Underground drifting adding to confidence in Rouyn mine

Underground exploration at the Francoeur gold mine, held equally by Rouyn Mining Resources (TSE) and LAC Minerals (TSE), continues to support the theory that proven reserves can be increased. Situated 12 miles west of Rouyn- Noranda, Que., Francoeur ranks as one of the few successfully operating gold mines in Canada to be built by a junior mining company. While production there is expected to increase this year to 27,500 oz. from 20,735 oz. in 1989, operator Rouyn is attempting to prove up enough ore to justify construction of a 1,000-ton-per-day mill.

An increase in proven reserves to one million tons from 800,000 tons would probably be enough to warrant mill construction. But no decision is expected until a study undertaken by Kilborn Ltd. is made available to LAC and Rouyn next month.

However, mine manager and Rouyn Vice-President Ed Legault says he is confident that the reserve target can be reached because of results obtained from drilling on the mine’s old Main zone.

Much smaller than the parallel North Shear zone, which contains most of the mine’s known reserves, the Main zone was thought to bottom out beneath the 11th level. But recent exploration conducted from the mine’s new shaft indicates that the Main zone dips more steeply at depth and it extends down to level 13 or a depth of 1,775 ft. It is still open to the east.

Continuity of the Main zone has also been confirmed by 550 ft. of drifting on the 12th level where a 240-ft. section returned an average grade of 0.323 oz. over a true width of 15 ft. These results have left Rouyn exploration staff with the impression that the Main zone could play a much larger role in the mine’s future than was previously estimated. Mine reserves in all categories stand at 2.4 million tons of grade 0.21 oz. gold per ton. Of that amount, the North zone contains about two million tons while the Main zone is thought to host about 400,000 tons.

“With time we could find that the North zone is not as impressive as the Main zone,” Legault told The Northern Miner. He is also encouraged by assays from samples taken from underground development on the North zone between the 15th and 12th levels. A sample taken from a raise between the 12th and 13th level averaged 0.42 oz. over a length of 270 ft.

Since May 1, Francoeur ore has been processed at LAC’s Malartic mill at a rate of 1,450 tons per day. About 65,000 tons is expected to be treated in the LAC facility and results are scheduled to be reported by the end of June.