SPC Nickel Initiates 2024 Exploration Program at Muskox Nickel-Copper Project, Nunavut
Project Highlights
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Muskox Project provides an opportunity to make a world class discovery. - Similar geology setting to many of the world's largest nickel-copper mining camps – Norilsk,
Sudbury , Voisey's Bay mining districts. - Well established geological settings and fertile system confirmed by high-grade historic drill intersections (7.50% Cu, 3.20% Ni, and 19.70 g/t Pd+Pt+Au over 5.48 metres) and surface grab samples (up to 11.4% Ni and 14.3% Cu) - Page et al., 1988.
The 2024 surface exploration program at Muskox is scheduled to start on
It has been over 20 years since the Project was last explored and during that time a lot has changed with regards to the understanding of magmatic Ni-Cu systems, advancements in geophysical techniques and the incorporation of 3D modeling into exploration targeting. As a result,
The primary objective of the surface program is to evaluate the numerous high priority targets identified during a historical data compilation and analysis of satellite imagery of the Project.
Muskox Project Priority Targets:
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Pyrrhotite
Lake Target (Ni-Cu-PGM) - Keel Breccia (Ni-Cu-PGM)
- Equinox Trench (Cu-PGM-Ni)
Pyrrhotite (Po)
Keel Breccia (Ni-Cu-PGM): The Keel Breccia target is interpreted as a magmatic breccia occurring at the interface between the 60 km long feeder dyke to the south and the main body of the Muskox Intrusion to the north. This target is of particular economic interest given that this position in the intrusion represents a dynamic environment where multiple magma pulses entered the chamber, as evidenced by the occurrence of magmatic breccia horizons (Francis, 1994). Dynamic environments and the presence of magmatic breccias have long been recognized in other major nickel deposits (Ovoid deposit – Voisey's Bay) as key criteria in ore forming environments.
Equinox Trench (Cu-PGM-Ni): The Equinox Trench area covers an approximately 2.3 km long section of the Muskox Intrusion contact and adjacent country rock. The country rocks in this area are strongly metamorphosed sulphide-bearing metasedimentary. A stockwork breccia is developed within a hornfels zone within several metres of the contact and is comprised of a matrix of massive sulphides dominated by pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite with minor bornite and chalcocite. Trenching sampling completed by Equinox Resources Ltd. in 1988 returned values as high as 2.99 g/t Pt, 51.57 g/t Pd, 2.49 g/t Au over 0.54 metres (Page et al., 1988). The mineralization is associated with massive chalcopyrite veins in the footwall that include individual grab samples as high as 9.30% Cu, 0.37% Ni, 8.90 g/t Pt, 76.20 g/t Pd and 2.00 g/t Au (Page et al., 1988).
Reported drill hole intersections refer to down-hole intersection length. Insufficient information is available to estimate true thickness. Grab samples are selective by nature and values reported may not be representative of the entire project area.
About the Muskox Intrusion
The Muskox Intrusion is one of the last undeveloped district-scale Ni-Cu-PGM prospects in the world. Originally discovered by Inco in the late 1950s during an aerial survey that discovered visible surface mineralization (gossans) extending over tens of kilometres across the tundra. Inco drilled and sampled 117 shallow holes to test the gossans between 1957 and 1959. Results included intersections of up to 7.50% Cu, 3.20% Ni and 19.70 g/t Pt+Pd+Au over 5.48 metres (Page et al., 1988). Over the next 60 years, companies including Equinox Resources Ltd (1980s),
The Muskox Intrusion is one of the largest and least deformed layered mafic to ultramafic bodies in the world. It was emplaced during a large magmatic event (Mackenzie Magmatic Event) in the Proterozoic by mantle plume volcanism related to the widespread
The Main Intrusive is a 60 km long by up to 11 km wide elongate-shaped body that is well differentiated and consists of gently inwardly dipping layers of dunite, peridotites, pyroxenites and gabbroic rocks. The total thickness of the exposed portion of the Main Intrusion is up to 1,895 metres based on drilling completed by the
The Feeder Dyke is exposed as a 60 km long, 200-600 metre wide dyke composed of picrite and bronzite-bearing gabbro in zones parallel to the dipping walls. Zones of disseminated to massive sulphide mineralization have been identified intermittently over the length of the dyke and are commonly associated with breccia zones or flexures within the dyke similar to what is observed at Voisey's Bay and the
Stock Options
Reference
- Vori, H.F. (1987). Analytical Results and Locations of Several Inco Drill holes. Unpublished, 3p.
- Page, J.W., Culbert, R.R. and Martin, L.S. (1988). Geochemical, geophysical and diamond drill reports on the Muskox property, NWT. Equinox Resources Ltd. DIAND Assessment report 082562. 56 p., 8 data Appendices.
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Francis, D. (1994). Chemical interaction between picritic magmas and upper crust along the margins of the Muskox Intrusion,
Northwest Territories .Geological Survey of Canada Paper 92-12, 94 p.
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