WESTERN ALASKA MINERALS REPORTS FINAL 2021 DRILL RESULTS AND PROVIDES A NEW DISTRICT GEOLOGICAL INTERPRETATION AT IT'S ILLINOIS CREEK PROJECT, ALASKA Mobilization for 2022 Exploration Season to Commence Early April
WESTERN ALASKA MINERALS REPORTS
FINAL 2021 DRILL RESULTS AND PROVIDES
A NEW DISTRICT GEOLOGICAL
INTERPRETATION AT IT'S ILLINOIS CREEK
PROJECT, ALASKA
Mobilization for 2022 Exploration Season to Commence Early April
TUCSON, AZ
,
March 29, 2022
/CNW/ -
Western Alaska Minerals
(the "Company" or "WAM")
(TSXV: WAM) is pleased to announce its final 2021 drill results and provide an update on the re-
interpretation and new targeting at its 100% owned Illinois Creek property in western
Alaska
.
The 2021 drill program tested four different target areas across the Illinois Creek property
highlighted by bonanza grade Ag-Zn-Pb CRD (carbonate replacement deposit) mineralization
intersected at Waterpump Creek which has become a primary focus for 2022. Additional results are
reported for vein hosted gold mineralization at the Honker prospect and oxide-gold targets near the
Illinois Creek open pit.
Highlights
Re-interpretation of the Illinois Creek property now shows fold-thrust belt geometries that define
a series of stacked CRD manto targets along the >6-kilometer distance between Waterpump
Creek and the Central Illinois Creek pit. Fold-thrust belts are a critical metallogenic control for
the major CRD belts of the world, and this new interpretation highlights the tremendous potential
of the target-rich Illinois Creek property.
Drilling at Waterpump Creek in 2021 intersected significant oxide and sulfide mineralization
highlighted by
9.1 m
true thickness of high-grade sulfide mineralization grading 522 g/t Ag,
22.5% Zn and 14.5 % Pb in hole WPC21-09 and
15.6 m
true thickness high-grade oxide
mineralization grading 256 g/t Ag, 6.4% Pb and 0.7% Zn in hole WPC21-02 (previously
reported). The new geological interpretation indicates potential for the project to host multiple
CRD deposits like Waterpump Creek.
Drilling on the Honker vein system intersected
7.6 m
true thickness grading 2.42 g/t Au,
including: 1.1 m @ 3.98 g/t Au,
1.3 m
@ 4.45 g/t Au,
1.1 m
@ 5.33 g/t Au (drill hole HK21-06)
Initial exploration drilling south of the Central Illinois Creek pit, encountered broad zones of
shallow oxide mineralization with anomalous Au, Ag, Cu, Pb, Zn (up to 40 meters thick).
Individual sample intervals assay up to 2.16 g/t Au. New soil sampling has expanded this target
area 1200 meters to the south and up to 400 meters in width. A deep gravity low and
geochemistry suggest vectoring to a possible porphyry source in this direction.
The 2022 exploration season will begin mobilizing the first week of April. Two C-130 Hercules
flights to provide drill and camp expansion materials are planned in mid April. A
+6,000 m
drill
program is anticipated to re-start in mid May and continue through early September. The
program is expandable based on success thru mid-October. The focus will be on step out
drilling of the WPC sulfide mineralization to gauge the overall footprint of the bonanza
mineralization encountered in 2021.
Kit Marrs
, Western Alaska Minerals CEO commented, "The Company had a very successful 2021
drilling program. Three targets at Waterpump Creek, Illinois Creek oxide gold and the Honker gold
vein system were tested for the first time since 1984. Drill hole WPC21-09 was an extraordinary drill
intercept and has transformed the company. We now have both excellent precious metal and
polymetallic base metal potential. The intercept of 9.1 meters true thickness grading 522 g/t Ag,
22.5% Zn and 14.5 % Pb is one of the best drill intercepts in the silver space over the past few
years.
Going forward, this year's drill program will focus on the sulfide CRD potential now apparent on the
Illinois Creek property and include defining a resource at Waterpump Creek and exploring the high-
grade potential at Last Hurrah. Our two company owned drill rigs are on-site and ready to start
drilling in mid-May. The plan is to complete a minimum 6,000-meter drill program. If the early drilling
is successful, we will add to the drill budget as warranted."
________________________________________________________________________________
WAM's 2021 drill season at the Illinois Creek property focused on a series of underexplored
historical target areas:
1) the Waterpump Creek Ag-Zn-Pb CRD deposit (Carbonate Replacement deposit),
2) the Honker intermediate sulfidation Au vein swarm,
3) potential extensions to the Illinois Creek oxide Au-Ag-Cu deposit and,
4) the Ag-Zn-Pb Last Hurrah CRD prospect.
In addition to the widely targeted 2021 exploration drilling, a major soil sampling program was
completed and was utilized along with the extensive historical geophysical surveys to reinterpret the
Illinois Creek property and district as part of the northwestern
Alaska
mid Jurassic fold-thrust belt.
Waterpump Creek – 2021 Drill Results
Results from the Waterpump Creek deposit have been released in two previous news releases
dated
November 15, 2021
, and
January 18, 2022
, and are shown in
Table 1
.
Table 1. 2021 Waterpump Drill Results
Drill hole
From (meters)
To (meters)
Thickness (meters)
No Recovery (meters)
True Thickness (meters)
Ag g/t
Pb %
Zn %
Ag Eq g/t*
WPC21-01
21.5
32.4
7.4
3.1
7.4
20
0.4
2.5
134
WPC21-02
23.2
39.9
16.7
15.7
256
6.4
0.7
484
including
23.2
26.2
3
2.8
1094
27.4
0.3
1960
36.9
39.9
3
2.8
287
2.1
2.8
466
WPC21-03
50.9
52.4
1.5
1.4
1337
nil
nil
1337
63.1
75.6
9.7
2.8
9.1
89
7.7
6.3
584
WPC21-04
64.9
71.2
6.3
5.9
76
nil
5.2
283
including
64.9
66.4
1.5
1.4
315
nil
0.5
335
WPC21-05
35.6
50.9
11.9
3.4
11.2
149
nil
2
230
including
35.6
39
3.4
3.2
507
nil
0.4
523
WPC21-06
119.7
122.8
3.1
2.9
8
0.4
2.5
122
WPC21-07
FW
WPC21-08
Lost HW
WPC21-09
109.4
120.9
10.5
1.0
9.1
522
14.5
22.5
1886
* Ag Equivalencies based on spot prices of
$22
/oz Ag,
$1.00
/lb Pb, and
$1.30
/lb Zn
A total of nine drill holes totaling 851 meters have been completed at Waterpump Creek targeting
both shallow high-grade oxide mineralization and deeper high-grade sulfide mineralization culminating
in the bonanza sulfide intercept encountered in drill hole WPC21-09. WPC21-09 lies downdip and
along strike of four historical sulfide intercepts drilled by Anaconda (1984) and NovaGold (2005) and
are summarized in
Table 2
.
Table 2. Historic Sulfide Intercepts Waterpump Creek
Drill hole
From (meters)
To (meters)
Thickness (meters)
True Thickness (meters)
Ag g/t
Pb %
Zn %
Ag Eq g/t*
WPC84-027
107.3
115.1
7.8
6.8
771
9.8
10.5
1402
WPC84-031
124.4
135.0
10.6
9.2
289
10.1
12.1
979
WPC84-038
145.1
153.6
8.5
6.8
170
6.0
15.3
832
KH05-02
102.4
110.0
7.6
6.6
608
18.4
27.3
2029
High-grade sulfide mineralization encountered in WPC21-09 and the historical Anaconda and
NovaGold drilling is open down dip and to the north and south. Additional drilling is highly anticipated
in 2022.
Honker – 2021 Drill Results
Honker is an intermediate sulfidation vein swarm that lies 10 kilometers (6 miles) NNW from the
Illinois Creek pit. Exceptional Au surface sampling (numerous channel and chip samples >15 g/t Au)
over 800 to
900 m
of strike length along with a few historical drill tests by Anaconda in the 1980s,
suggested an opportunity to develop a high-grade gold resource.
WAM drilled 6 shallow NQ drill holes totalling 636.3 meters in an initial test of the vein system. No
historical core from the 1982 Anaconda drilling has been preserved.
Table 3
summarizes both 2021
WAM drill holes and 1982 Anaconda drill holes.
Table 3. 2021 Honker Drill Results
Drill Hole
From (meters)
To (meters)
Thickness (meters)
True Thickness (meters)
Au g/t
Ag g/t
2021 Drilling
HK21-01
27.0
28.2
1.2
0.7
nil
nil
HK21-02
40.9
41.4
0.5
0.2
nil
nil
HK21-03
32.7
33.4
0.7
0.5
nil
nil
HK21-04
12.8
15.7
2.9
2.2
1.56
5.5
HK21-05
58.9
63.4
4.5
2.6
nil
nil
HK21-05
74.2
75.4
1.2
0.7
nil
nil
HK21-06
70.1
84.1
14.0
7.6
2.42
6.8
Including
70.1
72.2
2.1
1.1
3.98
21.3
including
77.7
80.1
2.4
1.3
4.45
6.7
including
82.0
84.1
2.1
1.1
5.33
9.7
1982 Drilling
HK-3
33.6
35.3
1.7
0.9
5.14
4.1
HK-3
56.2
57.0
0.8
0.4
3.57
8.9
HK-4
46.9
50.8
3.9
1.6
8.68
17.2
including
46.9
48.0
1.1
0.4
22.50
47.3
including
47.5
48.0
0.5
0.2
38.39
79.9
HK-9
11.3
12.5
1.2
0.7
nil
43.9
HK-9
61.1
63.1
2
1.1
nil
6.5
HK-10
8.5
13.4
4.9
3.6
3.61
7.1
including
8.5
9.0
0.5
0.4
11.52
22.6
Drill results show the top part of a high-level intermediate sulfidation vein system with grade
improving to the north and down dip.
Figure 1
is a long section of Honker main vein showing drill
pierce points, vein thickness and Au grades.
Figure 1. Long section of Honker Main vein
Approximately 300 meters of the 900-meter strike length of the vein has been tested to a depth of
approximately 75 meters. Both grade and thickness increase to depth and along strike to the north.
H21-06 cut a 7.6-meter vein with numerous 1+ meters splays grading from 3 to 5 g/t Au. Slightly to
the north historical Anaconda drill hole HK-4 cut 1.6 meters of 8.68 g/t Au including 0.2 meters of
38.39 g/t Au. Importantly, Ag, As, Bi, Cu and W increase dramatically to the north and down dip with
intervals up to 0.45% Cu, >10000 ppm As, 4619 ppm Bi, and 115 ppm W. Trace amounts of
tennantite, arsenopyrite, and native gold were recognized in oxidized ferruginous and scorodite-
stained vein silica. Significant additional drilling is warranted.
Illinois Creek South and East Extensions – 2021 Drill Results
Two scissored drill holes, IC21-07 and IC21-08, totalling 327 meters, were drilled approximately 150
meters south of the Illinois Creek pit targeting a major developing coincident Au, Cu, Pb, As soil
anomaly. Though the drill holes did not encounter oxide ore grade intervals, they did cut broad zones
of anomalous mineralization. IC21-07 cut strongly anomalous Au, As, Ag, Cu, Pb and Zn from the
bedrock at 13.7 meters to 51.8 meters in locally gossanous and Fe-strained quartzite. Individual
sample intervals reach as high as 2.16 g/t Au. Both drill holes encountered gossan at roughly 100
meters depth at or near the contact between quartzite and dolomitic quartzite. These gossan
intervals, respectively 4.5 and 10.5 meters in width, are highly anomalous in Au, Ag, As, Sb, W, and
Zn and could represent the farthest west expression of the East IC manto.
Expanded soil sampling south of IC21-07 and IC21-08 now shows the anomalous chemistry
extending over 1.2 kilometers further to the south and varying from 200 to 400 meters in width.
Historical gravity data show a deep underlying low which could present a potential porphyry target
driving the system. This represents a major new untested target on the Illinois Creek property with
significant exploration potential. The anomaly remains open under deep cover to the south into the
Little Mud River valley. Planned 2022 CSAMT geophysics will help to target this exciting new
anomaly.
Six drill holes totalling 425.6 meters were drilled along the perceived eastern extension of the Illinois
Creek syn-mineral fault structure, host for the existing 525,000 oz AuEq resource (See
February 2021
43-101
technical resource report). Drilling encountered severe sanding of the
quartzites and dolomitic quartzites resulting in shallow inadequate tests of the targeted soil anomaly.
Several of the East IC holes cut the East Illinois Creek manto but did not intersect the Au-Cu
enriched Illinois Creek fault, the target of the drilling. Stratigraphic markers and apparent offsets
suggest that the higher-grade Illinois Creek structure is offset and hidden below the East IC manto
slightly south of the 2022 drill tests. Some drill profiles are warranted to locate and to begin to
develop oxide resources east of the current resources outlined in the February 43-101 technical
report on Illinois Creek oxide resources.
Importantly, the 2021 Illinois Creek extension drilling has recognized that the primary stratigraphic
control on the immense East Illinois Creek manto/gossan is the contact between a roughly 100-
meter-thick quartzite unit and underlying dolomitic quartzites.
Metals zoning in the syn-mineral structures show very elevated Au, Cu, and As chemistries zoned to
the south and west of the Central pit at Illinois Creek and strongly support our contention that the
porphyry generating the fluid package lies in that direction.
From a CRD perspective, these stratigraphic observations suggest that the untested out-cropping
gossans at Gossan Hill and Macho Grande might represent new manto targets at the
quartzite/dolomitic quartzite contact which hosts the East IC manto. These gossans which occur
respectively 400 and 2000 meters to the northwest of the west pit beyond current limits of drilling
might represent a major new trend of CRD mineralization. The Gossan Hill occurrence has some
notable soil values up to 864 ppb Au and 5.4 g/t Ag.
Last Hurrah - 2021 Drill Results
Historical drilling in the Last Hurrah area targeted on extensive Ag, Pb, and Zn soil values in the
footwall of the Waterpump Creek fault encountered numerous thin gossan zones often with fugitive
manganiferous calcite as an indicator to nearby mineralization. The best historical intervals at Last
Hurrah include 8 meters of 22 g/t Ag, 2.6% Pb and 6.0% Zn and 6 meters of 17 g/t Ag, 2.9% Pb
and 8.2% Zn, both in KH06-10. As yet, no drill tests have been completed on the hanging-wall side
of Waterpump Creek fault that will test the chargeability (IP) and resistivity anomaly in the 2005 IP
survey undertaken by NovaGold.
LH21-01 drilled this year to test that geophysical anomaly, deviated down the footwall side of the
fault and did not intersect the projected structure. Drill core showed numerous thin gossan zones,
fugitive calcite and further defined the marble thrust plate which overlies manto-form mineralization at
Last Hurrah. A 120-meter fluid package characterized by anomalous Pb and minor As, Zn and Ag
has been recognized below the overlying marble thrust plate adjacent to the Waterpump Creek fault.
LH21-02 was subsequently collared 250 meters east of LH21-01 and drilled steeply west to
approximately 200 meters depth. The drill hole was terminated in the overlying marble thrust plate
due to adverse weather conditions in October but will be re-entered and completed as the initial test
of the structure and IP/resistivity anomaly in 2022.
Illinois Creek District Re-Interpretation
Ongoing analysis of the often-confusing stratigraphic relationships in the Illinois Creek district has
resulted in a complete re-interpretation of the district geology. The analysis included the extensive
2021 multi-element soil geochemistry survey, compilation, and further interpretation of historical
aeromagnetic, gravity, EM and IP geophysical surveys and finally, re-logging of limited available core
from the 2005-2006 NovaGold drill program along the Waterpump Creek/Last Hurrah trend.
The Illinois Creek district demonstrates an east verging fold-thrust belt comprised of a series of
progressively deeper water facies thrust on the more continentally derived rocks to the west. This
architecture results in a series of stacked thrust plates: deep water Triassic Angayuchum basalts
(Plate 0); continental slope to deep water graphite and chlorite schists (Plate 1); carbonate platform
dolomites (Plate 2); platform carbonates intruded by a major Jurassic greenstone sill (Plate 3); and
continentally derived submarine quartzites and dolomitic quartzites (Plate 4).
Figure 2
is a preliminary geologic map of the Illinois Creek property and shows the development of
major manto-form mineralization in part proxied by Pb soil values at or adjacent to three major syn-
mineral structures, the Illinois Creek fault, the Waterpump Creek fault, and the 32E fault, and their
intersection with a series of major thrust surfaces shown in blue on the map.
Figure 2. Preliminary Geologic Map of the Illinois Creek Property
Preliminary Geologic Map of the Illinois Creek Property (CNW Group/Western Alaska Copper &
Gold, an Alaska Corporation)
More specifically, carbonate replacement mineralization as mantos appear to have developed at or
near the intersection of high angle syn-mineral structures and both thrust and stratigraphic contacts.
Specific manto targets occur between 1) overlying chlorite muscovite graphitic schists (CMGS) and
dolomite (DOL); 2) a dolomitic marble (MBL) and underlying dolomite (DOL); 3) a massive Triassic
greenstone sill (GST) and underlying dolomitic quartzite (DQTZ), and 4) a major graphitic (GS) and
chloritic schist (CS) package overlying a quartzite (QTZ) capping a major dolomitic quartzite
(DQTZ). This quartzite/dolomitic quartzite contact is host for the very extensive East IC Manto.
Significant potential for staked mantos exist along the entire 6-km strike length of the Waterpump
Creek fault as well as under stratigraphic traps in and adjacent to the Illinois Creek and 32E faults.
Figure 3
is a schematic cross-section of these evolving targets. In addition, recent extensive soil
sampling and district-wide metal zonation patterns shown in
Figure 2
suggests that the likely
porphyry source driving the entire fluid system lies south and west of the Illinois Creek central pit.
Figure 3. District Schematic Cross-section - Potential Manto targets at Illinois Creek
2022 Plans and Timetable
As a result of the bonanza sulfide grades encountered at Waterpump Creek and the ongoing re-
interpretation of the district geology, WAM has made a strategic shift focusing on the sulfide CRD
potential now apparent on the Illinois Creek property versus the existing oxide Au/Ag resources.
Exploration in the 2022 season is currently planning for two rigs drilling from mid-May through early
Sept and expandable based on success thru mid-October. A minimum 6000+ meters is anticipated
with 2/3 focused on immediate step-outs at Waterpump Creek to gauge the overall footprint of the
bonanza mineralization.
The remaining drilling will focus on the Waterpump Ck/Last Hurrah/Illinois Creek CRD trend testing
targets outlined in Figure 3 and 4 as discussed above. An extensive CSAMT/AMT survey by Zonge
Inc. is planned in May/June to help with this exploration targeting.
Snow removal from the runway is currently planned to begin at the end of the first week of April.
Two C-130 Hercules flights are scheduled in mid to late April before breakup to mobilize drill and
camp expansion materials. Line cutting will be initiated in early May for the geophysical survey and
drilling is expected to begin in mid May
.
The qualified person who reviewed and approved the technical disclosure in this release is
Stuart
Morris
, P. Geo., a qualified person as defined under NI43-101.
Quality Assurance/Quality Control of drill sample assay results have been independently monitored
through a quality assurance/quality control ("QA/QC") protocol which includes the insertion of blind
standard reference materials, blanks, and duplicates at regular intervals.
Logging and sampling were completed at WAM's core handling facilities located at the Illinois Creek
mine camp in
Alaska
. Drill core was logged under an established procedure using Geospark
commercial logging software, then diamond sawn on site. Half drill-core samples were securely
transported to SGS Canada Inc. sample prep facilities in Whitehorse Yukon via air transport to
Fairbanks, Alaska
from
Illinois
creek and then commercial trucking to
Whitehorse
under a strict chain
of custody protocol. Sample pulps were sent to SGS's labs in
Burnaby, Canada
, for analysis. Gold
content was determined by fire assay of a 30-gram charge with ICP finish. Silver, lead, copper, and
zinc along with other elements were analyzed by ICP methods utilizing a four-acid digestion. Over-
limit samples for silver, lead, copper, and zinc were determined by ore-grade analyses. SGS
Canada Inc. is independent of Western Alaska Minerals and its affiliates.
SGS also performed its own internal QA/QC procedures to assure the accuracy and integrity of
results. Parameters for SGS' internal and WAM' external blind quality control samples were
acceptable for the samples analyzed. WAM is unaware of any drilling, sampling, recovery, or other
factors that could materially affect the accuracy or reliability of the data referred to herein.
About WAM
WAM recently began trading as a Tier 1 company listed on the TSX-V and maintains corporate
offices in Alaska and Arizona. WAM has reassembled and fully controls all claims in the historic
Illinois Creek Mining district located in western Alaska near the Yukon River, covering 49,280 acres
(77 square miles). This significant district was originally discovered by Anaconda Minerals Co. in the
early 1980's. Since 2010, WAM and its private precursory company Western Alaska Copper & Gold
Inc. (WAC&G) has been engaged in exploring and advancing its interests in the Illinois Creek mining
district and now controls a diversified portfolio of five deposits that contain gold, silver, copper, lead,
and zinc.
On behalf of the Company
"Kit Marrs"
Kit Marrs
President & CEO
Forward Looking Information
Certain statements made, and information contained herein may constitute "forward looking
information" and "forward looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian
and United States securities legislation. These statements and information are based on facts
currently available to the Company and there is no assurance that actual results will meet
management's expectations. Forward-looking statements and information may be identified by
such terms as "anticipates", "believes", "targets", "estimates", "plans", "expects", "may", "will",
"could" or "would". Forward-looking statements and information contained herein are based on
certain factors and assumptions regarding, among other things, the estimation of mineral
resources and reserves, the realization of resource and reserve estimates, metal prices, taxation,
the estimation, timing and amount of future exploration and development, capital and operating
costs, the availability of financing, the receipt of regulatory approvals, environmental risks, title
disputes and other matters. While the Company considers its assumptions to be reasonable as of
the date hereof, forward-looking statements and information are not guaranteeing of future
performance and readers should not place undue importance on such statements as actual events
and results may differ materially from those described herein. The Company does not undertake to
update any forward-looking statements or information except as may be required by applicable
securities laws.
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Western Alaska Copper & Gold, an Alaska Corporation
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For further information:
please contact: Vanessa Bogaert, Director of Corporate
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CO: Western Alaska Copper & Gold, an Alaska Corporation
CNW 07:30e 29-MAR-22