NexGen Energy Ltd. (TSX-V: NXE) has discovered further new zones of uranium mineralization within a second hole (RK-14-27) in the Arrow prospect at the Rook 1 project in the southwest Athabasca basin, extending the known zone of uranium mineralization down dip and along strike.
Highlights
The first hole at Arrow, RK-14-21 (as previously reported on Sedar, February 24, 2014), was completed at 663.0m. It intersected uranium-mineralized brecciated structural zones over several zones downhole, including 26.2m from 204.8-231.0m, 0.6m from 318.5-319.1m, 26.8m from 517.9-544.5m, and 4.0m from 580.0-584.0m. Four further holes have been completed at Arrow (holes RK-14-24, -25, -26, and -27) (see Figure 1).
The most recent hole, RK-14-27, was completed to a depth of 576m. It intersected uraniferous structurally-disturbed zones similar to the zones in hole RK-14-21, and interpreted to be continuations of those zones. These include downhole radioactively anomalous intercepts in RK-14-27 of 0.25m from 224.45-224.70m, 15.05m from 240.65-255.70m (Figs 2 and 3), 1.25m from 359.20-360.45m, and 0.20m from 435.70-435.90m.
Andrew Browne, NexGen's Vice-President, Exploration and Development, commented, "The structural interpretation of uranium mineralized zones at Arrow has been validated. We are greatly encouraged by this confirmation of both along strike and down dip extensions, and by the preliminary thickness and strength of the radioactivity. Further drilling at Arrow is designed to continue to confirm the strike and dip extent of this newly discovered uranium mineralized prospect."
Leigh Curyer, NexGen's CEO commented, "Andrew Browne, James Sykes and Matthew Schwab (the core NexGen technical team) have done a terrific job in only the 5 holes drilled to date at Arrow. The arrival of a third drill rig for the summer program will significantly expedite the results and potential of Arrow and the other identified geophysical targets on the western section of Rook I."
As previously reported, the Arrow zone is structurally complex, with a range of basement lithologies having variable competency contrast. Hole 21 suffered a deviation from its planned trace apparently due to a combination of boulders in the glacial overburden and foliated basement. Holes RK-14-24, -25, and -26 were planned and drilled to ascertain the orientation of the dominant mineralized structures. While no major radiometric zones were intersected, analysis of structures in these holes meant that hole -27 was successfully planned to intersect the interpreted mineralized zones both along strike and down dip. The next follow up hole, RK-14-29, is planned a further 40m SW along strike to again intersect the interpreted mineralized Arrow zones.
Hole RK-14-27 has been probed radiometrically, using a Mt Sopris 2PGA-1000 total count natural gamma scintillometer probe (Fig 4). The significant radioactive zones have been measured using a hand-held Radiation Solutions Inc RS-125 spectrometer (Table 1), and this has confirmed that all radiometric activity is due to uranium. Currently, NexGen defines "significant" as a minimum of 5cm greater than 500 cps (counts per second). Note that the Radiation Solutions RS-125 spectrometer now used for core scanning is a different instrument to the Exploranium GR-110 previously used. The RS-125 spectrometer has a larger detector crystal than the Exploranium GR-110, but the total count gamma scan readings in counts per second (cps) are in the same range and it is used for qualitative indications of radioactive anomalism.
As in hole RK-14-21, the host lithology throughout most of hole RK-14-27 comprises variably chloritised medium/coarse-grained quartz-garnet-feldspar gneiss, with localized graphitic zones, shearing, brecciation, minor silicification, local dravitic clay veins, and clay alteration. All mineralized zones are being sampled for chemical analysis.
Hole RK-14-28 is in progress, and is designed to intersect the cause of the gravity low at Arrow.
Table 1 Radioactively anomalous zones in RK-14-27
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Interval
From To (m Min Max
Hole (m) (m) downhole) cps cps Comments
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RK-14-27 224.45 224.70 0.25 less than 500 600 0.25
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RK-14-27 239.45 239.70 0.25 less than 500 600 0.25
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RK-14-27 240.65 241.00 0.35 800 1000 2.35
RK-14-27 241.00 241.20 0.20 1000 2500
RK-14-27 241.20 241.55 0.35 less than 500 1000
RK-14-27 241.55 241.70 0.15 1000 1300
RK-14-27 241.70 242.00 0.30 less than 500 1000
RK-14-27 242.00 242.10 0.10 1400 1700
RK-14-27 242.10 242.30 0.20 1800 2400
RK-14-27 242.30 242.40 0.10 1100 1300
RK-14-27 242.40 242.55 0.15 1800 2000
RK-14-27 242.55 242.70 0.15 3000 3500
RK-14-27 242.70 242.85 0.15 550 650
RK-14-27 242.85 243.00 0.15 less than 500 550
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RK-14-27 243.00 243.30 0.30 less than 500
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RK-14-27 243.30 243.40 0.10 less than 500 700 12.4
RK-14-27 243.40 243.75 0.35 less than 500 600
RK-14-27 243.75 243.85 0.10 600 700
RK-14-27 243.85 244.05 0.20 750 850
RK-14-27 244.05 244.20 0.15 1250 1500
greater than
RK-14-27 244.20 244.35 0.15 6100 10,000
greater than greater than
RK-14-27 244.35 244.50 0.15 10,000 10,000
RK-14-27 244.50 244.60 0.10 1700 2600
RK-14-27 244.60 244.80 0.20 1500 2100
RK-14-27 244.80 244.95 0.15 2200 3200
RK-14-27 244.95 245.15 0.20 3000 4500
RK-14-27 245.15 245.40 0.25 5500 7000
RK-14-27 245.40 245.50 0.10 4000 4500
RK-14-27 245.50 245.55 0.05 950 1200
RK-14-27 245.55 245.65 0.10 850 950
RK-14-27 245.65 245.95 0.30 1500 1800
RK-14-27 245.95 246.00 0.05 1000 1200
RK-14-27 246.00 246.20 0.20 2200 3000
RK-14-27 246.20 246.40 0.20 1100 1300
RK-14-27 246.40 246.55 0.15 800 1000
RK-14-27 246.55 246.85 0.30 500 850
RK-14-27 246.85 246.95 0.10 1000 1350
RK-14-27 246.95 247.15 0.20 1700 2000
RK-14-27 247.15 247.30 0.15 3500 4500
RK-14-27 247.30 247.50 0.20 6000 7000
greater than
RK-14-27 247.50 247.90 0.40 8000 10,000
RK-14-27 247.90 248.10 0.20 2500 4000
RK-14-27 248.10 248.30 0.20 3000 4200
RK-14-27 248.30 248.65 0.35 2500 3600
greater than
RK-14-27 248.65 248.85 0.20 9000 10,000
greater than greater than
RK-14-27 248.85 249.00 0.15 10,000 10,000
RK-14-27 249.00 249.20 0.20 1000 1300
RK-14-27 249.20 249.35 0.15 1400 1800
RK-14-27 249.35 249.45 0.10 4000 5000
RK-14-27 249.45 249.65 0.20 5500 8000
RK-14-27 249.65 249.75 0.10 3700 5200
RK-14-27 249.75 249.85 0.10 5500 9000
greater than greater than
RK-14-27 249.85 250.05 0.20 10,000 10,000
greater than greater than
RK-14-27 250.05 250.25 0.20 10,000 10,000
RK-14-27 250.25 250.35 0.10 900 1000
RK-14-27 250.35 250.65 0.30 1300 2000
RK-14-27 250.65 250.70 0.05 1000 1150
RK-14-27 250.70 250.85 0.15 850 1000
RK-14-27 250.85 250.95 0.10 700 750
RK-14-27 250.95 251.25 0.30 550 700
RK-14-27 251.25 251.55 0.30 800 1100
RK-14-27 251.55 251.65 0.10 2000 3000
RK-14-27 251.65 251.80 0.15 2500 4000
greater than greater than
RK-14-27 251.80 252.00 0.20 10,000 10,000
greater than
RK-14-27 252.00 252.40 0.40 7000 10,000
greater than greater than
RK-14-27 252.40 252.50 0.10 10,000 10,000
greater than greater than
RK-14-27 252.50 252.65 0.15 10,000 10,000
greater than
RK-14-27 252.65 252.95 0.30 7000 10,000
RK-14-27 252.95 253.15 0.20 4000 8000
greater than
RK-14-27 253.15 253.30 0.15 8000 10,000
greater than greater than
RK-14-27 253.30 253.40 0.10 10,000 10,000
greater than greater than
RK-14-27 253.40 253.50 0.10 10,000 10,000
greater than greater than
RK-14-27 253.50 253.95 0.45 10,000 10,000
RK-14-27 253.95 254.05 0.10 800 1200
greater than greater than
RK-14-27 254.05 254.15 0.10 10,000 10,000
greater than greater than
RK-14-27 254.15 254.25 0.10 10,000 10,000
RK-14-27 254.25 254.35 0.10 4000 5000
greater than
RK-14-27 254.35 254.50 0.15 7500 10,000
RK-14-27 254.50 254.70 0.20 2100 3600
RK-14-27 254.70 254.85 0.15 800 1200
RK-14-27 254.85 255.00 0.15 600 750
RK-14-27 255.00 255.70 0.70 less than 500 550
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RK-14-27 260.40 260.55 0.15 less than 500 650 0.15
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RK-14-27 359.20 359.55 0.35 less than 500 600 0.35
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RK-14-27 359.55 360.00 0.45 less than 500
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RK-14-27 360.00 360.45 0.45 550 800 0.45
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RK-14-27 435.70 435.90 0.20 600 700 0.2
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(i) "Anomalous" means min 5cm at less than 500 cps (counts per second)
(ii) Total count gamma readings by gamma spectrometer type RS-125
Natural gamma radiation in drill core reported in this news release was measured in counts per second (cps) using a Radiation Solutions Inc RS-125 gamma-ray spectrometer, and a Mt Sopris 2PGA-1000 natural gamma probe. The reader is cautioned that total count gamma readings may not be directly or uniformly related to uranium grades of the rock sample measured; they should be used only as a preliminary indication of the presence of radioactive minerals. All intersections are downhole. Core interval measurements and true thicknesses are yet to be determined.
Qualified Person
Andrew Browne, FAusIMM(CP), NexGen's Vice President, Exploration & Development, is a "qualified person" for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, and has reviewed and approved the contents of this news release.
We seek Safe Harbor.