Aurizon extends Casa Berardi high-grade

Ongoing underground drilling around the West mine area at the Casa Berardi project in northwestern Quebec has turned up some new high-grade gold values for owner Aurizon Mines (ARZ-T).

Drilling along the up-dip extension of the 113 Zone has extended the zone above the current reserves.

Results are as follows:

• Hole 419 11.3 metres grading 28.4 grams gold per tonne;
• Hole 395 10.3 metres of 10.2 grams gold;
• Hole 393 5 metres running 2.7grams gold;
• Hole 417A 21.8 metres averaging 2.5 grams gold;
• Hole 441 2.2 metres of 6.7 grams gold; and
• Hole 418 2.6 metres containing 4 grams gold per tonne.

Four other holes failed to return significant results.

Aurizon says that the drilling (completed on 25-metre centres) suggests a narrow, high-grade ore shoot between the 113 and 111 zones.

At last count, probable reserves above the 700-metre level in the 113 Zone amounted to around 2 million tonnes grading 6.8 grams gold per tonne, for 430,476 contained ounces of gold. The 111 Zone is pegged at 292,691 tonnes running 5.4 grams gold.

Drilling below 700 metres on the 113 Zone is ongoing from a cross-cut off the 550-metre level track drift. The first drill results from the down-dip extension will be released during the second quarter.

Meanwhile, infill drilling to the west on the 109 Zone indicates the presence of a small high-grade deposit near the formerly producing West Mine’s infrastructure. The latest round of drilling is highlighted by hole 425, which yielded 4 metres grading 193.1 grams gold; hole 428 encountered 3.1 metres of 91.7 grams.

Another four holes returned grades between 3-5.5 grams gold over intervals measuring 2-12.5 metres; two other holes failed to cut significant mineralization.

The 109 Zone comprises a small, flat-lying quartz vein previously discovered by surface drilling. That drilling returned up to 7.8 metres of 15.4 grams gold. The zone is home to inferred resources totalling 124,739 tonnes averaging 9.1 grams gold.

Infill drilling on 25-metre centres of the upper levels of both zones has wrapped up.

A recently completed feasibility study at Casa Berardi envisages annual production of 150,000 oz. gold at US$233 apiece over 5.5 years. The proposed plan is based only on reserves above the 700-metre level (T.N.M., Feb 14-20/05).

Aurizon is currently extending the 550-metre track drift to provide a drill station for infill drilling of Zones 118 to 120, with an eye toward expanding known resources and reserves during ongoing pre-production construction.

The feasibility study pegged overall probable reserve in the West Mine area, above the 700-metre level, at 4.4 million tonnes grading 6.2 grams gold per tonne, or 868,000 oz.