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Eagle Plains Acquires Option on
BC Copper-Gold
Project
Cranbrook, B.C.: Eagle Plains Resources
Ltd. (EPL:TSX-V) announces the acquisition of an option to
earn a 100% interest in the LCR mineral claims located
approximately 40km northwest of Terrace, near the central
coast of British Columbia. The claims consist of 100
units (6075 acres) covering copper occurrences related
to Cretaceous-aged granitic intrusive stocks. The property
is located near Eagle Plains’ 100% owned Kalum
project (see news release February 20, 2002) and is
accessed by a network of logging roads. The property
is located near 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. Additional road-building and logging
activity is planned for the property area over the next
three years, as part of a development plan approved
by the BC Ministry of Forests in 2000.
Eagle Plains has negotiated an agreement with B. Kreft
(subject to regulatory approval) whereby EPL may earn
a 100% interest in the claims by paying $5,000 in
cash and issuing 300,000 common shares over four years.
A
2% NSR is reserved for the vendor, half of which may
be purchased at any time for $1,000,000.
The claims overlie Upper Jurassic to Cretaceous black
carbonaceous argillites and greywackes of the Bowser
Lake Group that are intruded by porphyritic quartz
monzonite of probable Eocene age. The sediments trend
north-northeast
to north-northwest with moderate to steep westerly
dips. Abundant quartz veins are reported to occur
over an
area of at least 1500 by 1000 metres with prominent
104 degree trends and steep dips. Sulphides are reported
in about 20 per cent of the veins. Molybdenite and
chalcopyrite occur in a 250 metre zone of quartz veins
within bleached
and sheared argillite and siltstone. Grades average
0.02 per cent molybdenite and 0.06 per cent copper
(BCMPR Assessment Report 8446). Past work in the property
area
includes an Induced Polarization and Magnetometer
survey in 1969, and soil geochemical surveys in 1979
and 1980.
The IP survey identified an area underlain by rocks
which contain an appreciable content of conductive
material which was postulated to extend from surface
to at least
76.2 meters (250 feet); however due to the lack of
supporting geological data on the property it was
not possible
to distinguish between responses due to sulphide mineralization,
magnetite, carbonaceous material or other sources.
The soil geochemical surveys outlined anomalous copper
and
molybdenum values coincident with the known exposure
of quartz veins. None of the samples were analyzed
for gold.
All exploration work in the LCR-Kalum project area
was completed prior to the discovery and recognition
of
intrusive-related gold system (“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 LCR-Kalum area
for their low-grade, bulk-tonnage potential.
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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