KODIAK FINDS HIGH-GRADE COPPER AND NICKEL
Kodiak Exploration Ltd. has discovered two copper showings during a one-week prospecting program on its newly acquired claims in the Northwest Territories. Grab samples collected from the discovery outcrop in the northern portion of the claims returned assays up to 19.7 per cent copper, 0.23 per cent nickel and 74 grams per tonne silver within gabbro. This copper showing has a strike length of 1,200 metres and remains open. It corresponds with a 10-kilometre-long strong magnetic horizon in the gabbro. A separate, open 500-metre-long zone of anomalous copper returned grab sample assays up to 0.72 per cent copper and 0.17 per cent nickel, and is also associated with the same magnetic horizon. This mineralization was discovered approximately six kilometres to the south.
In addition, Kodiak has confirmed the presence of three high-grade nickel showings. The nickel mineralization is contained in three separate nickel-bearing (niccolite) veins on the property, with grab sample assays from each vein returning values of 38.02 per cent nickel, 23.59 per cent nickel and 3.8 per cent cobalt, and 17.33 per cent nickel. One of the veins is reported to be 37 centimetres wide and is exposed for 25 metres. The sampling of the outcrop was restricted due to surrounding muskeg.
These discoveries were made on targets generated from Kodiak's continuing research and development program. The program consisted of staking and prospecting four claim blocks (136 units) totalling 7,024 acres covering an underexplored magnetic gabbro located near Yellowknife, with good deepwater access. The gabbro has a strong magnetic signature that is 10 kilometres long (north-south) and up to two kilometres wide. Published reports have compared this intrusion with similar intrusions elsewhere in the world that contain major platinum group element deposits.
The gabbro itself has previously been reported to contain elevated levels of nickel, copper and chromium (up to 300 parts per million nickel, 300 parts per million copper and 500 parts per million chromium, respectively). This was far exceeded by Kodiak's small reconnaissance survey of the gabbro, which returned values up to 2,370 parts per million nickel, 19.7 per cent copper and up to 4,568 parts per million chromium.
Previous descriptions of the gabbro recorded a variety of mafic lithologies, including massive olivine gabbro of irregular grain size characterized by pegmatitic patches, compositionally layered noritic gabbro, pegmatitic hornblende gabbro and possible taxitic textures. Field observations and lithogeochemical analyses performed by Kodiak indicate the presence of peridotite and layered mafic rocks. These features are consistent with a geological environment favourable for the occurrence of platinum group elements and nickel-copper mineralization.
Kodiak's consulting geologist has recommended a program of systematic prospecting, mapping and sampling to define the favourable horizons for PGE/chromium and copper-nickel mineralization, through systematic examination of the lower contact of the intrusion, since PGE mineralization is concentrated in contact zones of mafic intrusions in Ontario (Coldwell Complex, East Bull Lake, River Valley) and other parts the world.
