Benchmark hits 107.8 metres of 2.59 g/t gold-equivalent at Lawyers

Drilling at the southern part of the Cliff Creek area at Benchmark Metals’ (TSXV: BNCH) Lawyers project in the Golden Triangle area in B.C. has hit broad zones of gold-silver mineralization and returned high-grade intercepts. The company is working towards a bulk tonnage resource for the project, expected in the first quarter, which would be followed by a preliminary economic assessment.

Notable intercepts included 107.8 metres of 2 grams gold per tonne and 46.84 grams silver per tonne (2.59 gram gold-equivalent per tonne) from 331.2 metres; 61 metres of 1.44 grams gold per tonne and 82.77 grams silver per tonne (2.47 grams gold-equivalent per tonne) starting at 339 metres; and 38.1 metres of 5.71 grams gold per tonne and 7.76 grams silver per tonne (5.8 grams gold-equivalent per tonne) from 372 metres.

CEO John Williamson viewing drill core at Benchmark Metals’ Lawyers project. Credit: Benchmark Metals.

Higher-grade intervals included assays such as 1.1 metres of 185 grams gold and 104 grams silver (186.3 grams gold-equivalent) starting at 372 metres and 0.8 metres of 33.6 grams gold and 1,190 grams silver (48.48 grams gold-equivalent) from 421.2 metres.

 CEO John Williamson noted that Cliff Creek South shows potential for both open pit and underground resources.

“The Cliff Creek South (CCS) area continues to yield broad zones of bulk tonnage delivering the potential for open pit mining at surface,” he stated in a news release. “In addition, CCS is providing similarities to the Cliff Creek North zone with high-grade intervals at depth, demonstrating potential for future underground mining opportunities.”

The overall Cliff Creek zone is 1.2 km long and, with CCS, includes three sub-areas (Cliff Creek North, Cliff Creek Mid).

In 2018, Benchmark released an initial inferred resource for the Cliff Creek North and Dukes Ridge zones at Lawyers: Cliff Creek North features 550,000 inferred tonnes, grading 4.51 grams gold per tonne and 209.15 grams silver per tonne, with an additional 58,000 inferred tonnes at Dukes Ridge, at 4.3 grams gold and 139.13 grams silver.