The mining newspaper for Alaska and Canada's North
The mining newspaper for Alaska and Canada's North
North of 60 Mining News – February 1, 2018
Workers outside of the 440 Portal at Snip, a mine that produced 1.1 million ounces of gold during the 1990s.
Skeena Resources Ltd. Jan. 23 reported high-grade gold results from another nine underground holes drilled at its Snip project in the Golden Triangle region of northwestern British Columbia. The best hole, UG17-062, cut 3.82 meters averaging 91.56 grams (2.94 troy ounces) per metric ton gold and 5 meters averaging 8.71 g/t gold.
Targeting a less densely drilled portion of the Upper Twin zone, the company said UG17-062 demonstrates the up-dip grade and geological continuity of the zone. UG17-035, previously reported by Skeena, cut the same style of mineralization over two intervals – 11.85 meters grading 19.26 g/t gold and 5.95 meters of 11.21 g/t gold.
Current and historical drilling has traced this portion of Upper Twin for 370 meters and the zone remains open for expansion.
Other highlighted intercepts include: 4.7 meters of 12.59 g/t gold in hole UG17-044; 1.15 meters of 58.7 g/t gold in UG17-053; 1.5 meters of 30.4 g/t gold in UG17-054; and 1.5 meters of 23.3 g/t gold in UG17-055.
"The latest drill results from Snip speak for themselves. They confirm the high-grade nature of the deposit and the continuity of the veins," said Skeena CEO Walter Coles Jr.
The historic underground mine at Snip, which Barrick Gold Corp. operated from 1991 to 1999, produced 1.1 million ounces of gold from 1.25 million metric tons of ore averaging 27.5 g/t gold.
Skeena optioned this project from Barrick in 2016 and completed roughly 7,180 meters of surface drilling that year. With this program, Skeena exceeded the C$2 million requirement to gain full ownership of the high-grade gold property. Upon this ownership, restrictions on entering the mine or drilling within 25 meters of historic mine workings was lifted, allowing Skeena to drill from underground.
The 2017 underground drill program, which wrapped up in December, included 8,650 meters of drilling in 62 holes.
Assays are pending for 12 of the underground holes. A second phase of underground drilling is expected to begin in February and surface drilling is planned for summer.
"We're looking forward to getting back underground in February and commencing a surface exploration drill program in the spring," Coles said.
–SHANE LASLEY
Reader Comments(0)