STOCK MARKETS — First-hole results at Casino boost shares of

Trading statistics for the Vancouver Stock Exchange mirror a general feeling of malaise at brokerage houses where phones are quiet. After comparing the second quarter of 1992 with the first, the exchange reported a 19% drop in volume to 899 million shares, and a 30% drop in value traded to $834 million.

For the period ended July 7, the composite index slipped 3. 27 points to close at 606.65; the resource index gained more than 17 points, finishing at 560.78.

On the Alberta Stock Exchange, the composite index took a bit of a beating, dropping more than 20 points to close at 816.28.

Big Creek Resources continued to gain ground after last week’s release of assay results from the first drill hole on the Casino property in southern Yukon.

The infill hole (four holes had been drilled previously) intersected 523 ft. grading 0.021 oz. gold and 0.59% copper. The second hole, assays from which have not yet been released, twinned an old hole nearby which intersected greater than 1% copper over the first 210 ft. and 0.42% copper over the remaining 960 ft. Gold was not assayed for at the time.

Big Creek managed to hit a high of $1.40 before finishing up 25 cents at $1.35.

The company is earning a 50% interest in the property from Casino Silver Mines by funding $3 million in exploration. Casino gained 20 cents to close at 80 cents.

Gold Giant Minerals did well, adding 45 cents to finish at $1.45. The company is earning a 50% interest in the Sno Ball polymetallic prospect in the Eskay Creek area of northwestern British Columbia from Hemlo Gold Mines, while Gold Fields Canadian is earning a 50% interest in the company’s Nizi gold-silver-zinc project in northern British Columbia.

The release of assay results from drilling on the Jan/Summit claims at the Gibraltar mine near McLeese Lake, B.C., boosted Newcoast Silver Mines, propelling the issue to a year-high of 56 cents.

Gibraltar Mines is drilling off a new deposit, returning grades of up to 0.92% copper. Although the grades compare very favorably with what Gibraltar is currently mining (0.32% copper), the intersections are deep, varying up to 700 ft. below surface.

Newcoast, which holds a 30% net profits interest in the ground, lost most of its gains by the end of the period to finish up 2 cents at 40 cents.

Golden Ring Resources received little joy from the latest assays from drilling at its Bellas Gate property in Jamaica.

Hole CAM92-15 intersected 150 ft. grading 0.33% copper and 0.006 oz. gold while hole CAM92-16 returned no significant results. Hole GEO92-01, drilled to test an anomaly to the northwest of the Camel Hill zone, intersected 399 ft. grading 0.35% copper and 0.005 oz. gold. Golden Ring finished down 4 cents at 26 cents.

Columbia Gold Mines expects to begin diamond drilling July 10 on its Spectrum gold property in northwestern British Columbia. The company plans to test the reserve potential around an earlier drill hole which intersected 0.96 oz. gold over 19 ft. Columbia added 9 cents to close at 39 cents.

Green Valley Mine picked up some lost ground, adding 18 cents to finish at 50 cents. The company, along with partner Lakewood Mining, plans to begin drilling again on the Wood claims to the south of the Afton copper mine near Kamloops, B.C. Drilling on the property earlier this year failed to intersect any economically significant mineralization. Lakewood remained unchanged at the 53 cents level.

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