VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/24/13 -- Alpha Minerals Inc. ("Alpha" or "the Company") (TSX VENTURE: AMW)(FRANKFURT: E2GA) and its 50% Joint Venture partner Fission Uranium Corp. are pleased to report geochemical and gold assay results from the winter 2013 drill program at their Patterson Lake South ("PLS") property - which is host to a high grade uranium discovery. All three zones (R00E, R390E and R780E) had drill holes with strongly anomalous gold values. There is some correlation of uranium values and gold assays and the higher grade gold reported by SRC Geoanalytical Laboratories data occur more frequently with the samples of higher-grade uranium mineralization.
Other geochemical data showed low arsenic values associated with the uranium mineralization represented in the set of 117 composited assay intervals reported in this news release (Tables 1, 2, and 3). This has important metallurgical significance as it indicates that the PLS mineralized zones are not likely to have the high arsenic concentrations found in some Athabasca uranium deposits. High arsenic may require special processing and disposal costs. Approximately 87.2% of the samples returned less than 50 ppm arsenic. Of the 12.8% of the remaining samples, all fell within the range of 50-105 ppm arsenic.
Of significance for the further exploration of the PLS mineralization, this data set also flags the strongly anomalous boron associated with uranium mineralization. Approximately 70.9% of the composited assay intervals show values of over 150 ppm boron, which is typically related to the hydrothermal alteration that is present within and surrounding the uranium mineralization. The extent of the alteration halo around the mineralization can enlarge the target area and be used as a guide to focus on an area in a suitable geophysical setting, especially if elevated geochemical uranium values are associated with this alteration. Several such targets remain on the PLS property yet to be drill tested, particularly west of the R00E zone along the PL-3B EM conductor.
Gold has been reported elsewhere in the Athabasca Basin uranium deposits. At the Cluff Lake Mine (greater than 60 million lbs produced), located 74 kms north of PLS, a gold saving circuit was installed during the operation of the mill. The Saskatchewan Mineral Deposit Index (reports 1150A and 2153) shows Cluff Lake deposits yielded over 16,000 ounces of gold produced in 1987 from the D Zone and Dominique-Janine deposits. UEX Corporation reported that, locally, high grades of gold are present in the Shea Creek deposits, located 58 kms north of PLS.
The strongest gold-bearing intersection was returned from hole PLS13-066, the eastern-most hole drilled on the R390E zone, with an overall grade of 1.58 g/t Au over 63.5m, and including several higher grade intervals (including an assay high of 35.6 g/t Au). Typically gold distribution in the Athabasca uranium deposits is irregular and may be a contributor only if higher grade mineralization is associated with a mineable volume of a uranium deposit. At today's gold price of about $1,200 per oz, a gram of gold has a gross value of about $38.58 before mining, refining and other costs. This is approximately equivalent to the gross price of a pound of uranium in today's spot market.
Gold Assay Highlights
Zone R00E
-- PLS13-059 (line 030E)
-- 20.5m (65.5m - 86.0m) @ 1.90 g/t Au
Zone R390E
-- PLS13-066 (line 420E)
-- 63.5m (82.0m - 145.5m) @ 1.58 g/t Au
-- Including 2.5m (88.0m - 90.5m) @ 8.8 g/t Au
-- Including an assay of 0.5m @ 35.6 g/t Au
-- Including 2.0m (133.0m - 135.0m) @ 7.5 g/t Au
-- PLS13-051 (line 405E)
-- 53.0m (95.0m - 148.0m) @ 1.02 g/t Au
-- Including 10.5m (107.5m - 118.0m) @ 2.60 g/t Au
Zone R780E
-- PLS13-060 (line 780E)
-- 7.0m (144.0 m - 151.0m) @ 1.71 g/t Au
-- Including 2.5m (146.5m - 149.0m) @ 4.48 g/t Au
Tables 1, 2, and 3 highlight composited gold intersections as they relate to the composited uranium intervals within zones R00E, R390E and R780E. Note that a concentration of 1000 ppb is equivalent to 1.0 g/t Au.
Table 1: R00E Zone
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Grid From To Interval U3O8 Au As B
Zone Hole ID Line (m) (m) (m) (wt%) (ppb) (ppm) (ppm)
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----------------------------------------------------------------------------
R00E PLS13-026 025W 63.00 84.50 21.50 0.77 75 12 1096
73.50 81.50 8.00 1.41 159 13 524
88.50 89.50 1.00 0.13 5 22 204
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-027 025W 61.00 98.50 37.50 1.06 100 20 477
78.00 91.00 13.00 1.97 60 27 619
106.00 106.50 0.50 0.06 1 12 138
144.50 145.00 0.50 0.19 14 11 64
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-028 090E 48.50 52.50 4.00 0.16 16 62 405
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-029 025W 63.00 93.00 30.00 0.76 20 25 755
81.50 85.00 3.50 3.57 72 62 732
88.50 92.00 3.50 2.08 18 53 706
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-030 090E No significant mineralization
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-031 025W 68.50 92.00 23.50 0.67 14 17 405
82.50 90.00 7.50 1.58 24 33 458
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-032 090E 49.00 50.50 1.50 0.05 5 32 171
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-033 025W 70.00 72.00 2.00 0.17 4 9 148
77.00 77.50 0.50 0.06 11 34 282
86.00 87.50 1.50 0.15 5 15 156
92.00 93.00 1.00 0.09 2 7 131
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-034 105E No significant mineralization
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-035 010W 62.00 71.50 9.50 0.39 15 13 316
78.00 86.50 8.50 0.96 21 13 489
81.00 85.50 4.50 1.57 24 11 443
121.50 122.00 0.50 0.07 49 8 95
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-036 105E No significant mineralization
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-037 025W 60.00 62.00 2.00 0.12 4 30 117
71.00 78.50 7.50 2.25 744 23 433
74.00 76.00 2.00 7.43 1144 29 621
83.50 87.50 4.00 0.09 3043 8 62
105.00 107.00 2.00 6.31 1124 62 257
109.50 110.00 0.50 0.10 167 5 11
113.50 116.00 2.50 0.13 103 6 38
119.00 122.50 3.50 7.27 839 81 252
120.00 122.00 2.00 12.40 1416 117 371
124.50 125.00 0.50 0.06 31 7 125
130.00 130.50 0.50 0.06 10 7 83
180.00 180.50 0.50 0.07 207 3 85
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-039 045W 75.50 76.00 0.50 0.06 5 2 634
125.50 128.50 3.00 0.10 91 6 138
161.50 162.00 0.50 0.12 1030 7 115
223.00 223.50 0.50 0.05 623 83 62
224.00 224.50 0.50 0.07 22 20 163
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-041 040W 63.50 68.50 5.00 0.13 25 24 502
75.00 88.50 13.50 5.54 161 38 592
83.50 87.00 3.50 17.08 538 72 626
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-043 045W 63.50 65.00 1.50 0.99 269 60 269
67.50 89.50 22.00 4.80 144 14 594
83.50 87.50 4.00 20.73 69 31 613
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-045 045W 64.00 85.00 21.00 0.23 20 13 251
88.00 89.00 1.00 0.07 2 11 78
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-047 060W 64.50 68.00 3.50 0.18 101 16 2991
105.00 105.50 0.50 0.12 55 11 78
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-049 060W 64.50 83.00 18.50 1.93 198 14 626
70.00 72.50 2.50 8.04 1068 42 616
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-050 060W 63.50 65.00 1.50 0.07 4 14 165
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-052 015E 62.00 72.50 10.50 0.87 197 38 475
62.50 66.00 3.50 2.01 87 81 798
75.50 93.50 18.00 3.56 106 56 528
84.00 88.50 4.50 11.95 124 172 624
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-054 015E 68.00 79.50 11.50 0.28 405 9 401
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-056 015E 62.50 71.50 9.00 0.16 28 12 329
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-058 010W 63.50 67.50 4.00 0.11 10 26 86
70.50 87.50 17.00 0.18 9 8 260
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-059 030E 55.50 62.00 6.50 3.61 580 58 433
56.50 59.00 2.50 8.99 500 75 603
65.50 86.00 20.50 8.36 1900 50 518
74.50 84.00 9.50 17.78 2338 86 661
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-065 060E 51.00 53.50 2.50 0.12 3 10 995
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-067 045E 50.50 52.00 1.50 0.09 2 18 106
61.50 67.50 6.00 4.63 49 46 615
63.50 67.50 4.00 6.86 57 64 726
110.00 110.50 0.50 0.05 19 2 33
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-069 045E 52.00 54.00 2.00 0.29 22 25 441
57.50 58.00 0.50 0.05 12 4 356
95.00 95.50 0.50 0.05 10 30 39
100.50 101.50 1.00 0.06 9 7 207
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-071 045E No significant mineralization
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Composite Parameters
1. Minimum Thickness: 0.50m
2. Grade Cut-Off: 0.05 U3O8 (wt%)
3. Maximum Internal Dilution: 2.00m
4. Interval based on U3O8 cut-off. No cut-off used for gold (Au).
Table 2: R390E Zone
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Grid From To Interval U3O8 Au As B
Zone Hole ID Line (m) (m) (m) (wt%) (ppb) (ppm) (ppm)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
R390E PLS13-038 380E 73.50 74.50 1.00 0.01 6 4 720
79.50 80.00 0.50 0.05 0 4 863
87.00 121.00 34.00 4.99 446 52 592
94.50 107.00 12.50 9.32 1045 75 465
126.50 144.00 17.50 0.96 1213 36 427
133.00 138.50 5.50 2.07 1559 57 463
165.00 168.00 3.00 0.09 79 10 127
170.50 171.00 0.50 0.15 56 9 171
174.00 181.00 7.00 0.15 94 25 143
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-044 390E 56.00 73.00 17.00 0.24 21 9 874
60.00 61.00 1.00 1.24 6 11 1158
77.00 83.00 6.00 0.32 31 19 467
86.00 89.50 3.50 0.38 308 13 337
96.50 103.50 7.00 0.46 317 11 461
101.00 102.50 1.50 1.36 825 20 827
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-046 390E 96.50 98.00 1.50 0.13 4 4 73
127.50 129.00 1.50 0.04 6 1 103
206.50 207.50 1.00 0.15 391 49 179
239.00 240.00 1.00 0.14 244 7 116
243.50 244.00 0.50 0.16 191 105 271
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-051 405E 76.00 77.00 1.00 0.10 8 94 758
79.50 80.00 0.50 0.06 12 16 346
95.00 148.00 53.00 6.57 1016 53 701
107.50 118.00 10.50 29.26 2603 147 456
157.00 159.50 2.50 0.10 205 24 180
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-053 375E 66.00 115.50 49.50 6.26 556 63 672
98.50 104.50 6.00 35.00 3231 170 383
120.00 136.50 16.50 2.63 1510 27 487
130.00 133.00 3.00 13.19 7228 80 500
145.00 145.50 0.50 0.14 10 14 152
160.50 161.00 0.50 0.09 35 31 57
191.50 192.00 0.50 0.07 57 5 98
218.50 219.50 1.00 0.07 171 3 163
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-061 360E 77.00 98.00 21.00 0.26 602 23 633
92.50 97.50 5.00 0.75 1946 62 866
102.50 103.50 1.00 0.25 206 13 876
110.00 133.50 23.50 1.39 1592 26 731
126.00 132.00 6.00 4.34 3292 69 601
137.50 140.00 2.50 1.17 1313 46 376
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-062 375E 51.00 55.00 4.00 0.36 15 51 704
86.00 98.50 12.50 0.19 357 10 697
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-064 405E 83.50 84.50 1.00 0.29 104 26 173
90.50 91.50 1.00 0.11 4 15 108
95.00 96.00 1.00 0.06 709 21 207
110.50 121.00 10.50 0.08 456 6 1769
125.50 136.00 10.50 0.43 616 38 693
130.00 132.00 2.00 1.37 2594 77 710
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-066 420E 82.00 145.50 63.50 1.15 1580 32 812
88.00 90.50 2.50 4.50 8836 75 432
101.00 107.50 6.50 2.60 1148 41 802
122.00 124.00 2.00 2.14 6481 37 538
133.00 135.00 2.00 9.51 7485 92 409
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-068 390E 96.00 111.00 15.00 0.26 32 11 698
116.00 117.00 1.00 0.10 11 12 227
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-070 390E 85.50 89.00 3.50 0.13 13 68 531
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Composite Parameters
1. Minimum Thickness: 0.50m
2. Grade Cut-Off: 0.05 U3O8 (wt%)
3. Maximum Internal Dilution: 2.00m
4. Interval based on U3O8 cut-off. No cut-off used for gold (Au).
Table 3: R780E Zone
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Grid From To Interval U3O8 Au As B
Zone Hole ID Line (m) (m) (m) (wt%) (ppb) (ppm) (ppm)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
R780E PLS13-048 780E 155.00 164.50 9.50 0.08 16 5 284
167.00 173.50 6.50 0.18 9 7 173
176.00 177.00 1.00 0.07 117 8 86
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-055 780E 109.50 114.00 4.50 0.40 692 4 394
117.00 118.00 1.00 0.15 32 6 48
141.50 145.50 4.00 0.40 563 13 894
166.00 176.00 10.00 0.57 265 8 263
173.50 176.00 2.50 1.87 704 15 546
192.00 192.50 0.50 0.39 1090 18 581
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PLS13-060 780E 133.50 141.00 7.50 0.18 76 7 479
144.00 151.00 7.00 1.22 1708 12 670
146.50 149.00 2.50 3.00 4478 31 1058
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
154.00 156.50 2.50 0.13 6 3 168
159.50 175.00 15.50 0.20 51 5 261
183.00 189.50 6.50 0.39 275 10 272
193.50 196.50 3.00 0.14 88 1 245
203.50 209.00 5.50 0.36 247 7 501
212.00 217.00 5.00 0.36 628 10 353
221.00 226.50 5.50 0.13 141 5 70
247.50 248.00 0.50 0.20 65 13 54
257.50 258.00 0.50 0.38 331 7 136
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Composite Parameters
1. Minimum Thickness: 0.50m
2. Grade Cut-Off: 0.05 U3O8 (wt%)
3. Maximum Internal Dilution: 2.00m
4. Interval based on U3O8 cut-off. No cut-off used for gold (Au).
All depth measurements reported, including sample and interval widths are down-hole, core interval measurements and true thickness are yet to be determined.
Patterson Lake South Property
The 31,000 hectare (76,000 acres) PLS project is a 50%/50% Joint Venture held by Alpha Minerals Inc (AMW) and Fission Uranium (FCU). The Joint Venture property is 100% owned with no underlying royalties or vendor payments. Alpha returns as the Operator of the Joint Venture in 2014. The property is accessible by road with primary access from all-weather Highway 955, which runs 74km north to the former Cluff Lake mine, (greater than 60M lbs of U3O8 produced from multiple open pit and underground mines), and passes through the nearby UEX-Areva Shea Creek discoveries located 58km to the north, currently under active exploration and development.
Garrett Ainsworth, P.Geo., Vice President Exploration is the Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 who was project manager of the winter 2013 work program at Patterson Lake South. The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 and reviewed on behalf of Alpha Minerals Inc., by Ben Ainsworth, P.Eng., a Qualified Person.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Alpha Minerals Inc.
Ben Ainsworth, President, CEO and Director
Please refer to the Alpha Minerals Inc. website (www.alphaminerals.ca) for further and updated information.
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 release.
This press release contains "forward-looking information" that is based on Alpha's current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections. This forward-looking information includes, among other things, statements with respect to Alpha's development plans. The words "will", "anticipated", "plans" or other similar words and phrases are intended to identify forward-looking information.
Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Alpha's actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include, but are not limited to: uncertainties related exploration and development; the ability to raise sufficient capital to fund exploration and development; changes in economic conditions or financial markets; increases in input costs; litigation, legislative, environmental and other judicial, regulatory, political and competitive developments; technological or operational difficulties or inability to obtain permits encountered in connection with exploration activities; and labour relations matters. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect our forward-looking information. These and other factors should be considered carefully and readers should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking information. Alpha disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Contacts:
Alpha Minerals Inc.
Robert (Bob) Meister
(604) 629-0293
1-866-629-0293
info@alphaminerals.ca
www.alphaminerals.ca
