Inco and Pronto increase Cochenour-Willans reserves

Based on a review of old mine records, Inco estimates the property has potential geological reserves of 1.3 million tons grading 0.25 oz gold per ton. This is up from the one million tons of a similar grade estimated by Inco last year.

The partners have also started a 57,400-ft underground drill program in May. The work is testing targets between the 475-ft and 775-ft levels of the mine. Initial results suggest the gold mineralized zones display continuity between levels.

Another 5,600-ft drill program is testing several surface showings which were discovered east of the No 1 shaft. Channel sampling completed in a series of trenches across the showing returned several high grading assays. These include 0.5 oz gold per ton across 11.2 ft and 2.13 oz gold in a 12-ft section. Another 4-ft channel sample assayed 0.18 oz gold per ton.

The program is budgeted at $4.7 million and is scheduled for completion by year-end. A follow-up phase, including exploratory drifting, drilling and bulk sampling, will be dependent on phase one results, Inco says. .N1

** Three Hemlo gold mines rank among top Canadian producers **

The bountiful Hemlo gold camp in northern Ontario turned in another exciting performance in 1988, the area’s three mines combined turning out almost 934,000 oz of the yellow metal.

A survey of 1988 Canadian gold producers shows two of the Hemlo mines, the Page-Williams and the Golden Giant, at the top of the list, with the third property, the David Bell mine, not far behind.

Ownership of the Page-Williams mine remains in legal dispute; a decision by the Supreme Court of Canada is expected soon. In 1986, the Supreme Court of Ontario awarded the mine to Corona Corp., a ruling appealed by the developer of the mine, LAC Minerals.

The following information, gathered from annual reports, reflects a few changes from the 1987 list of top producing gold mines.

Faring much better than in 1987 was the Detour Lake mine in northern Ontario of Placer Dome. Also, the Hope Brook project of BP-Selco in Newfoundland, where management has had to attend to a number of difficulties, saw its fortunes rise considerably.

Sure to join the list for 1989, with a full year’s production behind it, is the Holt-McDermott mine in northern Ontario of American Barrick Resources. Top Canadian gold mines in 1988: 0105,1206,0005,0210,0200,0210,0000, (ranking oz gold in 1987) 1.Page-Williams (ownership in dispute) 378,943 (3) 2.Golden Giant (Hemlo Gold) 336,700 (1) 3.Doyon (LAC/Cambior) 278,314 (2) 4.Campbell (Placer Dome) 239,102 (4) 5.David Bell (Teck/Corona) 218,333 (7) 6.Lupin (Echo Bay) 202,440 (5) 7.Dome (Placer Dome) 109,890 (6) 8.Detour Lake (Placer Dome) 109,518 9.Bousquet #1 (LAC) 95,100 (8) 10.Con (Nerco) 78,000 (9) 11.Macassa (LAC) 76,750 (12) 12.Hope Brook (BP-Selco) 73,993

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