GREAT ATLANTIC TO EVALUATE EMERALD POTENTIAL AT ITS 100% OWNED SOUTH QUARRY TUNGSTEN PROPERTY NEWFOUNDLAND
Great Atlantic Resources Corp. is planning to evaluate emerald potential at it's 100-per-cent-owned South Quarry tungsten property, located in Newfoundland. Great Atlantic also plans a visit by a researcher from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) in July at the property.
"It's encouraging that a researcher from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) will visit in July to meet with our team and view the property. This is a welcome and unexpected opportunity not only for Great Atlantic but also for Newfoundland, marking the first discovery of emerald there that we are aware of," states Christopher Anderson, chief executive officer of Great Atlantic Resources.
Beryl was reported by Kidd Creek Newfoundland Ltd. within the northern region of the South Quarry property during the 1980s, reported to be hosted in pegmatite veins (Robertson, 1984). Great Atlantic confirmed green beryl crystals in one such quartz-rich pegmatite vein during 2015 in the same general area as that reported by Kidd Creek Newfoundland. This vein was located during an exploration program for tungsten mineralization. The 2015 exploration was supervised by a qualified person.
Great Atlantic plans to collect beryl samples during 2024 to evaluate potential for emerald gemstone. The company is collaborating with Art Gardiner in this evaluation. Mr. Gardiner is a well-known Newfoundland prospector with extensive experience exploring for emerald gemstones in Newfoundland. Mr. Gardiner and colleague Terry Russell will be displaying samples at the future Central MinEx 2024 conference scheduled for April 23 to April 25 in Gander, Nfld.
Great Atlantic's primary exploration focus at the South Quarry property is tungsten. The company confirmed tungsten mineralization in various region of the property, including high-grade tungsten mineralization in samples in the northern region of the property in the area of two quarries. Numerous 2015 Great Atlantic samples from these two quarries exceeded 1 per cent WO3 (tungsten trioxide) (see company news release of Nov. 19, 2015).
The South Quarry property consists of six mineral licences covering an area of 2,550 hectares, located in south-central Newfoundland. Access to the property is excellent with a paved road transecting the property.
David Martin, PGeo (New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador), a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and vice-president of exploration for Great Atlantic, verified beryl crystals during 2015 field work at the South Quarry property.
About Great Atlantic Resources Corp.
Great Atlantic Resources is a Canadian exploration company focused on the discovery and development of mineral assets in the resource-rich and sovereign-risk-free realm of Atlantic Canada, one of the No. 1 mining regions of the world. Great Atlantic is currently surging forward building the company utilizing a project generation model, with a special focus on the most critical elements on the planet that are prominent in Atlantic Canada, gold, copper, zinc, nickel, cobalt, antimony and tungsten.
About emeralds in Canada
Emeralds are among the most prized gemstones globally, known for their vibrant green colour. While Canada is renowned for its vast mineral resources, including diamonds and other gemstones, emeralds are not commonly associated with Canadian mining history.
Exploration and discovery
Emeralds are typically found in Colombia, Brazil and Zambia, among other places, but Canada has seen some activity related to emerald exploration and discovery. For instance:
- Yukon discoveries: Yukon has been a site of interest for potential emerald deposits. Geological studies and mineral explorations have occasionally reported findings of emerald and other beryl varieties in this region.
- British Columbia: There have been sporadic findings of emeralds in British Columbia. The geological settings of some areas in B.C. are similar to those where emeralds are found elsewhere, leading to targeted explorations.
Current status
As of now, Canada is not a significant producer of emeralds on the global stage. The primary focus of the Canadian gemstone industry remains on diamonds and other resources that are more abundant and economically viable.
In summary, while Canada has potential for emerald discoveries due to its vast and geologically diverse landmass, it is not a major player in the emerald market. The history of emeralds in Canada is more about sporadic exploration and small findings rather than large-scale mining and production.