From all across Canada, word is reaching CMJ of gold exploration successes. It is still to early to predict which projects will become mines, but here is some of what we are learning.
Toronto-based FORTUNE MINERALS has highlighted results from 13 holes drilled in the East Pit area of its Nico gold project, 160 km northwest of Yellowknife. The continuity of the mineralization, which includes cobalt and bismuth as well as gold, has been extended. The scoping study done earlier this year looked at a combination of open pit and underground mining followed by conventional crushing, grinding and flotation to produce gold-cobalt and gold-bismuth concentrates. Given the extended area of mineralization, that study may have to be reworked. Detailed assay results from the East Pit area and other parts of the property are available at www.fortuneminerals.com.
The Hope Bay project in Nunavut is expanding thanks to work by Vancouver-based owner MIRAMAR MINING CORP. The limits of the Madrid zone have been expanded, and higher grades are reported in the Suluk and Perrin zones. The Madrid area is comprised of multiple gold deposits and mineralized occurrences over a strike length of approximately 8 km within the 11-km-long Deformation zone. The system remains open along strike. The Suluk area is currently the most significant deposit found to date due to the presence of multiple parallel mineralized lenses and the presence of large, lower grade halos around the higher grade mineralization. Drilling in the summer of 2003 has better defined the Footwall Lens of the Suluk deposit and continues to expand the known gold occurrences along this trend, as at Perrin and Rand Spur. Miramar believes the widths and grades seen in the Madrid area indicate potential for a large scale, bulk mining operation sourcing feed from a number of areas, including Naartok and Suluk, and so is reassessing the mineral resources of the Madrid area in this light. More information is available at www.miramarmining.com.
NORTHERN STAR MINING of Vancouver has begun the second phase of drilling at its Midway project 16 km west of Val d'Or, Quebec. Earlier work confirmed existing gold mineralization on the property which includes the former Malartic Goldfields mine. An updated resource estimate is expected early in 2004. Learn more at www.nsmgold.com.
Drills are turning at the Duquesne West project 32 km north of Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec following the conclusion of a joint venture agreement between QUEENSTON MINING, GLOBEX MINING and GEOCONSEILS JACK STOCH. Queenston can earn a 50% interest over four years by spending $8 million on exploration and making other payments. The claims covered by the agreement contain a dozen gold zones, three of which are targets for the current drill program. Details of the Duquesne property can be found at www.globexmining.com.
PURE GOLD MINERALS has added another 35,000 acres of land in the High Lake Greenstone belt to its portfolio. The Vancouver company is working on its North James Bay property in Nunavut, 550 km northeast of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. The area hosts a high-grade gold discovery and at least two high-grade massive sulphide deposits. Pure Gold is also active in diamond exploration. See www.puregold.ca.
TEMEX RESOURCES of Toronto has begun a major drilling program at the Juby gold project located near Val d'Or, Quebec. About 300,000 ounces of gold have already been identified at Juby, but the company plans to add to that figure following a minimum of 7,000 m of drilling. To view the latest corporate presentation go to www.temexcorp.com.
Drills are turning on TWIN MINING's newly-acquired Abitibi properties. The six propertiesNormar, Malartic H, Malartic H Annex, Mouskor, Joannes North, and Joanne Westwere optioned from Breakwater Resources. One drill is working on the Normar claims, and another is testing a geophysical anomaly on the Mouskor property. Results will be posted at www.twinmining.com. Twin Mining is headquartered in Toronto.
Winnipeg-based WILDCAT EXPLORATION has two programs going on its wholly-owned gold projects in the Bissett area in southeastern Manitoba. The Poundmaker property, near the former San Antonio mine, and the Siderock Lake property, will be sampled. More information is available from Wildcat chairman Jerrold Siemens at 204-944-8916.
Comments