Mineral Gulch, formerly called Black Pine, is located in Cassia County, Idaho along the southeast edge of the Black Pine Mountains, approximately 128 KM SE of Burley and 28 km NW of Utah.
Ownership
100% owned (exploitation license)
History
The project encompasses the historic Black Pine Mining District and surrounding exploration ground. Sporadic small-scale gold and base-metal mining occurred in the area as early as 1915. Pegasus Gold acquired the property from Noranda and produced over 500,000 ounces of gold from several small open pits in the late 1980s through the mid-1990s. Historic exploration and mining efforts have generally focused on near-surface, oxidized ore bodies. Western staked the Mineral Gulch project in early 2010 and has since completed 38 RC drill holes in 2011-2012.
Geology
Fine-grained disseminated gold is found in favorable structurally disturbed Paleozoic carbonate rocks with tabular geometries. The trace element geochemistry and tenor of mineralization is similar to Carlin-style gold occurrences.
The Black Pine Mountains are composed of sedimentary and slightly metamorphosed sedimentary rocks, which range in age from Devonian to Permian. The rocks in the area are dominantly limestone, dolomite, and quartzitic sandstones that have been extensively deformed by folding, thrust faulting, and high-angle faulting. Siltstones are locally abundant. Intrusive rocks are present only as narrow altered dikes. Finely divided gold (micron-sized) particles and minor pyrite are the principal metallic minerals found within the ore body. Native gold grains are disseminated in limestone and siltstones. Disseminated gold mineralization occurs in the Black Pine Mining District in the southeast comer of the Black Pine Range. Some gold is associated with organic carbon in both the limestone and siltstone rock types.
Soil Sample Program Results
In late 2011 a total of 1,300 samples were collected on a 50 meter by 50 meter grid in the previously unsampled area south and west of the C&D pit. Anomalous gold-in-soil results were encountered over an area covering 600 meters by 200 meters, containing gold values from 100 ppb to 601 ppb Au and the anomaly remains open to the north and northwest towards the C&D pit. This area has never been drilled or previously sampled.
Airborne Magnetic Survey Results (May 2012)
"This survey is the first of its kind, in scope and magnitude, to be performed in the Mineral Gulch area. It substantiates and justifies the additional geochemical and structural data generated by Western Pacific. We are highly encouraged by the final products," states Eric Saderholm, Western Pacific President. "We hoped that the old leach pad material and pits would have unique magnetic "signatures" that we could use to identify other altered and prospective targets and they certainly do. The pits and leach pad show rock with strong magnetic "depletion" interpreted to be related to emplacement of the gold systems. The most exciting thing is how large these areas are within the land package and how far out they extend from past mining activity. This magnetic survey extends these "depletion signatures" approximately 2500 meters south of the E Pit, 2500 meters SW of the C/D Pit and 1000 meters northeast of the A Pit, clearly highlighting the important northeast and northwest-striking faults. This opens up a very large area for additional exploration and potential discovery."
Targets and Work Program
Western Pacific has completed 38 RC drill holes throughout the 2011-2012 season. In June of 2012 a 5 year drill permit was granted, allowing for expansion of the target area.
2011-2012 Hole Highlights
MGR11-003 (61.0m of 0.47 g/t Au)
MGR11-005 (15.2m of 1.24 g/t Au)
MGR11-006 (59.4m of 0.38 g/t Au)
MGR11-008 (10.7m of 0.41 g/t Au)
MGR11-009 (18.3m of 0.76 g/t Au)
MGR11-016 (6.1m of 0.38 g/t Au)
MGR11-017 (24.4m of 1.59g/t Au)
including 7.6m of 3.59g/t Au
MGR11-019 (32.0m of 0.48 g/t Au)
MGR11-022 (12.2m of 0.925 g/t Au)
MGR11-026 (47.2m of 0.558 g/t Au)
MGR11-029 (12.2m of 1.18 g/t Au)
MGR12-036 (12.2m of 1.37 g/t Au)
including 7.6m of 1.88 g/t Au
Please refer to the press releases below for further details on the above highlights:
