MINING EXTRA: Promising mineral find south of Terrace
January 29, 2008
TERRACE IS well-represented at the massive Roundup mining conference this week in Vancouver. From the left is Andrew Webber from the Kitimat Stikine regional district on the left with Terrace mayor Jack Talstra, Terrace Economic Development Authority chair Bert Husband and Sam Harling, the economic development officer with the authority. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO PROVINCIAL GEOLOGISTS have uncovered mineral deposits between Terrace and Kitimat promising enough to warrant further exploration.The site contains lead, zinc and silver, mines minister Kevin Krueger told those in attendance at a forum held yesterday at the annual Roundup mining and exploration conference in Vancouver.
“This new discovery highlights the potential for copper, zinc, lead, silver and gold mineralization in a belt of rocks that extends to just north of Kitimat,” said Krueger.
In more detailed terms, the mineralization found was consistent with volanic-hosted massive sulphides (VHMS), a key indicator used by geologists, 23km southeast of Terrace.
The VHMS potential of the area was investigated during fieldwork conducted by provincial geologists over the past several years.
That work was part of a provincial program to investigate areas considered under-explored in the expectation of uncovering material that will then spur on more intense searching by exploration companies.
VHMS deposits are, as provincial experts point out, “an important source of copper, zinc, lead and precious metals in Canada. A specific B.C. example is the currently-producing Myra Falls mine on Vancouver Island.”
“These deposits are attractive exploration targets since they are high-grade, commonly contain signifi cant amounts of precious metals, and are polymetallic, which offers protection against fluctuating metal prices.”
British Columbia’s mineral exploration activity reached a record high of nearly $416 million on 472 exploration projects in 2007. Of this, there was $170 million spent on 144 projects in the northwest and nearly $95 million was spent on 88 projects in the central region of the province.
Roundup is hosted by The Association of Mineral Exploration of B.C. and runs until Jan. 31.
Terrace Standard
