Catear goes underground to prove up reserves

Some people like to do things the old fashioned way. And this probably explains the reasoning behind the current program at Catear Resources, (VSE) Goldwedge property, less than a mile from the Newhawk/Granduc Sulphurets project.

Following the tried (and sometimes true) axiom: “drill for structure, drive for grade,” Catear has embarked upon an ambitious program to prove up reserves for its recently installed gravity mill which was operating when The Northern Miner recently visited the property.

The property is called the Goldwedge for a very good reason. It’s a thin stretch of ground or fraction previously owned by Esso Minerals. The property runs north to south and is completely surrounded by the Sulphurets project which could limit its reserve potential.

Indeed, it has been speculated that Catear’s ramp actually crosses onto the Newhawk/Granduc property although nobody seems too concerned about it. In any event, Catear has extensive land holdings in the region other than Goldwedge which the company plans to explore and hopefully develop. So by no means is the reserve potential confined to Goldwedge.

A 10,000-ton bulk test is under way at Goldwedge and the plant is only operating at 50 tons per day. Catear is waiting for delivery of a small crusher which will boost capacity to 120 tons. About $5 million has been spent developing the property, which includes the milling facility. About 16,000 ft of surface drilling and 10,000 ft of underground drilling has been completed. The mill, purchased second hand and rehabilitated by the company, ended up costing about $350,000.

To date, about 1,032 ft of decline has been completed and about 434 ft of drifting. The decline is surprisingly large (10×14 ft), something the company said was necessary because of the size of its equipment. Drifts and draw points were also very large, comparable to many large base metal mines.

Coarse native gold has been encountered in drifting and raising; and true vein widths generally vary from 6-8 ft, The Northern Miner was told. High grade values often occur in quartz stockwork. In a test stope Catear has mined to a 15.5 ft width. The vein structure appears to be steeply dipping, an important feature because flatter veins would dip onto the Sulphurets property.

Geological reserves now stand at 291,000 tons grading 0.84 oz gold, the company claims. So far about 4,000 tons has been mined from the test stope which has been stockpiled on surface. No grade has been assigned to the stope material. Catear said that about 300 oz of gold has been produced so far and the company’s objective is to develop the property from cash flow.