Three holes W, M, N were drilled in September-October 2002. Holes W and N were completed, intersecting a nickel rich upperphase and copper rich lower phase seperated by a gabbro 1 -2 m wide sill. Hole M was not completed, but did intersect a gabbro unit similar to the one adjacent to the zone. This hole will be deepened in September 2003 and another hole 3+00E will test for another lense on the east end of the deposit.
A detailed time domain EM and magnetic survey was flown in February 2003 at 100 m intervals over the property and at 50 m intervals over the known zone. The eastward plunge to the sulphides can be seen on this EM survey data. Other conductors to the north east were outlined which will be followed up in the future.
A research project to better understand the mineralogy of the Norton deposit and the relationship of the PGE values to nickel-copper was instituted by April 2003 with the research being carried out by Lakehead University and support funding being provided by the National Research Council of Canada (NRC). These programs are jointly funded by NRC through IRAP (Industrial Research Assistance Program). The company is proud to be a recipient of this assistance which acknowledges the importance of the Norton geology to finding other similar deposits.
In October 2003 the Norton property was optioned to Cascadia International Resources Inc. where by Cascadia may earn a 51% interest in both claim groups by spending 1.5 million by November 1, 2010 and may earn a 60% interest by completing a feasibility study to the standards of the TSX and may obtain a 70% interest by financing the property to production. Option payments totaling $150,000 over 7 years are to be made in stages.
