Exploration Update: Ten Mile Creek Gold Project PDF Print E-mail

Armstrong, B.C.: Wednesday, November 24th, 2010. Solomon Resources Limited (SRB: TSX-V) is pleased to provide an update on the exploration program conducted in the 2010 field
season at the Ten Mile Creek Gold Project in the Yukon Territory. This update relies to a great extent on maps and diagrams illustrating the results of the exploration program and readers whose newswire service does not support graphics are encouraged to view this news release and our current corporate powerpoint presentation at www.solomonresources.ca

Background:
The Ten Mile Creek Gold Project is located within the Dawson Mining District of Canada‟s Yukon Territory approximately thirty kilometers north-northwest of the White Gold Property of Kinross Gold Corp. and sixty kilometers north of the Coffee Gold Project of Kaminak Gold Corp. Solomon holds an option from Radius Gold Inc. (TSX-V.RDU) to earn a 51% interest in the property.

 

Access and Logistics:
The Ten Mile Creek Gold Project is readily accessible by roll-on/roll-off barge from the Yukon River; the Solomon exploration camp situated at the gravel airstrip at the junction of Ten Mile Creek and
the Sixty Mile River was supported this season by fixed wing aircraft based out of Dawson City. A more rudimentary airstrip that will be upgraded in the 2011 field season is located further south on the claim group and the project area is readily traversed by the gravel roads and tote trails that are a legacy of the rich placer gold mining history of the Ten Mile Creek Camp.

Tenure Status:
The Solomon-Radius option agreement covers 266 claims located under the Yukon Quartz Mining Act in the Dawson Mining District. On October 12th, 2010 Solomon acquired a further 43 mineral claims to protect the northern extension of the mineralized zones discovered in 2010 on the JV claim group as well as the southeastern flank of the Ten claim group which has yet to be explored.

 

FIGURE 2. Ten Mile Creek Gold Project Claim Boundaries and Logistics.

 

Exploration History:
The Ten Mile Creek Gold Property was originally staked by Teck Resources Limited following a regional geological and geochemical reconnaissance program focussed on the relatively under-explored Dawson Range of east-central Yukon. Teck explored the Ten Mile Creek Gold Property from 1998 to 2000 with geological mapping, soil and rock sampling and limited trenching and identified five diamond drill targets. Teck‟s exploration priorities changed prior to the 2001 field season and the company let the claims revert to the former owner. The Ten Mile Creek Gold Property has remained undrilled until Solomon‟s 2010 exploration program.


Objectives of the 2010 Exploration Program:
The objective of Solomon‟s 2010 field exploration program was to re-evaluate the mineralization discovered to date on the property in the light of new geological, structural and mineralogical information gained from exploration at other projects in White Gold Camp.

The primary target for the 2010 exploration season was the Jual Vein System located in the JV claim group which is characterized by numerous northwesterly trending, flat to moderately dipping quartz veins and stockworks with gold values identified by Teck ranging from 8 to 16 grams per tonne (g/t) gold. Trenching conducted by Teck of selected soil geochemical anomalies yielded results of 1.6 g/t gold over 25 meters (including 11.1 g/t gold over three meters) and 1.0 g/t gold over 19 meters (including 8.5 g/t over 1.5 meters).

As the results from the 2010 soil geochemical and surface geophysical surveys were received, it became readily apparent that the Jual Vein System, which had been the initial focus of the Solomon exploration program, was a very small component of a much larger gold target on the northernmost JV claim group extending over an area 3.0 kilometers by 1.5 kilometers in extent. Three extensive new soil geochemical anomalies were discovered within this broad target area, and the high gold values up to 1436 parts per billion (ppb) gold (1.436 grammes/tonne) and 4630 parts per million (ppm) arsenic and the pronounced linearity of these anomalies suggest that the Jual Vein System is a spatially limited expression of what may be an extensive structurally controlled gold system that dominates the northernmost JV claim group.


Summary of Geological Mapping:
The geological setting of the project area was observed to consist primarily of Permian metamorphic rocks locally exhibiting schistose to gneissic deformation. The schists are mainly silicic and micaceous and the gneiss appears to be of felsic intrusive origin. A large Jurassic-Cretaceous granitic to monzonitic (locally highly silicic) intrusive body underlies the central portion of the property and mapping in the 2010 field season indicates that a larger and possibly coeval intrusive body underlies a portion of the northern JV claim group. Late stage feldspar porphyry dykes related to the Carmacks Volcanic package cut through the country rock in a northerly trend.

Structurally, the Paleozoic rocks exhibit a regional foliation characterized by high strain transposition of layering in the gneiss and schist with abundant intrafolial isoclinal folding that appears to be rootless. The intensity of strain locally grades to mylonitic facies. Primary compositional layering in metasedimentary rocks, unit contacts, and a pre-existing foliation can be traced around closures of the transposition folds, indicating they are at least S2 structures. Secondary deformation appears to accompany the regional metamorphism, which occurred during the mid-Permian.
Mapping of the area has proven difficult due to a paucity of outcrop, and geochemical soil sampling and ground geophysical surveys were largely employed to identify anomalous zones, as well as mechanized trenching to expose subsurface material for sampling and assay.

Summary of Soil Geochemical Surveys:
A total of 2,650 soil geochemical samples were taken on grids established in the central portion of the JV claim group and the northern portion of the Ten Mile claims during the 2010 field season. Samples were collected by Solomon field crews and its contractor Ryanwood Exploration.
 

Four significant soil geochemical anomalies were discovered in the 2010 field program:

The Skukum Zone is a significant sinuous gold in soil geochemical anomaly located on the JV claim group approximately 900 meters by 700 meters in extent with values up to 1436 parts per billion (ppb) gold and 4630 parts per million (ppm) arsenic.

The Jack London Zone is located one kilometer north of the Skukum Zone and is a soil geochemical anomaly 1600 meters by 600 meters in extent with a peak soil geochemical value of 260 ppb Gold. This highly prospective target will be trenched early in the 2011 exploration season.

The Sourdough Joe Zone is located one kilometer north-northeast of the Jack London Zone and is an elongated east-west soil geochemical anomaly measuring 1400 meters by 300 meters with a peak soil geochemical value of 141 ppb Gold. This highly prospective target will also be trenched early in the 2011 exploration season.

The Klondike Kate Zone is an east-west anomaly in the northern portion of the Ten Mile claim group four kilometers east of the Skukum Zone measuring approximately 1600 meters in length and 400 meters in width with gold in soil geochemical results as high as 698 ppb gold and 570 ppm arsenic.

The newly discovered Skukum Zone, Jack London Zone and the adjacent Sourdough Joe Zone are immediately upstream of the Ten Mile Creek Placer Gold camp, which was actively mined in the 2010 field season. As previously reported the placer gold being recovered in the 2010 season was observed to be coarse and angular and to a large extent carried relict quartz vein material which suggests that the gold has not travelled far from a bedrock source.

 

Figure 3. Ten Mile Creek Project Map Showing Extent of Soil Geochemical Coverage

 

Figure 4. JV Claim Group Detail Showing Gold Soil Geochemical Results, Trenches, and Drill Holes.

 

Figure 5. Ten Mile Claim Group Detail Showing Gold Soil Geochemical Results and Drill Holes.

 


Figure 6. JV Claim Detail showing Skukum, Jack London and Sourdough Joe Zones.

 

Figure 7. Ten Mile Claim Detail showing Klondike Kate Zone.

 

Summary of Mechanized Trenching

On the JV claim group trenching with a Kubota tracked excavator in the area north and east of the Jual Vein System has exposed complex thrust faulting and strike-slip faulting within schists and gneiss. Sampling of the trenches returned anomalous results, the best being 1.5 g/t gold over 2.0 meters in Trench JV-10-07 which appears to be associated with limonite staining and local east-west faulting. In Trench JV-10-01, a zone of 0.45 g/t gold over 12.0 meters was returned within a zone of intense silicification and stockworking. Trench JV-10-04 returned 0.26 g/t gold over 10.0 meters and in Trench JV 10-10 a value of 0.36 g/t gold over 10 meters was returned. All the trenches excavated in the 2010 field season returned anomalous gold values and mineralization consistently appeared to be structurally controlled.

On the Ten claim group limited trenching was conducted by Ryanwood Exploration with a heli-portable backhoe which exposed east-west striking quartz veins with pronounced alteration halos in Trench TM-10-01 near the eastern property boundary.

Summary of Diamond Drilling

Six “NQ” Size diamond drillholes were completed in the 2010 field season to a total depth of 800 meters. Drilling was contracted to Kluane Drilling Ltd. of Whitehorse.

A significant increase in exploration in the Dawson Range during the 2010 field season stretched the capacity of analytical labs to the limit and assay results from the Ten Mile Creek Gold Project typically took from six to eight weeks to receive. An operational decision was made in late September to terminate drilling at Ten Mile Creek after DDH2010-06 to allow the assay results from the analytical laboratories to catch up to the drill program.

While highly prospective targets remained undrilled the Company believed it was prudent to have the results of the early diamond drill holes in hand prior to committing to further drilling as targeting decisions are to a large extent dependant on previous results.

DDH2010-1 thru DDH2010-3 were drilled on the southernmost Ten claim group to test the Klondike Kate soil geochemical anomaly which returned gold values as high as 697 ppb in a linear east-west anomaly 1600 meters in extent.

DDH2010-01 Azimuth 1800, Dip -500, Length 125 meters.

Mineralization was in the form of pyrite and arsenopyrite. The sulphides were concentrated along fractures, and not more than 1 % to 2 % in volume. Anomalous (> 50ppb) gold values were obtained from four samples, the highest being 119 ppb, whereas anomalous (>100 ppm) Arsenic values were obtained from 17 samples, the highest being 1046 ppm. Gold was found to be strongly correlative with arsenic.

DDH2010-02 Azimuth 2250, Dip -500, Length 175 meters.

This hole was drilled 700 meters west of DDH2010-01 and encountered mineralization in the form of pyrite and arsenopyrite. Minor chalcopyrite was seen as fracture filling. Anomalous gold values were returned from five samples, the highest being 149 ppb gold. Anomalous arsenic values were received from 34 samples, the highest being 2007 ppm.

DDH2010-03 Azimuth 1800, Dip -500, Length 125 meters.

This hole was drilled from the same pad as hole DDH2010-02 and selectively sampled. Anomalous gold was determined in four samples, the highest being 159 ppb. Anomalous arsenic values were received from 12 samples, the highest being 3900 ppm once again correlative with the highest gold value. The highest gold and arsenic value were coincident with faulting observed in the core.
DDH2010-4 thru DDH2010-6 were drilled on the newly discovered Skukum Zone on the JV claim group as the geochemical results returned from the analytical laboratory late in the field season.

DDH2010-04 Azimuth 1700, Dip -500, Length 125m.

Anomalous gold values were returned from 35 samples, the highest being 632 ppb. Anomalous Arsenic values were returned from 28 samples, the highest being 1757 ppm but not correlative with the higher gold values. Gold was seen to be associated with more intense limonitic quartz and carbonate filled fractures crosscutting foliation.

DDH2010-04 Length (m) Grade g/t Au
From (m) To (m)
9.0 23.0 14.0 0.19 g/t
40.0 48.0 8.0 0.22 g/t
(including 2.0 m @ 0.63 g/t from 44.0 to 46.0 m )

 

DDH2010-05 Azimuth 3500, Dip -500, Length 125m.

This hole was drilled from the same pad as DDH2010-04. Anomalous gold values were returned from 34 samples, the highest being 878 ppb (0.88 g/t). Anomalous arsenic values were returned from 20 samples, the highest being 3,336 ppm. Gold was seen to be associated with more intense limonitic quartz and carbonate filled fractures crosscutting foliation.

DDH2010-05Length (m) Grade g/t Au
From (m) To (m)
5.0 16.0 11.0 0.39 g/t
including 2.0 m @ 0.70 g/t from 9.0 to 11.0 m
31.0 53.0 22.0 0.40 g/t
including 2.0 m @ 0.88 g/t from 33.0 to 35.0 m

 

DDH2010-06 Azimuth 3400, Dip -500, Length 125m.

This hole was drilled approximately 100 meters west of DDH2010-04 and DDH2010-05 and returned anomalous gold values from 10 samples, the highest being 246 ppb. Anomalous Arsenic values were returned from 13 samples, the highest being 267 ppm which was coincident with the highest gold value.

 

Figure 8. Drill Section though DDH2010-04 and DDH2010-05 Showing Assay Intervals.

Summary of Results of 2010 Exploration Program
Gold mineralization discovered to date at the Ten Mile Creek Gold Project appears to be associated with late stage faults and fracture sets crosscutting regional foliation. The relationship between magmatism and at least three stages of structural deformation and how they relate to gold mineralization is only now becoming understood as the Ten Mile Creek Gold Project and surrounding properties in the White Gold Camp are explored.

Solomon‟s President and CEO Randy Rogers noted: “The geological setting of the Ten Mile Creek Gold Project remains enigmatic, as a lack of surface outcrop confounds traditional geological mapping. The 2010 program identified previously unknown intrusive rocks in the northernmost JV claims, and there is clear evidence of polymetamorphism with overlapping tectonic and thermal metamorphic that remain poorly understood. The diamond drilling completed in the 2010 field season was largely directed at providing a better understanding of the geological provenance of the property and to set the stage for drilling the highly anomalous soil geochemical anomalies discovered this year.”

Geologists from the Yukon Geological Survey visited the property this season and have collected samples of dike and intrusive rock from outcrop and drill core for Uranium-Lead age dating and further petrographic examination.

Gold and arsenic in soil geochemical samples appear to be the most reliable indicator of gold mineralization at this property with some variation at the local scale. On the southernmost Ten Mile claims arsenic values in soil show a close correlation with higher gold values whereas on the JV claims arsenic values in soil appear to be more broadly dispersed as haloes around higher gold values.

The JV drilling also revealed more post-tectonic textures with mylonitization, cross cutting sub-idioblastic textures and milled pyrite with graphitic inclusions.

Rogers also observed: “Gold mineralization at the Ten Mile Creek Gold Project appears to be structurally controlled in fault and fracture zones which postdate the known intrusives. The gold concentrations found to date are marginally sub-economic but the huge linear gold in soil geochemical anomalies on the northernmost JV claims, which remain open to the northwest and east, suggest that we have only scratched the surface of this highly prospective property.”

“Solomon is well funded to continue our exploration of this property into the 2011 field season, and we are proceeding with plans for an airborne geophysical survey early in the season to be followed with 3,000 meters of diamond drilling as well as expanded soil geochemical survey grids and mechanized trenching.”

QA/QC:
Solomon has implemented quality assurance and quality control measures in its exploration programs, including the following:

  • All field and data analysis work is carried out under the supervision of qualified Solomon geologists and geophysicists in accordance with procedures developed to conform to current „best practices‟ in mineral exploration.
  • Analytical work for this project was conducted by Acme Analytical Laboratories (Vancouver) Ltd., a certified analytical laboratory.
  • In addition to internal checks and standards provided by the labs, Solomon includes blind duplicate and blank samples. All analytical sample checks and standards are within reasonable limits of error.

Qualified Person:
Randy Rogers, M.Sc., P.Geol. a “Qualified Person” for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101, Standards for Disclosure for Mineral Projects of the Canadian Securities Administrators, and the President and Chief Executive Officer of Solomon, has verified the data disclosed herein and supervised the preparation of the information that forms the basis of the disclosure contained in this news release. He has also reviewed the records of previous owners and operators of the Ten Mile Creek Gold Project.

Forward Looking Statements:
Some of the statements in this news release may contain forward-looking information, which involves inherent risk and uncertainty affecting the business of Solomon. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements.

About Solomon Resources Ltd.:
Solomon Resources Ltd. is a Canadian public company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of quality mineral properties worldwide. Solomon is managed by a proven team of exploration geologists involved with the discovery and development of a number of significant mineral deposits including the Snip and Eskay Creek deposits in British Columbia and the Brewery Creek deposit in the Yukon Territory.

For additional information visit Solomon‟s website at www.solomonresources.ca or contact:

Solomon Resources Limited
Tel: 1 (866) 831-6666

Christopher Haldane
Account Manager
CHF Investor Relations
Tel: (416) 868-1079 ext. 237
Fax: (416) 416-868-6198
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Jeanny So
Director of Operations
CHF Investor Relations
Tel: (416) 868-1079 ext. 225
Fax: (416) 416-868-6198
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