The 2009 exploration program examined mineralized zones that are sub parallel or cross cutting to the main gold bearing trend that hosts the historic Meridian Gold Mine. Two significant areas, the Imperial and the Criterion, returned significant gold assays that continue to add to the high exploration potential of these areas.

The Imperial zone is a west northwest striking quartz healed fault zone that varies from 0.5 to 2.0 meters in width and runs sub parallel to the mineralized regional Camborne fault. This structure has only seen limited historic work and in 2006 Manson Creek personnel sampled 11.15 g/t gold and 10.2 g/t silver at surface over 1.0 meters in a continuous chip sample. During the recent program company geologists mapped and sampled the 33 meter exploration adit constructed in the early 1900’s, which undercuts the surface exposure of the gold bearing vein by approximately 20 meters.

Another target of the summer program was the Meridian ‘Glory Hole’. It is a 60 to 70 square meter open pit that intersected underground workings of the Eva Mine, which was the major gold producer in the Meridian Gold Camp. Sampling access to the zone is extremely difficult due to the nature of the pit walls; nevertheless Manson Creek personnel were able to take a number of samples from peripheral areas on the main mineralized zone. The mineralization is in sheeted quartz veins striking across the main Meridian trend. The highest gold value returned was 2.89 g/t in a continuous chip of one of the sheeted veins. Direct surface sampling of the zone at this time is not possible due to wall stability issues.

Additionally, numerous development headings of the main Meridian workings were examined in the course of the program. Sampling in the 5A and 7A level development stopes revealed a possible, previously unrecognized, low grade ‘halo’ periphery to the main mineralized trend with the highest gold assay returning 1.84 g/t gold and 2.30 g/t silver over 0.80 meters. The weighted average of the 15 samples collected in these historic areas was 0.26 g/t gold.

Way Forward
The results of the program are currently being integrated into the geological and structural model that will guide future drilling. This drilling will continue the process of delineating this large gold bearing system. To date, Manson Creek has outlined an extensive gold mineralized system over an area of 1,100 m by 860 m that remains open along strike and to depth. Significant gold values in drill core and outcrop, ranging from 2 g/t to 194 g/t gold, occur within this system.

Exploration Background
The Phase 1 drilling completed in 2008 was the first drill program to test the proximal areas of this historic mining center since the camp was active in the early 20th century.

Manson Creek has consolidated five historic past producing gold – silver mines on the current, road accessible, 675 hectare claim block. The Meridian Camp was active in the early 1900’s but the fragmented land ownership at the time did not allow for growth and the camp faded after only a few years of production.

Gold and silver mineralization on the block is within and proximal to mesothermal quartz veins related to the regional scale Camborne Fault that bisects the Meridian Claim group and hosts 86 mineral occurrences and historic deposits in the region.

The Phase 1 drilling completed this year was the first drill program to test the proximal areas of this historic mining center since the camp faded in the early 20th century.

The drill campaign successfully intersected widespread gold mineralization adjacent to the historic Eva Mine. The seven hole, 1,141 meter (m), program successfully tested 600 m of mineralized strike length adjoining the historic gold producer and confirmed mineralization along a 250 m additional zone that cross cuts the main mineralized trend. Click here to view the Meridian Drilling Results 2008.

Surface sampling conducted at the time of drilling further demonstrates the widespread mineralization. One grab sample assayed 194.00 g/t gold and 48.10 g/t silver. This sample was collected from an outcrop of sheeted quartz veins within a carbonate altered sediment host located along strike of the Camborne Fault and between drill setups for 08MER-02 and 08MER-03.

Sampling from a 3.0 m exposure of the cross fault between drill setups 08MER-04 and 08MER-05 returned 4.42 g/t gold and 1.40 g/t silver on a 1.0 m continuous chip sample and a grab sample returned 10.6 g/t gold and 4.40 g/t silver from the same location.

Table 1. Meridian Project: Significant Results