Renforth Resources Inc (CSE:RFR, OTCQB:RFHRF) said channels cut within the three stripped trenches at Lalonde in the current drill program intersected surface battery metals mineralization as measured in the field and confirmed by the assay laboratory.
In addition, Renforth said three drill holes, Prop5 (SUR-22-30), Prop4 (SUR-22-31) and Prop2 (SUR-22-31), have been completed at Lalonde in the ongoing Surimeau drill program, successfully intersecting surface mineralization in the undercutting drill hole, the company said.
Each hole was drilled starting in the sediments to the north, through the mineralized/ultramafic package to the point of contact with the sediments in the south. As each hole intersected the complete package, a second southern or undercut hole was not required, therefore, those metres will be used to the east, based upon the analysis of the 2021 geophysical survey data which Renforth has just received.
READ: Renforth Resources kicks off new drill program at its Surimeau property in Quebec
Nickel values in trenching
In each of the three trenches stripped at Lalonde, one channel was cut and sampled, when accessible. Unfortunately, sample gaps occured in Trench 9, within the best mineralized zone, potentially artificially breaking up the mineralized interval due to access issues, namely flooding which made it impossible to obtain samples.
It is Renforth's interpretation that, in each of the three channels cut within the trenches that are perpendicular to the magnetic anomaly at Lalonde, each surface mineralized "shoulder" of the anomaly was intersected, successfully yielding ultramafic nickel mineralization.
Geophysical analysis
Renforth said it commissioned an analysis and interpretation of the geophysical data obtained during the airborne survey over the Victoria mineralized system and a portion of the Lalonde mineralized system. One of the products of this analysis was a conductivity map, showing conductive anomalies within the overall magnetic anomaly at Victoria and Lalonde. The analysis is interesting as the magnetic anomaly that stretched over 20 kilometres (km) at Victoria, and over 9km at Lalonde depicts the ultramafic intrusive, which potentially carries nickel/cobalt and some amount of platinum-group elements (PGE).
“Within the location of the ultramafic, we do see a graphitic shale that is copper/zinc bearing, along with calc-silicate alteration carrying the same mineralization, however, the magnetic anomaly does not reflect these structures, there is potential that the conductivity map does,” the company said.
“We will be testing this hypothesis.”
Zoomed in Lalonde detail
Zooming in on the Lalonde section of the map indicates that the conductivity anomaly is strongest where the road intersects Lalonde. This suggests that the stripping and drilling to date was too far west with regard to conductivity and potential copper mineralization, the company said.
However, despite the lack of a conductive anomaly, nickel mineralization has been intersected on surface and in drill holes in the area worked. As Renforth works at Lalonde, which has little to almost no useful historical information to guide exploration, it is becoming clear that while the mineralization is very similar to Victoria, it is not identical, with possibly more copper/zinc intersected in the current drilling than at Victoria.
Contact the author at jon.hopkins@proactiveinvestors.com