Queenston and Franco-Nevada take aim at Kirkland Lake prospect

Partners Queenston Mining (qmi-t) and Franco-Nevada Mining (fn-t) have announced the discovery of two new gold zones following a first phase of drilling at the McBean and Anoki gold deposits, east of Kirkland Lake, Ont.

The 20-hole, 13,230-metre program resulted in the discovery of the Green Carbonate and the Anoki Deep zones. These lie beneath the McBean and Anoki deposits, respectively.

The companies liken the geology and mineralization of their finds to those of the Kerr-Addison gold deposit.

Of the newest holes, five of six intersected and extended the Green Carbonate zone. Highlights include: 12.2 metres (from 333.3 to 345.5 metres) grading 3.81 grams gold per tonne in hole 13; 2.6 metres (from 335 to 337.6 metres) of 3.98 grams in hole 17; and 5.3 metres (from 551.1 to 556.4 metres) of 4.29 grams in hole 18.

McBean deposit

At the McBean deposit, which was mined by open-pit methods in the mid-1980s, 16 holes were drilled in total. The deposit has been outlined to a depth of 305 metres, with resources estimated at 1.6 million tonnes grading 5.14 grams gold. Gold mineralization occurs within altered syenite dykes which cut komatiitic flows in the hangingwall of the 150-metre-thick Larder Lake deformation zone.

Drilling into the Green Carbonate zone found gold mineralization occurring within the central and footwall portions of the deformation zone. The Green Carbonate zone extends over a strike length of 610 metres and to a vertical depth of 400 metres while remaining open in all directions.

Eight of the holes returned intersections grading above 6.86 grams gold over minable widths. The zone comprises three subzones of altered komatiitic flows, or green carbonate, varying in width from 3 to 30 metres. These subzones contain gold associated with mineralized felsitic-albititic dykes, as well as quartz veins and stockworks.

Three holes were drilled at the Anoki deposit, 1.2 km west of McBean, which contains a resource of 1.1 million tonnes grading 4.11 grams gold. The deposit occurs in a shallow, east-plunging zone adjacent to, and south of, the Larder Lake deformation zone. Gold mineralization occurs in silicified-pyritic-carbonated zones within volcanic flows.

In the Anoki Deep zone, gold is free and associated with silicified-pyritized sections of highly altered volcanic tuff and felsite. The zone remains open in all directions.

In early April, Queenston commenced a $2.5-million, second-phase drill program on the property, using two rigs. Nine holes are being drilled in an attempt to expand the Green Carbonate zone, both to the east and west on 122-metre centres, while five holes explore the Anoki Deep zone, also on 122-metre centres. Infill and stepout drilling will follow.