Western Alaska Minerals (TSXV:WAM) has released the initial assay results from the step-out phase of its second-year of drilling at the Waterpump Creek Carbonate Replacement Deposit. The results indicate that Hole WPC23-0030 has expanded the Waterpump Creek zone to 495 meters in strike length.

The hole was part of a two-drill program aiming to examine the continuation of the Waterpump Creek system southwards. Notably, this hole was drilled from the same pad as WPC22-022, albeit at an angle of -70° facing south. WPC22-022 had previously been identified as intersecting a structure believed to be a feeder chimney, with several high-grade zones of mineralization, as reported on December 7, 2022. Further details on these findings, along with intercepts from other drills, were provided in a press release dated July 6, 2023, which also detailed the outcomes from the step-out hole WPC23-0032 that identified the Illinois Creek fault’s location.

Kit Marrs, CEO of Western Alaska Minerals, commented in a press release: “We welcome this proof that high-grade mineralization at Waterpump Creek remains open to the south and that the distinctive CRD alteration seen there is turning up in our drilling 700m farther south at Last Hurrah. We look forward to continuing drilling at Last Hurrah to find the sulphides that the alteration is telling us should be nearby and trace it back towards WPC, which may just be the tip of the finger of a major CRD manto”.

Characteristically, the intercepts mentioned are dominated by in-situ gossan intertwined with residual galena. Throughout the intercepts, Pb and Zn carbonates and oxides are observed. The identified gap in mineralization from 249.3 to 262.1 in the referenced table is attributed to a significant amount of late-stage pyrite, comparable to what was found in WPC22-018 and WPC22-022.

When considering this year’s results, along with data from the previous 26 drill holes at Waterpump Creek, there’s confirmation of the continuity of massive sulfides ranging between 30 to 75 meters in width and 495 meters in length, which show a gentle plunge towards the south.

Update on Phase II Drilling at Last Hurrah Target

The initial drilling at the Last Hurrah target, which is situated 700 meters south of Waterpump Creek, has been completed. Positioned across the Illinois Creek fault from Waterpump Creek, Last Hurrah was earmarked as a potential site due to a reinterpretation of past geology, soil geochemistry, geophysical examinations, and previous drills carried out by Anaconda and NovaGold.

Four holes, spaced at intervals of approximately 120 meters, were drilled along an east-west line, focusing on the north-south-aligned alteration vectors. These holes aimed to pinpoint mineralization in this previously uncharted territory. Each of these holes revealed widespread and intricate alteration, including signs of sanding, bleaching, and UV fluorescence. This suggests that the area experienced multiple episodes of hydrothermal fluid activity. Hole LH23-0005 was a standout, displaying the distinct “Barbeque Rock” fluorescence (vivid orange and pink under Shortwave UV), accompanied by anomalous Pb and Zn values as evidenced by a hand-held XRF Analyzer.

These findings are consistent and similar to the data from hole WPC22-021, which was drilled 30 meters away from the high-grade sulfide intercept in hole WPC22-022, strongly hinting at the close vicinity of mineralization.

Highlights from the results are as follows:

• Step-out drill hole WPC23-0030:
  • Cumulative 71.6 meters of multiple high-grade zones
    • 22.0m of 146 gpt Ag (4.7 opt), 3.3% Pb and 9.8% Zn
    • 40.2m of 262 gpt Ag (8.4 opt), 10.9% Pb and 4.5% Zn, including
      • 5.3 meters of 729 gpt Ag (23.4 opt), 24.1% Pb and 3.1 % Zn, and
      • 8.6 meters of 493 gpt Ag (15.8 opt), 22.9% Pb and 2.6% Zn
  • Extends the WPC system at least 45 meters down plunge to the south and demonstrates continuity of the system.
  • Extends WPC system to 495m in total length.
• Last Hurrah Drilling:
  • The Company is excited to share visuals from the first drilling at Anaconda’s “Last Hurrah”* target, which appears to be an offset continuation of Waterpump Creek. Hole LH23-0005 cut 21.4m of strongly ultraviolet fluorescent “Barbecue Rock” in “Fugitive Calcite” veining, a proximal “exhaust” feature of CRD mineralization according to CRD expert, Dr. Peter Megaw, technical advisor to WAM. Similar Barbeque Rock surrounds mineralization at the Waterpump Creek deposit, where it occurs within 25m to 50m of high-grade CRD massive sulphide mineralization.

Table 1. Drill intercepts within hole WPC23-0030.

*All intercepts are core length; true widths have not been determined for the above intercepts but are thought to be greater than 80% of actual drill thicknesses.

Table 2. Hole Location table.