MDN cuts more new Tulawaka gold

Rotary-air-blast (RAB) and reverse-circulation (RC) drilling by Montreal-based MDN Northern Mining (MDN-T) has discovery a new zone of gold mineralization about 15 km from the processing plant at its 30%-owned Tulawaka mine in Tanzania

The 12-ha area was targeted by four drill fences comprising 23 drill holes for a total of 1,475 metres.

Selected results include:

• Hole 14 9 metres (from 28 metres below surface) running 7.3 grams gold per tonne;
• Hole 16 3 metres (from 4 metres) averaging 7.6 grams gold, and 2 metres (from 29 m) of 22.5 grams: and
• Hole 17 4 metres (from 5 m) grading 13.3 grams.

The holes, angled at 60, tested the zone to a depth of 70 metres. Drill fences were spaced about 150 m apart. Follow-up drilling is being planned; the program will also test two other nearby targets.

The latest discovery is situated about 10 km away from our other discovery and represent an entirely different gold occurrence,” said MDN CEO Carlos Bertoni in a prepared statement. He said both discoveries are believed to be associated with shear zones close to the contact of volcanic and granitic rocks. Both remain open on strike and at depth.

In late September MDN reported RAB and RC results from a target 25 km from the Tulawaka plant. The best result from that batch of holes runs 13.2 grams gold over 15 metres.

“This is the second completely new gold discovery we have made resulting from our recently completed drill program in the region,” said MDN CEO Carlos Bertoni in a prepared statement. “This program tested three targets and two of them have revealed significant gold intersections.”

He said the third target failed to yield significant results and will be abandoned.

Barrick Gold (ABX-T) owns 70% of the Tulawaka mine, which began commercial production in March. The mine has produced 62,400 oz. of gold by the end of August.