Eastmain West

Chromite-rich dyke at the Dominic showing with chisel for scale.

Location, size and ownership

The Eastmain West property is located near the Eastmain River, 25 km south of the Clearwater gold deposit belonging to Eastmain Resources and 290 km north of Chibougamau. The property, 100% owned by Azimut, comprises 61 claims for a total surface area of 32.4 km².

Eastmain West is adjacent to the north with the Hydro-Québec Eastmain Phase 1 hydro project (EM-1) and its reservoir. Other nearby infrastructure and services include an airport and float plane facilities at the Cree community of Nemaska and the Némiscau outfitters camp.

The property is also approximately 35 km north of the Route du Nord: an all-season gravel road connecting Chibougamau to Nemaska. Access to the property is by helicopter.

Target type and Cr-PGE-Ni mineralization

The Eastmain West property was originally staked in 2005 for its gold potential. A field program in 2006 led to the discovery of significant chromium (Cr) mineralization with associated platinum group element (PGE) or nickel (Ni) grades. Azimut’s exploration target type for the Eastmain West project is a stratiform mafic-ultramafic complex with layered chromite and associated PGE mineralization.

The main target area is associated with an ultramafic unit extending on the property over a strike length of 4 km and an apparent width ranging from 200 to 600 metres. Smaller E-W magnetic anomalies immediately northwest of the main anomaly are interpreted as feeder dykes to the main ultramafic body.

Two rock grab samples from outcrops graded 27.2% Cr2O3, 0.1 g/t Pt and 0.44 g/t Pd, and 24.5% Cr2O3 (Cr/Fe = 2), 0.1% Ni (with no PGE). Host rocks appear to be komatiitic basalts. Fifteen other samples that delivered anomalous values in Cr, Ni and/or Pt, Pd are associated with epidotized komatiitic basalt, komatiite, pyroxenite and gabbro.

Geological setting

The property is underlain by a segment of the southern portion of the Eastmain Group in the geological La Grande Subprovince of the Superior Province.

The main lithologies are mafic to ultramafic volcanic rocks interbedded with sedimentary units in the northern part of the property, and granodioritic and tonalitic intrusions in the southern part. Metamorphic grade may reach upper amphibolite facies. The main structures are expressed as a significant NE-SW-trending lineament interpreted over the SE part of the property, and schistosity trending E-W to NE.

Known deposits of comparable type

Canadian examples
The most striking Canadian example is the recent Blackbird–Black Thor discovery by Noront Resources and Freewest Resources Canada located 300 km north of the town of Nakina, in the James Bay Lowlands, northern Ontario. Reported grades (around 40% Cr2O3), widths (from 20 to 75 m) and Cr/Fe ratios (from 1.5 to 2.6) appear consistent. Chromite horizons are hosted in a peridotitic sill with a 6-km strike length and a magnetic, EM and gravity footprint.

On the Quebec side of James Bay, Ressources Minières Pro-Or owns the Ménarik deposit near Radisson, with estimated resources of 5.4 Mt @ 7.8% Cr2O3.

Another Canadian example include is the Bird River deposit in Manitoba (3.6 Mt @ 21% Cr2O3).

International Examples
The most famous international examples are the Great Dyke, Zimbabwe (113 Mt @ 26-51% Cr2O3); Selukwe, Zimbabwe (11.5 Mt @ 47% Cr2O3); Kemi, Finland (59 Mt @ 26% Cr2O3); Campo Formoso, Brazil (17 Mt @ 17-21% Cr2O3).

Previous exploration programs

As part of its option agreement with Azimut, IAMGOLD conducted work on the Eastmain West property from 2005 to 2007. It should be emphasized that Azimut originally staked the property as a gold target, and thus these earlier exploration programs were not designed to identify chromium targets, but rather to find gold. The chromium potential was recognized following the results of the last program.

The work included:

Geological reconnaissance and prospecting (53 rock samples)

Till sampling (34 samples)

Lake bottom sediment sampling (93 samples)

Remote sensing data interpretation

Magnetic-electromagnetic helicopter-borne survey (4,861 line-km at 100 m line spacing)

IAMGOLD terminated the option agreement on the property in 2007 following its decision to cease regional exploration activities in Quebec. In the fall of 2010, Azimut carried out additional exploration work on its Cr-Pt- Pd-Ni targets on the Eastmain West property. Results are pending.

Relevant Press Releases

May 04, 2006
Azimut: second year option by Cambior on the Eastmain property (West Block) in James Bay, Quebec

April 26, 2005
Azimut and Cambior sign an agreement for the Eastmain Property (West Block), James Bay region, Quebec

February 02, 2005
Azimut acquires a major exploration gold property in Quebec's James Bay region