Overview
The Maranhense property is located on the northwestern part of the Tocantinzinho trend, a crustal scale lineament that controls most of the important known deposits in the Tapajós Mineral Province (such as Sao Jorge, the Palito mine, Tocantinzinho (2.1M oz), and the Cuiú Cuiú project). Magellan has completed reconnaissance rock and soil sampling on the project as well as an aerial geophysical survey. Soil sampling around the Maranhense workings has revealed a significant gold in soil anomaly of 100 to 700 ppb over an area of 700 x 250m, centered on the old garimpo pit. The anomaly is open in several directions. A total of 56.7km of lines have been cut and 1088 soil samples collected thus far at Maranhense.
Several garimpo pits have been previously mined at Maranhense with primary bedrock mineralization exposed in at least four of the pits. In addition, the garimpeiros sunk several shafts to about 15m depth along a mineralized shear zone, just north of the main pit.
No previous drilling has ever been conducted at Maranhense.
Geology and Mineralization
The CPRM map which covers the Maranhense area highlights intrusive granitic rocks of the Parauari suite and sediments of the Buiuçu Formation. The Parauari suite granite hosts all of the gold deposits listed in the previous paragraph, and is known to be the most permissive host rock within the Tapajós. Monzonítes, granites and granodiorites of this suite have been mapped by Magellan in the field and host a series of mineralized shear zones and vein systems. Fault breccias and boxwork textures after sulfides are observed within the mineralized zones and andesitic dykes trending N-S and N-E have been mapped within the mineralized areas. Similar andesite dykes occur at the nearby Tocantinzinho deposit (2.1 Moz gold), where gold mineralization is often localized on the contact between the two lithologies. Interpretation of the satellite images reveals predominant NW and NE structural trends, and the latter structures appear related to mineralized structures in some cases.
Soil sampling by Magellan at Maranhense has identified a gold-in-soil anomaly (50-2000ppb) that extends E-W over 700m and extends N-S for 250m. The orientation is consistent with the direction of the structures mapped in the Pit do Filão area. Some of the better chip and channel results to date include: a chip sample across a vein hosting 7.3 g/t Au, and two spectacular high grade grab samples from quartz-sulfide vein structures that returned 90.4 g/t and 600.4 g/t Au.
Exploration Program
- Additional ground geophysics and sampling is planned during early 2008 to better define drill targets.
- Expenditures to date, including payments to the owners of the traditional surface rights, are approximately US$100,000.
Maps & Photos
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