Claude, Newmont pleased with Ithingo drill results

Preliminary drill results from the Ithingo Lake gold project in northern Saskatchewan have been received by partners Newmont Mines, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Newmont Mining, and Claude Resources (TSE).

Discovered by Claude in 1987, the property 65 miles northwest of Buffalo Narrows, was optioned by Newmont in the same year. A 4,056-ft drill program has been completed by Newmont, the project operator.

Drilling returned an average grade of 0.07 oz gold per ton across a 20-ft width, Claude says. The best intersection came from hole 9 which intersected 16.1 ft grading 0.205 oz gold. The core length represents a true width, the company says.

The drill results came from the Buller zone which was tested for 1,600 ft along strike. The drill program, Claude says, confirms the large tonnage potential of the Buller zone and the initial surface trench results which were taken last year. A winter drill program will test the Buller zone in more detail along strike and at depth.

Prospecting by Newmont geologists has resulted in the discovery of several other areas of gold mineralization. All occur along a favorable horizon striking for several miles. The most promising of these is the Sterny zone, just four miles on strike from the Buller zone. The Sterny zone has been mapped for 1.2 miles. Grab samples from the discovery yielded many anomalous gold values and several high grade assays — the highest being 1.08 oz gold.