By Dr. Ryan D. Long.
Mink Ventures Corporation (TSXV:MINK) recently completed a mise-à-la-masse survey at the Warren Nickel-Copper-Cobalt Project, located on the western edge of the Timmins Mining Camp (Figure 1).
This article is disseminated in partnership with Mink Ventures Corporation. It is intended to inform investors and should not be taken as a recommendation or financial advice.
This survey has defined a series of new gabbro-hosted nickel-copper sulphide targets and refined existing targets, which are coincident with resistivity lows, chargeability highs, strong magnetic responses, and excellent surface nickel-copper-cobalt values in surface trenches. Mink is planning a 2,000-meter (m) drill programme to test these targets.
Figure 1: Location of the Warren Project
What Is Mise-à-la-Masse?
A mise-à-la-masse survey is a geophysical exploration technique used to delineate electrically conductive subsurface bodies, such as sulphide mineralisation.
The process involves sending an electrical current into an area that has the potential to contain a conductive body; this can be done from the surface or using a drill hole.
Potential differences in conductivity are then measured on the surface or in boreholes using a grid of electrodes to create maps or profiles, which reveal the shape, extent, continuity, and orientation of the conductive zone.
Unlike standard resistivity surveys, the current is injected directly into the conductive mass, which acts as an extended electrode, allowing the current to flow preferentially through it and distort the potential field based on the target’s shape and continuity.
The survey then measures the potential differences relative to a fixed remote reference point, often plotting equipotential lines to trace the target’s boundaries. Compared to a standard resistivity survey, it is more qualitative, focusing on distortions caused by the energised body, delineating the extent, shape, orientation, and continuity of a known conductive body, whereas a standard resistivity survey is a more general-purpose tool for probing unknown subsurface resistivity distributions.
Mise-à-la-Masse at Warren
The Mise-à-la-Masse survey at the Warren Project involved a surface-based survey to test surface occurrences of nickel-copper-cobalt mineralisation, and two down-hole surveys to better define the extent of known zones, extend the known mineralised trends, and outline new proximal anomalies. This work has resulted in the refinement of three target zones: the North Zone, the A Zone, and the Shaft Zone (Figure 2) and also defined new targets in proximity to these areas.
Figure 2: Target Zones at the Warren Project
North Zone Target
The North Zone Target is centred on a surface expression of nickel-cobalt bearing massive sulphide that has never been drill tested. Nearby is a historic pit containing massive sulphides, and the target lies on the edge of a large magnetic high and a series of broad IP anomalies. Initial grab sampling in the area returned up to 0.967% nickel and 0.070% cobalt.
The North Zone mise-à-la-masse target is a circular target around 125 m in diameter. This work also defined another target in this area, located to the west of the North Zone, with a strike length of over 200 m. The North Zone will be Mink’s primary drill target in the upcoming exploration programme.
Figure 3: The North Zone Target
A Zone Target
The A Zone Target contains the previously tested A and B Zones, where trenching and drilling returned significant results, including:
- 4.6 m at an average grade of 0.425% copper (Cu) and 0.186% nickel (Ni) (Trench 1)
- 0.9 m at an average grade of 3.54% Cu and 0.137% Ni (Trench 5)
- 1.2 m at an average grade of 3.42% Cu and 0.361% Ni (Trench 3)
- 1.2 m at an average grade of 1.3% Cu and 0.423% Ni (Trench 6)
- 7.2 m at an average grade of 0.20% Cu and 0.18% Ni from 17.2 m (W-24-01)
- 11.0 m at an average grade of 0.18% Cu and 0.09% Ni from 30.9 m (W-24-05)
- 10.5 m at an average grade of 0.06% Cu and 0.13% Ni from 39.0 m (W-24-01)
- 3.5 m at an average grade of 0.14% Cu and 0.16% Ni from 56.5 m (W-24-04)
A downhole mise-à-la-masse survey was completed on hole W-24-01, which outlined a strong anomaly with a strike length of 500 m and a width of 200 m that covers both the prospective A and B Zones (Figure 4). This anomaly is coincident with a resistivity low. While drilling has been conducted in the area, large portions of the mise-à-la-masse anomaly remain untested both along the strike length and at depth.
The mise-à-la-masse survey also outlined the start of a potential new target zone to the east of the A Zone with a strike length of approximately 500 m (Figure 4). This target was unable to be fully covered in this survey and is expected to be revisited.
Figure 4: The A Zone Targets
Shaft Zone Target
The Shaft Zone Target is centred on a coincident IP and magnetic anomaly associated with the historic shaft. The Shaft Zone contains semi-massive sulphide and disseminated sulphide in a gabbro host rock. Mink previously completed a single drill hole at this target, which returned:
- 3.9 m at an average grade of 0.19% Cu and 0.07% Ni from 71.6 m, including 1.6 m at an average grade of 0.429% Ni, 0.274% Cu and 0.044% Co in semi-massive sulphide (W-24-07)
- 2.6 m at an average grade of 0.17% Cu and 0.26% Ni from 95.0 m (W-24-07)
The downhole mise-à-la-masse survey on hole W-24-07 outlined an anomaly with a strike length of 500 m and a width of 150 m (Figure 5). The resistivity low runs parallel to the entire strike length of the anomaly, supporting the potential for massive sulphide mineralisation.
Figure 5: The Shaft Zone
Conclusion
The mise-à-la-masse survey at Mink Ventures’ Warren Project has successfully delineated promising nickel-copper-cobalt targets, refining known zones and uncovering new anomalies that align with strong geophysical and geochemical indicators.
With untested areas in the North, A, and Shaft Zones offering significant upside potential, the upcoming 2,000 m drill program positions Mink to unlock further value in this strategically located asset within the prolific Timmins Mining Camp.
Investors, including ourselves*, eagerly await the upcoming drill programme that could validate the project’s exploration potential.
@Junior Mining Insights Newsletter @Mining and Metals Research Corporation
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