Happy Cat Gold Property Completed Mercury Vapor Survey
VANCOUVER - Black Mammoth Metals Corporation reported that Quicksilver Systems of Bend, Oregon has completed and interpreted a mercury vapor survey (the "Hg Survey") on behalf of the Company at its Happy Cat gold property in Nevada. Mercury detectors were placed at 335 stations along 6 east – west lines, 30m apart, with lines ranging 122m to 293m between lines. The Hg Survey was located over the Property's approximate 4 square kilometer area that is identified as being hydrothermally altered (the "Alteration") typical to that of alteration zones present at other Carlin-type deposits in northern Nevada. The Alteration encompasses an area where northerly trending high-angle faults intersect indicated NW-trending re-activated faults that are known to be of age and orientation as ore-controlling faults occurring at other Carlin-type deposits.
Mercury values ranged from 0 to 108 nanograms with a mean of 11 nanograms. Oxidation of mercury bearing mineralization is assumed to have produced these anomalous mercury vapor values through a cover of alluvium and volcanic units. To estimate the sampling variability, 29 replicate pairs were included. The variance was comparable to other Hg Surveys at 37%.
The high mercury values occur over structures. These are thought to be leakage anomalies, where locally higher permeability and the resultant oxidation of mercury containing minerals releases mercury to the surface. The perimeter of the moderate to high mercury values of the Hg survey coincides with the Alteration and the highest mercury values trend north-easterly through the center of the Alteration.
The Company has now combined the Hg Survey data with the Property data, which includes fault locations and their intersections within the Alteration, to prioritize drill targets. Drill permitting at Happy Cat is thought to be favorable and includes the submittal of a Bureau of Land Management - Notice of Intent.