Hemlo Explorers has shared new findings from its 2023 geological mapping and grab sampling program conducted on the eastern sector of Project Idaho.
Strategically positioned 2-3 km east of the advancing Marathon Cu-Pd deposit managed by Generation Mining Ltd., Project Idaho lies between the Coldwell Complex and the Archean greenstone belt, renowned for the Hemlo gold mine of Barrick Gold Corp.
Detailed prospecting and mapping were undertaken on a north-south grid spanning the relatively uncharted eastern portion of the project, honing in on VTEM anomalies identified in a 2022 airborne geophysical survey. Notably, the team pinpointed Coldwell Complex-typical mafic intrusive gabbroic rocks. An impressive 90 grab samples were amassed during this venture, complementing the 312 samples procured the prior year. For meticulous analysis, these samples were subjected to testing for platinum, palladium, gold (Pt, Pd, & Au), and an assortment of 60 other elements, utilizing both ICP-OES and ICP-MS techniques based on elemental concentrations. Values of Pt and Pd surpassing 20 ppb were deemed “significant”, marking four times the benchmark value of 5 ppb. Concurrently, outcrop surveying covered the same region, enhancing the understanding of mafic intrusive pathways and fault structures within Project Idaho, suggesting a linkage to the Coldwell Complex.
The discovered “significant” grab samples and mafic intrusive outcrops, combined with the VTEM anomalies, delineate a north-south trending zone on the project’s eastern side. This aligns with a parallel zone on the western front that was explored in Hemlo Explorers’ 2023 summer drilling. The full results from this drill initiative remain under anticipation.
The emerging exploration data corroborates the geological model postulating mafic magma bearing Pt-Pd-Cu-Ni-rich sulphide liquid, radiating from the Coldwell Complex at diverse depths. The magma traversed eastwards along profound faults, settling across stratigraphic levels along the “footwall” Archean which acted as a barrier. Consequently, mineral-infused gabbroic intrusive rocks are anticipated to span a north-south trajectory, akin to the deposition pattern at the Marathon Pd-Cu Deposit situated 2-3 km west.
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