Remote Sensing to Identify New Mineral Targets in Nevada

Tungsten, an exploration-stage company focused on the evaluation, acquisition and development of domestic tungsten mining opportunities, has announced that it has successfully implemented spectral mapping to significantly advance the initial study of mineralisation at its flagship Nevada property, USA.

During recent field work, the company elected to engage Colorado-based Spectral International to undertake a spectral analysis aimed at identifying new tungsten-prospective targets throughout the Cherry Creek mining property, located approximately 140 kilometres south of the town of Wells, in White Pine County, Nevada, United States.

Reflectance spectroscopy has been successfully used by exploration companies for many years as a remote sensing tool in order to identify alterations related to many kinds of mineralisation and as an aid to lithology mapping. Spectroscopy is particularly sensitive to clay and other alteration minerals such as carbonates.

Tungsten had already ascertained that the tungsten (scheelite) mineralisation previously mined at the Cherry Creek location was closely related to carbonate alterations and therefore determined that a spectroscopic study offered a proven method to rapidly identify the most prospective areas, especially in relation to the several historic past-producing mines on the property.

The spectral information quickly confirmed areas of previously known tungsten mineralisation as well as identified many new alteration zones that will be mapped and sampled in detail now that the 2013 field season is fully underway. In addition, important information was obtained through the identification of major rock units extending across the property and beyond and which will subsequently aid in the preparation of a detailed geologic area map.

Company president Guy Martin commented it was an easy decision to invest in the remote sensing analysis as the cost/benefit value was obvious to them. The spectral study provides a real head start on the exploration of the property, especially in terms of identifying previously unknown mineralised zones. It dramatically speeds up the development of an overall picture of the inherent tungsten mineral resource and that achievement alone helps pave the way towards the development of a proper resource estimate of the property. Asset valuation is a major goal for their team and shareholders alike, and anything that speeds up the process, while maintaining the quality of the resultant data, is being utilised to achieve that goal.