Battle Mountain cuts 100 ft. of 0.17 oz. gold at Kirkland

A deep hole recently completed on Queenston Mining’s (TSE) Amalgamated Kirkland property at Kirkland Lake, Ont., has returned a 100.4 ft. interval grading 0.17 oz. gold per ton.

Encountered at a vertical depth of 1,400 ft., the interval is estimated to have a true width of 50 ft., including 5 ft. grading 2.02 oz. Hole AK92-39A is one of three widely-spaced holes completed by Battle Mountain Canada, a unit of Battle Mountain Gold (TSE), to test the depth potential of the 102-103 zone. Battle is earning a 50% interest in the property by spending $2.95 million on exploration and making cash payments of $750,00 by June, 1993.

“At a depth of 300-400 metres (1,000-1,300 ft.), the zone gets a bit wider and the grades seem to get a bit better in places,” says Charles Page, vice-president of Queenston. Previous, shallower intersections of the 102-103 zone include 0.29 oz. over 16.9 ft.

Hole 40, drilled approximately 1,200 ft. east of 39A, intersected the gold zone at 1,900 ft. below surface. Within 102 ft. of alteration, the highest assay was 0.28 oz. over 2.95 ft.

About 1,400 ft. west of 39A, hole 41 intersected the zone at 2,300 ft. below surface. Although more than 100 ft. wide at this point, the zone contained no significant gold values.

As a result of the latest program, the 102-103 zone has been extended across a strike length of 4,500 ft. and to a depth of 2,300 ft. The new zone lies between and sub-parallel to both the Kirkland Lake break and the Larder Lake break.

Historically, the Kirkland Lake camp has produced more than 24 million oz. of gold from several mines.

Although Battle Mountain has not yet outlined plans for further drilling, Page says he would like to see the operators focus on detailed exploration around hole 39A, where he sees the potential for a 5-million ton deposit. To date, the gold producer has spent $2.65 million and paid Queenston $450,000. After becoming an equal partner in the project, Battle Mountain may increase its interest to 70% by spending an additional $2 million and making cash payments of $350,000 by June, 1995.