Chivor resumes development work at Colombia’s Oriente emerald mine

Following a short holiday break, Chivor Emeralds (CHIV.U-C) has resumed operations at its Oriente emerald mine in the Chivor district of Colombia.

Chivor has an 80% interest in the mine and is concentrating its efforts in the recently completed Dixon adit level, about 15 metres below existing mine workings. The junior is driving a drift along the footwall, from which crosscuts are being driven into the mineralized zone that hosts the emeralds.

The company reports that several promising and well-developed veins have been intersected, some of which are being mined. Guiding this development are two diamond drills, which are being placed at 20-metre centres. Infill drilling will follow.

Meanwhile, Chivor is progressing with operations in the older parts of the mine. To date, 20 headings have been targeted for mining, most of which are on the vein. Four of these headings are being developed into new areas of interest.

In other news, exploration of 19 additional licences in the Chivor district has both confirmed the existence of the emerald-bearing strata in the known emerald belt and identified new areas of interest southeast of the known belt. The newly identified areas also have outcroppings of albitized shales, which are known to host sediments in which emeralds are found.

Future work will involve mapping selected areas, followed by diamond drilling aimed at proving the continuance of albitized shales and the existence of veins.