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Eagle Plains Stakes Terrace, BC area
High-Grade Gold Occurrences
Cranbrook, B.C.: Eagle Plains Resources
Ltd. (EPL:TSX-V) has completed staking activity and received
title to a 489-unit (29,700 acre) claim block located
30km northwest of Terrace, near the central coast of
British Columbia. The claims cover a number of high-grade
gold occurrences related to a Cretaceous-aged granitic
intrusive stock with kilometer-scale dimensions. The "Kalum" project
is accessed by a network of logging roads, transected
by a hydro-electric power-line, and is located 90km
by road from port facilities in Kitimat, or 100km by
rail from Terrace to port facilities in Prince Rupert.
Extensive logging activity has taken place throughout
the project area, with additional road-building and
logging activity planned over the next three years,
as part of a development plan approved by the BC Ministry
of Forests in 2000. Eagle Plains owns a 100% unencumbered
interest in the project, and holds a 1% Net Smelter
Return in trust for Bernard Kreft, whose extensive research
of the area resulted in the recognition of its geological
and potential economic significance.
The claims cover an area approximately 10km x 12km
that is underlain by sedimentary rocks that have been
intruded
by a very large intrusive stock. Seven documented
high-grade gold occurrences are located at or near the
contact
zone of the intrusive, while a single poorly-documented
copper/molybdenum occurrence is known to exist within
its core. Following is a summary of documented occurrences,
with results reported directly from the BC Geological
Survey’s (“BCGS”) Minfile database:
KALUM LAKE (Minfile #103I019): two intrusive-hosted
veins 150m apart described as being 0.15 to 0.60m
in width. Trench samples assayed up to 251g/t (grams
per
tonne) Au and 226 g/t Ag. (B.C. Energy Mines and Petroleum
Resources "EMPR" Assessment Report (#13303).
A 52.4 kg bulk sample taken from these veins assayed
11.86 g/t Au and 15.43 g/t Ag. Reserves reported for
the two main veins are estimated at 9,434 tonnes grading
16.1 g/t Au to a depth of 45m. A sample taken by Eagle
Plains consultants of quartz vein material returned
811.8 g/t Au, 274 g/t Ag, 1.04% Cu, and 1.17% Pb, with
highly anomalous arsenic, antimony, bismuth and mercury
values. This sample was re-assayed by Acme Analytical
Laboratories, and returned 826.5 g/t Au.
HAT (#103I173): polymetallic vein up to 0.5m wide
containing up to 41.1 g/t Au and 9,588 g/t Ag. (EMPR
AR #10821)
CHRIS (#103I174): polymetallic vein 0.3 to 1.34m wide,
300m long, averaging 0.6m wide. Average chip samples
over the 300m length assayed 11.25 g/t Au, 80.57 g/t
Ag, and 1.4 % Pb. A second vein located 40m to the
south averaged 2.09 g/t Au and 8.23 g/t Ag (EMPR AR
#10523)
MARTIN (#103I020): polymetallic vein up to 0.5m wide
assayed 8.2 g/t Au, 137 g/t Ag and 4% Pb over 0.3m.
A second parallel vein located 50m away consists largely
of massive arsenopyrite, and returned 6.8 g/t Au and
12.3 g/t Ag over 0.2m.
MISTY (#103I213): a series of intrusion-related polymetallic
veins varying from 1.0 to 2.5m in width. A chip sample
taken across 0.6m assayed 21.6 g/t Au. This occurrence
was drilled and returned 4.7 g/t Au over 0.77m. Inconsistent
correlation between surface and drill-core results
were attributed to poor drill-core recoveries and
the coarse
nature of the gold.
QUARTZ-SILVER (#103I018): a series of sediment-hosted
polymetallic veins associated with dykes and intrusive
rocks assayed 78.9 g/t Ag, 7.74% Pb, 15.38% Zn and
0.34 g/t Au across a 0.60m sample width.
BURN (#103I211): intrusion-related polymetallic veins
associated with intense propylitic alteration and “a
high density of quartz veining and shearing”.
A grab sample reported by past operators assayed up
to 16.8 g/t Au and 242.1 g/t Ag.
BCGS stream-sediment surveys of creeks draining the
Kalum Intrusion and sedimentary-intrusive contact
area reveal the presence of highly anomalous values
(many
in the 95th percentile) for the elements gold, silver,
arsenic, tungsten, copper, molybdenum - all considered
key pathfinder elements for intrusion-related gold
systems (“IRGS”). Review of existing airborne geophysical
data for the area confirms the presence of a pronounced
magnetic anomaly coincident with the intrusive material,
and suggests the presence of a much larger system than
is currently outlined. Many of the above-noted mineral
occurrences are located within the halo of the magnetic
anomaly, which appears to correspond with the sedimentary-intrusive
contact area. These individual occurrences have been
the focus of exploration efforts since the early 1900s,
but were worked individually and targeted for development
as low-tonnage, high-grade producers. Many high-grade
veins which saw work were documented as occurring within
a series of veins or within stockwork swarms. All exploration
work in the project area was completed prior to the
discovery and recognition of IRGS models and the development
of deposits such as Kinross Gold’s Fort Knox,
located near Fairbanks, Alaska (158.3 Mt grading 0.83
g/t, with a contained resource of 4.3 M oz Au) and the
Pogo deposit located in the Goodpaster River area of
Alaska (currently under development by TeckCominco,
containing stated reserves of 10.7 Mt at an average
grade of 17.82 g/t, for a contained resource of 5.6
M oz Au). Despite the strong presence of geological,
geochemical and geophysical indicators of IRGS mineralization,
no exploration efforts have previously been directed
towards assessing the occurrences in the Kalum area
for their low-grade, bulk-tonnage potential, nor has
any exploration activity been documented over the roughly
25km of projected contact area. At the time of staking
by Eagle Plains, all previous mineral tenures within
the mapsheet had forfeited, allowing the Company the
opportunity to secure the complete intrusive package
including the entire contact zone.
Eagle Plains intends to complete an extensive GIS
compilation of all existing data relating to the project
area. Financing
will be initiated to ensure that an aggressive and
comprehensive field program will be completed during
the 2003 field
season. Work will be directed to assess the project
area and identify similarities to known IRGS deposits
such as Fort Knox, Pogo, Donlin Creek, Kidston, and
other recently recognized deposits of this type located
around the world.
Eagle Plains Resources continues to conduct research,
acquisition and exploration projects in western Canada.
Through a network of prospectors, consultants and
experienced contractors in addition to seasoned employees
and a
well-rounded Board of Directors, the Company has assembled
a diverse portfolio of gold and base-metal properties.
EPL seeks to attract joint-venture participation on
it’s properties, thereby leveraging exploration
spending to the ultimate benefit of the Company’s
shareholders. In recent years, Eagle Plains has completed
option agreements with Billiton, Rio Algom, Kennecott,
Novagold Resources, Viceroy Resources and numerous other
junior exploration companies, resulting in nearly 10,000m
(33,000’) of drilling and over $5,000,000 in exploration
spending on its properties since 1998.
On Behalf of the Board of Directors
Tim J. Termuende, P.Geo.
President and CEO
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