The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Jonathon Naylor Editor Shuttered for well over a year now, the HBMS copper smelter represents the past of the Flin Flon mining industry. But just north of the complex, one junior miner hopes, is an important part of the future. Backed by HudBay Minerals, Copper Reef Mining Corp. is actively exploring what it considers to be a promising mineral claim about a kilometre from the smelter. "Nothing is guaranteed, but this looks exciting," says Stephen Masson, president and CEO of the Flin Flon-based company. Masson says the focus is on "an enormous" geophysical anomaly located mostly on the southern segment of what are known as the WAX claims. A drill now on site will reach down to a depth of over a kilometre. 'Deep hole' "It's a deep hole and it presents problems," says Masson. "So as you get deeper, the drilling slows down and I'm hoping that within a month from now that we will get some indication of what this target is." Masson and Copper Reef are not the only ones eager to learn more about the target. HudBay has so far pumped $1.3 million into the exploration through the purchase of shares in Copper Reef, which agreed to spend the money on the WAX claims. "Obviously we've put a lot of stake in it (or) we wouldn't be spending that kind of money on it (otherwise)," says Masson. Masson says the WAX claims Ð both of them Ð cover a combined land area approaching two square miles. Both are in Manitoba but stretch right to the Saskatchewan border. Copper Reef acquired the claims last year from another junior miner, Vancouver-based Foran Mining Corp., a company once headed by Masson. Copper Reef, headquartered on Mitchell Road, promptly reviewed all data relative to the property and began applying for permits ahead of drilling. (No stock exchange or securities regulatory authority has reviewed or accepted responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of information supplied by Copper Reef.)9/19/2011
