Queenston to drill Kirkland West from surface

LAC Minerals (TSE) has returned the strategic Kirkland West claims to owner Queenston Mining (TSE) after spending $2 million in a fruitless search for minable ore.

But Queenston Chairman Hugh Harbinson says he will continue exploration on the Kirkland Lake “Main Break” which is known to extend west from LAC’s Macassa gold

mine property across Queenston ground for a distance of 6,000 ft. “We are confident that we will put together a program on our own account or with a new partner,” says Harbinson, who indicates that his company has about $1 million available for further exploration.

As the “Main Break” has already given rise to a number of gold mines in the Kirkland Lake, Ont., region, includ-

ing the 103,000-oz.-per-year Macassa, Harbinson is still hoping that another producer can be found at Kirkland West.

Surface drilling, if and when it begins, will be concentrated above the 4750 level where LAC achieved its best results while completing about 5,000 ft. of drifting on three levels and 16,000 ft. of underground drilling. Harbinson says future exploration will also focus on an area within 1,200 ft. of the LAC-Queenston boundary.

Meanwhile, Royal Oak has earned a 51% stake in Queenston’s Upper Beaver project after spending $600,000 and making a final $100,000 cash payment to Queenston. The two companies will act as joint venture partners when work resumes on the Kirkland Lake property this year.

In addition, Battle Mountain Gold (TSE) is set to begin a third-phase drilling program on the HSK gold project to test the “102” zone at depth and along strike. The zone is known to extend for a strike length of 3,600 ft. and to a vertical depth of 1,700 ft.