Cream Silver drilling Buttle Lake after government lifts

After a 14-year moratorium, Cream Silver Mines is exploring its Buttle Lake polymetallic deposit near Westmin Resources’ mine on Vancouver Island.

The 166 mineral claims are located about two miles south of the south end of Buttle Lake within the Strathcona provincial recreation area and have been dormant since the British Columbia government prevented the company from exploring the claims by declaring a moratorium in 1973.

The moratorium was lifted in 1987 and a resource use permit gives the company authority for a $280,000 diamond drilling program expected to start late in January. A $50,000 bond has been posted to ensure rehabilitation work is properly completed.

A $150,000 geophysical survey completed last year located a string of anomalies on strike with the known orebodies on the adjacent Westmin property. Westmin is in the process of increasing its mill to 4,400 tons per day to treat these ores, most notable of which is the H-W orebody containing 15.2 million tons grading 0.07 oz gold per ton, 1.1 oz silver, 2.2% copper, 0.3% lead and 5.3% zinc.

Initial drilling will consist of three to five holes drilled to a depth of 1,500 to 2,500 ft to test three geophysical anomalies. Authorization to drill another target area on the property has been applied for.