Kirkland Lake, Ontario – April 1, 2020 – RJK Explorations Ltd. (TSXV: RJX.A, US OTC: RJKAF) (“RJK” or “the Company”) is pleased to announce that at least 18 natural diamonds, varying in colour, have been recovered in a 22.4 kg (50 lb) drill core sample. Four of the stones that appear natural are -0.212+0.150 mm in size. One is light yellow, one is light green and two are white in colour. These are mostly partially crystalline chips and are clear with single tiny inclusions in two of the stones. Seven of the stones thought to be natural are -0.150+0.106 mm in size. Five of these are clear white broken fragments, one is clear white with broken dodecahedral crystal faces and one is a light brown diamond fragment. Fifty-two diamonds were recovered that are -0.106 mm in size. Seven are tiny clear white chips thought to be natural. The remaining forty-five stones are described as tiny, clear yellow chips, but the tiny size limits determining whether or not these are synthetic stones from the drill bits used to recover the tested core, or alternately chips from natural stone(s). The mini-bulk sample was processed by CF Mineral Research Ltd. (CFM), an ISO 9001:2015 certified and 17025:2005 compliant laboratory, owned by Dr. Charles E. Fipke. This test result marks RJK’s first confirmation of diamonds in our search for the source of the 800-carat, yellow Nipissing Diamond.
Kimberlite indicator minerals (KIMs) were also separated and tested, returning materially important results. A total of 28 KIM grain determinations were identified, that commonly derive from kimberlite sources, originating in the “diamond stability field.” The diamond stability field is located from depths of about 200 km in the earth at the lower boundary of the continental lithosphere with the convecting mantle. From the heavy mineral concentrates, 164 grains were probed and classified into six diamond indicator minerals: chromite, high manganese ilmenite, peridotitic pyroxene, clinopyroxene, eclogitic garnet and peridotitic garnet. Of the 164 grains analysed by electromicroprobe, twenty-three were G10 peridotitic garnets, three were diamond inclusion G11 garnets, one was a G1 eclogitic garnet and one was a diamond inclusion chromite, all formed in the diamond stability field along with the diamonds. Of particular interest was the picroilmenite chemistry indicating only minor resorption of the diamonds present.
The mini bulk sample retested four short drill holes from the Paradis Pond target during RJK’s 2019 winter drilling campaign. A few core specimens had previously been sent to a mineral processing lab in the spring of 2019, who reported that they were unable to see any minerals that would indicate this rock had sourced any mantle material based on visual inspection only. RJK then sent the same samples for thin section analysis to a second independent lab, and they reported the thin section contained no kimberlite material and labelled the core as a granitoid breccia. In late January, 2020, Peter Hubacheck, RJK’s Project Manager, relogged and reclassified the Paradis Pond drill core to a tuffisitic, sandy kimberlite diatreme breccia, after visual comparison of the Kon 1 kimberlite discovery. Carbonate-rich globular zenoliths containing pelletal picroilmenite were observed in the Paradis Pond core, similar to textures observed in the KON 1 kimberlite pipe discovery. Furthermore, Tony Bishop took many photographs of the mineral crystals in the Paradis core, which were crucial in RJK’s decision to test the core again with a 3rd independent lab. CFM performed attrition milling, heavy media separation, sieving, grain picking, SEM scanning, micro probing and caustic fusion analysis. RJK Explorations will be posting the CFM diamond and diamond indicator minerals results as soon as the final results are received.
As stated in our March 27th, 2020 press release, two bulk samples totalling 266 kg sample of our Kon 1 kimberlite drill core is being sent for diamond and KIM analysis to CFM, contingent on COVID 19 government guidelines that may affect shipping.
Glenn Kasner, RJK’s CEO, stated, “Discovering diamonds has been our primary goal for thirteen months, since RJK began working in the Cobalt region on the Bishop and Kon claims. Drilling the Kon 1 kimberlite in late January/early February gave our consultants a valuable visual comparison, which led to the recommendation that we retest the Paradis Pond core for diamonds. At least eighteen diamonds thought to be natural by CFM, is well beyond our expectations. Our working relationship with CFM has given us the confidence we need to expand our exploration program. I am very confident in the personnel we have assembled, and together, we will continue to work to unlock the diamond and mineral potential of the Cobalt region. I would also like to thank Dr. Charles E. Fipke for reviewing and adding technical edits to this news release.”
Peter Hubacheck elaborated, “Although 22.4 kg is a relatively small sample, the results are quite impressive. To find this unique chemistry including twenty-eight diamond inclusion indicator minerals is encouraging. In addition, the picroilmenites show little resorption conducive for the preservation of higher quality diamonds surviving their transport from the mantle to surface of the Earth’s crust.”
RJK is temporally suspending drilling operations on the Bishop claims due to spring breakup and COVID 19 government mandates. After spring breakup, RJK is planning to initiate a geophysical program including a ground IP survey on the Paradis Pond area to help delineate kimberlite breccia phases in the vicinity of the 2019 drill holes that tested a portion of the drone magnetic low feature. Drilling is anticipated to follow in late spring or early summer.
Mr. Peter Hubacheck, P. Geo., Project Manager for RJK and the Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 has approved the geotechnical disclosure in this release.
Contact Information:
Glenn Kasner, President
Mobile: (705) 568-7567
Web Site: https://www.rjkexplorations.com/
Company Information: Tel: (705) 568-7445
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Forward Looking Information
This news release includes certain forward-looking statements, which may include, but are not limited to, statements concerning future mineral exploration and property option payments. Any statements contained herein that are not statements of historical facts may be deemed to be forward-looking, including those identified by the expressions “will”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “plan”, “estimate”, “expect”, “intend”, “propose” and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied in this news release. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in this news release include, but are not limited to, the financial resources of the Corporation being inadequate to carry out its stated plans. RJK assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law.