The Star Lake gold mine represents the first such mine in Saskatchewan in more than 40 years. Although small in both reserves and milling rate, the high grade operation combined with relatively simple orebody geometry is expected to generate a good profit. The 21 zone strikes for 260 ft and dips vertically. Essentially a fracture- filled quartz vein, gold is associated with coarse masses of pyrite (the vein fills a mylonitic shear zone striking across the Star Lake pluton). As a result, grade control and mining of the zone results in little dilution.
By the second quarter of this year, the Star Lake mill had processed 35,500 tons of ore to recover 15,600 oz. Head grades have averaged 0.46 oz gold per ton. Recent improvements to the mill circuit have resulted in an increase in gold recovery to 94% from 92%, the partners say. This is one factor behind the operation’s ability to increase gold output to 3,400 oz per month from 3,000 oz per month.
Underground exploration on the 21 zone, which hosts the bulk of the property’s reserves, only resulted in a modest increase in reserves. However, these new reserves. Star Lake Notebook Location: ……. 70 miles north of La Ronge, Sask. Major owners: ……. Saskatchewan Mining Development Corp. (50%), Uranerz Exploration and Mining (15%) and Starrex Mining Corp. (35%) Commodity: ……. gold Discovery date: ……. 21 zone was discovered in the summer of 1983. Production decision: ……. early 1985 Start-up: ……. January, 1987 Capital costs: ……. $12.6 million Operating costs: ……. $112 to $132(US) per oz of gold Reserves: ……. 230,000 tons grading 0.5 oz gold per ton Access: ……. 3,800-ft decline ramp Extent of vertical workings: ……. 426 ft. Mining method: ……. long-hole stoping Mining equipment: ……. trackless Production rate: ……. 220 tons per day Milling: ……. on site Major contractors: ……. J. S. Redpath Ltd. and Tonto Mining Status: ……. production
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