TSXV: ZON
BEDFORD, NS, Feb. 8, 2012 /CNW/ - Zonte Metals Inc. (TSXV: ZON) (the "Corporation" or "Zonte") is pleased to provide an update on the Wings Point project including trenching in the Pit Target area and exploration throughout the project.
Zonte has completed its field exploration season at Wings Point which continued up to the end of the year due to light snow conditions. A potential analytical issue was identified early last fall, from a sample submission by a third party property owner, which resulted in the Corporation delaying sample submission for assay, although exploration did continue. After recalling all the samples from the lab, select samples were split and sent to two different labs with internal duplicates and international rock standards. The rechecked samples from the two labs confirmed our previous assays and thus no analytical issue was detected. Sample submission for assay continued after this delay.
Pit Target Area
Last year the Corporation identified through an Induced Polarization and Magnetic ground survey a number of geophysical targets coincident with gold mineralization exposed in an operating gravel pit. The main two targets are called the Eastern and Western Geophysical Targets, while numerous other anomalies were also identified, but due to cover little was known. The geophysical signatures for the two main targets are the strongest below the surface with gold mineralization in various units above or adjacent to the anomalies. The mineralization at surface is believed to be controlled through porous or fracture zones and sourced from below. The trenching program was carried out to determine if areas above or near the anomalies show alteration characteristic of the known surface gold zones. Although the trenching program was hampered by thick gravels, the trenches that were completed did confirm the alteration characteristics as seen in the known mineralized units. One trench completed on a target, which is sandwiched between the Eastern and Western Anomalies, show 17 metres of anomalous gold mineralization in altered and mineralized sediments. A summary of the trenching follows below.
Several trenches were attempted on the Eastern Anomaly with one trench on L1400 failing to reach bedrock due to the thickness of the gravels, which were 6 - 7 metres. A trench on L1000 was completed to bedrock and although the geophysical anomaly sits about 10 - 15 metres below the surface, samples collected did show sericite alteration with minor quartz veinlets in sediments. Mineralization in the pit area, to date, is mainly characterized as altered sediments hosting veinlets and disseminated pyrite and arsenopyrite mineralization.
As with the Eastern Anomaly, several attempted trenches over the Western Geophysical Anomaly failed to reach bedrock, however, the ones that did reach bedrock showed characteristic alteration and veinlets in sediments sitting above the geophysical anomaly. One trench completed on L800 exposed about 6 - 7 metres of gravel with a clay unit at the bottom depth limits of the track hoe. This thickness of gravel at this location was unexpected and may suggest the Western Anomaly is sitting in a structural zone. This observation is supported by a nearly 150 metre long wall with slickensides exposed just to the south west of this location, and believed to represent the north limit of the Western Anomaly at that location. Previous sampling on L800 where the Corporation obtained grades up to 6.72 g/t gold appears to occur on the southern side of the geophysical anomaly and possibly is the southern expression of the possible structural zone.
As previously noted, soil sampling over the geophysical grid identified a third anomaly in the Pit Target area based on elevated arsenic-in-soils. This anomaly sits adjacent to and on the shoulder of the Eastern Geophysical Anomaly. Several samples in a trench over this anomaly on L1200 returned slightly anomalous gold and arsenic with gold about 0.1 g/t and arsenic assaying 477 and 677 ppm arsenic. The rocks through this trench displayed slightly spotty sericite alteration. Previous rock sampling within the limits of this anomaly has shown associated gold mineralization in bedrock. This anomaly runs along the access road to the Pit Target area and samples taken from rock exposed in the ditch along this road have assayed up to 0.68 g/t gold.
A number of trenches were completed on several other geophysical anomalies and most showed they were related to bedrock changes versus any mineralization and alteration. One exception was a trench completed between the Eastern and Western Geophysical anomalies on L1200, which tested a chargeability high about 50 metres wide. The trench exposed 17 metres of bedrock and thirteen chip samples were taken from the length of the exposed bedrock which averaged 0.33 g/t gold. The rock was mainly altered slightly graphitic black shale with minor quartz veinlets carrying disseminated arsenopyrite and pyrite. A quartz vein was sampled in this trench and it assayed the lowest with a value of 0.01 g/t gold, which is included in the averaged grade across the trench. The single highest assay was from the southern end of the trench which assayed 0.87 g/t gold. The alteration and mineralization is open at both ends of the trench. Just 90 metres to the north-north east two rock samples previously collected by the Corporation assayed 0.42 and 0.81 g/t gold. It is unclear at this time if these previously sampled rocks are part of this new anomaly or associated with the Western Geophysical Anomaly.
On L1600, at the northwestern end of the line a trench was completed to test chargeability high. Bedrock sampling from this trench did not show any mineralization and did not return any gold, however, a boulder sitting at the bedrock - till interface did return 1.31 g/t gold with 4808 ppm arsenic. A grab sample taken at a previously sampled outcrop not far from this trench assayed 2.26 g/t gold with 12,910 ppm arsenic. It is unclear the relationship of the bedrock mineralization to the geophysical data at this time.
About a kilometre southeast of the pit a trench was completed on the "Third Geophysical Anomaly". This anomaly was characterized by a high chargeability. The anomaly was explained by the disseminated pyrite and pyrrhotite in altered sediments; however, no gold values of any significance were recorded.
Terry Christopher comments that "Based on the trenching results and the difficulty reaching bedrock or due to the fact the anomalies are sub-surface it is unclear if any additional surface work would further assist defining the drill targets. The single trench lying between the Eastern and Western Geophysical Targets shows anomalous gold associated with it, and being close in proximity to both the Western and Eastern Targets it is an additional target that will need to be drilled. A number of geophysical anomalies outside the pit area still need additional work to determine if they are bedrock or alteration and mineralization related, however, additional surface characterization will most likely be carried out after the main targets have been drilled and the relationship between the geophysical data and mineralization has been better established."
Exploration throughout the Wings Point Project
Data from in excess of fifty historic assessment reports was compiled and used to guide exploration throughout the project this past season. The Corporation has been targeting different areas based on historic data, which has been successful as it led to the discovery of the 4.5 NW Target, for example. A number of areas identified from the historic data have been followed up with a cursory pass while other target areas remain unexplored and will be examined this coming field season.
At the 4.5 NW Target additional soil lines have been completed and the data will be released once it has been issued from the lab and compiled. Prospecting in this area has been difficult due to the vegetation cover and thus exploration will focus on soil sampling.
The Pit Target area lies just east of a fault structure which has a length of about 10 km. Approximately, six kilometres southwest of the Pit Target, and adjacent to this fault structure, the Corporation has identified an area with wide spread alteration and spotty mineralization sitting in a gabbro body. Soil and rock sampling in this area shows elevated arsenic values with inconsistent anomalous gold. Additional work is needed in this area and along the fault structure to the Pit area.
At the southwest corner of the Project, and exposed along a newly constructed forest access road a series of siliceous, altered and sulphide containing units were discovered and sampled. Sampling to date has not provided any gold values of any significance; however, the Corporation is still waiting on an additional batch of assay data.
Assaying and QA/QC
All samples are submitted to Accurassay Laboratories in Thunder Bay, Ontario and analyzed for Au via 30 g fire assay and a 33 element suite via an aqua regia digestion with an ICP-OES finish. Quality control checks include random insertion of international rock standards and internal duplicates.
About Zonte
Zonte Metals Inc. is a junior explorer focused on gold. Our model is to find projects with large scale potential and to that end the Corporation is actively reviewing and completing field due diligence on projects in the USA, Africa and South America.
Forward-Looking Information
This news release contains forward-looking statements which include statements regarding the Corporation's future plans, as well as statements regarding financial and business prospects and the Corporation's future plans, objectives or economic performance and financial outlooks. The Corporation believes that the expectations reflected in this news release are reasonable but actual results may be affected by a variety of variables and may be materially different from the results or events predicted in the forward-looking statements. Readers are therefore cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.
There can be no assurance that the exploration program will identify any priority targets. The actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in this news release. The time frames identified to work programs and other activities may vary significantly from actual completion of the proposed work programs.
In evaluating forward-looking statements readers should consider the risk factors which could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof, and unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, the Corporation does not intend nor does it undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.
This news release has been reviewed and approved by Dean Fraser, P.Geol, and a "qualified person" under National Instrument 43-101.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy of accuracy of this release.
For further information:
Terry Christopher
CEO and President
408 - 1550 Bedford Highway,
Bedford, NS,
B4A 1E6
Tel: (902) 405-3520
[email protected]
www.zontemetals.com
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