Big North completes SE Ontario EM Survey, ends IR Agreement

Big North Graphite Corp (TSXV:NRT) announced June 8 completion of an airborne electromagnetic survey of 1,187 line-kilometres with 100-metre spacing over its Griffith and Brougham properties in southeast Ontario. Preliminary data suggests both properties show conductors, including coincident features to the known graphite showings. Final data is expected next week and will be used to direct ground geophysics, mapping and sampling.

The company also announced it has terminated an investor relations agreement with Trident Financial announced on April 19. The Griffith-Brougham land package covers 6,500 hectares in a region that includes Ontario Graphite’s Kearney Mine and Northern Graphite’s (TSXV:NGC) Bissett Creek Project.

Read an interview with Big North Graphite President/CEO Spiro Kletas.

Galaxy completes Airborne Surveys of Quebec Graphite Project, approves Name Change

Galaxy Capital Corp (TSXV:GXY) announced June 7 completion of helicopter-borne electromagnetic and magnetometer surveys on its Buckingham Property in west Quebec. Preliminary results from the 162-line-kilometre survey are expected within three weeks and will be used to direct a program of ground geophysics, prospecting, mapping and sampling.

On June 6, the company announced shareholder approval of a change of name to Galaxy Graphite Corp. Contingent on TSXV approval, the stock symbol will remain the same. The 1,324-hectare Buckingham Property consists of two former mines 40 kilometres east of Ottawa. The host rocks for both deposits are graphitic crystalline marbles, similar to the host stratigraphy at Timcal Graphite & Carbon’s Lac-des-Îles Graphite Mine, the company has stated.

Rare Earth Metals begins Ground EM Survey on NW Ontario Graphite Property

Rare Earth Metals Inc (TSXV:RA) announced June 7 it has begun line-cutting and a ground electromagnetic survey on its Manitouwadge Graphite Property in northwest Ontario. The company intends to determine the strike length and continuity of graphite zones outlined by an EM survey flown in 1989. Three graphite horizons have been identified so far through historic work and recent trenching. The zones range from four to 12 metres thick with chip samples showing 2.04% to 4.18% carbon. Screen tests on the higher-grade composite sample confirmed the presence of +65 mesh and +35 mesh flake graphite. Additional metallurgical results are pending.

The company has two advanced projects in Ontario and Labrador, with rare earth elements, niobium, beryllium, zirconium and iron ore. The company has also acquired the Coldwell Complex and the Lavergne-Springer REE Prospect, both in north Ontario.

Standard Graphite reports EM Conductors on Quebec Graphite Property

Standard Graphite Corp (TSXV:SGH) announced June 5 airborne geophysical results from its Kiamika Property in west Quebec. Initial results confirm that surface occurrences are associated with a conductor crossing the entire property over a 3.5-kilometre strike length. A second conductor 750 metres east replicates the first and expands the project’s potential, the company stated.

The 888-line-kilometre TDEM survey included three other properties: Preston, 31 Milles and Notre Dame. Results are pending for those properties and will help determine follow-up work scheduled for later this month. All four properties lie within 90 kilometres of Standard’s flagship Mousseau East Project in the Central Metasedimentary Belt of the Grenville Geological Subprovince. Mousseau East has a 1992 non-43-101 resource estimate showing 598,480 tonnes grading 8.29% carbon proven, 219,450 tonnes grading 8.13% probable and 288,760 tonnes grading 7.85% possible.

Read a feature story about Standard Graphite.

Focus to acquire Brazil Graphite Project from Lara Exploration

Focus Graphite Inc (TSXV:FMS) and Lara Exploration Ltd (TSXV:LRA) announced June 4 a letter of intent in which Focus will acquire up to a 60% interest in the Canindé Graphite Project in Ceará State, northeast Brazil. Under the agreement’s first option, Focus may earn a 51% interest by issuing Lara a total of 500,000 shares and spending $2.5 million within three years. Exploration must include an EM survey and 2,000 metres of drilling.

Under the second option, Focus may earn an additional 9% interest by spending a total of $4.5 million within five years, including completion of an additional 5,000 metres of drilling and a positive PEA.

If Focus declines or fails to exercise the second option, the two companies will create a 51/49 joint venture. If Focus exercises the second option, the companies will create a 60/40 JV. Both companies will fund exploration proportionately and the party holding majority interest will be deemed the project operator. If a party’s interest falls to less than 10%, its interest in the JV will be converted to a 2% production royalty.

Canindé is subject to a 1% royalty payable to a third party on gross revenue up to R$750,000 (750,000 Brazilian reais, approximately $369,000) as well as a one-time payment of R$200,000 (approximately $99,000) payable to the third party on completion of a non-NI 43-101-compliant Economic Graphite Reserve Estimate as defined by Brazil’s Departamento Nacional de Produção Mineral.

The 15,615-hectare project hosts 22 surface graphite occurrences discovered by Lara in mid-2011. The occurrences define a 16-kilometre-long graphitic corridor in high-grade metamorphic rocks. Individual graphite occurrences range from less than one metre to 10 metres wide and host grades ranging from 1% or 2% disseminated graphite in paragneiss and schist (mostly flakes), to over 50% graphite in narrow lenses in gneiss, schist, pegmatitic migmatites and brecciated horizons in gneiss. Surface grab samples from 15 of the occurrences show grades ranging from less than 1% up to 42%. The project is accessible by road.

The company’s flagship Lac Knife Graphite Project in northeast Quebec is scheduled for a PEA this month. The company states that it hopes to have offtake agreements and financing to begin mine construction following the PEA.

Read an interview with Focus President/CEO Gary Economo.

Read an interview about Focus’ Kwyjibo REE-Copper Project.

Read a feature story about Focus Graphite.

Energizer, Malagasy report Madagascar Graphite Intersections up to 434m

Energizer Resources Inc (TSXV:EGZ) and Malagasy Minerals Ltd announced June 4 five graphite intersections on the Molo Deposit of their Joint Venture Property in Madagascar. Intersections came to 434 metres, 295 metres, 220 metres, 150 metres and 51 metres. Core from the five holes has been sent for assaying, with the first results expected within six weeks. Metallurgical analysis of previous Molo samples showed jumbo-flake, +50 mesh graphite at an average purity of 93% carbon which can be liberated through simple crushing. The deposit begins at surface and extends to a vertical depth of over 300 metres, Energizer stated. The company plans an initial resource estimate for the Molo Deposit, which Energizer and engineering partner DRA Mineral Projects are targeting for open-pit production in early 2015.

Energizer holds a 75% interest and acts as operator on the JV Property, which surrounds Energizer‘s wholly owned Green Giant Graphite-Vanadium Property on three sides.

Read an interview with Energizer Resources VP of Business Development Brent Nykoliation.

Read feature stories about Energizer Resources’ vanadium deposit and its graphite deposits.

Canadian Platinum finds Saskatchewan Graphitic Argillite

Canadian Platinum Corp (TSXV:CPC) announced June 4 the presence of a thick sequence of graphitic argillite on its Peter Lake Copper-Nickel-PGE Project in northeast Saskatchewan. Examination of a 2009 airborne ZTEM survey and historic drillholes found conductors caused by graphitic argillite, the company stated. A sample assay of historic core showed 10.2% carbon and six grab samples from another historic hole averaged 4.5% carbon. Canadian Platinum drilled one of the ZTEM conductors in 2009, which intersected 142 metres of graphitic argillite and terminated in graphitic argillite. This drillhole and historic holes are currently being sampled to determine grades.

The project is North America’s largest mafic/ultramafic complex. The company’s mining claims in the area cover approximately 202,340 hectares.

By Greg Klein

Read previous Graphite Digests here

Disclaimer: Standard Graphite Corp and Focus Graphite Inc are clients of OnPage Media and the principals of OnPage Media may hold shares in those companies.

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Source: http://business.financialpost.com/2012/06/11/the-graphite-digest-a-roundup-of-recent-news-from-graphite-explorers-3/