Results from Rendell-Jackman do little to increase reserves

Recent results from Major General Resources’ Rendell-Jackman property in Newfoundland suggest that the Hammer Down gold zone may be pinching out to the east. While probing strike extensions of the zone, which contains preliminary reserves of 430,000 tons grading 0.34 oz. per ton (cut), Noranda (TSE) intersected narrow (less than 4 ft.) zones of mineralization. The sections vary in grade from 0.04 oz. to 0.62 oz. gold. The western boundary of Hammer Down zone has already been established.

Of the two holes drilled to test depth potential, one returned insignificant results while the other cut a previously identified lower lens of the Hammer Down zone at a depth of 820 ft. Results from hole RJ- 90-49 included a 6.5-ft. section of the lens grading 0.89 oz.

Results from the Rumbullion zone, a few hundred feet to the east, were also disappointing. Testing the plunge of a high-grade zone intersected last year, Noranda encountered relatively low-grade mineralization over narrow widths.

“Results from these and earlier holes indicate that although gold mineralization is present, ore-grade mineralization in the Rumbullion zone may be limited,” Major General said in a press release.

Gold mineralization on the property is associated with steeply dipping quartz carbonate zones in sheared sediments and volcanics.

At the Lochinvar zone, where Noranda is testing the potential for zinc-silver deposits, results were mixed. Of the three holes drilled to test the eastern limits of a 4,000-ft. geophysical anomaly, two returned low-grade zinc mineralization over narrow widths. The other, RJ-90-3 hit 15 ft. grading 2.3% zinc at 361 ft., and 16 ft. grading 3.95% at 475 ft. On the western side of the anomaly, hole RJ-90-5 hit a 1-ft. width of the target zone at a depth of 21 ft.