Nova Scotia-based Etruscan Enterprises (VSE) has launched an exploration program on the Koma Bangou property in Niger, West Africa. The junior will perform 10,000 metres of reverse-circulation drilling and 4,000 metres of trenching in an effort to confirm 4-5 million tonnes of minable ore. In doing so, Etruscan hopes to advance the project toward a feasibility study.
The property, which has an inferred geological resource of 10.3 million tonnes averaging 2.47 grams gold per tonne, is a joint venture with Office National des Ressources Minieres (ONAREM). The state-owned firm recently completed a reverse-circulation program of its own, on the Koma Bangou property.
Drilling at the V-6 prospect, 3 km northeast of the central deposit, encountered intercepts that assayed 25 grams over 10 metres, 7.4 grams over 2 metres and 4.2 grams over 3 metres. The anomaly was traced on surface over a distance of 5.5 km to the northeast, and remains open to the southwest. Drilling on the V-5 prospect, 2.5 km west of the central deposit, hit mineralization that assayed 4.8 grams over 2 metres, and 13 grams over 10 metres. The anomaly has a strike length of 300 metres and has been drilled to a depth of 60 metres.
In addition, a new gold discovery was made in surface trenches, 10 km from the central deposit. Samples from this zone, which hosts a quartz micro-breccia, range from 1 to 9 grams per tonne over 9 metres. Etruscan will spend $5 million on Koma Bangao over three years, and expects to complete the feasibility study within the first year. Upon startup, the mine will be owned 67% by Et-ruscan and 33% by ONAREM.
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