At the Dean Ranch property in Nevada’s Battle Mountain trend, Oro Nevada Resources (ONV-A) has uncovered what it believes is the largest epithermal gold system of its kind in the state.
The discovery was made during an inital drilling program at Hand-Me-Down Creek. The company will now endeavor to determine whether the gold values are economic.
Oro Nevada first drilled eight reverse-Circulation holes at the target in late 1996, but, earlier this year, it switched to core drilling. To date, results from two holes have been returned, and, while these proved uneconomic, the drilling did encounter encouraging alteration.
No significant gold values were found over the first hole’s 867-ft. length, but alteration and sulphide mineralization were encountered.
>From hole 2, the best interval was only 36 ft. grading 0.025 oz. gold per ton.
The third hole intersected 705 ft. of hydrofractured silica cap rock, which the company believes represents the upper portion of the massive Hand-Me-Down epithermal system. Assays for this interval and the total 799 ft. depth of the hole are pending.
Oro Nevada parked their drills at the Hand-Me-Down site because geophysical surveys indicated a sizable gravity high extending from the mountain front of the Cortez range out under the pediment gravels. Additional work outlined an associated resistivity low.
The company also leases 179,252 acres of privately owned land, known as Nevada First Ranches, in Elko and Humboldt Counties. Several targets there will be drilled this year.
Be the first to comment on "Oro Nevada drills Hand-Me-Down site"