Granges/Windflower plan $3 million work program

A $3-million underground exploration program is planned by Granges Exploration and Windflower Mining on their Goldfinch property near Revelstoke, B.C. Granges President Michael Muzylowski believes there could be “a small mine there,” suggesting that a milling rate of 200 tons per day might be viable.

Expenditures will be shared 60/40 by Granges and Windflower and the program will run through the winter months. The program will involve about 1,800 ft of underground development and both companies have ample working capital to fund the work. The Main or Dorothy ore zone will be reached by what he descri bes as a “form of decline.” Once access is achieved, parallel drifts will be established in both the Main and East zones, of which the latter grades approximately 1 oz gold per ton. Muzylowski claims this higher grade zone “will pay for everything,” noting there are about 25,000 tons in this area.

The Main zone, which grades approximately 0.25 oz, varies in width from 5-30 ft but averages 10-12 ft, he says. The smaller East zone, which Muzylowski points out “now appears very significant” averages about 6.5 ft.

Surface drilling has outlined a reserve of 165,000 tons grading 0.24 oz in the Dorothy vein, the original discovery zone. In addition, Muzylowski confirms that drilling has indicated “very promising results from two additional mineralized zones, both of which will add substantially to the potential of the property.”

Exploration work to date on the combined Dorothy, Dorothy North and East zone has blocked out approximately 100,000 oz of gold, all of which is amenable to underground mining. Additional potential exists along a major structure which runs for over 3.5 miles across the property.

Muzylowski expects the Dorothy North could easily carry another 165,000 tons of 0.25-oz material because it is still open along strike and to depth. Recent drill results from this zone included: 15.9 ft of 0.15 oz, 15.3 ft of 0.25 oz, 10.4 ft grading 0.35 oz and 11.9 ft of 0.34 oz.

Drilling is continuing in the East zone which has extensive en- echelon quartz veining characterized by low sulphide content and sometimes visible gold. One recent intersection returned 3.3 ft of 2.7 oz; the zone has a strike length of 325 ft and a dip extension of 260 ft. Reserves there are estimated to be about 20,000 oz. “However, closer- spaced drill testing from surface or from underground is required to establish an accurate ore reserve,” he adds.

Muzylowski says the joint venture has access to a pilot mill which will be used to process material from the underground program. Preliminary metallurgical test work has indicated an over 90% recovery rate for the gold. Besides providing a good bulk sample, the underground program will determine ground conditions and the continuity of the zones which for the most part have been defined by fairly close-spaced drilling, he notes.