Mr. William Pfaffenberger reports
RARE EARTH ELEMENTS (REE'S) REPORTED FROM MT COPELAND - REVELSTOKE MINING DIVISION, BC
Torch River Resources Ltd. has released geochemical analysis results identifying molybdenum-, rare earth element- (La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu), yttrium-, zirconium- and niobium-bearing mineralization on its 100-per-cent-owned Mount Copeland mineral tenures comprising 1,318 hectares and located 25 kilometres northwest of Revelstoke, B.C. Copeland Mo property history includes underground excavation (1970 to 73) that produced 169,729 tonnes and recovered 2,625,046 pounds (1,190,713 kilograms) of molybdenum. When the Copeland mine went into production in 1970, development work, Diamond drilling, mapping and sampling indicated there were 163,340 tonnes at 1.09 per cent Mo.
REEs are presently in short supply, and their values are high and increasing. Their uses are varied but essential in manufacturing activities such as electronics, batteries, high-tech uses, strong magnets, TV screens and microwave transmission.
Fieldwork carried out by the corporation in 2010 consisted of 34 rock chip and 72 soil samples taken in a 1,200-by-500-metre area centred on the old underground workings. Soil and rock chip samples were analyzed by lithium borate fusion with ICP-MS finish, and Mo assay (Pioneer Labs, Richmond, B.C., certificate 2102718). A total of eight select rock chip samples were reanalyzed by lithium borate fusion with ICP-MS finish ME-MS61 (ALS Chemex Labs, North Vancouver, B.C., certificate VA10144345). A compilation of geochemical analysis (and assays for Mo) is listed as follows:
Mean average values for elements listed, from 72 soil samples geochemically analyzed, can be seen in the relevant table.
Ce Dy Er La Nd Pr Sm U Y Nb Ti
519.0 19.0 11.0 389.6 170.5 60.0 29.0 21.5 104.7 323.3 0.98
ppm ppm ppm ppm ppm ppm ppm ppm ppm ppm %
Anomalous REE values in soil samples are widespread. The areas that have the highest concentrations of REE values in soil include Marble breccia ridge and the East Glacier zones. The Marble breccia ridge zone contains four positive total field anomalies identified by a magnetometer survey carried out in 2008. These positive total field magnetic anomalies (moderate strength 200-500 nT increase, strong greater than 500 nT increase) are listed in the relevant table.
Easting Northing Elevation Relative strength Zone name
397350 5665500 2,320 m Moderate West basin
397500 5665350 2,340 m Strong Marble Bx Ridge
397550 5665350 2,335 m Moderate Marble Bx Ridge
397650 5665300 2,340 m Strong Marble Bx Ridge
397600 5665250 2,410 m Moderate Marble Bx Ridge
397690 5665250 2,395 m Moderate W Glacier
The magnetometer survey strong anomalies are located in an area of marble with extensive zones of pyrrhotite and/or magnetite/ilmenite replacement mineralization which coincides with elevated REE geochemical analysis of rock chips 10AR-22 to 28 from Marble breccia ridge.
Rock No. % Mo ppm Ce ppm La ppm Nd ppm Pr ppm Sm
10AR-1 0.63 165.2 79.7 49 15.1 7.1
10AR-2 0.49 132.1 44.3 36.2 12 4.1
10AR-3 0.95 1,855 1,105 531.2 165.5 47.4
10AR-4 1.33 297.8 187.3 80.3 26.6 10.4
10AR-5 0.56 142.9 79.7 45.1 14.2 6.7
10AR-9 0.77 103.3 51.8 36.2 10.7 6.2
10AR-10 1.2 116.3 66 33.5 11.2 4.7
10AR-11 0.1 396.1 170.1 128.8 39.8 23.1
10AR-12 0.01 1,110 638 241 92.6 23.2
10AR-14 0.19 35.5 20.1 11.3 3.5 1.7
10AR-15 0.21 96.3 47.4 39.4 10.7 6.3
10AR-19 0.01 754 742.5 175.5 61.2 22
10AR-20 0.01 greater greater greater greater greater
than than than than than
10,000 10,000 10,000 1,000 1,000
10AR-22 0.01 greater greater greater
than than than
10,000 10,000 2,550 1,000 209.6
10AR-23 0.01 1,270 1,205 176.3 87.1 23.1
10AR-24 0.21 183 164.1 37.4 13.3 4.6
10AR-25 0.01 593 722.3 99.9 43.3 13.7
10AR-26 0.22 1,440 1,520 166.8 89.2 24.6
10AR-27 0.92 23.5 15 7.5 2.3 1.3
10AR-28 0.43 191.4 129.7 45.8 15.8 6.7
10AR-30 3.4 175.1 99.4 70 20.6 12.6
Rock No. ppm Y ppm Dy ppm Nb % Ti Ppm Zr
10AR-1 31.3 5.7 94.9 0.058 4
10AR-2 8.2 1.8 74.2 0.094 3
10AR-3 113 24.5 3,760 0.966 979
10AR-4 greater
than
39.1 7.5 1,000 2.587 19
10AR-5 greater
than
18.6 4 1,000 1.396 11
10AR-9 32.3 5.4 641.9 0.771 5
10AR-10 11.7 2.2 43.9 0.037 16
10AR-11 101.1 18.5 84.2 0.287 5
10AR-12 66.1 12.1 255 0.287 638
10AR-14 4.1 0.8 18.2 0.055 1
10AR-15 19.5 3.9 23.8 0.117 8
10AR-19 76.5 11.8 236 1.466 1,865
10AR-20 623.8 284.1 527.4 2.928 6,190
10AR-22 414.8 80.1 31.4 0.277 136
10AR-23 103.8 16.7 73.5 0.361 484
10AR-24 23.2 3.7 22.1 0.171 6
10AR-25 106.9 17.2 147.1 0.566 219
10AR-26 152.4 20.6 35.3 0.254 95
10AR-27 3.4 0.7 32.1 0.227 6
10AR-28 25.3 4.4 89.6 0.486 12
10AR-30 38.5 8.5 126.8 0.06 7
Rock No. Width Elev Strike Dip Zone name
cm m
10AR-1 100 2,056 100 45 S Glacier mine
10AR-2 120 2,053 105 48 S Glacier mine
10AR-3 60 2,046 100 45 S Glacier mine
10AR-4 100 2,076 103 47 S Glacier mine
10AR-5 100 2,079 100 39 S East ext, Glacier
10AR-9 200 2,059 114 52 S East ext, Glacier
10AR-10 100 2,055 112 50 S East ext, Glacier
10AR-11 52 2,032 115 51 S East ext, Glacier
10AR-12 float 1,980 Subportal
10AR-14 200 1,939 140 62 SW J-5
10AR-15 20 1,977 135 20 S Subportal
10AR-20 18 2,270 110 48 S Glacier East
10AR-22 70 2,170 101 30 S West Marble Ridge
10AR-23 180 2,169 100 30 S West Marble Ridge
10AR-24 280 2,181 100 50 S West Marble Ridge
10AR-25 25 2,204 100 34 S West Marble Ridge
10AR-26 30 2,218 100 34 S West Marble Ridge
10AR-27 25 2,212 115 62 S West Marble Ridge
10AR-28 22 2,203 105 63 S West basin
10AR-30 float 2,171 float West basin
Rock No. Comments
10AR-1 K-spar, kaol, chlorite, trace pyo
10AR-2 K-spar, kaol, chlorite, trace pyo
10AR-3 K-spar, kaol, chlorite, trace pyo
10AR-4 450-centimetre-wide peg-aplite
zone
10AR-5 K-spar, chlorite
10AR-9 K-spar, kaol, chlorite, trace pyo
10AR-10 K-spar, kaol, chlorite, trace pyo
10AR-11 K-spar, kaol, chlorite, trace pyo
10AR-12 angular float, 1 per cent
magnetite
10AR-14 increased limonite-chlorite with
Mos2
10AR-15 three m north is open cut
10AR-20 red-yellow-brown gossan in cliff
10AR-22 350 cm wide py-pyo-ank skarn band
10AR-23 275 cm wide py-pyo-ank skarn band
10AR-24 limonitic aplite-carbonate breccia contact
10AR-25 limonitic aplite-carbonate breccia contact
10AR-26 limonitic aplite-carbonate breccia contact
10AR-27 limonitic aplite-carbonate breccia contact
10AR-28 K-spar, kaol, chlorite, trace pyo
10AR-30 K-spar, kaol, chlorite, trace pyo
Note:
Four samples (AR-4, 5, 20 and 22) have above detection
limit analysis and are currently being reanalyzed
(using higher standards) at Pioneer Labs and ALS
Chemex Labs.
A second area of REE-bearing mineralization occurs in the East Glacier zone (for example, rock chip sample COPE10AR-20). The East Glacier and Marble Bx Ridge zones are about 500 metres apart, but they occur on the same stratigraphic horizon and may be part of an extensive REE-bearing mineral zone that trends under the glacier. In addition to REE-bearing mineralization, a zone of elevated molybdenum and coincident niobium occurs in the east extension of the Copeland underground workings. This area has been targeted for possible extensions of Mo bearing mineralization, but this zone appears to have elevated Mo-Nb-Ti (for example, rock chip samples COPE10AR-4 and 5). Also, directly adjacent to the underground workings there is a rock chip sample that contains elevated Mo-REE-Nb-Ti (rock chip sample COPE10AR-3).
The geological setting for the Copeland molybdenite-REE occurrence is within concordant bodies of nepheline syenite gneiss that occur adjacent to the calc-silicate gneiss and marble unit. The syenite has locally developed an augen texture with large porphyryblasts of K-feldspar in a fine-grained groundmass. Calc-silicate assemblages contain diopside, garnet and actinolite. Carbonates and carbonatites are recrystallized to medium and locally coarse-grained granoblastic marbles. Lithologies present are summarized as follows:
Proterozoic (pre-Cambrian)
Syenite aplite/syenite pegmatite: K-feldpsar, kaolinite, sericite, calcite, biotite, fluorite, garnet, sphene, specularite, pyrrhotite, pyrite, molybdenite, ilmenite, chalcopyrite, scheelite, tourmaline, apatite, riebeckite, poikilitic aegirine, zircon, zeolite, cancrinite and analcite.
Hangingwall syenite gneiss, nepheline syenite: K-feldspar, green/brown phlogopite, calcite, chlorite, accessory apatite, zircon, sphene, tourmaline, sphene, apatite, riebeckite, poikilitic aegirine, zircon, fluorite, zeolite, cancrinite and analcite.
Biotite-amphibole marble: weathered and deeply pitted appearance, biotite, hornblende, chlorite, marble (granoblastic), actinolite and diopside.
Black biotite amphibole gneiss: biotite, hornblende, chlorite, oligoclase and magnetite.
Quartzite gneiss: feldspar, granular, interbedded marble bands, actinolite and diopside.
The biotite-amphibole marble unit has extremely high soda and potash content, and this is likely attributed to fenitization caused by peralkaline fluids. These fluids are thought to complex and transport REE, associated with minerals such as apatite, zircon, pyrochlore, allanite, monazite and bastnaesite.
Management is encouraged by results of rock and soil samples containing elevated REE on Mount Copeland and has sent for reassay those samples over 1 per cent (10,000 parts per million). The company will continue to focus on exploration and development targeting REEs, Nb, Y, Zr, Ti and Mo bearing mineral zones. Soil/rock chip sampling and interpretation of data for Torch River Resources was carried out under the supervision of Andris Kikauka, PGeo, a qualified person with respect to National Instrument 43-101.
We seek Safe Harbor.