MINING NEWS: Studies improve MAN’s Canwell results

Follow-up studies of its 2004 drill program in the Canwell area of its MAN Alaska project look much better than originally thought, Nevada Star said March 23. As a result, the Vancouver-based junior mining company is moving forward with a more extensive geophysical and drill program on the nickel, copper and PGE property on the south flank of the Alaska Range 160 miles south of Fairbanks in 2005. (See Curt Freeman’s column this issue.)

“The results are much better than we initially thought,” stated Robert Angrisano, president of Nevada Star. “We wanted to be sure that the nickel we found in our drilling was potentially recoverable before we announced the official results.”

The detailed follow-up studies indicate two possible scenarios, he told the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner: Either there is a large low-grade deposit of nickel, copper and platinum group metals that could be mined for years or they’ve hit the “halo” of a massive and rich deposit. It also may be a combination of both. “It’s big,” he said.

The 271-square-mile MAN Alaska project, which consists of five distinct project areas, is accessible from two paved highways and borders the trans-Alaska oil pipeline in the Delta River Mining District (see project maps at http://www.nevadastar.com/s/MANProject.asp). Portions of the MAN Alaska property are under joint venture with Anglo American Exploration, which is handling the Canwell exploration program pursuant to a 2004 agreement with Nevada Star. Anglo American spent approximately $950,000 on the 2004 program.

—Kay Cashman