Throughput climbs for Rhyolite Res.

A small gravity concentrator is operating at Rhyolite Resources’ Texada Island gold property northwest of Vancouver. President John Bissett says that throughput has increased gradually and now averages about 80 tons per day.

Because of the grinding characteristics of the ore, he feels the plant will handle about 110 tons per day, slightly over half the proposed rate of 200 tons by year end. Ore is being mined from the Bolivar pit adjacent to the concentrator, he notes. The company is optimistic that the feed grade will range from 0.25 oz to 0.3 oz gold by the end of May.

Exploration and bulk sampling of the Holly high grade zone is scheduled for this June; and additional ground has been acquired about 20 miles south of its main land holding.

Claims have also been staked to cover the recently interpreted extension of a major fault structure which carries gold, silver and copper. The structure, which has been exposed at widely-spaced intervals, will be explored in more detail this summer and “could substantially enlarge Rhyolite’s reserve picture,” argues Mr Bissett.