Underground drilling has enabled Tenajon Resources (VSE) and Westmin Resources (TSE) to expand reserves at their jointly owned SB gold property near Stewart, B.C.
The program, carried out in 1994, consisted of 3,507 metres in 62 drill holes, along with 168 metres of underground subdrifting.
As a result, a higher-grade proportion of proven and probable geological reserves in the Kansas-West Kansas (KWK) zone is now calculated at 879,100 tonnes grading 2.86 grams gold per tonne. This compares with a previous estimate of 312,700 tonnes averaging 3.07 grams. The total geologic resource, over a strike length of 295 metres, is estimated at 1.8 million tonnes grading 2.2 grams. The KWK zone remains open to the north, as well as to the south.
About 1,480 tonnes of development material from the subdrifting was processed through the adjacent Premier mill, which is owned and operated by Westmin. The material, consisting of about 40% ore from within the reserve block and 60% sub-grade from outside the reserves, averaged a mill head of 1.66 grams. Tenajon reports the mill head is 17% higher than muck and chip face samples led them to believe. Two earlier bulk-sample test runs on 2,647 tonnes of material yielded mill head grades which proved to be up to 22% higher than what was anticipated. Fred Hewett, vice-president of Tenajon, says the higher mill head grades will play a crucial role in determining the economics of the zone.
The partners are proposing a further bulk sample of 20,000 tonnes, possibly in the upcoming field season. Additional underground drilling, to increase the proven and probable reserves, is also being considered.
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