Orofino makes good progress at Jackson-Manion Swayze

Toronto-based Orofino Resources (TSE) is making signficant progress on a couple of gold properties in north and northwestern Ontario, the company said recently.

An 18-hole drill program at Orofino’s Jackson-Manion property 45 miles east of Red Lake, Ont., has yielded a number of ore grade gold intersections over mineable widths, the company says.

“All intersections are within 400 ft of surface and could easily be accessed from existing underground workings,” said Gerald Harper, vice-president, projects.

Recent results are as follows: Drill Hole Length Gold Grade JM 88-15 1.5 ft 0.72 oz

6.8 ft 0.17 oz

5.2 ft 1.34 oz

2.0 ft 0.24 oz JM 88-16 17.3 ft 0.09 oz In a bid to establish an initial reserve estimate, 2,500 ft of diamond drill program is scheduled to begin immediately.

At the Swayze gold deposit 60 miles southwest of Timmins, Ont., Orofino says the second phase of an underground exploration program is well under way.

The program is designed to confirm initial reserve calculations of 242,000 tons grading 0.24 oz per ton, 400 ft from surface. During phase 1, Orofino drove a 1,700-ft decline ramp to a depth of 400 ft.

Under phase 2, Orofino will access the old 150-ft and 275-ft levels and begin crosscutting three addional sublevels at depths of 115 ft, 215 ft and 325 ft to facilitate mapping, sampling and diamond drilling.

Orofino plans to complete 14,000 ft of drilling over the next three months and two surface drills will test shallow projections of existing gold zones.

The company says it will follow up the underground program with a feasibility study to determine whether or not it can start mining Swayze gold at a rate of 15,000 oz to 20,000 oz gold annually in 1989.