The earliest referenced work at the Newton property took place in 1916 when a Mr. Newton produced gold from a small shaft and some open cuts. Subsequent to 1965 at least nine exploration and mining companies have explored the Newton property. Historical surveys conducted on the property have included soils, geology, induced polarization, magnotometry and trenching. Drill programs performed by Cyprus Exploration Corp., Taseko Mines Ltd., Verdstone Gold Corp. and High Ridge Resources Inc. between 1971 and 2006 included 8 percussion and 31 diamond drill holes.

Historical drilling, centered on Newton Hill, tested for porphyry-style copper mineralisation with low-grade copper results. Since 2006 no further exploration has been carried out at Newton, until Amarc commenced exploration in fall 2009.

Amarc Reinterpretation

Amarc's re-examination of Newton's historical drill core and gold analyses has revealed an extensive area characterized by geologically significant concentrations of gold with anomalous silver, copper and zinc.

Newton Historic Drill Hole Cross Section

In addition, four historical drill holes (06-12, 06-03, 92-04 and 06-11) positioned on the easternmost side of all the historical drilling, intercepted 105 metres of 1.15 g/t gold (including 41 metres at 2.49 g/t gold), 95 metres of 0.52 g/t gold, 60 metres of 0.69 g/t gold and 46 metres of 0.54 g/t gold, respectively.

The historical holes indicate a compelling drill target developing to the east, under shallow glacial cover; an open ended, large-scale gold system.

Exploration Program 2009

In fall 2009, Amarc completed approximately 4,000 metres of drilling in 14 diamond drill holes at Newton. This initial drill program was designed to test both the continuity of gold mineralisation and to start testing the bulk-tonnage gold target. Assaying of Amarc's first seven drill holes has returned broad, continuous intervals of bulk tonnage-style, gold, silver, copper and zinc (see press release dated December, 8, 2009). For laboratory and analytical procedures click here.

Newton Project: Newton Hill

The most intensively developed mineralization at Newton is associated with disseminated sulphides that appear to be preferentially localized by pervasively altered, volcaniclastic and epiclastic rock units. These host rocks are characterized by both a high primary permeability and an anticipated wide geographical distribution - features that are representative of a permissive environment for development of bulk tonnage-style mineralization.

Quartz feldspar porphyry intrusives have a close spatial relationship to higher grade mineralized zones and may also be mineralized. Locally, mineralization within these intrusive bodies may be associated with stockworks of quartz-sulphide veins.

Amarc's 2009 drill program indicates that Newton may represent a gold deposit transitional between a typical copper-gold porphyry and an epithermal system - a new deposit type for BC in a previously unrecognized gold district.

Newton: 2009 Discovery Drill Program

Amarc considers that the Newton Property holds excellent potential to discover and develop the known bulk-tonnage style gold mineralization. A significant core drilling program, together with complimentary geological investigations, is to begin as early as possible in 2010. The goal of the 2010 program is to delineate important volumes of bulk tonnage-style gold mineralization.