of the Ganarin property. Channel Resources' El Mojo gold property also occurs in the same area.
Mohan R. Vulimiri, MSc, PGeo, president and director of Nortec, is the person responsible for initiating and guiding the work programs on the property. Brian T. Malahoff, PGeo, is the person carrying out detailed geological mapping and systematic channel sampling on the property. Mr. Vulimiri and Mr. Malahoff are qualified persons in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 guidelines.
For further details and locations of the various zones on the Ganarin property and information on Nortec Ventures, please visit the company's website.
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