A surface exploration program focusing on both bulk tonnage and high grade vein systems will begin in June on the Sulphurets property in northwestern British Columbia. The 32-square-mile property is 60% owned by Newhawk Gold Mines (TSE), with the remainder held by Granduc Mines (TSE). This year’s program, budgeted at $1.5 million, represents the first thorough investigation of the property’s bulk tonnage targets. It will begin by an airborne geophysical survey over the entire claim block.
Previous work on the Sulphurets property concentrated on the underground development of the West zone which, at last report, contained diluted minable reserve of 550,000 tons grading 0.42 oz. gold and 18.0 oz. silver per ton. A feasibility study was completed in 1990 which determined the project was uneconomic at current metal prices.
Work this season will explore the western portion of the Sulphurets claim block which contains a large area (about 1.2 miles by 2.5 miles) known to host at least four bulk open-pit-type gold and copper-gold targets.
This area is reported to lie within a belt that runs northerly over a total distance of more than 6 miles, with Placer Dome’s Kerr copper-gold deposit at the southern end of the belt.
Among the targets to be tested this season is the Main Copper zone, where results from surface drilling in the 1960s (by a previous operator) included 494 ft. averaging 0.563% copper with significant gold values.
Zones surrounding the Main Copper zone include multiple, but not yet well defined, bulk gold deposits. In 1985, five surface drill holes in the Snowfield zone all bottomed in mineralization and all returned intersections ranging from 425-500 ft., averaging 0.06-0.08 oz. gold per ton. The Snowfield is the best known of several targets present in this area.
Newhawk said all prior data is being assembled and summarized in order to identify and organize drill targets. A 2-month integrated field program will be carried out, along with about 7,500 ft. of surface drilling in 10 holes.
In addition to these targets, Newhawk intends to test several areas near the West zone that are considered to have excellent potential for developing additional higher grade tonnage. If successful, this work would enhance the economics of a West zone mining operation.
Corona (TSE) has an approximate 42% interest in Newhawk.
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