Press Release
NEWS RELEASE TRANSMITTED BY MARKETWIRE
FOR: Zena Mining Corp.
TSX VENTURE SYMBOL: ZCC
February 22, 2011
Zena Mining Corp.: 2010 Exploration Program Completed at Lapin Barite Property
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Feb. 22, 2011) - Zena Mining Corp.
("Zena" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:ZCC) is pleased to announce that it has
completed its 2010 exploration program on its Lapin Barite property situated
near Rock Creek, B.C. The Company owns 100% of the rights to the Industrial
Minerals subject to a 10% net profits interest and royalty and other payments
based on production to the original underlying vendors. Barite, the primary
industrial mineral on this property, is a major component and the weighting
agent used in drilling mud for the oil and gas industry's exploration and
developmental drilling programs.
Zena explored the "B" zone deposit in July 2010 by excavator stripping,
mapping, and diamond sawing representative samples. Stripping exposed an area
roughly 40 by 20 meters which contains at least five zones of Barite, of which
the most important is the Main zone, exposed over a strike length of 20 meters
and up to 10 meters wide. This zone is open to the north. Within the Main zone,
seven samples ranged from 75% to 92% Barite (BaSO4). Specific gravity varied
from 3.68 to 4.52, averaging 4.15. Analyses were done by ALS Chemex Laboratory
in North Vancouver, a certified laboratory. A minimum specific gravity of 4.10
is required for Barite used as a weighting medium for drilling mud.
The samples were analyzed for Barite, for specific gravity and for 30+ elements
using normal Induction Coupled Plasma (ICP) techniques. ICP analysis is a
standard labororatory method widely used for determination of trace and major
elements. Silica (SiO2) is the chief contaminant, averaging about 16% along
with small amounts of calcium carbonate and phosphate which do not appreciably
affect the specific gravity. There are only small amounts of base metals,
copper, lead and zinc, and these are not significant in terms of commercial
Barite.
During the mapping program a number of new Barite lenses were found north of
the stripped area. The stripping was done on a Barite zone known as the "B" or
hilltop zone. Total cost of the 2010 program was approximately $60,000.
The property has at present three known zones with Barite mineralization, known
as A, B and C zones. Past exploration including trenching and drilling at the
"A" zone has established a Barite deposit with grades above or near the
specific gravity threshold of 4.10. A NI 43-101 measured resource of 5,800
tonnes with specific gravity of 4.25 and an inferred resource of 10,000 tonnes
averaging specific gravity of 3.93 was estimated for the "A" zone by Godfrey
Walton P.Geo. (2003).
According to a technical Report completed by B.J. Price Geological Consultants
Inc. in January 2011, there is a reasonable chance that further exploration may
develop an economic tonnage and grade of Barite; this possibility cannot be
quantified and can only be verified by further work.
The Company's 2011 planned exploration program, with a cost budget to be
approximately the same as the 2010 program, includes the stripping of the
northern limits of the Barite lenses in the "B" zone, with the possibility of
producing a test sample. The Company may also include in the exploration
program further review of the "A" zone.
This press release has been reviewed by Barry J. Price, M.Sc., P,Geo., an
independent consultant based in Vancouver BC. Mr. Price supervised the
stripping and sampling program and has completed the Technical Report.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
Kevin Hanson, Director
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CONTACT INFO:
Zena Mining Corp.
Kevin Hanson
604-688-5421
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term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts
responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.