Cheminis mine reactivated

With shaft rehabilitation and dewatering of lower depths of the Cheminis gold mine now complete, Northfield Minerals (TSE) is expecting to resume operations.

Production at the mine, situated west of Virginiatown, Ont., was temporarily halted to complete the work, which is aimed at making the 1035 level accessible for the first time in almost 50 years. Access to this level should provide an excellent base for further exploration of the mine’s Sediment, D and C zones.

The newly discovered Sediment zone, which has a potential resource of 250,000 tons grading 0.13 to 0.05 oz. gold per ton, has been found exposed for a minimum strike length of 400 ft. along the 1035 level, confirming that this zone extends down from the 695 level.

Mapping and sampling are being carried out now that rehabilitation work on the level is completed.

Two surface drill holes, 500 ft. east of the shaft in this zone, intersected 0.15 oz. gold over 19.2 ft. and 0.12 oz. over 25 ft.

Northfield considers the D zone, which has been found below the 1035 level, to consist of typical flow ore similar to that found in the nearby Kerr Addison mine. The D zone is the downdip continuation of the A and C zones currently being mined, and Northfield geologists give it a potential resource level of at least 2 million tons grading 0.15 to 0.2 oz. gold, based on widely spaced surface drill holes.

The conversion of haulage on the 865 and 1035 levels from trackless to more economic track mining methods is now under way. Crosscuts are currently being driven on three levels (695, 865 and 1035) for diamond drilling of the Sediment and D zones.

Meanwhile, Hemlo Gold Mines (TSE) is earning a half interest in Northfield’s Cheminis, Fernland and Bear Lake properties by paying $400,000 and spending $4 million over five years.

However, the agreement carries with it certain exclusions, including Northfield’s retention of full ownership of the producing ore zones at the Cheminis mine and mining rights from surface to a maximum depth of 2,200 ft. beneath the deposit and from the Cheminis mine eastward to Bear Lake to a vertical depth of 1,035 ft.

Hemlo plans to commence a major surface deep-drilling program, testing gold targets beneath the Fernland and Bear Lake zones.

Past drilling in the Fernland area hit 0.23 oz. gold per ton over a true width of 10 ft., while drills in the Bear Lake area last year intersected 0.204 oz. gold over 9.6 ft., and 0.16 oz. over 5 ft.