Northfield Group busy in Larder Lake camp.

The first underground raising has begun on the Cheminis project near Larder Lake, Ont., partners Golden Shield Resources and the Northfield Group say. The Northfield Group, which holds a 45% stake in the project, is comprised of equal partners Northfield Minerals, Northern Ranger Minerals and Rockford Minerals. Golden Shield holds the remaining 55%.

The underground program is being conducted via the 1,035-ft Cheminis shaft which was dewatered last summer. Surface installations, which are located immediately beside highway 101, include a new headframe and hoist.

Underground work, which will include the mining and processing of a bulk sample, is designed to prove up tonnages within the various zones comprising the Cheminis deposit. These host a mineral inventory of 2.6 million tons grading 0.16 oz gold per ton. Underground work is scheduled for completion by February, 1988.

Additional reserves are located on two other zones on the large property. These include more than 100,000 tons grading 0.194 oz in the Barber-Larder deposit and 45,855 tons grading 0.169 oz in the Fernland deposit. All three mineralized areas occur along sections of the Larder Lake Break — a major structural feature striking across the camp. Just two miles to the east, Golden Shield controls the former Kerr Addison gold mine and mill, which will be a likely milling centre for any future production at Cheminis. Golden Shield bought the facility and its interest in the Cheminis lands for $38 million from Kerr Addision recently. Kerr remains a major shareholder of the company.

At the Barber-Larder site, a surface stripping operation is in progress, Northfield Chairman Robert D. Cudney tells The Northern Miner. He notes that the surface showings could provide a source of open pit mill feed. In October, the partners plan to begin a 28,000-ft drill program on the Fernland project and another 30,000 ft at Cheminis. A majority of the funding for Northfield has been provided by First Exploration Fund and Resource Capital International.

Northern Ranger is also involved on the Kippey project near Pickle Lake, Ont. The company has the right to earn a 49% interest by spending $750,000 on exploration. Eldor Resources is the project operator. Initial drilling has returned several good sections including 0.25 oz across 15 ft and a 5-ft section grading 0.42 oz.