Aurizon extends Casa Berardi high grade

Underground drilling around the West mine area at the Casa Berardi project in northwestern Quebec has resulted in high-grade gold values for Aurizon Mines (ARZ-T).

Drilling along the updip extension of the 113 zone has expanded reserves. Highlights include:

– hole 419 — 11.3 metres grading 28.4 grams gold per tonne;

– hole 395 — 10.3 metres of 10.2 grams gold;

– hole 393 — 5 metres of 2.7 grams gold;

– hole 417A — 21.8 metres of 2.5 grams gold;

– hole 441 — 2.2 metres of 6.7 grams gold; and

– hole 418 — 2.6 metres of 4 grams gold.

Four holes failed to return significant results.

Drilling was on 25-metre centres, and Aurizon says the results suggest a narrow, high-grade oreshoot between the 113 and 111 zones.

At last count, probable reserves above the 700-metre level in the 113 zone totalled 2 million tonnes grading 6.8 grams gold per tonne, equivalent to 430,476 oz. The 111 zone had 292,691 tonnes grading 5.4 grams gold.

Crews are drilling below 700 metres on the 113 zone, from a crosscut off the 550-metre level track drift. Results from the downdip extension will be released in the second quarter.

Meanwhile, infill drilling to the west on the 109 zone indicates the presence of a small high-grade deposit. Hole 425 returned 4 metres grading 193.1 grams gold; hole 428, 3.1 metres of 91.7 grams.

Four holes returned 3-5.5 grams gold over intervals of 2-12.5 metres; two other holes failed to cut significant mineralization.

The 109 zone comprises a small, flat-lying quartz vein previously discovered by surface drilling. That drilling returned up to 7.8 metres grading 15.4 grams gold. The zone has an inferred resource of 124,739 tonnes averaging 9.1 grams gold.

Infill drilling on 25-metre centres of the upper levels of both zones has wrapped up.

A feasibility study at Casa Berardi envisages annual production of 150,000 oz. gold at US$233 apiece over 5.5 years. The proposed plan is based only on reserves above the 700-metre level (T.N.M., Feb. 14-20/05).

Aurizon is extending the 550-metre track drift to provide a drill station for infill drilling of Zones 118-120, the goal being to expand resources and reserves. The study estimates probable reserves in the West mine area (above 700 metres) at 4.4 million tonnes grading 6.2 grams gold per tonne, or 868,000 oz.