North Arrow targeting more diamond discoveries at Mel

North Arrow Minerals Inc. [NAR-TSXV, NHAWF-OTC] said Monday January 22 that it has significantly increased the size of its 100%-owned Mel Diamond Project to 56,075 hectares from 7,500 hectares. Claim staking was initiated as a result of North Arrow’s September, 2017 discovery of a new diamond-bearing kimberlite field at Mel, located 20 kilometres from tide water on the Melville Peninsula, Nunavut.

North Arrow is a Canadian-based exploration company focused on the identification of diamond exploration opportunities in Canada. In addition to the Mel Project, North Arrow is currently finalizing diamond recoveries from a mini-bulk sampling program at the Naujaat Project, which is also located on the Melville Peninsula. As well, the company is preparing for exploration drilling programs this spring at the Loki and LDG Projects in the Northwest Territories, while awaiting results from its Pikoo (SK) Project in Saskatchewan.

North Arrow also maintains a 100% interest in the Hope Bay Oro Gold Project which is located approximately 3 km north of the TMAC Resources Inc. [TMR-TSX] new Doris Gold Mine in Nunavut.

At the Mel Diamond Project, the company said it made the prospecting discovery of the ML-8 kimberlite near the up-ice termination of a well-defined kimberlite indicator mineral train in the northern part of the project area.

A 62-kilogram sample of ML-8 returned 23 diamonds larger than 0.106 millimetres sieve size, including a single colourless diamond larger than 0.85 millimeter sieve size.  Details of the discovery were reported in a news release dated October 16, 2017.

“The expanded Mel Project connects the Mel North area with the Mel South KIM anomaly, approximately 15 km southwest of the ML-8 kimberlite discovery,” said North Arrow President and CEO Ken Armstrong. “Mel is highly prospective for additional kimberlite and diamond discoveries in 2018 with exploration work, including drilling scheduled to commence in May,” he said.

Exploration drilling will focus on defining the ML-8 kimberlite, as well as testing a series of targets at the head of three well defined KIM trains in the Mel North area

“The ML-8 kimberlite discovery is a highlight of North Arrow’s 2017 exploration program,” Armstrong said.

In addition to drilling at Mel, North Arrow is well positioned for further discovery in 2018 with spring drill programs planned at the Loki and LDG Projects as well as pending diamond results from a 210 tonne mini-bulk sample collected from the Q1-4 kimberlite at the Naujaat Project (now-yat; formerly Qilalugaq).

The company recently began processing samples collected during its recently completed summer drilling and mini-bulk sampling programs at the Naujaat.

The 12.5-hectare Q-1-4 kimberlite on that property ranks as one of the largest undeveloped diamond resources in Canada. It contains a significant population of extremely rare, potentially high value, fancy vivid orangey yellow diamonds as certified by the Gemology Institute of America and Canadian Gem Labs.

The collection of a bulk sample was part of a $3.2 million summer exploration program that was planned for the site. A total of 250 large bags of kimberlite with an approximate field weight of 234 wet tonnes have been collected from a single sample pit at the Q1-4 kimberlite, the company said.

North Arrow shares rose 2.4% or $0.005 to 21 cents in morning trading, Monday. The 52-week range is 16.5 cents and 40 cents.