The Yukon is known for its snow and ice, but with luck that could soon be expanded to include emeralds and diamonds. Who wouldn't want to pluck a green or white sparkler out of the frozen forest?
EXPATRIATE RESOURCES made a significant emerald discovery in 1998 in the Finlayson District. Follow-up work in 1999 revealed a large area of mineralization and uncovered some gem-quality examples of this rare mineral. Emerald is a chromium-bearing beryllium silicate mineral. Expatriate has sold its interests in the Regal Ridge find to partner TRUE NORTH GEMS, and exploration is continuing.
True North has outlined emerald mineralization in stacked, gently dipping mafic schists flanked by an intrusion of Cretaceous granite. The schists are part of the Fyre Lake metavolcanic unit, which covers a large part of the Finlayson District. True North announced on Dec. 11 that it has granted HINTERLAND METALS the right to earn 100% in the Gleam claims located near Regal Ridge. Again the target is emeralds.
Expatriate continues its hunt for emeralds. The company has entered into a strategic alliance with the YK GROUP to explore a further 3,000-plus claims that may host emerald deposits. Expatriate is contributing geological and geochemical data collected during its hunt for base metals. The YK Group is contributing the first $500,000 for exploration to earn a 60% interest in a joint venture. Expatriate will participate 40% in the project after YK's initial expenditure.
If emeralds are not to your liking, follow up on the rumoured diamond occurrences in the Yukon. The territorial government has made that hunt easier by issuing a map of the areas in which people say they have seen diamonds. The first rumours can be traced to the earliest part of the 20th Century, and they resurfaced in the 1990s. The Yukon Department of Energy, Mines and Resources is taking these reports seriously. It spent $10,000 compiling the Yukon Diamond Rumour Map, which comes with a disclaimer that the information is subject to verification. The project was awarded to Aurora Geosciences of Whitehorse, which asked Bill Harris, a long-time Yukon prospector, to collect the data.
Rumours or not, Yukon geology may well hold diamondiferous kimberlite deposits. And doesn't the real thrill lie in the hunt?
For more information about the Yukon Diamond Rumour Map, contact Lori Walton of the Yukon EMR department at 867-667-5462. Or see www.ExpatriateResources.com for more information on emeralds.
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