Underground drilling by
In October 1999, the company reported that the deepest hole ever drilled at the mine, 3170-11B, intersected Zone 20 North over a higher-than-expected true thickness of 51.8 ft. and a higher-than-expected grade of 0.19 oz. gold and 0.18 oz. silver per ton, plus 0.18% copper and 0.01% zinc. The intersection was made at a depth of 9,717 ft. below surface, or 2,367 ft. below the planned bottom of shaft 3, now almost completed.
More recently, hole 3194-08 intersected a 75.5-ft. portion of Zone 20 North (true thickness) with a grade of 0.18 oz. gold, 0.58 oz. silver, 0.97% copper and 0.04% zinc at a depth of 8,893 ft., or 878 linear ft. above hole 3170-11B.
The 75.5-ft. intersection represents the hangingwall of a 150-ft. section of stringer and massive-pyrite mineralization. As in the deeper hole, gold values in hole 3194-08 were distributed across the entire mineralized thickness.
The hangingwall section is described as containing a 26.2-ft.-wide massive pyrite core enveloped by two gold-bearing stringer zones. Gold values in the massive pyrite core ranged from 0.21 oz. to 0.64 oz.; copper values, from 1% to 4.1%.
Agnico-Eagle has drilled three holes — 3146-16, 3170-11B and 3194-08 — below the designed bottom of shaft 3 and the company is becoming increasingly confident that Zone 20 North is continuous to a depth of at least 9,717 ft. and remains open for expansion in all directions.
The company has also been carrying out definition drilling from level 206 (6,760 ft. depth) into three zones: 20 North, 20 South and 7.
The results are extending and confirming previous results obtained from level 194. The true thickness of the mineralization encountered in Zone 20 North continues to average more than 50 ft. over a minimum strike length of 1,500 ft.
Recent drilling into Zone 20 South has extended the zone below level 134, by another 500 ft., to level 149 (4,890 ft. below surface). Both Zones 20 South and 7 remain open.
Definition drilling is under way on level 215 (7,054 ft. depth), and, by the end of January, drilling to level 220 (7,220 ft.) is expected to be complete.
The results will be incorporated into a new reserve estimate, to be released in late February.
Once definition drilling is completed along level 215, more deep drilling will be carried out from the lower levels of shaft 3.
During the latter half of 2000, work will begin on an exploration drift on level 215. The drift will provide additional drill stations from which to explore the various zones at depth.
Based on the success of the deep drilling, several development options are being evaluated.
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