Wolverine launches prefeasibility study

Expatriate Resources (EXR-V) and Atna Resources (ATN-T) will spend a total of $1 million on a prefeasibility study of their 60/40-held Wolverine massive sulphide deposit in the Yukon.

The study will include large-diameter core drilling to collect new samples for a variety of tests (metallurgical, flotation, roasting and bioleach).

In 1999, a $200,000 metallurgical study determined that selenium-rich mineralization at the Wolverine is best treated by converting the zinc sulphide concentrate to a high-grade clean zinc oxide, using traditional roasting.

Mine planning is under way in an attempt to define mining methods and underground development requirements.

The Wolverine resource is estimated at 6.2 million tonnes grading 12.66% zinc, 1.33% copper and 1.55% lead, plus 370.9 grams silver and 1.76 grams gold per tonne.

On the exploration front, the partners will follow up on two narrow but high-grade intercepts cut in previous drilling on the Sable zone. The holes, drilled 80 metres apart, returned: 13.3% zinc, 0.8% copper, 0.8% lead, 1.9 grams gold and 416 grams silver over 0.6 metre; and 15.7% zinc, 0.7% copper, 0.6% lead, 2.3 grams gold and 183 grams silver over 0.6 metre.