New discoveries in Atikokan.

It's been nearly 20 years since the last iron ore mine shut down in Atikokan, but one local geologist believes there are still plenty of excellent mining opportunities left in the area.

"In my estimation I think the potential is very good," Ray Bernatchez, president of Atikokan Resources Inc., says of the possibility of a base metal mine starting up in the future. "We're at the stage where we've reached a certain level of confidence. I think we have identified a world-class volcanic massive sulphide system, and it's a huge one. We still haven't defined the full potential of it yet."

Each exploration program provides increasing evidence to support assumptions that a minable base metal deposit in the area does exist, says Bernatchez, who was also once a senior geologist at the former Steep Rock Iron Mine.

"We're seeing a (surveying) trend that is kilometres long and a couple of kilometres wide," he says. "One particular horizon that we're chasing we've traced out visibly and geophysically and it's at least four kilometres long with mineralization in it (including) base metals like copper, zinc, lead and a bit of gold in places. We can see from previous surveys, and from airborne surveys, that the system might be twice that distance, maybe three times (the distance), up to 12 kilometres long" are being concentrated in the Lumby Lake area, located about 30 kiometres northeast of Atikokan. Bernatchez has been conducting surveys there for the past six years and says he's "quite excited" about the area's potential, based on the results of surveys.

"It's what I've been hoping to find all my life," Bernatchez says. "It's something that we can really put a very strong level of confidence on; we've got a chance to find a deposit in here."

Studies are being concentrated in the Lumby Lake area, located about 30 kilometers northeast of Atikokan. Bernatchez has been conducting surveys there for the past six years and says he's "quite excited" about the area's potential, based on the results of surveys.

He says the mineral discovery in the bedrock is similar in geology to that of the once-booming Mattabi Mine north of Ignace.

"Silver is very high in the original discovery occurrence," Bernatchez says. "We don't see those things in the base metal deposits too often. It's very similar in geology and mineral potential to the Mattabi Mine and the Kidd Creek Mine. They have almost identical geology.

"It's a classic base metal system and we're slowly developing a bigger picture now. We've carried out two phases of drilling, about 2,400 metres, and some very deep penetrating surveys. We're starting to see that everything is very big and could be very deep-seated."

Atikokan Resources has 195 mining claims in the Atikokan area, covering over 120 sq. km. Many of the company's new discoveries are taking place in areas that have witnessed prospecting activity since the turn of the 20th century, he adds.

"There were some old surveys that were done over the area, but nobody drilled the anomaly," Bernatchez says. "It's been walked over a dozen times by previous explorers, so it's a new discovery in some old prospecting areas."

Atikokan Resources Inc. began exploration within-the Lumby Lake, belt in 1994, following the development of new logging roads that significantly improved access within the belt..Initial prospecting led to the discovery of base metal mineralization at the east end of Lumby Lake. The discovery initiated the staking of what is now 70 contiguous, 100-per cent-owned mining claims along the south side of the belt.

Next, Bernatchez says, the company plans to carry out a major electromagnetic survey in order to get "a bigger picture" of what is there.

"Right now we're proposing some more financing either through public financing, private placement and/or joint venture partnerships," he says.

"We're just taking it to another stage where we have to now carry on a major electromagnetic survey over this 10- to 12-kilometre distance to see the bigger picture. We've only covered about six kilometres. Then we'll follow up with some major drilling programs.

"With the work that we've done so far, we've isolated several target areas just from the area that we've surveyed. The government airborne surveys (conducted as part of Operation Treasure Hunt) indicate that there's more potential to the east and to the west of where we've worked already."

In the meantime, the company continues to seek out new partnerships in order to secure funding for more in-depth exploration, he adds.

Atikokan Resources Inc. made headlines three years ago when one of its exploration programs showed mineral assays of upto 164 grams of silver per ton of rock (1.8 metres). That same exploration program showed 3.55 per cent zinc as well as concentrations of copper and lead.

Atikokan Resources Inc. is on the Internet at www.atikokan.com.