White Cliff (ASX:WCN) ups IOCG prospects in Northwest Territories

White Cliff Minerals has found more iron-oxide-copper-gold, copper, and epithermal mineralisation in early fieldwork over Great Bear Lake, making for a quartet of large IOCG hydrothermal systems discovered so far in Canada’s Northwest Territories.

A broad zone of chalcopyrite-bearing alteration at surface indicated a large and fertile IOCG system now known as the Cleaver project, with all four prospects to date being visibly mineralised with copper-bearing ores and secondary minerals.

More groundwork to the project’s north at Spud Bay also spotted widespread copper mineralisation along a structural corridor traced for 450 metres before falling under cover which includes copper-bearer bornite at the surface.

White Cliff’s Spud Bay structure adds to 700m of trend and a native silver occurrence discovered 530m along strike from the historic Bonanza and El Bonanza silver mines.

All samples from the early fieldwork are now in the lab for multi-element assay, and airborne geophysics will now turn to White Cliff’s nearby (for Canada) copper-silver-gold project at Nunavut.

White Cliff Minerals Managing Director Troy Whittaker said the IOCG potential of the Great Bear Lake project had continued to grow.

“As we have seen from this latest round of exploration, we continue to discover targets that represent newly identified, spatially separate mineralised systems, indicating the opportunity for multiple discoveries,” he said.

“The completion of MobileMT survey delivers another significant milestone for stakeholders. The data returned from this detailed survey is expected to work well given the outcropping mineralisation fresh rock and lack of overburden.”

Whittaker added the data would be integrated into planning, and alongside its knowledge of topography and conditions, would make for a complete understanding in readiness for the drill.

“Adding to the excitement of these discoveries at Great Bear Lake – works will shortly commence in Nunavut where we are targeting high-grade, volcanic-hosted copper-silver lodes which are prospective for high-grade vein fill and bulk tonne sedimentary hosted copper deposits,” he said.

“To date we have executed a seamless and zero injury first pass program at Great Bear, thanks to our highly professional consultants as well as our staff.

“Next is planning and preparations for drilling at Great Bear and the completion of the first-pass field activities and surveys at Nunavut. All in all, things could not have gone better and we look forward to drilling later this season.”

The Perth-based explorer views Nunavut as well proven for prospectivity, yet underexplored district-scale opportunity with potential to produce large copper tonnages alongside high-graded silver.

Assays due in a few weeks will give better indication of a likely first drill target at Great Bear Lake, with a large outcropping IOCG system at the Glacier prospect near an old Echo Bay silver mine a likely frontrunner.

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