The Buchans-Mary March Project is located in central Newfoundland, 20 km northeast of, and within the same geological group that hosts the former producing Buchans Mine. The Buchans deposits rank as the world’s highest grade polymetallic (Zn-Pb-Cu-Au-Ag) VMS deposits with a Zn equivalent grade of 48%* (produced 16.2 Mt @ 14.51% Zn, 7.56% Pb, 1.33% Cu, 126 g/t Ag and 1.37 g/t Au). Compared to other major VMS camps worldwide, it has seen only modest exploration and research, especially in the past 25 years, and most of the work preceded a new recognition of the geological model.
* Calculated using Zn=$1.00, Pb=$0.85, Cu=$2.25, Ag=$20, Au=$1300
The SE corner of the region also hosted Teck Resources Limited’s Duck Pond Mine, which operated between 2007 and 2015 with an initial reserve of 4.1 Mt averaging approximately 3.3% Cu, 5.7% Zn, 59 g/t Ag and 0.86 g/t Au. The Duck Pond 1,800 tpd flotation mill currently on care/maintenance.
The Buchans-Mary March Project is comprised of several contiguous properties, totalling approximately 44,000 hectares of highly prospective land. Surrounding the historic Buchans Mine property, the land package encompasses the majority of the Buchans belt.
- March March
- Buchans Property
- Exploits Property
Mary March Property
The Mary March property, comprised of 92 staked claims, 5 licenses, 1 lease and 2 patented lots, totaling 4,129 hectares, is a JV property with Glencore. Canstar is the majority JV partner (54%/46%) and operator and has first right-of-refusal to acquire the remaining interest from Glencore.
Discovery holes drilled at Mary March by Phelps Dodge in 1999 and 2000 produced some of the highest-grade base and precious metal intersections ever achieved in the area outside the Buchans mine. The Buchans mine produced 16.2 million tonnes averaging 14.50% Zn, 7.56% Pb, 1.33% Cu, 126 g/t Ag and 1.37 g/t Au over its 56-year mine life. By comparison, the discovery holes drilled at Mary March by Phelps include;
- Hole MM294-7 returned 10.33% Zn, 1.62% Pb, 0.66% Cu, 118.1g/t Ag, and 4.1 g/t Au over 9.23 m;
- Hole MM294-11 returned 16.8% Zn, 5.44% Pb, 0.18% Cu, 660 g/t Ag and 12.2 g/t Au over 0.91m;
- Hole MM294-3 returned 3.02% Zn, 1.08% Pb, 0.13% Cu and 72.4 g/t Ag over 20.6m.
The Nancy April deposit lies approximately 500 meters west of the Mary March deposit and was discovered in 1999 by Phelps Dodge. The discovery hole intersected 6.8 meters of 1.5% zinc, 0.8% copper and 0.6% lead. In September 2014, the existence of a continuous stockwork zone formed by hydrothermal processes that are conducive to the development of volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) deposits was confirmed. Results from a September 2014 drill program included:
- Hole MM14-33 intersected 5.33 meters 1.2% copper, 0.2% zinc, 4.9 g/t silver, 0.4 g/t gold from 66.5 to 71.8 meters, including an interval of 2.3 meters grading 2.5% copper, 0.1% zinc, 8.6 g/t silver and 0.7 g/t gold nested in the above intercept from 69.5 to 71.8 meters.
- Hole MM14-33 returned 93.7 meters of 1.0% zinc, 0.2% lead, and 2.9 g/t silver in stockwork sulphides, including an interval of 10.2 meters of 3.4% zinc, 0.1% copper, 7.1 g/t silver and 0.3 g/t gold.
Buchans Property
The Buchans Property, acquired through the RTO transaction with Adventus Zinc in June 2018, is comprised of ~39,000 Ha and encompasses the historical Buchans Mine and the Mary March/Nancy April properties.
An EM survey was completed in 2017, developing 35 drill-ready targets.
Exploits Property
Canstar holds an option to acquire 100% of the Exploits Property, which consists of 11 mineral claims covering 275 hectares near Red Indian Lake. It is located approximately 5 km southwest of the Mary March Project and contains recently discovered massive sulphide boulders with geological similarities to the Duck Pond Deposit.
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Maps & Figures
