Dilution problems slow D’Or Val mine operation

Dilution troubles have slowed operations at the producing D’Or Val Mines gold mine in northwestern Quebec but according to a company spokesman, the problem seems to have been remedied.

Daniel Gosselin told The Northern Miner workers were “mining too wide” from the upper portion (above the 800-ft level) of the mine, which is located near Val d’Or and which went into production in April, 1987.

He said that while the vein is 2-6 ft wide, operators were consistently removing ore across a 5 1/2 -6-ft width; that cutting width has been cut back to 4 1/2 -5 ft.

Current grade of the ore being mined is 0.15 oz gold per ton, Gosselin said; the company is hoping to boost that grade to at least 0.2 oz.

Reserves stand at 750,000 tons ore, a total the Hughes-Lang company hopes to increase through underground drilling currently being undertaken from the 800-ft level.

D’Or Val was feeding the mill on the property with ore from the mine at a rate of 450 tons per day, but cut back to 150 tons because of the dilution troubles. Nevertheless, Gosselin said the mill is currently running at capacity (750 tons per day) because of feed from other area projects belonging to companies within the Hughes-Lang group and also from custom milling jobs.

New mine manager at the D’Or Val site is Andre Godbout. Potential mine feed

To help feed the mill in the future, D’Or Val is participating in an exploration program on the nearby Beaufor gold property with Louvem Mines and sister company Perron Gold Mines. D’Or Val and Perron may each earn a 25% interest in the property from Louvem by spending a combined $7 million on exploration work by May 1, 1990.

Both surface and underground drilling is being performed at the property, where shaft and underground workings extend to a depth of 2,175 ft and dewatering is reported completed with only limited rehabilitation remaining. Visible gold is reported.

Included among the better results from surface drilling:

Width Grade Hole (ft) (oz/t, uncut) B87-6 1.05 12.31

1.25 2.4 B87-8 5.25 4.99 B87-9 0.85 5.04 B87-11 1.64 3.39 B87-12 6.69 0.81 B87-13 3.12 0.98 B87-14 1.38 6.68

5.48 6.34 B87-18 4.63 0.38

Included among the better results from underground drilling:

Width Grade Hole (ft) (oz/t, uncut) 1200-2 0.72 2.47

5.84 4.79 1160-1 1.64 1.77 1160-2 2.76 2.79

1.57 4.99

9.25 0.61 1160-3a 3.67 1.38 1120-1 3.48 1.21 1120-3 4 3.82

D’Or Val reports drilling to date has defined gold-bearing quartz- tourmaline and pyrite veining for a strike length of 1,700 ft to a maximum depth of 2,100 ft. This data is widely spaced (130-ft geologic sections). Another 1,700-2,000 ft of untested ground lies to the west.