Apr 7 2017
Midland Exploration Inc. ("Midland") (TSX VENTURE:MD) is pleased to announce the acquisition, by map designation, of a new project with strong base metal (Zn-Cu) potential in the Labrador Trough. The Nachicapau property consists of 49 claims and is located approximately 150 kilometres south of Kuujjuaq, Quebec.
Previous exploration campaigns on the project in 2008 and 2012 led to the discovery of several meter-sized massive sulphide float boulders with high zinc grades, up to 17.5% Zn. Another boulder yielded grades of 4.9 % Cu and 0.96 g/t Au. (Note that values from grab samples may not be representative of the mineralized zones). High-grade massive sulphide boulders discovered to date are scattered over a surface area of about 1.5 km x 200m. Prospecting campaigns carried out in 2008 and 2012 focused in the immediate vicinity of the boulders but failed to locate their source in bedrock. A limited drilling campaign carried out in 2012 (6 holes totalling 877 metres) tested airborne electromagnetic anomalies located near the boulders but once again failed to discover the source, which thus remains unexplained to this day. However, several other airborne electromagnetic anomalies coinciding with magnetic highs are located up-ice from the boulders (to the southeast) and have never been tested; these represent high-priority targets.
The Labrador Trough is a geological province with proven potential for volcanogenic massive sulphides ("VMS"). VMS deposits in the Labrador Trough are of the "pelitic-mafic" sub-type (Franklin et al., 2005) and are characterized by their higher tonnage compared to other VMS sub-types (Galley et al., 2008). The Nachicapau project is characterized by mafic lavas and pyroclastic rocks alternating with various sedimentary units (black shales, dolomites, turbidites), as well as several synvolcanic gabbro sills. These sills may have acted as the thermal driving force for the submarine hydrothermal system which led to the formation of massive sulphide mineralization. This type of stratigraphic assemblage is favourable for the discovery of "pelitic-mafic" VMS deposits.
Midland also owns two other projects with strong zinc potential, located in southern Quebec. The Weedon project is located in the southern Quebec Appalachians. The mineralization is hosted in felsic volcanic rocks of the Ascot-Weedon formation, a formation that has a strong volcanogenic massive sulfide potential with several past producing mines. The Gatineau Zinc project is located within marbles of the Grenville supergroup in southwestern Quebec. On the Lafontaine prospect, channel sampling by Midland returned 21.0% Zn over 2.0 meters. On the Leitch prospect, channel sampling returned 24.1% Zn over 3.0 meters. (Note that the true thickness of these channel samples is unknown and cannot be determined at this time with the information available). Midland interprets that the Lafontaine and Leitch prospects are hosted within the same stratigraphy that host the Balmat mine in the state of New York that produced 43.5 Mt at 9.5% Zn and 0.5% Pb.