North Arrow Discovers Intense Yellow Colors in Q1-4 Parcel

Apr 22, 2015 10:52 AM By Jeff Miller

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RAPAPORT... North Arrow Minerals Inc. reported that its Q1-4 kimberlite contain unaggregated nitrogen, raising the possibility that characteristics are ripe for rare, natural type 1b diamonds with fancy canary yellow colors. The Q1-4 kimberlite is located within the Qilalugaq diamond project, 9 kilometers from the hamlet of Naujaat, Nunavut.

Apex Geoscience Ltd. analyzed 41 stones, with Fourier transform infrared results showing a range from very pale yellow through intense yellow and all except one of the diamonds were determined to contain unaggregated nitrogen.

Ken Armstrong, the CEO of North Arrow, said, "This study has confirmed that the intense yellow colors seen within the Q1-4 diamond parcel are consistent with highly coveted canary yellow diamonds. While all of the yellow diamonds recovered from the Q1-4 kimberlite will not qualify as fancy yellow colors, it is extremely unusual to have such a high proportion of diamonds tested from one locality report as type 1b diamonds and this is important information to have in advance of the upcoming Q1-4 diamond valuation process.

"In fact, less than 1 percent of over 24,000 fancy yellow diamonds investigated by the Gemological Institute of America as part of a 2005 study were classified as type 1b diamonds, indicating that type 1b diamonds are rare, even among natural fancy yellow diamonds. This rarity highlights the significance of today's result: all but one of the analyzed Q1-4 yellow diamonds contain unaggregated nitrogen and yellow diamonds make up over 21 percent, by carat weight, of the diamonds recovered so far from the Q1-4 bulk sample."

North Arrow anticipates concluding a processing and diamond sorting exercise from the Q1-4 bulk sample this month, followed by a formal valuation shortly thereafter. North Arrow is working toward earning an 80 percent interest in the Qilalugaq diamond project from Stornoway.

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