F4 Uranium (TSX-V:F4U) has expanded its Murphy Lake drill program by 60% to 4,000m after encountering anomalous radioactivity in all target areas tested.
The company says drilling efficiency and ‘encouraging’ results prompted the expansion from the originally planned 2,500m program in Saskatchewan’s Athabasca Basin.
Recent drilling intersected anomalous radioactivity up to 350 counts per second (cps) over 1.0m in basement rocks below the unconformity. Strong limonite, bleaching, and clay alteration were also observed in the sandstone above the unconformity.
The three most recent drill holes were completed in target areas four and five on the Murphy Lake South trend.
All three holes intersected anomalous radioactivity and strong alteration along strike from historic mineralisation that returned 0.065% triuranium octoxide over 2.5m, including 0.242% triuranium octoxide over 0.5m.
Key intercept data include:
- Recorded hand-held scintillometer readings greater than 300 cps over 1.0m, with a peak of 510 cps in basement rocks just below the unconformity; and corresponding downhole gamma readings exceeding 500 cps over 3.8m, peaking at 2,564 cps
- Returned hand-held scintillometer readings greater than 300 cps over a total of 1.0m, with a peak of 350 cps
F4 says seven holes have now been completed across multiple target areas, with anomalous radioactivity intersected in all areas tested.
Five of the seven holes returned elevated radioactivity, and every hole displayed strong hydrothermal alteration at the unconformity.
VP Exploration Erik Sehn says the program “continues to deliver strong results”.
“These latest three holes on the Murphy Lake South trend have added more anomalous radioactivity and strong alteration, bringing the total to five holes with radioactivity intersected in four target areas to date,” Sehn says.
“With approximately 3,200m drilled so far, these encouraging intersections, combined with better-than-expected drilling efficiency, justify expanding the program to 4,000m.”
Drilling is now advancing to target area six to test a strong parallel conductor identified by a recent partner-financed moving-loop electromagnetic survey.
The 609-hectare Murphy Lake property sits in the northeastern corner of the Athabasca Basin, 30km northwest of Orano‘s McClean Lake deposits and 5km south of IsoEnergy‘s (TSX:ISO) Hurricane uranium deposit.
F4 Uranium is a Canadian junior resource company focused on exploring and developing strategic uranium properties within Saskatchewan’s Athabasca Basin.
Write to Paula Fabe at Mining.com.au
Images: Unsplash
