North of 60 Mining News - The mining newspaper for Alaska and Canada's North

North Arrow Minerals Inc. Sep. 12 announced the completion of the summer drilling and mini-bulk sampling program of the Q1-4 kimberlite at the company's Naujaat diamond project in Nunavut.

Q1-4 hosts 48.8 million metric tons of inferred resource averaging 0.54 carats per ton (26.1 million carats) of diamonds from surface to a depth of 2015 meters.

The C$2 million summer program included 3,469 meters of drilling completed in 11 holes and the collection of a 234 metric ton mini-bulk sample targeting an under-tested area of the kimberlite. The drilling yielded 2,440 meters of kimberlite core, which will be used for petrography, indicator and microdiamond analysis and will contribute to a new geological model planned for 2018.

The mini-bulk sample will be analyzed for macro-diamonds and will contribute to a better understanding of overall diamond value and the distribution of colored diamonds within the Q1-4 kimberlite.

A significant population of rare, potentially high value, fancy intense to vivid orangey yellow diamonds has been identified in Q1-4.

North Arrow President and CEO Ken Armstrong said, "All samples have now been shipped south for processing and we look forward to seeing the impact of these results on our current model as we plan for further drilling and bulk sampling of the kimberlite in 2018."

North Arrow said the summer field work represents the first phase of a larger planned program to better define the size, grade and diamond content of the Q1-4 kimberlite in support of an economic assessment.

-SHANE LASLEY