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Nine Mile Metals (CSE: NINE) Is taking a closer look at the historic Wedge base metal mine site in the Bathurst mining camp of New Brunswick. The team is collecting volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) samples from the rubble in the western part of the clearing to determine base and precious metal content and to validate the historical grades. Geological mapping is also underway.
A variety of samples were collected, cut, and analyzed using an Olympus Vanta 50 portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF). The samples included fine-grained massive VMS (copper-lead-zinc), banded VMS, and massive chalcopyrite in one sample. The samples were predominantly copper-rich with minor lead-zinc. Most samples consisted of 90%-plus sulphide and minor quartz and accessory minerals.
Sample W23015 returned assays of 24.81% copper, 0.2% lead, and 0.4% zinc. This sample is typical of the mineralization found in coarse-grained pyrite in the thickest part of the deposit.
Sample W23014 returned assays of 7.54% lead and 30.96% zinc or 38.5% combined lead-zinc. The copper content was 0.53%. This sample was representative of the hanging wall mineralization with fine-grained pyrite and narrow bands of sphalerite and galena.
Gold and silver assays for all samples are pending.
The Wedge deposit was discovered in 1956 by Cominco, and that company operated the mine between 1962 and 1968, producing 1.5 million tonnes of predominantly copper ore. Despite a historic resource of 545,200 tonnes grading 1.75% copper, 5.21% zinc, and 1.71% lead, Nine Mile says there is very little technical data to be found at the New Brunswick department of mines or in the public domain. There are no maps, drill hole locations, drill logs or core, underground mine plans, production figures, or assay certificates.
