EXPLORATION 1999 – Aurizon drills Casa Berardi

Vancouver-based Aurizon Mines (ARZ-T) has 10 drills active at its wholly owned Casa Berardi project in Quebec’s prolific Abitibi mining district. The program is aimed at boosting mineral resources to about 1 million oz. contained gold within a 1-km radius of the West Mine area.

Casa Berardi is a former producer with an existing mineral resource of 4.2 million tonnes averaging 5.3 grams gold (or 725,000 contained ounces). Of this total, 3.4 million tonnes grading 5.1 grams (or 550,000 contained ounces) are in the West Mine area. This figure does not include resources identified to date from the ongoing 50,000-metre drill program that began last fall.

The latest round of drilling tested Zone 113, and the area west of the Lower Inter zone. Results from Zone 113 include 8.2 grams over 9.6 metres, 5.2 grams over 19.9 metres, 7.9 grams over 18.8 metres, and 8.5 grams over 24 metres (including 29.5 grams over 5.4 metres and 3.9 grams over 8.5 metres). The company says these results “continue to confirm the potentially significant dimensions of Zone 113, and the continuity of mineralization within the zone.” Four drills are currently testing Zone 113’s potential at a depth of about 450-700 metres below surface with the goal of outlining a mineral resource.

Two surface drills are exploring an area west of, and at depth from, the Lower Inter zone. Results from the Deep Extension West area include 1.6 grams over 103.5 metres (including 4.6 grams over 14 metres) and 0.5 gram over 96.2 metres.

The remaining four drills, operating from underground, are engaged in definition drilling of the existing resource in the West Mine area.

Elsewhere in Quebec, Aurizon has boosted proven and probable reserves at its two producing Quebec mines for the fifth consecutive year. After replacing record production of 56,291 oz., Aurizon reported a 21% increase in reserves at the end of 1998 over those reported a year earlier. At the 50%-owned Sleeping Giant mine near Amos, proven and probable reserves stood at 365,000 tonnes grading 12 grams gold per tonne (140,500 contained ounces) at year-end. This compares with 287,000 tonnes of 11.9 grams (110,000 contained ounces) at the end of 1997. The average grade improved for the fifth consecutive year, to 12 grams — a 50% increase over the past five years.

At the 50%-owned Beaufor mine near Val d’Or, proven and probable reserves stood at 449,000 tonnes of 8 grams (115,000 contained ounces) at the end of 1998, compared with 379,000 tonnes of 8.3 grams (101,000 oz.) a year earlier. Both underground mines have additional resources, which, at the end of 1998, stood at 232,000 tonnes of 8.7 grams at Sleeping Giant, and 260,000 tonnes of 6 grams at Beaufor.

Aurizon and operating partner Cambior (CBJ-T) plan to carry out more than 30,000 metres of exploration drilling at Sleeping Giant this year. At Beaufor, more than 9,000 metres are planned.