Northern Empire Minerals Ltd. ("Empire") is pleased to announce the commencement of the summer field program on the La Croix and Premier properties in the Otish Mountains Region, Quebec. The program will include regional/detailed till sampling to detect for the presence of kimberlitic indicator minerals. Approximately 65 till samples will be collected on the two properties.
The 21,700 acre La Croix property was located on the basis of favorable geology, the occurrence of lake-stream sediment anomalies and a series of geophysical anomalies associated with a prominent mafic dyke system. The property is situated approximately 35 kilometers east of the recent Renard kimberlite discoveries by Ashton Mining/Soquem and immediately adjacent to the east of Majescor/BHP Billiton Diamonds Inc., a 100% subsidiary of BHP Billiton Ltd. ("BHP Billiton") Portage Property.
The La Croix property is on an apparent eastern extension of the same prominent magnetic feature trending through the central portion of the Ashton/Soquem Foxtrot and Majescor Portage properties. These mafic dyke systems signify deep penetrative structural zones of weakness strongly associated with kimberlite emplacement.
The 38,600 acre Premier property is located 6.5 kilometers northwest of the Majescor/Canabrava Mistassini project. The Premier property covers an area where BHP Billiton has previously collected certain proprietary data.
Under the terms of an option agreement between Blackstone Ventures Inc. (BLV:TSXV) ("Blackstone") and Empire, Empire can acquire a 75 % interest in the Premier property from Blackstone by covering the staking costs, incurring exploration expenditures of $1 million over a four year period including the completion of 5 exploration holes. BHP Billiton will retain a one-time opportunity to earn a 51% interest in the property by spending $4 million on exploration in a 4-year period. BHP Billiton can earn a further 9% interest in the property by spending an additional $6 million. Both Blackstone and Empire will, upon any back-in by BHP Billiton dilute their respective interests proportionately.
Northern Empire Minerals Ltd. is a well-funded diamond exploration company with an aggressive acquisition and development philosophy. The Company holds one of the most prospective diamond exploration property portfolios in Canada, totaling more than 3.5 million acres. The Company has 14 diamond properties in the Coronation Diamond District, the Melville Peninsula, and Rankin Inlet areas of Nunavut and 2 diamond properties in the Otish Mountains region of Quebec.
On behalf of the Board,
NORTHERN EMPIRE MINERALS LTD.
"John E. Robins"
John E. Robins, P. Geo.
President
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