Virginia set to drill La Grande Sud

Drilling by Virginia Gold Mines (VIA-M) is about to test a new gold target at La Grand Sud in the James Bay region of Quebec.

Recent surface work identified a shear zone associated with a major contact between volcanic and sedimentary rocks, including iron formation. Numerous conductors were identified in or along this structural corridor, including one measuring 3 km long.

Several mineralized showings were discovered along these conductors for more than 1 km of the shear zone. Grab samples returned values ranging from 2.5 to 36.8 grams gold per tonne. More than half the samples graded in excess of 6 grams.

The showings were mineralized in pyrrhotite, arsenopyrite and pyrite (sometimes chalcopyrite) within volcanics, iron-formations and sedimentary rocks. (Conductors in the core of the shear zone were not tested, as these correspond to a topographic depression.)

Virginia President Andre Gaumond says the area’s potential is further enhanced by results from a till geochemical survey. Four samples of heavy-mineral concentrates, grabbed along the shear zone, returned values highly anomalous in gold, ranging from 1.7 to 260 grams.

“We’re quite excited by this discovery,” he says. “It was made in a new area, some 20 km from the 200 zones we previously discovered at La Grand.” After the new discovery is drilled, Virginia intends to move the drill and test the previously identified zones.

Virginia also has a joint venture with Barrick Gold (ABX-T) for a portion of La Grande. A number of polymetallic prospects have been identified within the joint-venture area, including a target where channel sampling returned values of up to 10% copper, 241 grams silver and 3.6 grams gold.

Virginia’s work in the James Bay region has attracted other junior companies, including Dynacor Mines (DYN-M), which recently acquired a property near Lake Sakami. The acquisition enlarges the junior’s holdings in the region to 50 sq. km and covers the eastern extension of a large, gold-bearing mineralized structure discovered in 1995. Mineralization in the area is linked to iron formation zones ranging from 5 to 10 metres wide. The Dynacor property is adjacent to the Barrick-Virginia joint-venture.