VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 20, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ALPHA EXPLORATION INC. (" Alpha " or the " Company ") (TSX-V: AEX ) is pleased to announce that its winter 2014 exploration program comprising gravity surveying and diamond drilling will begin shortly on the Middle Lake property (80% Alpha Exploration Inc. and 20% Acme Resources Inc.). The property comprises a total of 2416 ha within one mineral disposition. A temporary work camp has been established 5 km from the property. MWH Geo-Surveys Ltd. of Vernon, BC has been contracted to complete approximately 1600 stations on three different grids. Newmac Industries Ltd. of Prince Albert, SK has been contracted for a 20-hole, 2,000 m drill program to test gravity, radon and geochemical anomalies close to the former Cluff Lake mining production site of AREVA .
The property is situated adjacent to the decommissioned Cluff Lake Mine property, where significant bedrock uranium mineralization was identified to within approximately 800 m of the Middle Lake property. Comprehensive historical exploration results have established a favourable setting for the presence of Cluff Lake-style uranium deposits within the property. Three uraniferous boulder and radon trains were established by AREVA through historical geochemical surveys and glacial studies, which include:
- Hubert Lake-Skull Lake Train (west grid)
- Lac Andros-Middle Lake Train (central grid)
- Janus Lake-Placide Lake Train (east grid)
Each train has potential to have significant mineralized sources. Thanks to the Alpha Minerals-Fission Energy Joint Venture uranium discovery on and adjacent to Patterson Lake, the target to attain success with this project as a standalone project is now more easily achieved.
The bedrock source of the historical uraniferous boulders is anticipated to be at the top of bedrock, which is covered by overburden that is 5 to 20 m thick. All three of these boulder trains are associated with uranium mineralized basement and Athabasca Group sandstone boulders at their down ice terminus. The Hubert Lake-Skull Lake Train is thought to be associated with the Donna boulder field, which is "a group of about 200 mineralized boulders containing up to 25% uranium, that were discovered during routine ground prospecting" (GAC Special Volume 29, The Carswell Structure Uranium Deposits, Saskatchewan, Laine, Alonso, Svab, 1985).
Assessment reports from AREVA describe exploration work, which lead to discovery of several Cluff Lake deposits by drilling up-ice, generally northeast from uranium boulder clusters, to locate sources in several discrete deposits. A fairly regular separation of 2 to 3 km is indicated between boulder fields and the bedrock uranium sources that were located, which is fairly consistent with a "skip distance" from overburden up to 20 m thick.
Potential bedrock sources of the uraniferous boulders are modeled upon the Cluff Lake-style deposits located within basement core of the Carswell Structure possibly associated with Athabasca sandstone inliers, and at the Carswell basement core-Athabasca Group contact. Electromagnetic (EM) conductors are not seen as an essential exploration target on the property, as the deposits at Cluff Lake contained lesser quantities of graphite and pyrite compared to the Patterson Lake South ("PLS") mineralized zones and Key Lake deposits. Transition areas from high to low magnetic susceptibility are considered a favourable setting for uranium mineralization as this may represent granitic to granitic pegmatite domes in contact with quartzofeldspathic and pelitic gneisses. Additionally, structures that act as boundaries between low magnetic and moderately magnetic zones are targeted; and are significant because boulders of mineralized meta-sediments (low magnetic response) and mineralized intrusives (moderate to high magnetic signature) were found during historical boulder prospecting work.
The geological setting of the basement core within the property is similar to the N and R zones (Cluff Lake mineralized zones) where quartzofeldspathic and (+/- graphite) pelitic gneisses are intruded by pegmatites; as confirmed through historical drilling. Drill hole CAR-38 (located on the property 230m west from Middle Lake) encountered peak radioactivity over 900 cps (from a background of 50 to 70 cps in bedrock) at a depth of 13 m associated with a lithological contact between an altered quartz-feldspar granofel and graphitic pelitic gneiss. All historical drill holes within the basement core on the property encountered Cluff Breccia and tectonic breccia, and drill hole CAR-41 (located 350 m northwest of Middle Lake) intersected large zones of mylonite and tectonic breccia.
RadonEx carried out a radon sampling in the summer of 2013, which was strategically located to cover the up-ice head of the historical Hubert Lake-Skull Lake and Andros Lake-Middle Lake radon-uraniferous boulder trains as the west and central grids, respectively. Drill target locations will be finalized as the gravity survey data is available.
Current maps and information on Alpha Exploration and the Middle Lake Property, can be found on the Company's website at www.alpha-aex.com .
About Alpha Exploration Inc.
Alpha Exploration Inc. is a mineral exploration company whose principal focus is the exploration and development of its Mikwam Gold property in Ontario, and uranium properties in the Athabasca Basin in northern Saskatchewan, Canada. Common Shares are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "AEX". Additional information about Alpha is available on Alpha's website at www.alpha-aex.com or under its profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com .
The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43- 101 and reviewed on behalf of Alpha Exploration Inc., by Garrett Ainsworth, P.Geo., Vice President Exploration, a qualified person.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Alpha Exploration Inc.
"Ben Ainsworth"
President, CEO and Director
| For corporate communications please contact: | |
| Robert (Bob) Meister | |
| Alpha Exploration Inc. | |
| TF: 1-866-629-8368 | |
| Trading Symbol: TSX-V – AEX | |
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release .
This press release contains "forward-looking information" that is based on Alpha's current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections. This forward-looking information includes, among other things, statements with respect to Alpha's exploration and development plans. The words "will", "anticipated", "plans" or other similar words and phrases are intended to identify forward-looking information.
Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Alpha's actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include, but are not limited to: uncertainties related exploration and development; the ability to raise sufficient capital to fund exploration and development; changes in economic conditions or financial markets; increases in input costs; litigation, legislative, environmental and other judicial, regulatory, political and competitive developments; technological or operational difficulties or inability to obtain permits encountered in connection with exploration activities; and labour relations matters. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect our forward-looking information. These and other factors should be considered carefully and readers should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking information. Alpha disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise
