Savonranta Belt

The Savonranta Belt is considered to be the southern, discontinuous extension of the metal-rich Outokumpu Belt of supra-crustal, Mid-Proterozoic rocks which host the famous ore deposits of the Outokumpu Camp (34Mt) and the Kylylahti deposit that is currently being developed for mining. These massive to semi-massive Cu-Zn-Co-Ni sulfide ores are unique to this belt and occur in a distinct sequence of rocks (Outokumpu Assemblage), which comprise graphite bearing, sulfidic schists, carbonate rock, skarns, quartzites and serpentinites. The Savonranta portion of the Belt is about 20km long and hosts a number of known Outokumpu-type deposits within a very structurally complex area which is poorly mapped and has had limited exploration in the past. Magnus Minerals has claims  covering two deposits with drill-indicated resources, Hietajärvi and Kettukumpu, and 11 claim applications, as well as 3 reservations covering additional areas where Magnus has identified targets using airborne data over which high-resolution ground magnetic surveys has been conducted by the company along with geological interpretations and compilations.

Hietajärvi Deposit Quick Facts: Cu-Zn-Co-Ni deposit Proven, probable and inferred drill-indicated resources Two published total resources: 0.26 Mt of 1.78% Zn, 0.89% Cu or 0.34 Mt of 1.21% Zn, 0.71% Cu, 0.18% Ni, 0.15% Co to 150m below surface (GTK) Feasibility studies conducted by Outokumpu in 1990’s 56 drill holes totalling 6,946m and 18 percussion drill holes to 50m along 25m sections 5 surface trenches, 20 to 25m long in bedrock expose ore zone along 100m of strike length

Past Exploration

Outokumpu was drawn to the area after sulfide mineralization was found in a road cut near Hietajärvi in 1955. The company carried out bedrock mapping, boulder tracing, geophysical surveys and diamond drilling during the period of 1955 to 1958. The result of the work was the discovery of two semi-massive to massive sulfide lenses on both sides of the road.  Drilling of 56 holes totalling 6,946m indicated a mineral resource with potential for open pit mining; the company obtained a mining lease in 1958, however, the lease was dropped in 1959. Another lease was applied for in 1977, but that too was dropped. The deposit was re-examined and explored in detail with short surface percussion holes in 1993 and a feasibility study was done followed by additional percussion drilling in 1998. Tests on the ore indicated a good recover of the metals. Plans were to process the ore at the Enonkoski Ni Mine, located some 30km to the south.

Mineralization The Hietajärvi deposit comprises massive to semi-massive sulfides of Outokumpu-type mineralization, which averages 10m thick and has been traced for over 400m along strike in two main lenses,  East and West Zones.  Detailed high-resolution ground magnetic survey by Magnus Minerals indicates the zone to continue for at least  500m to the SSE where limited exploration has been done. The deposit dips 40 to 50 degrees down dip and is evident in the detailed magnetic results to continue to a possible depth of some 400m below surface. The predominant sulfides are pyrrhotite, with some sphalerite and chalcopyrite that occur conformably within a typical sequence of Outokumpu Assemblage enclosed in mica schists. The ore is contained in two lenses of massive to semi-massive sulfide ore, the East lens being 200m long and the West, 100m long and averaging 10m thick to depths of 30 to 50m.   The ore is in the rocks with alterations similar to that hosting the Outokumpu Deposit.

Potential

Preliminary compilation and modeling of the Hietajärvi data by Magnus Minerals indicates potential for the expansion of the resource  along strike and down dip below the 40m level as well as in the poorly explored area between the lenses.   Potential also exists to find new deposits of Outokumpu type elsewhere along the belt on targets identified by Magnus.

Other Known Deposits

Malmikaivos Oy discovered the Kettukumpu deposit in 1975 approximately 10km to the south of Hietajärvi within a sequence of Outokumpu Assemblage rocks. Based on 23 drill holes totalling 3,183m, four east-west trending lenses (one main lens and three satellite) were delineated. The main lens measures 250m long by a maximum thickness of 13m and has an inferred resource of some 300,000 tons of 0.44% Cu, 0.18% Ni, 0.07% Co to 175m level (GTK GEOMEX report). The inferred resources of the additional lenses are approximately 0.262 Mt @ 1.78% Zn, 0.89% Cu.

Another deposit with indications of mineralization within Outokumpu Assemblage is Iitanniitty located about 1km to the west of Hietajärvi.