Sparton lucky at Luxi gold project in Yunnan province

Drilling by Sparton Resources (SRI-V) is adding to the resource at the Guanlingpo mine, part of the Luxi project, 40 km west of Mangshi in the southwestern Chinese province of Yunnan.

Ten holes (each 110-200 metres deep) have been drilled so far this summer, and results from seven have been released.

The first three holes were collared 50 metres northwest (and outside) of the Guanlingpo mining lease. Highlights include one hole with an intersection of 2.6 grams gold over a width of 59 metres starting at a down-hole depth of 26.7 metres. This intersection contains a 6-metre intercept grading 7 grams gold per tonne, 23 metres grading 3 grams gold, and 12 metres grading 4.4 grams gold. The hole was drilled at a 70 angle.

Another hole drilled from the same set-up (but at 50) intersected 33.4 metres grading 2.85 grams gold at 46 metres down-hole. Again, the intersection contained several intercepts with higher grades, such as 5 metres of 7.52 grams gold (including 1 metre grading 35 grams gold) and 12.4 metres of 4.35 grams gold (that includes 2 metres grading 14.75 grams gold and 5.4 metres grading 3.5 grams gold).

Hole 7, drilled 225 metres northeast of the aforementioned holes, intersected 23.8 metres grading 3.24 grams gold. This includes an 8-metre intercept grading 4.43 grams gold and 5 metres of 4.24 grams gold. This hole was collared close to the boundary of the open pit, though it is within the mining lease.

Hole 4 was drilled 75 metres northwest of holes 1-3 and intersected anomalous gold grades of 0.3-0.8 gram over widths of 3-15 metres. The lower grades intersected in two of the holes may indicate that proximity to the fault is an important factor controlling gold mineralization.

Mineralization at Guanlingpo is associated with the 10-km-long Shangmangyang fault zone. The fault zone strikes northeast across the open pit, which is characterized by silicified, altered and stockwork-veined dolomite. The sediments dip 40 northwest. Above the dolomite is a mudstone unit containing local pyrite. This unit hosted the gold mineralization in several holes. Both primary sulphide and oxidized material are present in the pit.

Systematic chip samples were collected in sulphidized sections of the Guanlingpo main pit area. Highlighting this sampling is a 10-metre section of 3.1 grams gold and a 6-metre section of 7.9 grams gold. Other sections graded from 0.5 to 1.24 grams gold over 10-14 metres.

Samples are being prepared and analyzed at an on-site laboratory, which has been inspected by SGS Lakefield Research. Duplicate analyses are being done by SGS in Canada.

About 210,000 oz. gold have been produced from the oxide deposits since 1989. The Guanlingpo heap-leach gold mine is a seasonal operation (September to May).

Annual gold production over the next three years (from oxide ore) is expected to be in the range of 180-200 kg (5,760-6,400 oz.). The average ore grade is 4.5 grams gold per tonne.

Samples from the first drill hole have been sent for preliminary metallurgical gold recovery testing to consulting firm Kappes Cassidy & Associates of Reno, Nev.

Previous geochemical sampling and geological mapping identified at least seven anomalous gold zones, a couple of which have already provided shallow-depth ore for the mine. At least four untested drill targets have been identified.

Sparton owns an 80% interest in the 250-sq.-km Luxi gold project through the joint-venture company Yunnan Sparton Minerals; 20% is held by Yunnan Nuclear Geological Exploration Brigade 201. Sparton also has an option to earn 62% of the 0.5-sq.-km deep exploration licence area below the open-pit mining licence area. The Guanlingpo mining licence lies within the exploration licence areas that cover a 35-km strike length of the Luxi gold belt.

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