Central Quebec Region
In 2005, Azimut conducted a predictive assessment of the uranium potential of a 640,000-km2 area in northern Quebec using its exclusive and innovative method for processing geoscientific data. The results revealed an extensive prospective trend for uranium in this remote region that has seen little exploration in the past. The trend measures 350 km long by 10 to 30 km wide and is defined mainly by lake-bottom sediment anomalies and corroborated by existing geophysical and geological data (late Archean granitic intrusions and deep-seated faults).
Azimut acquired the major targets identified along this roughly north-south trend, which it named the Central Quebec Uranium Lineament, as well as targets in some of the adjacent areas.
Azimut's portfolio in the Central Quebec region now includes 8 properties comprising 10,354 claims over 4,857 km2. The Company is of the opinion that it controls the majority of the high-potential targets in the region.
The target ore deposit type for Azimut is a uranium-enriched intrusion that could host a large-tonnage deposit amenable to open pit mining. A well-known example of this type is Rössing in Namibia, one of the world's largest uranium mines. Proximal secondary concentrations along late- to post-intrusive brittle or ductile-brittle faults are also considered.
Azimut's properties share strong similarities with the footprint of several major uranium sites in Quebec, as well as the neighbouring Central Mineral Belt in Labrador, a well-known prospective region for uranium. Of note, the Dieter Lake deposit belonging to Strathmore Minerals lies 40 km east of Azimut's South Bienville property. It is hosted by Paleoproterozoic sediments and has inferred resources of 11,000 t U3O8 @ 0.063% U3O8, according to an estimate in 2007.
Preliminary exploration programs on the Company's Central Quebec properties have thus far produced more than 33000 line-kilometres of helicopter-borne surveys and some 5,600 lake-bottom sediments and rock samples for geochemical analysis. Uraniferous mineralization was identified in granites and pegmatites during reconnaissance field work.
Partner-funded exploration programs totalling $4.2 million will be conducted on all nine (9) properties in 2008. Cumulative work commitments from Azimut's partners in this region reach almost $30 million from 2007-2012.
Key results for Uranium
West Minto (optioned to Majescor)
- 71 priority uranium targets were defined by helicopter-borne geophysical surveys, forming 17 distinct kilometre-scale areas of interest.
- A 10-day prospecting program in 2008 revealed uranium mineralization in outcrops (including 6 samples grading up to 0.90% U3O8) and boulders (including 49 samples grading up to 0.32% U3O8). These results correlate well with the 2007 helicopter-borne target areas.
- The combined results define a prospective corridor at least 40 km long.
South Bienville (optioned to Abitex Resources)
- In 2007, at the start of the first reconnaissance program, a field team identified at least 9 priority anomalies with strike lengths of more than 1 km each and a cumulative length of 25 km;
- Yellow minerals, likely the result of weathering of primary uranium-bearing minerals, were observed at 4 different locations.
Central Minto (optioned to Abitex Resources)
- Lake-bottom sediment surveying revealed uranium values up to 1,000 ppm delineating two distinct uranium clusters over a cumulative length of 30 km.
- Results are pending for the 2008 follow-up program.
North Minto and South Minto (optioned to Rukwa Uranium)
- Lake-bottom sediment sampling delineated extensive uranium targets (values up to 1,330 ppm U) forming 6 distinct clusters over a cumulative length of 87 km.
- Preliminary data from a helicopter-borne radiometric survey over part of the South Minto property confirmed and further defined one of the six clusters.
- Rukwa has now completed its 2008 summer prospecting field program, which included helicopter-borne geophysics, ground prospecting, mapping and core drilling; results are pending.
Hudson Bay (optioned to Silver Spruce)
- An early exploration program in 2008 delineated three main kilometre-scale uranium targets defined by uranium values of up to 1,950 ppm in 293 lake-bottom sediments.
- The geochemical results correlate well with the uranium targets detected by a property-wide helicopter-borne radiometric survey in 2007.
- Uranium values up to 1.31% U3O8 have been reported in a similar geological environment outside the property, approximately 20 km to the south.
West Bienville (optioned to Channel Resources)
- Airborne geophysical surveys revealed two helicopter-borne radiometric anomalies with a cumulative length of 10 km.
- Results are pending for the 2008 follow-up program.