11 drills on Tandem projects

An example of the momentum flow-through financing is giving to mineral exploration in this country is that of Tandem Resources, a junior company which, with various part ners, has 11 drill rigs at work on projects extending from the east coast to the Northwest Territories.

It is currently concentrating its efforts on what is known as the Moss Lake gold project, 70 miles west of Thunder Bay in northwestern Ontario, where it appears to have a new gold mine in the making. Exploratory drilling is to be stepped up with the addition of a third rig. This is in partnership with Storimin Exploration, a company in which it holds one million shares as well as a direct 50% interest in the undertaking.

A ramp decline, started last summer, is now down 2,010 ft with approximately 670 ft of drifting and crosscutting on one level at 200 ft. Sampling of this drift indicates a grade of 0.17 oz across 6.0 ft for a length of 462 ft, Tandem’s president S. G. Hawkins told The Northern Miner on his recent return from the property. Selected zones would grade considerably higher.

Plans are to extend the ramp a further 500 ft and establish a second level at the 400-ft horizon. However, this work will likely be deferred for 10 weeks or so to allow for an underground drill program and permit geological mapping. At the same time, a large sample will be taken out for metallurgical studies.

Recent drilling from surface indicates new potential ore at the west end of this main zone over a length of 200 ft and to a vertical depth of 400 ft in 5 holes as follows: Hole No.Width (ft) Gold (oz) 54 10 0.264 100 28 0.33 101 44 0.11 108 18 0.152 109 20 0.176

This zone is still open to depth and along strike to the west.

But with three drills now working, it is hoped the company will be able to assess two brand new zones which must be investigated from the ice before breakup. These are located to the east and southwest of the main zone.

Tandem also controls North American Rare Metals in which it holds appoximately 3.5 million shares. As detailed in a story in last week’s issue, that company also has three drills at work on a gold property near the town of Mattagami Lake in northwestern Quebec on which a 1,200-ft shaft is planned.

North American, too, has four rigs at work in the Pickle Lake area of northwestern Ontario. And drilling is also currently under way on its original Millstream silver-lead- zinc property in New Brunswick.

Tandem is also carrying out an anomaly testing program on a 300-claim property in Cavelier and Desmazures twps. in Quebec’s Casa Berardi area jointly owned by Ayrex Resources and Bresea Resources. It can earn a one-third interest in this ground by spending $500,000 on exploration. Drilling is already under way on a program calling for 20 holes totalling some 10,000 ft.

Tandem is also participating in a drill program on a property of Calgary-based Argus Resources north of Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories. Last year Argus discovered a new sulphide zone here carrying values up to 1.9 oz gold aross 4 ft from surface exploration. This has been traced for a considerable distance by prospecting and geophysics. Drilling is now under way by Tandem, which can convert its $330,000 expenditure into Argus stock at 75 cents per share.

Tandem’s shares currently trade on both the Montreal and Vancou ver exchanges.