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Quest Uranium samples 14.43% TREO at Strange Lake
2009-08-19 08:39 ET - News Release
Mr. Peter Cashin reports
QUEST DISCOVERS NEW RARE EARTH ZONE CLOSE TO THE STRANGE LAKE DEPOSIT, QUEBEC
Quest Uranium Corp. has identified a new rare earth (REE) mineralized zone, less than three kilometres northwest of the Strange Lake REE deposit, Quebec and Labrador. The new zone, called the B-Zone, is associated with a two-kilometre-long geophysical anomaly and has been traced at surface by grab sampling over a minimum strike length of 1.7 km and over widths of at least 350 metres. Values of up to 14.43 per cent total rare earth oxides (TREO) as well as 3.63 per cent yttrium oxide (Y2O3), 7.37 per cent zirconium oxide (ZrO2), 3.95 per cent niobium oxide (Nb2O5) and 2.00 per cent beryllium oxide (BeO) were returned by the rock sampling program. Heavy rare earth elements (HREE) represent up to 67 per cent of the TREO component observed in the new B-Zone. Because of the potential significance of this new discovery, Quest has commenced definition diamond drilling of the B-Zone with the view of including it in Quest's preliminary resource estimate for the property in 2010. The Strange Lake project is located 175 km northeast of Schefferville, Que., and 125 km west of the Voisey's Bay nickel-copper-cobalt deposit, currently being mined by Vale in eastern Labrador.
"Early results of surface exploration work by Quest field crews indicate that a significant new area of REE mineralization, the B-Zone, has been identified approximately three km from the Strange Lake Main zone," said Peter Cashin, Quest's president and chief executive officer. "The B-Zone area rocks show intense alteration and REE mineralization of the same style observed for the Main zone but appear to represent a better-preserved, less glacially eroded example of the Strange Lake mineralizing system. I wish to thank our exploration crew for the perseverance and dedication they displayed in making this discovery happen."
B-Zone exploration program
Reconnaissance mapping and rock geochemical sampling over a strong, two km long airborne radiometric anomaly northwest of the Strange Lake deposit (historical resource estimate, pre-National Instrument 43-101; Venkatswaran, 1983 -- 52 million tonnes at 3.25 per cent ZrO2, 0.56 per cent Nb2O5, 0.66 per cent Y2O3, 0.12 per cent BeO and 1.30 per cent TREO) had identified a new REE mineralized zone. The new B-Zone has been defined as an extensive area of outcrop, subcrop and locally derived boulders of Strange Lake granite. The zone has been traced at surface over a minimum strike length of 1.7 km and over widths of at least 350 m. More than 40 per cent of the samples collected thus far have returned values in excess of 0.8 per cent TREO as well significant quantities of Zr, Y, Nb and Be (see table for a listing of the best values returned by the sampling program).
The best values returned by Quest sampling of the B-Zone were:
- 14.43 per cent TREO, 2.23 per cent yttrium oxide (Y2O3), 2.09 per cent zirconium oxide (ZrO2), 3.95 per cent niobium oxide (Nb2O5) and 0.6 per cent beryllium oxide (BeO) (sample 203851);
- 10.27 per cent TREO, 1.80 per cent Y2O3, 3.23 per cent ZrO2, 0.91 per cent Nb2O5 and 1.54 per cent BeO (sample 203853);
- 8.03 per cent TREO, 0.87 per cent Y2O3, 1.18 per cent ZrO2, 2.20 per cent Nb2O5 and 0.66 per cent BeO (sample 203513).
The mineralization is associated with a highly altered and iron-stained, fluorite-bearing Strange Lake alkali granite. The better grades of mineralization appear to be related to the equigranular aplitic and pegmatitic phases of the host granite. Given the complexity of the silicate, phosphate and oxide mineralogy of the REE zone and the host granite, samples have been sent out for mineralogical investigation. Bulk sampling and metallurgical work of this new mineralization will be undertaken toward the end of the current exploration program.
Quest's compilation of historical Strange Lake property data indicated that six Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC) drill holes completed in the early 1980s intersected the western extremity of the B-Zone. All holes returned wide intercepts of Zr, Y, Nb and cerium (Ce) -- mineralized Strange Lake granite over widths ranging from 47 m to 60 m. The significance of these intersections was not recognized by IOC at the time and their REE sample analysis suite was incomplete. Preliminary observations from early Quest drilling of the new B-Zone have confirmed the wide nature of the mineralized intercepts observed by IOC.
Definition drill program
In addition to the definition drilling currently under way over the Main Strange Lake REE zone (see news in Stockwatch on Aug. 13, 2009), a program of exploration and definition drilling over the B-Zone is in progress. A minimum of 20 drill holes for 2,000 m is planned for this portion of the program. The drilling is expected to be completed sometimes in September.
The 1983 historical mineral resource estimate referred to in this press release was prepared before the introduction of National Instrument 43-101. No qualified person has undertaken sufficient work to classify this historical resource estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. Accordingly, Quest is not treating the historical resource estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves, as defined in National Instrument 43-101, and the historical resource estimate referred to in this press release should not be relied upon.
Quality control
Peter Cashin, PGeo, is the qualified person on the Strange Lake project under National Instrument 43-101 and was responsible for this news release. Material for analysis has been obtained from grab samples from outcrop and boulders. A strict QA/QC program is followed which includes the use of elemental standards, duplicates and blanks. Analyses were performed by Activation Laboratory Ltd. of Ancaster, Ont.
Sample Media Be Y Zr Nb TREE TREO HREE
No. type ppm ppm ppm ppm La Ce Pr Nd Sm Eu Gd Tb Dy Ho Er Tm Yb Lu % % %
203512 trench subcrop 148 2461 12140 3060 1450 3060 321 1060 230 12.0 224 55.1 401 102.0 344 67.6 455.0 59.9 0.78 0.91 21.9
203513 boulder 2394 6863 8762 15400 13200 33400 3810 11900 2470 114.0 1390 231.0 1230 230.0 640 92.1 457.0 46.7 6.92 8.03 6.4
203514 boulder 927 4075 28700 3520 792 2390 275 856 220 14.7 255 78.9 622 163.0 555 106.0 672.0 89.9 0.71 0.82 36.1
203540 boulder 287 1154 9933 1130 1350 3000 341 1190 241 14.8 195 33.2 188 38.4 109 18.3 117.0 16.1 0.69 0.79 10.7
203560 boulder 174 2290 8707 1750 1700 3050 341 1110 272 15.1 265 66.0 443 99.2 299 52.0 317.0 40.3 0.81 0.94 19.8
203561 boulder 178 2440 4486 4070 2240 5610 629 1960 400 20.9 324 78.1 503 106.0 305 48.2 244.0 25.9 1.25 1.45 13.2
203563 boulder 1317 10560 5041 7040 762 1830 204 671 378 31.4 701 180.0 1160 269.0 743 116.0 555.0 58.8 0.77 0.89 49.8
203564 boulder 260 28550 16300 3140 931 2530 341 1480 934 72.5 1570 535.0 4070 983.0 2820 431.0 2030.0 215.0 1.89 2.20 67.2
203565 boulder 209 7253 15290 7600 1300 3120 337 1070 382 28.5 583 180.0 1250 287.0 823 140.0 777.0 90.4 1.04 1.20 40.1
203572 Outcrop 2887 853 3780 25100 2670 6330 568 1510 246 11.8 153 27.2 162 35.2 122 25.2 186.0 26.3 1.21 1.40 6.2
203573 Outcrop 7210 1262 3147 8190 3190 8470 947 3050 629 29.2 349 53.2 271 50.0 159 27.1 147.0 14.9 1.74 2.02 6.3
203574 Outcrop 2701 2867 5267 2900 1390 3830 449 1580 475 27.7 392 83.4 501 107.0 329 55.5 282.0 29.5 0.95 1.11 19.0
203582 boulder 333 1250 6316 3650 2390 5050 559 1840 326 15.0 234 38.5 217 43.5 119 17.1 97.1 12.1 1.10 1.27 7.2
203584 boulder 103 2095 23420 1050 1930 4100 466 1600 318 15.4 273 50.9 294 60.6 166 24.8 147.0 19.0 0.95 1.10 11.1
203586 boulder 416 6111 43990 1270 1440 3080 337 1240 347 24.0 449 113.0 828 205.0 668 118.0 750.0 96.1 0.97 1.12 33.5
203587 Outcrop 819 5192 41950 2580 2530 5210 578 2000 463 25.5 457 103.0 753 194.0 686 141.0 1050.0 159.0 1.43 1.66 24.9
203588 Outcrop 363 3256 21590 1370 1240 2600 284 961 227 14.2 255 64.1 472 115.0 372 66.5 433.0 57.9 0.72 0.83 25.8
203590 boulder 784 6717 54550 1180 1210 3040 360 1360 401 29.8 514 135.0 990 247.0 792 138.0 843.0 108.0 1.02 1.18 37.3
203591 boulder 916 6775 29280 1620 1420 3500 358 1340 395 25.6 486 124.0 934 237.0 776 139.0 899.0 121.0 1.08 1.25 34.8
203601 boulder 192 3494 30890 923 2030 3970 331 1010 207 13.4 219 53.8 424 114.0 387 69.4 435.0 56.3 0.93 1.08 19.0
203661 trench subcrop 359 6154 22790 5770 1690 3920 415 1300 367 22.9 407 116.0 895 227.0 736 129.0 849.0 117.0 1.12 1.30 31.3
203663 trench subcrop 425 3297 13390 7470 1990 4890 532 1650 368 19.4 317 73.3 510 118.0 357 59.6 391.0 54.1 1.13 1.31 16.8
203666 boulder 724 3141 24270 1540 2940 5930 617 1970 361 17.7 271 58.2 417 103.0 359 70.6 511.0 74.1 1.37 1.59 13.7
203670 boulder 310 23730 11320 11100 1800 4800 495 1610 761 64.0 1390 486.0 3900 923.0 2620 388.0 1920.0 204.0 2.14 2.48 55.7
203671 boulder 764 3487 10370 5500 1420 3350 358 1210 325 20.1 356 80.9 515 114.0 328 54.6 320.0 39.3 0.85 0.98 21.5
203677 boulder 558 5411 31280 15200 2250 5280 504 1420 347 21.5 399 115.0 830 203.0 644 118.0 788.0 110.0 1.30 1.51 24.8
203680 boulder 1043 7560 5368 3550 1810 4240 541 1950 606 38.2 708 186.0 1210 269.0 741 116.0 607.0 63.1 1.31 1.52 30.1
203681 boulder 1804 13980 19420 1240 1360 3140 399 1640 616 45.1 961 265.0 1870 440.0 1150 142.0 683.0 88.9 1.28 1.48 44.1
203682 boulder 601 3394 23380 1080 4110 9770 1090 3570 671 33.9 474 79.7 456 93.5 267 42.2 254.0 32.4 2.09 2.43 8.3
203729 Outcrop 78 2254 2848 16700 2190 5140 486 1390 338 18.8 233 57.9 395 92.5 305 48.0 208.0 19.1 1.09 1.27 12.6
203745 boulder 788 6092 39730 21500 2600 6210 561 1500 310 18.1 322 90.2 743 199.0 733 148.0 1060.0 147.0 1.46 1.70 23.6
203746 boulder 540 2891 20310 12100 1420 3480 331 939 200 11.3 187 49.3 395 107.0 394 78.1 549.0 78.1 0.82 0.95 22.5
203851 trench sucrop 2148 17530 15450 27600 25600 60700 6370 18900 3280 139.0 2340 471.0 2980 626.0 1660 207.0 1010.0 112.0 12.44 14.43 7.7
203853 boulder 5543 14190 23910 6330 14400 39500 4990 17300 3720 180.0 2450 428.0 2450 493.0 1320 194.0 1030.0 118.0 8.86 10.27 9.8
We seek Safe Harbor.
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