Michelle
Overview
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Regional Exploration and Production click to enlarge The Michelle property is owned 100% by Zinccorp. The Michelle property lies in a belt of Proterozoic and Paleozoic age, platformal carbonate rocks that stretch through northern BC, western NWT, Yukon and Alaska. Carbonate-hosted mineral deposits within this belt include Pine Point, Gayna River, Prairie Creek, Blende and Full Metal Minerals' discovery at Fortymile. Platform carbonates adjacent to the Selwyn basin shales - a well known Zn- Pb province. MVT deposits in carbonates and SEDEX deposits in the basin. | |||||||
Property GeologyBouvette formation dolostones unconformably overlie Proterozoic sedimentary basement. Mississippi Valley type (MVT) Zn, Pb deposits with unusually high levels of Ag, Ga, and locally high Ge, In | |||||||
Historical HighlightsDiscovery of mineralized Zn-Pb-Ag rubble by prospecting in the 1970's. | |||||||
Work Completed to DateReconnaissance-scale soil geochemistry and prospecting in 2006 identified three main areas of mineralization, two of which are in the western part of the property and one of which is in the eastern part. None of the main targets are fully delineated, but they appear to have both structural and stratigraphic controls. The mineralized zones weather recessively, often forming gullies that are mostly filled with unmineralized talus. The zones are marked by very strong soil geochemical anomalies (i.e. 1000 ppm to 6.26% lead). These anomalies range from 500 to 700 m in length and are open to expansion along strike in both directions. In addition to the main targets, there are a number of secondary targets with good exploration potential. | |||||||
Recent HighlightsIn July 2008, Zinccorp announced a very promising discovery. The highlight result from this property from work completed in 2007 is a drill interval that averaged more than 40% combined lead-zinc with 510.7 g/t (14.9 ounces/ton) silver over a 7.94 m (26 ft) true thickness. click to enlarge The discovery was made by diamond drilling carried out in 2007, results of which were received in 2008. It consists of fracture- and breccia-hosted, carbonate replacement style mineralization. Zinc, lead and silver are the main metals of interest. The host stratigraphy consists of Cambrian to Devonian age limestones and dolomites that are cut by large faults of uncertain age. The diamond drilling was confined to the main target area in the eastern part of the property (Gully Showing). The program consisted of seven holes designed to identify the source of limonitic float boulders found on a steep talus slope. Outcrop is very rare in the area. The first three holes (MCH-07-01 to 03) were aligned subparallel to the dip of the zone and intersected only sparsely mineralized footwall rocks. The next two holes (MCH-07-04 and 05) were also drilled subparallel to the zone and mostly cut weakly fractured and mineralized hanging wall rocks. The last two holes (MCH-07-06 and 07) were drilled directly across the zone and encountered heavily fractured and brecciated rocks that are well mineralized with limonite, smithsonite, cerrusite and galena. Soil geochemical values in the vicinity of the drill discovery are comparable to, but more localized than, the values marking the highly prospective targets in the western part of the property (Peak and Dynasty showings). Neither of these targets was drilled in 2007 because results were not available until after the crew and drill had left the property. The results from 2008 season are very encouraging. The 23-hole exploratory drilling program tested two previously identified non-sulphide zinc occurrences with associated lead, silver and gallium values. Of the 3,112.67 meters drilled in 2008, 12 holes totaling 1,966.29 meters were directed at the Peak Zone. The remaining 11 holes totaling 1,146.38 meters tested the Gully Zone, following up a seven-hole drilling program totaling 853.13 meters in 2007.  click to enlarge Highlighted intercepts include a 9.40-meter interval grading 5.36% zinc, 16.36% lead, 152 g/t (grams per tonne) silver and 870 ppm (parts per million) gallium from the Gully Zone and a 2.96-meter interval from the Peak Zone that returned 0.55% zinc, 15.18% lead, 2,134 g/t silver and 25 ppm gallium. Another highlight of the extensive 2008 exploration program was a small-scale reconnaissance prospecting and geochemical sampling program that successfully identified 14 non-sulphide zinc showings spread over an 11-km long belt. The Michelle Property was subsequently expanded from 112 to 782 claims to cover these promising new occurrences and a 20-km long band of un-prospected but favourable geology extending to the Dempster Highway. At the start of the 2008 exploration program, it was assumed that the oxidized surface or near-surface mineralization observed at the Michelle Property would be underlain by conventional sulphide-rich Mississippi Valley Type (MVT) deposits. However as work progressed, it became evident that the oxidation is very intensive and deep. No zinc or iron sulphide minerals were observed in any of the drill core. Exploration has shown that this mineralization can be categorized as non-sulphide zinc, which likely resulted from deep weathering of pre-existing MVT deposits. Zinccorp's 2008 drilling program was designed to confirm the orientation, continuity and grades of the Peak and Gully Zones and to identify stratigraphic horizons where particularly rich mineralization is likely to occur.  click to enlarge In the summer of 2009 the Company executed a 23-day work program which confirmed, expanded and extended several of the mineralized zones. The Nanny zone was extended 700m to the west, for a total length of at least 1200m, the Pinpoint zone was extended 400m to the east (towards the Dynasty zone), and the Prairie Dog zone was extended 200m with the discovery in outcrop of silver-lead rich mineralization not previously known in this area. A new zone (the Scorpion zone) was discovered in 2009 by prospecting 3km southeast of Prairie Dog. The Scorpion is the most southerly zone discovered to date on the property. The 2007 and 2008 exploration was conducted by Archer, Cathro & Associates Limited. Supervision for the projects in 2007 and 2008 was W.A. Wengzynowski, P.Eng, who was also the qualified person for this project. Supervision for the projects in 2009 was William Mann, P.Geo., who was also the qualified person for this project. | |||||||
Upcoming ExplorationThe 2010 program will total at least 1500 meters of drilling, and will test two zones not previously drill tested. A gravity geophysical survey will be conducted, which will help focus exploration toward large, high grade bodies. Further prospecting will be conducted, as the limits to the mineralized system have not been determined, and prospecting has been very successful in previous seasons. Geological mapping at both property and target scales will help Zinccorp to focus its efforts. click to enlarge The Company is pleased by the positive results of exploration to date at the Michelle Property and plans additional geological, geochemical, mineralogical and metallurgical studies to better define the geological controls at the various mineral zones and unexplained silt and soil geochemical anomalies. Hand-trenching and construction of drill pads is also planned, along with future close-spaced drilling to establish the size, grade and three-dimensional geometry of the Peak, Gully and other zones. | |||||||
