Tournigan Acquires Arizona Uranium Claims
Tournigan Gold Corporation (TSX VENTURE:TVC.V ) is pleased to announce the acquisition of 413 federal lode mining claims covering 8,260 acres in the historic “Arizona Strip” uranium district in the Colorado Plateau of northern Arizona, USA. The claims cover known or potential uranium mineralization hosted in “collapse” breccia pipes. Uranium mineralization found in collapse breccia pipes in Arizona typically contains higher-than-average uranium grades relative to other USA uranium deposits. Tournigan management believes these new sets of claims may represent the largest holding of breccia pipe targets in the Arizona Strip district. This acquisition is now the highest priority in Tournigan’s US uranium portfolio, with three field teams evaluating the 79 identified collapse structures.
Collapse breccia pipe-hosted uranium deposits represented an important new style of uranium mineralization when discovered in the Arizona Strip during the 1980′s at the end of the last uranium cycle. Historic production during the short period of mining at the Arizona Strip is reported to have contained higher uranium grades than at other producing USA uranium districts (The Mines Magazine, February 1988), with more than 19 million pounds U3O8 produced from seven mines at an average grade of 0.66% U3O8. Historic mine production was accomplished via low-tonnage high-grade underground operations with ore shipped directly to the White Mesa mill in Blanding, Utah. Due to the short exploration and mining cycle at the Arizona Strip district, which resulted in production from only seven of hundreds of potential breccia pipe targets, exploration potential is considered by Tournigan management to remain extensive and robust.
Tournigan’s US partner, Sweetwater River Resources LLC (see press release of June 16, 2005), has identified 79 collapse structure targets. Ongoing field evaluations indicate at least 17 of the 79 collapse structures are true collapse breccia pipes. Three of Tournigan’s breccia pipes were explored and documented by Western Nuclear in the early 1980′s. They are located near the Hack 1 and Hack 2 uranium deposits that were discovered by Western Nuclear during the same early-1980′s exploration program and subsequently mined out by Energy Fuels in the mid-1980′s.
The breccia pipe evaluation process currently underway includes geologic mapping as well as rock chip and soil geochemical surveys. Copper-zinc-lead soil geochemical surveys have proven to be effective in identifying associated uranium mineralization during the course of US Geological Survey research test surveys and industry exploration surveys conducted during the 1980′s to early 1990′s and are therefore being utilized by Tournigan.
Collapse breccia pipes form during downward collapse of overlying strata into underlying cavernous solution cavities that result from groundwater dissolution of limestone layers. The collapse breccia pipes at the Arizona Strip district are developed primarily in Paleozoic-age sequences of “Grand Canyon Series” clastic and carbonate sedimentary rocks with uranium mineralization interpreted to be formed approximately 200 to 220 million years ago, during the Triassic period. Uranium mineralization typically includes silver and copper-zinc-lead sulfide mineralization within sub-horizontal to horizontal oriented tabular deposits in specific favorable breccia horizons within mineralized breccia pipes.
The acquisition of these new claims brings the total area of prospective uranium exploration ground in the U.S., covered by Tournigan’s 952 uranium claims, to approximately 103 square kilometres (25,600 acres). Tournigan will report on the evaluation of its breccia pipe portfolio as soon as it is complete and will also provide updates on further exploration plans, which may include near-term ground geophysical surveys and test drilling.
Tournigan Gold is focused on developing advanced mineral projects in Europe — Kremnica (gold) and Jahodna (uranium/molybdenum) in Slovakia, and Curraghinalt (gold) in Northern Ireland. Tournigan’s asset mix also includes a portfolio of uranium properties in Slovakia, Wyoming, South Dakota and now Arizona, as well as VMS projects in Slovakia and Northern Ireland.
Joe Ringwald, P.Eng, Tournigan’s VP Technical Services and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure contained in this news release.
TOURNIGAN GOLD CORPORATION
“James Walchuck”
James Walchuck, President and CEO
The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Statements in this press release other than purely historical information, including statements relating to the Company’s future plans and objectives or expected results, constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions and are subject to all of the risks and uncertainties inherent in the Company’s business, including risks inherent in mineral exploration and development. As a result, actual results may vary materially from those described in the forward-looking statements.
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Contact:
Contact: Garry Stock Executive VP (604) 683-8320
or visit http://www.tournigan.com
Suite 301, 700 West Pender Street Vancouver, BC Canada V6C 1G8 Tel: (604) 683 8320 Fax: (604) 683 8340
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Source: Tournigan Gold Corporation
