The discovery of emeralds near Dryden should jump-start exploration in northwestern Ontario, says a provincial geologist.
The announcement in mid-June by Vancouver exploration company, True North Gems, confirming emerald mineralization on its Ghost Lake property, marks the first potential gem-quality emeralds outside of the Yukon.
A 500-kilogram bulk sample taken by the company revealed several gem and near-gem emeralds.
“It’s definitely a boost for the whole Dryden area,” says Allen Raoul, a provincial district support geologist in Kenora. “For all these (exploration) companies working in the area, it will be easier to raise money from backers.
“No matter what happens it will bring more exploration for that whole Dryden field and brings a better chance of something economical being found.”
Raoul says the area holds good potential for emeralds with about a half a dozen known occurrences staked up in a pegmamite field of about 100 square kilometres just north of Dryden, near its airport. He says it is too premature to determine the value of the emeralds, but he is encouraged by True North’s findings. True North will be working in the next several weeks to determine the chromium content of the emeralds.
