According to John Brock, president, the 1989 work plan will include fill-in drilling within areas of drill-inferred reserves, along with underground sampling and test mining to be completed by August. Brock predicts that a final feasibility study could be in hand by year- end, aimed at examining the viability of a considerably larger mining operation than originally envisioned.
Until early 1988, Esperanza had concentrated its efforts on the high- grade Heino-Money zone which now contains at least 55,000 tons of proven and probable ore at an average grade of 1.05 oz gold per ton. But with a subsequent shift of activity to the nearby East Ridge zone, surface drilling and underground exploration increased the project’s over-all gold reserves to the recently-calculated 1.4 million tons grading 0.27 oz gold per ton. The East Ridge zone is still open to depth and along strike. Of its total reserves, Esperanza now calculates 633,500 tons of 0.34 oz gold as prov en and drill indicated, and 810,000 tons of 0.21 oz gold as drill inferred. With these numbers, the company was able to shelve original plans calling for a 100-ton-per-day operation from the Heino-Money zone, and instead consider the possibility of up to a 500-ton-per-day operation primarily from the two zones.
The East Ridge gold mineralization, like the Heino-Money zone mineralization, is contained in a near-vertical skarn structure varying in thickness from 5 ft to 15 ft, but averaging about 7 ft in width. The zone was discovered by reconnaissance drilling in 1983, but knowledge of the extent of its mineralization was limited until recently.
Last year Esperanza carried out a 40,000-ft, 75-hole drill program, together with 1,000-ft of exploratory underground drifting on the East Ridge zone. This work established a drill indicated reserve of 578,500 tons of ore grading 0.28 oz gold per ton (using a 0.12 oz cut-off), in addition to the drill inferred reserve of 810,000 tons at an average grade of 0.21 oz. The company anticipates that additional exploration will upgrade its presently defined ore reserves.
The Heino-Money zone has now been delineated over a strike length of 600 ft and a vertical extent of 300 ft, however the mineralized zone remains open on strike for an undetermined distance to the north and south. The zone averages about 5-to-6 ft in width. According to Brock, the two zones converge in a V-shape at their southern end, but average about 1,200 ft apart.
Metallurgical testing of a 3,800- ton bulk sample from the Heino- Money zone several years ago indicated that in excess of 92% recovery can be achieved in a conventional gravity flotation process without the use of cyanide. Brock noted that recent bench-scale testing on the East Ridge zone mineralization has shown its metallurgy to be identical to that of the Heino-Money.
Brock emphasized there is still excellent potential for developing additional reserves as exploration to date has not yet defined the ultimate limits of the mineralized zones. The company also believes there is excellent potential for developing additional reserves within three other exploration targets (also skarns) on the property. Consequently, further drilling is planned on the Arnie Flats, Grizzly and Strebe targets in the 1989 season.
With a substantial increase in reserves brought about by its 1988 work program, Esperanza Explorations (VSE) is contemplating a $3.3-million pre-feasibility program this year for its Tillicum Mounta in gold project located eight miles by road from Burton, B.C.
According to John Brock, president, the 1989 work plan will include fill-in drilling within areas of drill-inferred reserves, along with underground sampling and test mining to be completed by August. Brock predicts that a final feasibility study could be in hand by year- end, aimed at examining the viability of a considerably larger mining operation than originally envisioned.
Until early 1988, Esperanza had concentrated its efforts on the high- grade Heino-Money zone which now contains at least 55,000 tons of proven and probable ore at an average grade of 1.05 oz gold per ton. But with a subsequent shift of activity to the nearby East Ridge zone, surface drilling and underground exploration increased the project’s over-all gold reserves to the recently-calculated 1.4 million tons grading 0.27 oz gold per ton. The East Ridge zone is still open to depth and along strike.
Of its total reserves, Esperanza now calculates 633,500 tons of 0.34 oz gold as proven and drill indicated, and 810,000 tons of 0.21 oz gold as drill inferred. With these numbers, the company was able to shelve original plans calling for a 100-ton-per-day operation from the Heino-Money zone, and instead consider the possibility of up to a 500-ton-per-day operation primarily from the two zones.
The East Ridge gold mineralization, like the Heino-Money zone mineralization, is contained in a near-vertical skarn structure varying in thickness from 5 ft to 15 ft, but averaging about 7 ft in width. The zone was discovered by reconnaissance drilling in 1983, but knowledge of the extent of its mineralization was limited until recently.
Last year Esperanza carried out a 40,000-ft, 75-hole drill program, together with 1,000-ft of exploratory underground drifting on the East Ridge zone. This work established a drill indicated reserve of 578,500 tons of ore grading 0.28 oz gold per ton (using a 0.12 oz cut-off), in addition to the drill inferred reserve of 810,000 tons at an average grade of 0.21 oz. The company anticipates that additional exploration will upgrade its presently defined ore reserves.
The Heino-Money zone has now been delineated over a strike length of 600 ft and a vertical extent of 300 ft, however the mineralized zone remains open on strike for an undetermined distance to the north and south. The zone averages about 5-to-6 ft in width. According to Brock, the two zones converge in a V-shape at their southern end, but average about 1,200 ft apart.
Metallurgical testing of a 3,800- ton bulk sample from the Heino- Money zone several years ago indicated that in excess of 92% recovery can be achieved in a conventional gravity flotation process without the use of cyanide. Brock noted that recent bench-scale testing on the East Ridge zone mineralization has shown its metallurgy to be identical to that of the Heino-Money.
Brock emphasized there is still excellent potential for developing additional reserves as exploration to date has not yet defined the ultimate limits of the mineralized zones. The company also believes there is excellent potential for developing additional reserves within three other exploration targets (also skarns) on the property. Consequently, further drilling is planned on the Arnie Flats, Grizzly and Strebe targets in the 1989 season.
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