Mineralization addition for Pacific Minesearch

A 14,000-ft drill program at the Howie gold project of Pacific Minesearch in North Carolina has outlined additional mineralization to depth. According to Victor F. Erickson, president, drilling in the Cureton zone has extended the mineralized system to at least the 850 level or some 300 ft below previously known reserves. The company can earn a 50% interest in the project from Cominco Resources International.

Two old surface showings, the Callow and Klondike zone, have been tested by diamond drilling and apparently reach depths in excess of 800 and 950 ft, he said. The Klondike zone was confirmed in hole No 87-19 which returned multiple gold intercepts including 15 ft of 0.223 oz gold and 5 ft of 0.12 oz. Some higher grade intervals were calculated including 5 ft averaging 0.4 oz and 5 ft grading 0.37 oz.

Shallow mineralization was encountered in the Callow zone in hole No 87-20 which appears to correlate with an intercept made earlier some 200 ft to the east, he noted. Some of the better results from that hole included 5 ft of 0.537 oz and 5 ft averaging 0.895 oz. Visible gold has been reported in several samples and this nugget effect suggests results could actually be higher, he predicted.

Mr Erickson said the drilling has demonstrated the continuity of the previously developed main zone to depth and also the two new zones. The holes were fanned from surface and the program was completed in about two months. The joint venture is looking for ore shoots along strike, some of which have been mined by open pit in the past. Gold values typically occur as slices of mineralization within a series of zones. Although not an absolute certainty, widths and grade seem to be improving with depth, he said. They are not dealing with veins but quartz flooding in an argillaceous unit, he added.

Cominco has already rehabilitated the shaft which would be used for an eventual underground exploration program. The mine would have to be dewatered first, however. The next exploration phase will probably involve some fill-in drilling, he said, Pacific Minesearch has already spent $400,000(US) on the project.