FORTH YEAR ASSESSMENT REPORT OF PROSPECTING ON LICENCE 11549M PYES RIDGE AREA NTS 12H/4 BY NATHANIEL NOEL MSc. Blue-grey marble Pyes Ridge MINERAL LICENCE 11549M WORK CONDUCTED: LATE AUG. AND MID-NOV. 2009 TOTAL EXPENDITURES: 1794.00 TOTAL CLAIMS: 6
Table of Contents Summary 1 Introduction 2 Location and Access 2 Physiography 3 Property Summary and License Status 4 Previous Work 4 General Geology 6 Regional Geology 6 Local Geology 6 Current Program 8 Work Done 8 Weathering Problems 8 Page Results 8 Slab and Polishing Tests 8 Carving Tests 9 Grinding Tests 10 Conclusions and Recommendations 12 List of Expenditures 12 References 12 List of Figures Figure 1 Project Location Map 2 Figure 2 Claims Location Map 3 Figure 3 Claims Map 3 Figure 4 Mineral Occurrence Map 4 Figure 5 Marble Exposure 5 Figure 6 Sample location 100 meters west of Pyes Ridge White #1 marble showing 8 Figure 7 Slab of marble pre-polishing 9 Figure 8 Sample of polished marble showing discoloration. 9 Figure 9 Sculpting the marble using a ¾ inch pneumatic hammer and new carbide tipped chisel. 10 Figure 10 Grinding the marble using a 6 inch masonry aluminum-oxide grinding cup. 11 Figure 11 Resin/Diamond pad on pneumatic disk polisher. 11
SUMMARY The project area was visited in late August and briefly in mid-november. Additional samples from an area just west of the white marble from Pyes Ridge White #1 were collected with the aid of an ATV and transported to the studio of Nathaniel Thomas Noel for further carving tests. A number of polished slabs were also produced to show to an interested party. This sampling was necessary since the large blocks found on surface (see previous report) at the original showing were found to be weathered and weathering had penetrated to varying degrees, enough to discolor what should otherwise be a fairly white marble. Weathering was also found to have weakened the marble, probably by penetrating the rock along crystal boundaries and then freezing. Carving tests showed the material to carve very well due to its massive nature and lack of impurities such as silica. While still being discolored, the new samples were found to be more competent then those taken previously. As a result of the work done to date, the property is now considered part of a larger package of dimension stone properties which is in the process of being optioned by a new company (61716 Newfoundland and Labrador Limited) located in Conception Bay South, Newfoundland and Labrador.
2 INTRODUCTION This report covers mineral licence11549m located just west of Deer Lake on NTS map sheet 12H/4 (Figure 1) Mineral licence 11549M which consists of 6 claims was staked to cover an area of marble which forms part of the Pyes Ridge Marble Deposit. While the area is considered prospective for marble as a dimension stone, recent staking in the area is the result of an increase in exploration for Uranium. Figure 1 Project Location Map LOCATION AND ACCESS The claim block lies approximately 2km north of Deer Lake approximately 9 km west of the town of Deer Lake (Figure 2). It sits atop of a prominent area of high ground known as Pyes Ridge. It can be accessed by forest resource roads which leave the Northern Peninsula Highway just north of Nicholsville. One of these roads bisects the property and a series of skidder trails allows access by ATV to essentially all of the property. (Figure 3) Some of these skidder trails have begun to grow over and are not passable with the ATV.
3 Figure 2 Claims Location Map Figure 3 Claims map PHYSIOGRAPHY The area is wooded but has been logged over to some degree. The property sits atop of the ridge and streams have incised narrow valleys. A prominent valley occupies the southern end of the property. Overburden is ubiquitous but outcrop can be found in the form of small bluffs or in stream beds and in areas that were stripped during previous work.
4 PROPERTY SUMMARY AND LICENCE STATUS The license comprises a total of 6 claims. These claims, staked by Nathaniel Noel are in good standing and were staked in the late fall of 2005. In the summer of 2009, a consortium of investors expressed an interest in the Newfoundland dimension stone business as a whole, especially with regards to a large deposit of soapstone located on the Baie Verte Peninsula. In the winter of 2010, a new company, 61716 Newfoundland and Labrador Limited was formed and since that time claim block 11549m has been incorporated into a large package of dimension stone prospects and is soon to be covered by a formal option agreement with 61716 Newfoundland and Labrador Limited. The delay in formalizing an option agreement is due to the fact that a large area of Pyes Ridge containing numerous marble prospects is soon to revert back to the crown and attempts will be made to procure it as part of the total Pyes Ridge package before license 11549m changes ownership. PREVIOUS WORK (Modified from MODS data) The area was extensively explored during the 1991/92 work period with a detailed mapping program being completed by Newfoundland Department of Mines Geologist, Ian Knight. Further detailed geological investigations were also conducted by representatives of Technostone and the Quarries Group, two leading Italian Marble companies. Their surveys also included extraction of small blocks, generally less than 0.5 meters square, representative of the various colours which are typical of the deposit. These blocks were examined in order to determine fracturing, chromatic dispersion, hardness and polishing features. Several sites of pink, pink-green, grey and blue-green marble were selected for core drilling to test the vertical extent and fracture/joint patterns of the more attractive marbles. This phase of the work program was supported by the original property holder Mr. Len Pye, who provided logistical and labour support. In addition to these work programs Mr. Pye carried out extensive field investigations during most of the work period. These investigations included stripping, block removal and transportation to various Canadian and American processing and marketing interests. He also conducted regional surveys to determine the extent of the marble deposit and to identify the range of the chromatic dispersion. The 1992/93 work program on the Goose Arm Marble Deposit consisted of a continuation of extensive exploration activities, aimed at identifying areas with dimension stone potential. The primary activities included prospecting, stripping, diamond hole drilling, and sample extraction. Extensive work was performed to open
5 quarry faces so that large sample blocks could be extracted for testing versus ASTM standards and for cutting into slabs and tiles for market testing (Burke and Hodge, 1993). The project area contains two known showings from this work, these being Pyes Ridge White # 1 located in the center of the property (figure 4) and Pyes Ridge Blue Grey Banded #3 located in the northeast corner. In 1994 work on these prospects came to a halt, primarily due to the shortage of capital. No further work has been reported on the property since. Work completed by Nathaniel Noel has included to date, recci prospecting and carving tests (using a file and hack saw) which were conducted primarily in the field. Figure 4 Mineral Occurrence Map
6 GEOLOGY REGIONAL GEOLOGY (From Mods Data) Pye's Ridge is underlain by a succession of dolomite and calcareous marble. It is a polydeformed succession featuring metamorphosed Middle Cambrian to Middle Ordovician carbonates. The succession includes rocks correlated with the Hawke Bay Formation, Reluctant Head Formation, and the Port au Port, St. George, Table Head and Goose Tickle groups. The marbles are juxtaposed structurally against psammitic and pelitic rocks of the Old Man Pond Allochthon to the northwest, and are overlain, unconformably, by flat lying Carboniferous sediments in the south (Knight, 1992). The rocks of Pye's Ridge are polydeformed and are probably part of a duplex. The three main phases of deformation include: 1) northwest-verging thrusting, 2) northeasttrending, southeast verging folding and 3) northwest-verging normal extension. These phases all predate the formation of Carboniferous cave deposits (red sediment and speleothems) along the northwestern terrain boundary and D2 faults. Locally, reactivation of faults has deformed the speleothems; C-S fabrics indicate sinistral movement. Rare kink bands may correlate with this late or post-carboniferous movement (Knight, 1992). LOCAL GEOLOGY The claim block is underlain primarily by the Pyes Ridge Marble. Outcrops weather a buff- brown color and occur as small bluffs or as low flat exposures (figure 5) Weathering is preferential along any banding that is present.
7 Figure 5 Marble exposure CURRENT PROGRAM The Pyes Ridge Marble property was visited to collect additional samples of the white marble for further carving tests and to produce a number of polished slabs to be shown to a group of investors interested in the dimension stone potential of the island. WORK DONE A total of 3 days was spent accessing and sampling in the area and two days were spent conducting carving tests and preparing polished slabs. Work was conducted from a hotel in Deer Lake and one day was spent visiting the area from an RV park in Springdale. An ATV was used to transport several blocks of white marble off the property. Weathering Problems This second round of sampling was conducted because the first samples taken in the previous year were found to be weathered quite deeply and the stone was both discolored (slightly) and generally weak. Chiseling indicated that the material was somewhat crumbly and in places was unpredictable. It is thought that water may have percolated along grain boundaries and cleavage planes in the calcite, and frozen causing microscopic frost shattering. Similar effects have been observed while using old broken and discarded marble headstones for craft purposes. RESULTS New samples were collected from an area stripped during previous exploration located approximately 100 meters west of the Pyes Ridge White # 1 showing. (Figure 4 and 6)
8 Figure 6 Sample location 100 meters west of Pyes Ridge White #1 marble showing The blocks at that location appeared to have been rooted up from a greater depth then the previous sample location and exhibited less weathering. The sample taken consisted of two large pieces each weighing approximately 50 kg each. The samples were not cut with a chop saw prior to transport but small chips were knocked off the edges to check the fresh surface. Slab and Polishing Tests One of these pieces was later slabbed and several slabs were polished. (Figure 7) While some discoloration was still present the rock was found to be quite competent. The material polished well to a fairly high gloss.
9 Figure 7 Slab of marble pre-polishing Figure 8 Sample of polished marble showing discoloration. Carving Tests (chiseling) The second block of marble was put through a series of tests for its suitability as a carving/sculptural material. Using a Troy and Holden ¾ inch pneumatic hammer the marble chiseled very well and behaved in a very homogeneous and predictable manner. Percussion points were small even with a new carbide tipped chisel making the amount of material removed very easy to control. (Figure 9) In this block shown in figure 9 no foliation was detected.
10 Figure 9 Sculpting the marble using a 3/4 inch pneumatic hammer and new carbide tipped chisel Grinding Tests (cup and disk) Grinding tests again showed the material to be very homogeneous and indicated it to be composed primarily of carbonate with no silica present. While using an Aluminum oxide grinding cup and grinding disks, the marble ground quite quickly and consistently. (Figure 10).
11 Figure 10 Grinding the marble using a 6 inch masonry aluminum-oxide grinding cup Polishing of both the slabs (mentioned previously) and sculpture was in part completed using 4 inch resin/diamond pads (50 800 grit) mounted on a pneumatic disk polisher equipped with a water feed. (figure 11) Figure 11 Resin/Diamond pad on pneumatic disk polisher.
12 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMEDATIONS The marble from the second sample site located 100 meters west of the Pyes Ridge White # 1 prospect performed better in carving tests then material from the main showing however it still exhibited discoloration due to weathering. While this is not as important from a sculpting perspective, as a dimension stone slabs produced will have to show the true color of the stone. Drilling would provide useful information as to both the competency of the material and its true color at depth. In 2010, plans are to remove several large blocks (up to 500 kg each) for sculptural purposes. It is believed this can be done without the aid of heavy equipment. An attempt will be made to procure the claims adjacent to 11549m and if successful, plans will be drawn up for some preliminary exploration work in the general area. LIST OF EXPENDITURES EXPENDITURES COST Days Worked (prospecting and travel) (3 days @ 100.00/day) 300.00 Vehicle (gas and maintenance ) + Travel/ (3 days at 200.00/day) 600.00 Meals and accommodations @ 70.00/day 210.00 Quad use 1 day @ 100.00/day wet 100.00 Administration and report writing (1 day) 100.00 Carving and slabbing tests 2 days @ 100.00 / day 200.00 Carving tools (consumables) 50.00 Overhead @ 15% of 1560.00 234.00 Total 1794.00 REFERENCES Dickson L. 2003 Newfoundland Dimension Stone Site Studies, 2002. In Current Research Newfoundland Department of Mines and Energy, Mineral Development Division p, 193-207