Hard Creek Nickel Starts Largest Drill Program in Company's History
(VANCOUVER) - Mark Jarvis, President of Hard Creek Nickel Corporation (TSX.V - HNC) today announced that the 2007 drilling program has started at the Company's 100% owned Turnagain Project, located 70 km east of Dease Lake in northern British Columbia. The planned 127 hole core drilling program will total between 35,000 and 36,000 metres (up to 118,000 ft.) making this the largest drill program in the Company's history.
The Turnagain project has a 43-101 compliant resource estimated at 428,563,000 tonnes grading 0.17% nickel in sulphides in the measured plus indicated categories and another 742,923,000 tonnes of the same grade in the inferred category (see February 12, 2007 press release). The deposit is open both laterally and at depth.
"One rig is currently drilling with a second rig expected to start within days," said Mr. Jarvis. "Over the summer we will have up to three rigs drilling at a time. The drill program is fully funded, as are the extensive ongoing metallurgical test programs and engineering studies."
Twenty percent of the program is infill drilling designed to upgrade confidence in the large inferred portion of the Horsetrail deposit. Sixty percent of the program is stepout drilling designed to determine the spacial limits of the Horsetrail deposit. The remaining twenty percent of the program is exploration drilling to test several high priority targets.
"This drill program should give us a good idea about the ultimate size of the resource at the Turnagain project," said Mr. Jarvis. "We already have an enormous resource. However, adding to the resource is the most obvious way to add value to the project. In addition, our exploration drilling exposes us to high impact upside and includes a large platinum target, several new areas with evidence of disseminated nickel in sulphides, and deeper targets within the Horsetrail area.
This press release has been reviewed and approved by Neil Froc, P. Eng, a Qualified Person consistent with NI 43-101.
The Resource Calculation referred to in this press release includes the use of inferred resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves.
This press release uses the terms "measured" "indicated" and "inferred" resources. We advise U.S. investors that while those terms are recognized and required by Canadian regulations, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission does not recognize them. U.S. investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of mineral deposits in these categories would ever be converted to reserves.
MARK JARVIS, President
HARD CREEK NICKEL CORPORATION
The TSX Venture Exchange does not accept responsibility for the accuracy or adequacy of this news release.
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