Follow-up deep drilling by Aurizon Mines (ARZ-T) on the 118-120 zones at the Casa Berardi project in northwestern Quebec continues to confirm grade, thickness and geological continuity.
Each of the latest batch of six holes on the zones cut gold values near the Casa Berardi fault. Three of the holes also returned narrow quartz veins carrying high gold values south of the fault.
Hole S73, and two wedge partners S73A and S73B intersected the fault about 550 metres below surface and about 200 metres above previous drilling. Higher up each hole cut a quartz vein structure running 3-10-metrs wide, and returned visible gold.
Of the three holes S73 returned the highest grades, including two isolated veins running between 4.9 and 37.1 grams gold per tonne over widths of 5.2 metres and 1 metre, respectively. Lower, the hole encountered the fault and yielded 4 metres (true width) of 13.6 grams gold, including a 2-metre section of 26 grams gold.
Holes S72 and S72A cut the fault around 1,000 metres below surface and west of previous drilling. Hole S72 cut a 1.5-metre wide vein interval running 49.5 grams gold, followed lower in the hole by a 22-metre (true width) fault section averaging 4.2 grams, including 8.4 metres of 7.5 grams. Hole S72A cut a 13-metre-wide (true width) section of the fault grading 2.9 grams gold, including 5.6 metres of 6.6 grams.
Gold mineralization is associated with a sulphide-rich schist and vein network along the hanging wall of the vein.
Hole S71A, collared further to the east, cut a 1-metre wide vein section running 49.5 grams gold, plus a 6-metre (true width) fault section grading 1.4 grams gold lower in the hole.
Gold is mostly associated with strong carbonatation, quartz veinlet stockworks and disseminated arsenopyrite.
Two other deep holes collared about 150 metres west of the western margin of the 118-120 zones cut disseminated sulphides (10%) associated with a cherty horizon about 20 metres north of the Casa Berardi fault.
Hole S66D encountered a true width of 8.5 metres running 3.6 grams gold, including 3.4 metres of 5.2 grams gold. Slightly further west, hole S66C was highlighted by 18.2 metres (true width) of 2.7 grams gold, including 10 metres of 3.7 grams.
The 118-120 zones are situated about 300 to 500 metres east of the West mine’s known resources along the dip extension of the Principal zone, 500 to 1000 metres below surface.
Current reserves at the West mine are 6.9 million tonnes averaging 6.7 grams gold per tonne, enough for a mine life of 7.5 years.
The latest drilling is part of a $2-million campaign aimed at expanding resources and reserves to boost the project’s 7.5-year mine life. Aurizon currently has two drill rigs testing extensions of zone 113 and the zone 118-120 area.
Aurizon is also in the midst of looking at the economics of an underground exploration program aimed at accessing the Lower Inter and 113 zones. Drilling there would aim to increase the level of confidence of the zones’ grade and continuity.
Once the current drilling campaign wraps up, Aurizon plans to complete a resource estimate, which is expected sometime in the first quarter of 2003.
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