Tungsten

[Tackler]

N.A. Tungsten cuts 1.6% WO3 over 32.2 m at Mactung

2005-10-04 11:52 ET - News Release

Mr. Stephen Leahy reports

NORTH AMERICAN TUNGSTEN ANNOUNCES INITIAL MACTUNG DRILL RESULTS

North American Tungsten Corp. Ltd. has received the first assay results from the 2005 summer exploration program conducted on its wholly owned Mactung tungsten property on the Yukon/Northwest Territories border. The 6,000-metre, $1.2-million program included a total of 25 surface diamond drill holes, and assays for the first 11 holes have been received and evaluated. The more noteworthy results are tabulated below.

 
 Hole     From      To    Length  Grade 
  No.      (m)      (m)     (m)    %WO3 
  
 MS142   271.80   300.60   28.80   0.55 
 MS146   298.65   327.60   28.95   0.73 
 MS147   281.10   313.30   32.20   1.60 
 MS148   293.20   320.70   27.50   1.46 
 MS151   225.80   254.60   28.80   0.97 
 MS156   208.80   244.00   35.20   1.55 
 MS143   112.90   137.00   24.10   0.82 
 MS144   150.30   200.60   50.30   0.52 
 MS144    85.60   129.30   43.70   0.51 
 MS145    81.35   103.30   21.95   0.80 
 MS145   124.40   141.25   16.85   1.00 
 MS146   204.80   222.20   17.40   1.11 
 MS147    91.00   146.50   55.50   0.56 
 MS151    29.90    45.30   15.40   1.31 
 MS151   105.80   124.40   18.60   1.03 
 MS156    37.70    47.50    9.80   1.77 
 

The mineralization at Mactung occurs in skarnified lower Cambrian calcareous sediments in thicknesses up to a maximum of just over 30 metres. Grades are generally in the range of up to 1.5 per cent WO3 or so; although one intersection obtained in 1972 was close to 3 per cent WO3 (2.87 per cent WO3 over a core length of 30.5 metres in hole MT72072). The only tungsten mineral is disseminated scheelite, which is associated with massive to semi-massive and disseminated pyrrhotite in the skarnified sediments. The tungsten occurs in five stratigraphic horizons, four of which are shallower, contiguous and gently dipping to the south, and a fifth, which is about 100 metres deeper. The highest grade and thickest mineralization is associated with the axis of a westerly plunging Z fold in the deeper horizon -- this fold is not seen in the shallower horizons. A feasibility study by Amax in the early 1980s indicates that the shallower zones can be mined by open-pitting methods, and the deeper horizon, by underground methods.

The 2005 surface diamond drill holes were located to test a westerly plunging Z fold in the higher-grade underground horizon on strike to the west and down plunge of earlier drilling. The holes were generally collared at about 30-metre intervals along north-south lines 60 metres apart. These drill holes also passed through the four shallower open-pit horizons. Drill core was split with a hydraulic core splitter in approximately 1.5-metre lengths and double-bagged for shipment to Global Discovery Laboratories and ALS Chemex Laboratories in Vancouver.

Bags were closed with a numbered security tie. The core was assayed for tungsten using fusion with a fluorescence finish. Standard samples, which were prepared by CDN Resource Laboratories of Delta, B.C., were included in the sample run, and every 20th sample will be reassayed by Becquerel Laboratories of Mississauga by neutron activation. These check assay results are not expected for several weeks.

The company notes that this drilling has extended the underground indicated resource 60 metres on strike farther to the west, and has upgraded numerous inferred resource blocks in both the open-pit and underground horizons to the indicated category. Mineralized intersections were calculated using a 0.5-per-cent WO3 cut-off grade. Drill hole results have generally been consistent with nearby intersections obtained by Amax in the 1970s and early 1980s. Hole MS156, which was drilled at the same location and dip as old drill hole MT72071, confirmed the width and grade previously intersected (1.66 per cent WO3 over 32.0 metres in hole MT72071, and 1.60 per cent WO3 over 32.2 metres in hole MS156). All drill holes were drilled at or close to perpendicular to the mineralization and the intersection widths given above are very close to true thicknesses in nearly all cases. The company plans to investigate the recovery of small amounts of copper and gold that also occur in the deposit.

The 100-tonne bulk sample of underground ore taken during early September is in transit to a metallurgical test facility.

A new resource estimate will be made for the deposit during the coming winter after all assay results are received. A revised feasibility study will follow after the end of the 2007 summer field season.

This report was prepared under the supervision of David Tenney, CEng, the company's qualified person in charge of the Mactung project.