- 2.29% TREE / 2.9 m in Trench 3
- 0.61% TREE / 22.6 m in Trench 7
- 14.35% TREE / 0.3 m in Trench 11b
MRT property -- 60 km along trend -- significant mineralization
- 0.44% TREE / 5.8 m, including 3.7% TREE over 0.5 m in Trench 2
Bridgewater NS, Canada -- December 16, 2011 / CNW - Silver Spruce Resources Inc. (TSXV:SSE) is pleased to provide an exploration update on the road-accessible Pope's Hill and MRT, 100% owned, Rare Earth Element (REE) properties on the Trans-Labrador Highway (TLH) in southern Labrador.
Pope's Hill - A total of 291 channel samples, over widths varying from 0.1 to 2 m, tested 12 trenches along the MP and parallel trends. Note that, as reported by Silver Spruce to date, results are stated as Total Rare Earth Elements (TREE's), not Total Rare Earth Oxides (TREO's), and are therefore lower than values reported as TREO's. Results will be restated as TREO's to conform to general REE industry standards starting in 2012.
The results give wide (up to 30m) low grade zones grading 0.2% to 0.6% Total Rare Earth Elements plus yttrium (TREE), narrower (>5m) medium grade zones (> 0.6% TREE) and narrow zones (< 1m) of high grade values (> 3% TREE). The highest values were found in the T1 to T5 area of the MP trend in trenches 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 11. Some trenches gave anomalous values over the entire exposed zone including: Tr 7 - 0.61% TREE / 22.6m; Tr 5 - 0.64% TREE / 9.5m and Tr 11b - 1.09% TREE / 5.7m, indicating that the zones could be much wider. The highest individual value was 14.35% TREE / 0.3m in Tr 11b, located near the 24% TREE boulder found in 2010. HREE+Y percentages of the TREE range from 2.5 % to 24.6 %. Narrow high grade zones, related to the massive segregations, carry the mineralized zones in most instances however significant background values in the 0.1 to 0.5% range are noted through the syenite unit that hosts the mineralization. Zr values in the REE mineralized zones along the MP trend are mainly in the 500-1500 ppm range with a high value of 2.32% noted in trench seven. Trench 15, which is mainly pegmatite related mineralization, has generally much higher Zr values in the 1000-9000 ppm (0.1-0.9 %) range. Th values are generally 2-500 ppm in the REE mineralized areas with a high of 0.31 % (3100 ppm) noted in trench 11b. The host syenite units strike at approximately 070 degrees and dip to the south (toward the TLH) at approximately 30-40 degrees, parallel to the gneissosity of the geological units.
Some of the better mineralized zones are described on the attached table which gives results for all elements and gives the HREE+Y percentages of the TREE. True width of the zones is estimated at 75-90% depending upon the steepness of the hill where the mineralization occurs.
"This trenching program has been successful in defining significant REE mineralization in place over a significant strike length. Based on these results, the earlier geophysical surveys and the geological mapping which defines the mineralized zones, we have located a number of drill targets which will allow us to move forward with a planned winter drilling program," said Peter Dimmell, President and CEO of Silver Spruce Resources. "What we like about this property, a new REE discovery in southern Labrador, is that it is road accessible, close to infrastructure and still has unexplored mineralization and related thorium anomalies along strike of the known mineralized zones."
The trenching program was designed to expose and sample favourable, REE anomalous syenites and other units along the MP trend, over an approximate 2.5 km strike length, which carry the high grade, up to 25% Total Rare Earth Element plus yttrium (TREE), segregations (NR Aug. 31, Sept. 27 and Oct. 20/11 www.silverspruceresources.com/s/NewsReleases.asp). The trenches from 100 to 500 m apart, were dug to give grade/width information on the zones in preparation for a drilling program planned for 2012. Four trenches (9, 10, 13 and 14) were not sampled due to the low radioactivity found and the lateness of the season.
MRT - Trenching tested two REE mineralized areas, approximately 75 m apart, in the southern part of the property, where TREE values up to 6.9% were located in bedrock during prospecting surveys (NR Aug. 9/11). Eighty (80) channel samples were taken in the two trenches over widths varying from 0.2 to 2 m.
Anomalous zones are associated with allanite mineralization in pyroxene rich pegmatitic units. HREE+Y values are lower than found in the Pope's Hill area, possibly reflecting the more pegmatitic related mineralization. Zr is generally 500-1500 ppm in the REE mineralized zones however Zr values in the 0.1-0.2% range are also found in areas with low to background REE values. Th values are generally 100-200 ppm with a high value of 1000 ppm (0.1 %), noted. True widths of the zones are estimated to be close to the sampled widths since the units strike generally N-S with a near vertical dips.
The MRT property is 60 km to the east of the original Pope's Hill property along the Pope's Hill Trend and the trenches were designed to evaluate surface mineralization in this largely unexplored area which has REE mineralization over a minimum 2 km2 area. Initial results are encouraging; especially giving the limited exploration carried out to date and will allow Silver Spruce to focus on expanded exploration efforts in the area next year.
The channel samples were transported to Activation Labs' preparation facility in Goose Bay by SSE personnel, then shipped to their laboratory in Ancaster, ON for analysis using their 8 REE package. The laboratory uses internal standards to check the analyses and blanks are included in each sample batch. Plan maps of the properties including the trenching on the Pope's Hill Trend - PH and MRT properties; the airborne thorium radiometric and magnetic data, plus pictures of the area; as well as the showings and some of the higher grade samples, are available on the Silver Spruce website at www.silverspruceresources.com
This release has been approved by Peter M. Dimmell, P.Geo. President and CEO of Silver Spruce Resources Inc., who is a Qualified Person (QP) in NL and ON as defined in National Instrument 43-101.
Silver Spruce is a diversified junior exploration company with a portfolio of rare earth (Pope's Hill, Pope's Hill JV (with Great Western Minerals Group), MRT, RWM and the Straits), gold silver (Big Easy), and for the longer term, uranium (CMBJV, Snegamook, Double Mer, Mount Benedict), projects in Newfoundland and Labrador. With interests in more than 4,000 claims totalling more than 1,000 square kilometres in Labrador, Silver Spruce is one of the largest landholders in one of the world's premier emerging rare earth and uranium districts. For more information go to www.silverspruceresources.com.
The TSX Venture Exchange or its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
The company seeks Safe Harbour.
For further information contact:
Gordon Barnhill, CFO & Director
Silver Spruce Resources Inc.
Phone: 902.527.5700
Fax: 902.527.5711
gbarnhill@silverspruceresources.com
For investor & media relations contact:
Paul Snow
Pilot Communications Inc.
Phone: 709.753.0794 ext 31
Fax: 709.753.0795
psnow@pilotcom.ca