Intercept In Footwall Of Deep A Zone Returns 34.1 g/t Au Over 18m
Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd (TSX: WDO) has confirmed new high-grade gold discovery in underground exploration drilling in the footwall of the Kiena Deep A Zone at the company’s 100% owned Kiena Mine Complex in Val d’Or, Quebec.
Since the beginning of the year, underground drilling has refocused on expansion and exploration drilling, and has recently expanded and continues to expand the A and VC Zones. As part of this drilling, a new high grade gold zone was discovered in the footwall of the A Zone..
All assays cut to 90.0 g/t Au. True widths are unknown at this time.
President and CEO, Duncan Middlemiss, said that up until only recently, definition drilling of the A Zone was focussed on converting the large inferred resource to indicated as part of the ongoing prefeasibility (PFS) study. This recent shift to focus the drilling on exploration resulted in drilling holes through the A zones into the untested footwall rocks.
Improved drilling practices and the use of drilling wedges permitted the drills to effectively penetrate this footwall area and resulted in the discovery of at least two new zones of high-grade gold mineralisation.
Given the limited drilling, the orientation and geometry of the mineralization is not known with any certainty; however, it is interpreted that this area consists of at least two lenses and is open laterally and at depth. The mineralisation occurs within 50m of the A2 zone and is located within amphibolitised ultramafic rocks demonstrating good geotechnical properties.
Highlights of the recent drilling includes:11.9 g/t Au over 22.0m core length (11.9 g/t Au cut), 59.7 g/t Au over 5.9m core length (28.9 g/t Au cut) and 34.2 g/t Au over 18.0m core length (16.7 g/t Au cut)
“As we changed our focus from definition drilling to expansion and exploration drilling, we were initially rewarded with the recent expansion of the A and VC zones that are sure to add to the current resource base,” Mr Middlemiss said.
“Moreover, the discovery of additional high grade gold mineralisation within 50m of the footwall of the A zone could have significant positive impacts on the resources, the ounces per vertical metre, and the overall project economics.
“Based upon the latest resource estimate of the A Zone, we are already at 1,000 ounces per vertical metre and the potential of this number growing is significant. Its early days with only a few holes, but this drilling highlights the potential to add ounces not only in this area but illustrates the untested potential of the entire gold system around the Kiena mine. Obviously, this footwall zone will be one of the zones of focus for the continuing drilling.
“We also have a number of other excellent exploration targets to test this year and have in place an aggressive but focussed program to test these targets, including the VC and B Zones at depth as these would be accessible from the main ramp and would enhance the current ounces per vertical metre already defined in the A Zone.
“Additionally, we are also currently ramping up a large surface exploration program, with the aim of unlocking additional value on the Kiena property further to the west and east of the Kiena mine initially, and later, over the entire property.
“Also, we expect to have our final reconciliation of the bulk sample in the near term and early indications are positive in terms of grades and tonnes.
“Finally, the PFS is progressing well, and we expect to have it completed in Q2, with a possible re-start decision shortly thereafter. The pre-production timeframe is less than six months, potentially driving the Kiena Mine into commercial production in Q4 of this year.”
