Mineral Exploration is the official publication of the Association of Mineral Exploration British Columbia.
Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/912187
W inte r 20 17 39 Precious metals Pretium Resources Inc. announced commercial production at its gold-silver Brucejack mine in July and carried out a summer regional exploration program. IDM Mining Ltd. continued to advance its Red Mountain project with step-out drilling, a feasibility study, and a project application and environmental impact statement, which were submitted to regulators and stakeholders. Drilling highlights included Red Mountain's highest- grade intersection to date: 1,400 grams per tonne gold and 437„g/t silver over 0.5 metres, in an interval of 149.24„g/t gold and 59.88„g/t silver along 4.88 metres. GT Gold Corp. made a grassroots discovery at its Tatogga project where 11 of 58 soil samples returned assays greater than 10„g/t gold, with highs to 72.3„g/t. These results prompted a reverse-circulation drilling program, which yielded results of up to 17.41„g/t gold over 9.14 metres. Ongoing diamond drilling returned results of up to 51.53„g/t gold and 117.38„g/t silver over 6.95 metres. In the spring, Ascot Resources Ltd. announced plans for 140,000 metres of drilling at its Premier/Dilworth project. By early September, more than 80,000 metres in 250 holes were completed. The drilling discovered a new high-grade subzone (Ben) of the Northern Lights zone in the Premier mine area. Numerous high-grade intersections were reported, including 36.31„g/t gold along 16.15 metres. Tudor Gold Corp. reported drilling results, including 5.1 metres of 9.57„g/t gold for extensions of the GR2 zone at the Treaty Creek project. Other drilling programs in the Northwest Region included those by Auryn Resources Inc. (15,000 metres at Homestake Ridge), Jayden Resources Inc. (1,800 metres at Silver Coin) and African Queen Mines Ltd. (2,000 metres at Yellowjacket Gold). Work continued to search for lode gold sources in the Atlin area, at the Yellowjacket Gold project, Gray Rock Resources Ltd.'s Surprise Lake project and Brixton Metals Corporation's Atlin Gold project. Porphyry projects Seabridge Gold Inc. continued to obtain drilling results for the Iron Cap deposit at its KSM project. The project consists of the Kerr, Sulphurets, Mitchell and Iron Cap deposits. This year, drilling at Iron Cap produced results that include 491 metres of 0.98„g/t gold and 0.6 per cent copper. Although Iron Cap is closest to project infrastructure and is permitted as a block cave operation, which is cost- eœicient, the current plan has it being mined after the Kerr deposit. Increasing the resource at Iron Cap could result in significant changes to the mine plan. Colorado Resources Ltd. completed 8,100 metres of drilling at its KSP project, and announced the discovery of high- grade intervals with visible gold, new mineralized trends and porphyry-style gold-copper mineralization. Highlights included 4,470„g/t gold over 0.5 metres and 0.43„g/t gold and 0.11 per cent copper over 195.4 metres. A second phase of drilling was planned for the fall. For its Thorn project, Brixton Metals Corporation announced discovering porphyry gold- and silver-related mineralization with the first-ever drilling of the Chivas zone. Highlights included 17.26 metres of 0.61„g/t gold and 110.27„g/t silver. Skeena Resources Limited filed a mineral resource update and a preliminary economic assessment for its Spectrum-GJ project. The project consists of two deposits, separated by about 14 kilometres – one porphyry copper-gold (Donnelly, at GJ), the other porphyry gold-copper (Spectrum). OK2 Minerals Ltd. announced the discovery of a new mineralized porphyry body at its Pyramid project during reconnaissance reverse-circulation drilling. The company planned to follow up with 2,000 metres of diamond drilling. For its Kirkham project, Metallis Resources Inc. announced that a 1,048-metre diamond drilling program intersected zones of potassic alteration featuring abundant chalcopyrite. Mapping and sampling identified several gabbroic units considered contiguous with the rocks that host nickel-copper sulphides at Garibaldi Resources Corp.'s E&L project. In late September, Amarc Resources Ltd. announced plans for a $600,000 fall drilling program for its DUKE project. Polymetallic base and precious metals The Red CliŠ project is a joint venture between Decade Resources Ltd. (65 per cent) and Mountain Boy Minerals Ltd. (35 per cent). In late September, initial results were reported for drilling and sampling. Highlights included drilling results of 19.9„g/t gold over 4.12 metres and chip sampling results of 390„g/t gold over five metres. Drilling was expected to continue into November. NORTHWEST REGION ¤SKEENA¥ PHOTOS: GOVERNMENT OF BRITISH COLUMBIA Drilling at IDM Mining Ltd.'s Red Mountain project. Visible gold in drill core from GT Gold Corp.'s Tatogga project.