- Published: 05 May 2009
- Written by Editor
WTM Reports 7.95 g/t (0.23 oz/t) Gold Over 19.45 Metres (63.80 Feet) as Thunder Creek Gold System Continues to Expand
- Porphyry Gold Zone more than doubled by latest intercepts; remains open in all directions - High-grade intercepts from Rusk and Porphyry Zones continue to support comparisons to world-class Hollinger-McIntyre gold system in Timmins - New gold zone identified at depth
West Timmins Mining Inc. (TSX:WTM) ("WTM" or the "Company") today announced multiple high-grade gold intercepts from drill testing of its Thunder Creek Joint Venture in Timmins, Ontario. Today's results are highlighted by hole TC09-69a which returned 7.95 g/t (0.23 oz/t) gold over 19.45 metres (63.80 feet), including two higher grade intervals which returned 9.88 g/t (0.29 oz/t) gold over 6.90 metres (22.63 feet) and 11.44 g/t (0.33 oz/t) gold over 6.00 metres (19.68 feet).
These intercepts confirm and continue to expand the wide zone of high-grade gold mineralization intersected in hole TC09-69 reported March 31, 2009 (NR09-10): http://www.westtimminsmining.com/main/?newsReleases&195 - 8.86 g/t (0.26 oz/t) gold over 24.85 metres (81.58 feet) including 19.55 g/t (0.57 oz/t) gold over 6.00 metres (19.68 feet).
In addition, hole TC09-70 successfully intersected the gold-bearing Porphyry Zone - more than doubling the known strike extent of this zone and continuing to confirm the dramatic broadening of Porphyry Zone at depth. The Porphyry Zone has now been intersected for over 175 metres along strike and remains open in all directions. Hole TC09-70 returned high-grade intercepts of 11.26 g/t (0.33 oz/t) gold over 1.35 metres (4.42 feet) and 7.32 g/t (0.21 oz/t) gold over 1.20 metres (3.94 feet). As in holes TC09-68 and TC09-69, located over 120 and 175 metres to the southwest respectively, anomalous gold mineralization occurs throughout the entire width of the porphyry body intersected providing further support for the current exploration model at Thunder Creek and on WTM's adjacent 100% owned Hwy 144 and Thorne Properties.
The multiple zones of high-grade gold mineralization which collectively comprise the Thunder Creek gold system have now been traced by drilling for approximately 700 metres down plunge, along strike for over 175 metres at the level of the intercepts reported today and over widths ranging from 1.30 to 24.85 metres. All zones continue to broaden at depth and remain open for continued expansion. As well a new zone of gold mineralization has recently been identified in the footwall to the Porphyry Zone, returning 5.04 g/t gold over 1.50 metres in hole TC09-68a, indicating potential for the development of additional zones of gold mineralization both at depth and along strike within the Thunder Creek system.
WTM President and CEO Darin Wagner said, "Today's results further confirm the continuity of wide zones of high-grade gold mineralization within the Rusk and Porphyry Gold Zones at Thunder Creek and also confirm that the gold mineralized system is broadening at depth. The geological architect of the Thunder Creek gold system displays strong similarities to the world-class Hollinger-McIntyre 32 million ounce gold system, around which the Timmins Gold Camp was founded a century ago. The tremendous increase in the size of the Porphyry Gold Zone resulting from intercepts reported today indicates we are dealing with a much larger gold-bearing system at Thunder Creek than initially envisaged and one which has excellent potential to continue to expand."
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Hole From To Length(i) Gold
Number (metres) (metres) (metres) (g/t) Comments
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TC09-68a 895.30 900.00 4.70 10.09 Rusk Zone
including 896.30 898.55 2.25 17.16
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907.20 941.00 33.80 2.17 Porphyry Zone
including 908.30 917.25 8.95 6.62 Wedge terminated 941.00
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1055.30 1056.80 1.50 5.04 New Volcanic Zone
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TC09-69a 784.10 803.55 19.45 7.95 Rusk Zone
including 784.60 791.50 6.90 9.88
including 784.60 787.05 2.45 19.95
and including 797.15 803.15 6.00 11.44
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805.70 873.20 67.50 1.70 Porphyry Zone
including 815.20 817.70 2.50 4.76
and including 823.20 825.70 2.50 7.76
and including 846.20 848.20 2.00 11.33
and including 856.20 857.70 1.50 7.83
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906.60 907.60 1.00 4.65 New Volcanic Zone
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TC09-70 898.80 911.80 13.00 2.25 Porphyry Zone
including 899.30 900.65 1.35 11.26
and including 904.20 905.40 1.20 7.32
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(i) Due to uncertainties in zone orientations, true widths are not known at
this time. Assays reported are uncut.
Drilling at Thunder Creek continues with two drills. Since the commencement of the current 22,000 metre drill program slightly over 13,000 metres in 21 holes and 2 wedges have been completed. Drilling continues on hole TC09-71, a 100 plus metre step out southwest of hole TC09-69a reported above. The second drill continues to test the north-eastern extensions of the Rusk and Porphyry Zones.
Tony Makuch, President and CEO of Lake Shore Gold, commented: "Drilling on the Thunder Creek Property continues to provide confirmation of the significant potential and extent of the multiple horizons within the Rusk and Porphyry Zones, as well as potential for new gold zones to the south, west and at depth. These results significantly expand the known mineralization on the property, leave the zones open in all directions and indicate the potential for discovery of additional zones and ultimately a large gold deposit. The drill program is continuing with 2 drills with results from six additional holes pending. We intend to double the number of drills on the property in the next few months. The gold mineralization identified on the Thunder Creek property is located approximately 800 metres from Lake Shore's Timmins Mine shaft. The Timmins Mine shaft is currently being sunk to a depth of 710 metres to develop the Timmins deposit. At this depth, the shaft capacity is in excess of 5,000 tonnes per day, and was purposely over-designed in order to provide flexibility to support underground exploration programs as well as develop the Timmins Mine."
WTM's Thunder Creek Property is being explored and developed as a joint venture with Lake Shore Gold who hold a 60% interest in the Property and act as project operator. Lake Shore is currently developing the 1.3 million ounce Timmins gold deposit located less than 800 metres from the Thunder Creek gold discoveries. In addition to the Thunder Creek Property, WTM continues to drill test its 100% owned Hwy 144 gold discovery located 1,600 metres south of Thunder Creek along the same structure which hosts the Rusk and Porphyry Zones and the Timmins deposit. The Company also continues to expand several zones of gold mineralization located along the 5+ kilometre long Golden River Trend on the adjacent 100% owned Thorne Property.
Quality Control and Assurance
The Thunder Creek Joint Venture is operated by Lake Shore Gold. Mr. Jacques Samson (P.Geo.) is Lake Shore Gold's qualified person ("QP") for the Thunder Creek Property. As QP, he has prepared or supervised the preparation of the scientific or technical information for the Property and has verified the data disclosed in this press release. Mr. Darin Wagner (P.Geo.), President and CEO of the Company, and QP for WTM, has examined the drill intercepts reported. No quality control data was supplied to the Company or Mr. Wagner by Lake Shore Gold prior to this release and the Company is therefore relying on information supplied by the project operator in this regard.
Lake Shore Gold employs a quality control program to ensure best practices in the sampling and analysis of drill core. Assays have been completed using a standard fire assay with a 30-gram aliquot. For samples that return a value greater than three grams per tonne gold, another pulp is taken and fire assayed with a gravimetric finish. Zones with visible gold are tested by pulp metallic analysis. NQ size drill core is saw cut and half the drill core is sampled in standard intervals. The remaining half of the core is stored in a secure location. The drill core is transported in security-sealed bags for preparation at ALS Chemex Prep Lab located in Timmins, Ontario, and the pulps shipped to ALS Chemex Assay Laboratory in Vancouver, B.C. ALS Chemex is an ISO 9001-2000 registered laboratory preparing for ISO 17025 certification.
About West Timmins Mining Inc. (www.westtimminsmining.com):
WTM is focussed on the exploration and development of district-scale gold projects in the major gold camps of North America. The Company is advancing the high-grade Rusk and Porphyry Gold discoveries on its Thunder Creek joint venture in Timmins, Ontario and continues to test the nearby 5.0 kilometre long Golden River Trend. WTM also has active gold exploration projects in Mexico, highlighted by the high-grade Lluvia de Oro gold-silver Project in Chihuahua State. West Timmins Mining is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol WTM.
On behalf of the Board of West Timmins Mining Inc.
Darin W. Wagner, President and Chief Executive Officer
For further details on West Timmins Mining Inc. please refer to prior disclosure at www.sedar.com. The securities described in this press release have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or under any U.S. state securities laws, and such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent an exemption from such registration requirements.
This press release contains forward looking statements within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities regulation, including statements regarding the future activities of the Company. Forward looking statements reflect the current beliefs and expectations of management and are identified by the use of words including "will", "expected to", "plans", "planned" and other similar words. Actual results may differ significantly. The achievement of the results expressed in forward looking statements is subject to a number of risks, including those described in the Company's annual information form as filed with the Canadian securities regulators which are available at www.sedar.com. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon forward looking statements.
To view the maps accompanying this press release, please click on the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/wtm54.pdf
SOURCE: West Timmins Mining Inc.
West Timmins Mining Inc. John Toporowski Manager, Investor Relations (604) 685-8311 / Toll Free: (866) 685-8311 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. www.westtimminsmining.com
