VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA — (Marketwire) — 01/23/13 — ATAC Resources Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: ATC) is pleased to provide a summary of recently compiled results from the Company-s 2012 regional-scale exploration program conducted across its 100% owned 1,700 sq/km Rackla Gold Project in central Yukon.
The comprehensive 2012 program consisted of stream sediment and soil geochemical surveys, prospecting, mapping, hand pitting, hand trenching and satellite image structural lineament analyses. Exploration emphasis was directed at previously unexplored areas outside the drilled zones along the 40 km long Nadaleen Trend at the eastern end of the property and within the 35 km long Rau Trend containing the Tiger Deposit at the western end. A total of 19,693 soil samples, 1,219 stream sediment samples and 1,526 rock samples were collected along the 185 km long property. Highlights are listed below:
2012 Regional Exploration Highlights:
„The ability to consistently make significant new discoveries like Anubis, Pharaoh, Sunrise and Bengal is testimony to the district-scale potential of both trends,“ states Graham Downs, ATAC-s CEO. „With virtually no historical gold exploration along the Rackla Gold Belt and only approximately 16% of the belt having now been geochemically surveyed, we are very optimistic that our ongoing systematic exploration will continue to produce additional discoveries.“
Nadaleen Trend
2012 exploration within the Nadaleen Trend was highly successful as demonstrated by two new drill confirmed Carlin-type gold discoveries named the Anubis and Sunrise Zones. The Sunrise Zone is part of the Osiris mineralizing system, while the Anubis Zone is located 10 km west of the Osiris area. The Anubis Zone is particularly significant as it validates the district gold potential of the Nadaleen Trend. Continued exploration successes in 2012 included the identification of ten Tier 1 pathfinder element+/-gold geochemical anomalies and the identification of the Pharaoh target 13 km northeast of the Osiris area which contains both Carlin-style and gold-bearing quartz vein mineralization. Quartz vein sub-crop and grab samples from Pharaoh returned gold grades ranging from below detection to 79.40 g/t gold.
The ten newly identified and untested Tier 1 targets are very encouraging as nine of them occur within a 12 by 8.5 km area of anomalous multi-element geochemical response centered on the Anubis Zone (updated regional-scale geochemical maps can be viewed on ATAC-s website at ). This area was mostly delineated by first pass transect grid lines spaced 250 m apart. These anomalies strongly coincide with well-defined regional structural trends, indicative of district-scale systems.
The Anubis Zone and surrounding Tier 1 targets are considerably lower in elevation than the Osiris Zone where soil sampling of thin overburden delineated extremely robust gold-in-soil responses. In contrast, the thicker overburden cover and lack of outcrop at Anubis results in a more subdued geochemical expression, similar to the geochemical signature of the Conrad Zone near Osiris. The Anubis discovery area will receive concentrated follow-up exploration in 2013.
Rau Trend
New stratabound and structurally controlled gold showings were discovered in the southern part of the Rau Trend. The most significant of these discoveries is the Bengal Showing, located 3 km south of the Tiger Deposit, within a newly defined 5.6 km long intermittent gold-in-soil anomaly. Hand trenching at one location exposed a sequence of highly altered shale, silty carbonate and dolomite unlike the limestone hosted mineralization at the Tiger Deposit. Channel samples from the Bengal Showing returned below detection to 3.19 g/t gold across 1.0 m. Several other channel samples along the 20 m strike length of the exposure returned greater than 1 g/t gold. This discovery is highly significant as it broadens the potential for gold mineralization within the regionally extensive Earn Group stratigraphy.
Prospecting at the Kathy Showing located 4.5 km east of the Tiger Deposit discovered skarn assemblages in carbonate rocks cut by narrow bismuthinite-rich veinlets. Select samples of veinlet material yielded below detection to 13.7 g/t gold, below detection to 1100 g/t silver and below detection to greater than 1% tin.
Studies at the University of Alberta have linked the gold mineralization in the vicinity of the Tiger Deposit and base metal mineralization 15 km to the west at the Ocelot silver/lead/zinc/tin zone to the nearby early Tertiary Rackla Pluton. Geophysical evidence suggests that much of the Rau Trend may be underlain by a much larger intrusive complex and therefore the potential for further discoveries in a number of different settings is very good.
Summary of Rackla Gold Belt Exploration Targets and Zones
QA/QC
Samples were forwarded to ALS Minerals in Whitehorse, Y.T. or North Vancouver, B.C. where they were fine crushed before a 250 gram split was pulverized to better than 85% passing 75 microns. The pulverizing circuit was cleaned with quartz sand twice between samples. Pulps were then analyzed at ALS Minerals in North Vancouver where gold determinations were carried out. Rock sample gold analyses were by the Au-AA26 procedure that involves fire assay preparation using a 50 gram charge with an atomic absorption spectroscopy finish. Initial multi element data for 49 elements was determined by the ME-MS61 procedure that involves a four acid digestion followed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. Over limit values for lead, silver and zinc are determined by the Ag/Pb/Zn-OG62 method that utilizes a four acid digestion followed by an atomic absorption spectroscopy finish. Over limit values for tin are reported using the Sn-XRF05 method which involves analysis of a pressed pellet by wavelength dispersive x-ray fluorescence. Over limit values for silver determined by the OG62 method are re-analyzed using the Ag-GRA 21 method which involves fire assay preparation using 30 gram charge and a gravimetric finish. Over limit values for lead and zinc determined by the OG-62 method are re-analyzed by dissolution of the metal followed by titration.
Samples containing visible gold and samples suspected of containing coarse gold from the Pharaoh area were analyzed using the Au-SCR21 method in which 1 kg of sample pulp is passed through a 100 micron screen and all of the coarse material on the screen is assayed by Au fire assay. Two samples of homogenized pulp that passed through the screen are assayed by Au-AA25 and Au-AA25D which is fire assay with AAS finish on a 30 gram sample charge. The weighted average of the coarse and fine fraction assays are calculated by the laboratory and reported as the total gold concentration of the rock sample. Rigorous procedures are in place regarding sample collection, chain of custody and data entry.
The technical information in this news release has been approved by Robert C. Carne, M.Sc., P.Geo., the President of ATAC Resources Ltd., and a qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101.
About ATAC
ATAC is a well-funded, Yukon-based exploration company focused on developing Canada-s only Carlin-type gold district at its 100% owned, Rackla Gold Project. For additional information concerning ATAC Resources Ltd., please visit our website at .
On behalf of Management and the Board of Directors of ATAC Resources Ltd.
Graham Downs, CEO
This news release may contain forward looking statements based on assumptions and judgments of management regarding future events or results that may prove to be inaccurate as a result of exploration and other risk factors.
NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS NEWS RELEASE.
Contacts: ATAC Resources Ltd. Vanessa Pickering Manager, Corporate Communications 604-687-2522 ext. 260
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