Re: Maybe the Old Mine isn't so Bad after All
in response to
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posted on
Mar 02, 2011 08:53PM
Focused on the Rice Lake Gold Belt
A reserve estimation was completed in 1993 by Dufferin Resources which showed an in situ geological mineral inventory of the various quartz saddle veins of 147,736 tonnes over a strike length of 450 metres. The Upper saddle vein was estimated to contain 20,611 tonnes at an average uncut grade of 17.5 g/tonne gold. The Middle saddle vein was estimated to contain 80,740 tonnes at an average uncut grade of 12.0 g/tonne gold (Duncan and Graves, 1993). These historical estimates refer to categories other than the ones required by present day Canadian securities legislation. These estimates are historical in nature, were not prepared in compliance with the CIM definitions required by National Instrument 43-101 and should not be relied upon. While much of this material may have been mined, the figures give an estimate of the character of the mineralized saddles. Newfoundland Goldbar Resources resumed exploration on the property in 1999. One deep diamond drill hole, PD99-24, was drilled to a depth of 396 metres and intersected a total of 13 saddles units with quartz veins and significant mineralization. In 2000 and 5 2001 the Property was under development by EnviroGold Technologies Inc. Production in 2001 by EnviroGold was reported as 7,397 ounces of gold poured, for 55,172 tonnes milled. Development extended to the third saddle-reef vein with most of the production coming from the second saddle-reef vein. In 2003, Azure Resources Corp (“Azure”) acquired the Dufferin Property. Azure dewatered the mine, sampled portions first and second saddles (the uppermost saddles), surveyed the surface and tailings pile, carried out metallurgical studies and refurbished the camp and mill. Mining of ore took place mainly in first, second and third saddles, and a ramp to the fourth saddle was made. The mill recovered approximately 1,600 ounces of gold. In 2006, the mill was changed to a gold flotation circuit by Jemma Resources to reprocess the existing tailings. A total of 1,601.9 ounces was recovered from 31,745 tonnes of tailings. Twenty-three diamond drill holes totalling 2,995 metres were completed on the Dufferin property by Ressources Appalaches in late 2008. The objective of that work was to confirm the extent and continuity of the deposit's gold-bearing structures. The results include the sampling of a quartz vein and its wall rocks in hole F08-07, which gave 31.64 g/tonne Au over four metres, including 125.5 g/tonne Au over one metre. Sampling of several stratiform quartz veins in an argillaceous mudstone layer in hole F08-11 yielded a grade of 8.34 g/tonne Au over nine metres. Fifteen Saddle-type veins have so far been identified on the deposit. These 15 veins are oriented sub-horizontally in anticlines folds, stacked one above another at intervals of 10 to 40 metres. By virtue of the record of historical work, the positive results obtained in the past and the total expenditures made on the Dufferin Property, the authors conclude that it is a "property of merit" and warrants further exploration. The recommended work consists of dewatering the existing underground workings, underground mapping and sampling, diamond drilling (1,700 metres, surface and underground) the near-surface saddle-veins and metallurgical work. Phase 1 is expected to last six months and cost approximately $CAN 500,000. 6