A surface rock chip sample revealing 137.7 grams per tonne gold and 10.6 per cent copper at Latitude 66's Peräpohja Schist Belt Project (PSB) project in northern Finland has provided management with a tantalising new glimpse into what treasures may lie beneath.
The company says its latest results have affirmed multiple ice flow gold-copper mineralisation trends extending up to 2km. Initial boulder sampling at the site alongside previous exploration has identified respective gold-copper mineralisation trends spanning 2km, 1.6km and 1.2km, with the company now re-examining previous Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) work, including till base, diamond drilling and geophysical data.
Continued boulder sampling and geophysical electromagnetic (EM) surveys are also in progress.
The PSB project spans 412 square kilometres in the eastern basin and was initially identified through extensive historical exploration by the GTK. The latest boulder sampling has elevated the region's prospectivity, hinting at potential extensions and the emergence of a new gold-copper system in Northern Finland.
Latitude 66 managing director Grant Coyle said: “These significant results from our boulder sampling program confirm multiple gold-copper trends with extensive strike lengths, bolstering our confidence in further mineralisation extensions. Our exploration efforts at the PSB Project continue, as we re-analyse previous work to deepen our understanding of the region’s geology and discovery potential.”
The company says its sampling at PSB uncovered two promising gold and copper trends, aligning with rock types such as dolerite. Multiple ice flow mineralised trends – calculated through the study of direction of the glacial striations – have been interpreted at the project’s P4 trend, spanning the 2km and showing impressive results including 137.7g/t gold, 10.6 per cent copper, 0.16 per cent cobalt and 73g/t silver.
The sample was taken from a wide quartz-sulphide vein about 10cm wide in metadolerite rock, with visible pyrite and some chalcopyrite and malachite. Additionally, the P3 trend that extends 1.6km has thrown up significant numbers, including 3.2 per cent copper, 1.2g/t gold and 0.08 per cent cobalt.
The trends are positioned near key north-west-trending structural breaks and south-west-trending fold closures within dolerites – perfect spots for mineralisation. The interpreted trends come from the distribution and angularity of local boulder samples.
Throughout the rest of this month, Latitude plans to ramp up field activities to further investigate the geological units at its Petaja, Reutu and Vinsa prospects. It will involve ground-based prospecting, boulder and outcrop sampling and structural investigation using EM, induced-polarisation (IP) and magnetic surveys, together with the data from GTK.
With the short summer exploration window in northern Finland, the race is on for Latitude to capitalise on its time and dig deeper into the promising grounds, with hopes of confirming PSB as a new high-grade gold-copper province.
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By James Pearson
