(TheNewswire)
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A total of 3kg of Arbutus kimberlite was processed at CF Minerals ofKelowna and interpreted by Dr. Chuck Fipke
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He reports that Arbutus Kimberlite should have excellent diamondpotential with some of the best chemistries he has seen, with abundantindicators in a relatively small sample.
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Dr. Chuck Fipke, created the Canadian diamond industry when his workled to the discovery of the Ekati diamond mine in the Lac de Gradkimberlite field.
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The lab has a large global database of minerals that are inclusions indiamonds. These have unique chemistries. Many of the indicators fromArbutus exhibited similar chemistry.
October 3, 2022 - VANCOUVER, BC - TheNewswire - Margaret Lake Diamonds Inc. ("MLD" or the"Company") (TSXV:DIA) (FKT:M85A) (OT C :DDIAF) is pleased to announce diamond indicatormineral "DIMS" analysis and classification has beencompleted by C.F. Mineral Research Ltd, on core sample from theArbutus Kimberlite discovery, of the Diagras project NT. The Diagrasproject is a joint venture between Arctic Star Exploration Corp. (81.5%) and Margaret Lake Diamonds Inc. ( 18.5%).
Mr. Patrick Power, President of Arctic Star, commented,"Indicator minerals are an important adjunct, when firstencountering a new kimberlite discovery. Dr. Fipke's results andinterpretation are telling us that:
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That the kimberlite is multi-phase, with one of thephases having superior chemistry to the others
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The chemistry is some of the best Dr. Fipke has seenwhen compared to his global database of diamond inclusions, theresults here have a higher percentage and are more abundant by weightof samples that he has encountered previously.
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The chemistry is also permissive for largediamonds.
We provide the full report from Dr Fipke below:
Three small core samples of kimberlite weighing 0.97, 0.81 and 1.22kilograms were submitted by Arctic Star Exploration to C.F. MineralResearch Ltd. for extraction, microprobing and classifying of anycontained diamond indicator minerals.
According to Arctic Star the three pieces originated from variousparts of the Arbutus kimberlite in which 143.05 kilograms ofkimberlite from two drill holes contained 61diamonds.
A summary sheet of the diamond indicators recovered, microprobed andclassified is given as Table 1. An asterisk "*" present in acolumn type/header [G10* pyropes, Di*G9/11 pyropes, Di$*clinopyroxenes (Cr diopsides), Di* chromites, G1* eclogitic garnets,and Di* olivines] means that the indicator minerals recovered matchthe compositions of indicator minerals included in diamond, intergrownwith diamond or are from diamond bearing xenoliths. About 11,000 ofsuch diamond inclusion indicators from worldwide sources are presentin the C.F. Mineral Research database. The type and numbers ofkimberlite indicators in Table 1 suggest that all three samples mayoriginate from differing kimberlite phases in the same kimberlite.
Sample DG-2022-08 weighing 970 gms contained only a single G10* pyropeand a single G1* eclogitic garnet. However the sample contained 92 Di*chromites and 36 Di* olivines. Moreover, the sample contained a Di$*clinopyroxene and five Di* G9/11 pyrope garnets that are sourced fromLherzolite which are known to contain small quantities of very largediamonds. Such Lherzolite minerals are included in diamonds greaterthan 52 carats from the Ekati Diamond Mine, Canada and are present atthe Premier Mine, South Africa, the Lacara Mine, South Africa and theLetzing Mine, Lesotho. The last mine is known to contain huge diamondswith no or rare small diamonds.
Sample DG-2022-09B, weighing 810 gms also only contained a single G10*pyrope garnet and no Di*G9/11 pyrope garnets but contained 68 Di*chromites, 41 Di* olivines and 67 G1* ecologitic garnets. Thus, thissample is dominated by G1* ecologitic garnets from a diamond bearingecologite source but also contains 3 Di$* clinopyroxenes from aLherzolite source described above.
Sample DG-2022-09A weighing 1220 gms contained 73 G10* pyropes, 110Di* chromites, 44 Di* olivines, 32 G1* ecologitic garnets. In additionthe sample contained two Di* G9/11 pyropes and a single Di$*clinopyroxene. Thus these indicator minerals were sourced from diamondbearing pyrope and chromite sources as well as a diamond bearingecologite source as well as from a Lherzolite source of largediamonds.
C.F. Mineral have never previously encountered such a rich source ofG10-10* and G10-9* composition pyropes along with significant diamondinclusion minerals from diamond bearing chromite, Group 1 ecologiteand Lhzerolite sources of diamond. According to the late Dr. JohnGurney, Head of the Department of Geochemistry, South Africa, G10-10*and G10-9* composition pyropes are associated with the highest ofdiamond grades. We would expect the kimberlite phase of DG-2022-09A tobe loaded with diamonds and additionally contain some very largediamonds.
Unfortunately only four picroilmenites were recovered from all threesamples submitted. Picroilmenites do not actually form with diamondbut form from the kimberlite magma itself. When 40 to 50picroilmenites are present it is possible to predict whether or notthe kimberlite magma may have oxidized diamonds thus destroying smalldiamonds but leaving large diamonds only partially oxidized. Of coursediamonds encapsulated in xenoliths would be insulated against anoxidizing kimberlite magma thus be recovered unoxidized.
If more of the DG-2022-09A phase is present we would expectcorrespondingly high diamond grades. All three samples containLherzolite sources of diamond in which large diamonds are expectedwith or without small diamonds. Overall, the DG-2022-09A phase Di*indicator results are the best C.F. Mineral have ever encountered.
Note: Dr. Fipke personally owns Arctic Star shares.
Mr. Buddy Doyle, VP Exploration for Arctic Star, also commented."Our general exporation strategy is to locate new kimberlitediscoveries. If the results of this work is encouraging we return tothe kiberlite and drill more to define its size and get a largerdiamond samples. The Arbutus kimberlite discovery has proven to bediamond bearing, with relatively larger stones from a small sample.(see news release dated September 14/22 ). This along with theexcellent diamond chemistry reported here, demonstrates that thiskimberlite deserves further attention. Also notable, is that Arbutuslies to the south of the Finlay kimberlite. A historic kimberlite,discovered in the 1990's, however, the previous workers never made thediamond content public. We therefore also plan to test this kimberlitein the 2023 exploration program."
Qualified Person
The Qualified Person for this news release is Buddy Doyle, AUSIMM, aGeologist with over 35 years of experience in diamond exploration,discovery, and evaluation. A Qualified Person under the provisions ofthe National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Doyle has relied on the Technicalexpertise of Dr. Fipke for portions of this news release.
The Diagras project is a joint venture between Arctic Star ExplorationCorp. (currently 81.5%) and Margaret Lake Diamonds Inc. (currently18.5%).
"Yari Nieken"
President, Chief Executive Officer,Chairman Tel: 604.328.0425 | Email: ynieke n@gmail.com
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange norits Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information
Information set forth in this newsrelease may involve forward-looking statements under applicablesecurities laws. Forward-looking statements are statements that relateto future, not past, events. In this context, forward-lookingstatements often address expected future business and financialperformance, and often contain words such as “anticipate”,“believe”, “plan”, “estimate”, “expect”, and“intend”, statements that an action or event “may”,“might”, “could”, “should”, or “will” be taken oroccur, including statements that address potential quantity and/orgrade of minerals, potential size and expansion of a mineralized zone,proposed timing of exploration and development plans, or other similarexpressions. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve knownand unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause ouractual results, performance or achievements, or other future events,to be materially different from any future results, performance orachievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.Such factors include, among others, the following risks: the need foradditional financing; operational risks associated with mineralexploration; fluctuations incommodity prices; title matters; and the additional risks identifiedin the annual information form of the Company or other reports andfilings with the TSXV and applicable Canadian securities regulators.Forward-looking statements are made based on management’s beliefs,estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made, and theCompany undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statementsif these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, exceptas required by applicable securities laws. Investors are cautioned againstattributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements.
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