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Introduction
The Way Lake property is located 55 kilometres east of the Key Lake Mine and 35 kilometres southeast of the Moore Lake joint venture property. It consists of 17 contiguous claims totalling 71,795 hectares. JNR Resources holds an unencumbered 100% interest in the property.
JNR began staking ground in the area in May 2004, after a review of assessment files indicated that high-grade uranium values from grab samples in 1978 coincided with an area of highly anomalous uranium values in glacial debris, swamps and muskegs.
Geologically, the claims are underlain by a steeply dipping and northeast trending, highly folded sequence of intercalated Aphebian-aged Wollaston Group sediments that conformably overly and flank an Archean gneiss dome.
Previous Work
High-grade uranium mineralization was discovered by Agip Canada Ltd. in 1978, while carrying out a program of airborne EM and magnetic surveys, diamond drilling, regional prospecting, mapping, and lake water and sediment sampling. Exploration continued for the next four to five years but was unsuccessful in explaining the anomalous radioactivity and/or extending the mineralized zone. The last recorded work on this ground was in the early 80's.
JNR completed a prospecting and mapping program on the Way Lake claims and surrounding ground during the 2006 summer field season. High-grade uranium mineralization was obtained from outcrop sampling of a previously identified massive pitchblende vein, now referred to as the Hook Lake showing. Two grab samples collected from the vein returned 40.1 % and 48% U3O8. The uranium mineralization is also associated with significant lead (up to 8.8%), rare earth element and thorium enrichment, and anomalous boron, cobalt and vanadium values.
A 4,500 line-kilometre helicopter-borne VTEM survey flown in fall 2006 identified some 50 kilometres of arcuate and structurally displaced conductors in the southwest portion of the property. This, along with the positive results from the summer program, prompted the staking of an additional 58,000 hectares.
The Hook Lake showing occupies a 1.0-metre wide by minimum 10-metre long dilational jog within a south-southwest trending ductile-brittle shear zone hosted by felsic to mafic intrusive rocks. The shear zone occurs along the edge of an extensive muskeg and likely acted as the conduit for the mineralization. The basement hosted-mineralization at Hook Lake has similarities to other uranium deposits such as Eagle Point. Both are structurally controlled, vein-type, high grade and likely part of the 'feeder system' to more typical unconformity deposits.
2007 Exploration Program
The 2007 program represents the first significant exploration carried out on the project lands in over 25 years. It consisted of the completion of 14 diamond drill holes totalling 2,467-metres, accompanied by 120 kilometres of linecutting, Horizontal Loop EM and ground magnetics, as well as a detailed 700 line-kilometre airborne VTEM survey over the Hook Lake showing and previously unsurveyed claims in the southeastern portion of the property. In addition, a major prospecting campaign carried out over the entire Way Lake project area resulted in the discovery of three new zones of anomalous radioactivity in outcrop (West Way, Nob Hill, and EWA). An orientation bulk till sampling survey was also completed.
In total, eight holes (WYL-07-01 to -04 and -06 to -09) tested the vicinity of the Hook Lake showing where surface sampling in 2006 returned up to 48% U3O8 in grab samples; while four holes (WYL-07-05 and -10 to -12) tested a minimum 1.0-kilometre long, geophysically interpreted lineament located to the northwest of the showing. All 12 holes intersected significant structural features composed of brittle fracturing and/or ductile-brittle shearing. Of particular interest is a broad, roughly 20-metre wide northeast trending ductile-brittle fault, which correlates with the lineament and occurs some 80 to 90 metres from the showing. It is thought to represent the structure that controls the uranium mineralization at Hook Lake. Of the 12 holes, significant levels of radioactivity were intersected in three (WYL-07-01, -02 and -05).
The newly discovered West Way occurrence is located approximately 6.5 kilometres due north of the Hook Lake area. Anomalous radioactivity (10 to 400 times background) was identified at the north end of a 1.0-kilometre long ridge of discontinuous outcrops. The uranium mineralization is vein type and associated with a northeast-trending shear zone accompanied by molybdenite-bearing calc-silicate alteration. Two drill holes (WYL-07-13 and -14) tested the down dip extent of the mineralized shear zone at shallow depths and confirmed the presence of a well defined structure.
At Nob Hill, 14 kilometres to the southwest of the Hook Lake area, prospecting this summer discovered a north-northeast trending granitic pegmatite cut by cross cutting fractures with zones of elevated radioactivity ranging from 10 to 500 times background. The mineralization is vein-type and occurs within dilational zones similar to those that host the uranium mineralization at Cameco's Eagle Point uranium mine and at the Beaverlodge and Karpinka Lake deposits.
The newly discovered EWA zone is located approximately 19 kilometres southwest of Nob Hill, proximal to a northeast trending conductive zone identified by the airborne VTEM survey. The uranium mineralization occurs within a 10- to 20-metre wide, northeast trending sheared pelitic unit accompanied by granitic inliers and has been traced over a minimum strike length of 85 metres. Outcrop samples from this occurrence returned anomalous radioactivity ranging from 10 to 300 times background.
2008 Program
The 2008 helicopter-supported program consisted of diamond drilling and prospecting. A total of 48 holes comprising 11,985 metres were drilled on a variety of targets including the previously discovered EWA, West Way, Nob Hill, and Hook Lake showings, the Walker Lake conductive trend and a broad zone of newly discovered surface mineralization in the Fraser Lakes area. The results from prospecting and the drilling of 10 holes on the Fraser Lakes uranium showings were reported on November 14, 2008 and February 20, 2009.
The B zone showings occur along the northern extent of this folded conductor and are currently the more prospective of the two mineralized zones. Nearly 70 individual mineralized outcrop sites were identified over a 500-metre-wide by 1.5-kilometre-long area. Over 70% of the grab samples taken from these sites assayed from 0.03 to 0.457% U3O8.
The B zone was tested by three drill holes (WYL-08-524 to 526) at the end of the 2008 program. Although they could not test the optimum target, namely the graphitic pelite/pegmatite contact that occurs beneath muskeg, all three intersected uranium and thorium mineralization, accompanied by rare-earth element enrichment and anomalous levels of pathfinder elements. The best results were from hole 525 which intersected numerous uraniferous intervals. Of particular note was a 12.0-metre intersection from 77.50 to 89.50 metres down hole that returned 0.081% U3O8; including a 3.0-metre intercept of 0.193% U3O8 (true widths cannot be reliably estimated at this time).
The A zone showings occur in a second fold nose at the southern end of the conductor. Seven holes (WYL-08-508 to 514) were drilled in this area, three of which intersected broad zones of significantly altered and structurally disrupted graphitic pelitic gneisses accompanied by anomalous levels of pathfinder elements, particularly copper, nickel, vanadium, bismuth and zinc. Outcrop samples in the area contained up to 0.042% U3O8.
Results from the 38 remaining 2008 holes were reported on February 27th 2009 and are as follows:
Eight holes (WYL-08-501 to 507 plus one abandoned hole) tested the EWA showings located west of Walker Lake in the southern half of the project area. These showings returned up to 0.492% U3O8 in surface grab samples and are associated with a graphitic shear zone that correlates with a northeast-trending conductive zone. All of the holes intersected variably radioactive granitic pegmatite dykes. The best results were obtained from hole WYL-08-501, which returned 0.082% U3O8 over 6.5 metres from 4.50 to 11.00 metres, including a 3.5 metre intercept of 0.113% U3O8. Associated with the mineralization are anomalous boron, lead, nickel and molybdenum values.
At the Walker River grid, 14 holes (WYL-08-15 to 28) tested structurally disrupted weak EM conductors. All but two of the holes intersected strongly clay- and/or chlorite-altered, sheared and faulted graphitic pelites containing anomalous boron, copper, nickel, zinc, cobalt, vanadium and molybdenum values and locally anomalous uranium values.
Seven holes (WYL-08-29 to 35) tested structurally offset strong EM conductors on the Walker South grid. These holes intersected structurally disrupted graphitic pelites with weak to intense clay and chlorite alteration. The best analytical results were from hole WYL-08-31, which returned highly anomalous copper, nickel, zinc, cobalt and vanadium values and locally anomalous uranium values within highly altered and sheared graphitic pelites.
The remaining nine holes were drilled in the northern half of the project. Five holes (WYL-08-515 to 519) were drilled at the Nob Hill showings, where up to 0.141% U3O8 was obtained from surface grab samples. All of the holes intersected multiple zones of discontinuous radioactivity associated with granitic pegmatites. Hole WYL-08-516 returned the best intercept of 0.018% U3O8 over 5.0 metres from 145.0 to 150.0 metres. The highest individual uranium value of 0.062% U3O8 was obtained from 153.0 to 153.5 metres in hole WYL-08-518.
Two holes (WYL-08-520 & 521) tested the West Way showings where up to 0.492% U3O8 has been obtained in grab samples. The surface mineralization is associated with steeply dipping east-west fractures. Both drill holes returned anomalous copper, nickel and locally anomalous cobalt and arsenic values from sheared and weakly altered diorite. Hole WYL-08-521 returned the best uranium value of 76 ppm over 0.5 metres.
In the Hook Lake area, two holes (WYL-08-522 & 523) tested geophysical targets and intersected multiple zones of fracturing and shearing accompanied by weak to moderate alteration and locally anomalous radioactivity. Hole WYL-08-523 returned the best uranium value of 35 ppm over 0.5 metres.
2009 Winter Program
A total of 2,699 metres was drilled in 19 holes, with four holes abandoned due to poor overburden conditions. The drilling program tested a 1,500-metre strike length of the Fraser Lakes B zone, which occurs along the northern extent of a 5-kilometre-long, folded EM conductor comprised of Wollaston Group graphitic pelitic gneisses and uraniferous granitic pegmatites (news release: February 20, 2009). All holes were drilled at a 45 to 50 degree angle, heel to toe across the conductive horizon on sections consisting of two to four drill holes.
Multiple intervals of uranium and/or thorium mineralization were intersected in several drill holes. This mineralization is accompanied by rare earth element enrichment and highly anomalous levels of pathfinder elements. Some of the better intersections occur in drill holes WYL-09-39, -41 and -50. At a grade cutoff of 0.029% U3O8, hole #39 returned seven mineralized intervals over a 30-metre downhole length, including a 0.15-metre intercept of 0.166% U3O8 and 0.112% thorium. The best result from hole #41 was 0.134% U3O8 and 0.077% thorium over 1.0 metre, while the best result from hole #50 was 0.183% U3O8 and 0.062% thorium over 1.0 metre.
Hole WYL-09-46 returned multiple intervals of thorium mineralization including 0.109% thorium and 0.013 % U3O8 over 7.0 metres. Highly anomalous concentrations of other metals are also present in a number of holes. Hole WYL-09-38 returned 0.117% copper, 0.056% nickel, 0.044% zinc, 0.068% molybdenum and 44 ppm uranium over 6.5 metres.
2010 Winter Drilling Program
The planned winter drilling program will comprise some 2,500 metres (15 to 20 holes) and will focus on widespread outcrops of uranium mineralization (+/- thorium and rare earth metals), referred to as the Fraser Lakes uranium showings (Fraser Lakes A and B zones). These mineralized zones are contained within a 5-kilometre-long interval of a 65-kilometre-long folded electromagnetic (EM) conductor system comprised of Wollaston Group graphitic pelitic gneisses (+/-sulphides) and uraniferous granitic pegmatites. The mineralized zones were discovered by ground prospecting of airborne geophysical targets during the summer of 2008, when close to 100 individual mineralized outcrop sites were identified.
The drilling program is expected to continue until late March/early April. Results will be reported once they have been received and interpreted.
Quality Assurance / Quality Control
JNR's Vice-President Exploration, David L. Billard, PGeo, is the Qualified Person for the Company's Athabasca Basin uranium projects. All technical information for the projects is obtained and reported under a formal quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) program, details of which are presented in the PDF link below.
Technical Presentations
 Way Lake Project - Characteristics of Basement-hosted U Mineralization (500 kb)
Way Lake Project - Pegmatite- & Leucogranite-hosted U-Th Mineralization (5.0 Mb)
Quality Assurance & Quality Control Program
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