Menora doubles strike of Tassawini deposit in Guyana

A program of soil geochemistry has doubled the strike length of the Tassawini gold deposit in Guyana and identified a larger anomalous zone to the west, reports Menora Resources (MEN-M).

In the 1980s, a Brazilian tin company tested the deposit by drilling 113 holes for a total of 11,431 metres. In the early 1990s, additional work was carried out by another operator.

This previous work served to outline a drill-indicated oxide resource of 2.3 million tonnes grading 2.1 grams gold per tonne, as well as a drill-indicated sulphide resource of 517,000 tonnes grading 3.78 grams. The property also contains a drill-inferred sulphide resource of 325,000 tonnes grading 2.37 grams, plus 175,000 tonnes of tailings grading 3.52 grams.

In 1995, Menora signed an agreement with the local owner, which allows the company to earn an 80% interest by spending US$3 million over three years. At that point, Menora has the right to acquire the remaining 20% by paying cash instalments over a 2-year period.

The junior started compiling data in late 1995 and began field work this past summer. The geochemical program was aimed at identifying strike extensions to the Tassawini deposit, assessing three known areas of interest, and providing general reconnaissance elsewhere on the property. A total of 2,900 soil auger samples were taken.

Assay results from the area adjacent to Tassawini extended, from 350 to 750 metres, the known area of mineralization on an east-west strike. The western extension was identified in 12 anomalous soil samples of up to 0.89 gram gold per tonne over an apparent width of 75 metres.

A geochemical anomaly called “Andy’s zone” was identified 400 metres on-trend to the west of Tassawini. Of the 38 anomalous samples taken from this area, four graded more than 1 gram, with the highest being 2.14 gram. A weaker anomaly was identified nearby. Menora notes that Andy’s zone is about four times larger than the surface expression of the Tassawini deposit.

Assay results are awaited from the remaining 2,151 samples. A US$1-million exploration program, to include deep overburden drilling and diamond drilling, is planned for next year.

Menora is also advancing the Wadi Medden gold project in Yemen, as well as exploring nearby properties in that country. In addition, the company has diamond exploration programs under way in Namibia and Botswana.