Early work confirms grades at Santa Anna

Preliminary drill results from the Santa Anna gold property in northwestern Quebec indicate commercial grades.

Altavista Mines (ME), which owns the project, began a 50-hole program of definition drilling on the 1,800-hectare property early this year. The objective was to establish reserves on the Granite showing, which previously returned commercial gold grades from a bulk sample.

The best drill result received thus far is a 0.47-metre intersection grading 61.6 grams gold per tonne. Commercial gold values were obtained from 18 of the 22 holes drilled and assayed to date, with 120 intersections showing gold grades higher than 1.4 grams per tonne. Altavista is using 1.4 grams as the break-even grade for commercial production from the planned open-pit operation and on-site ore treatment plant.

Among the 120 intersections are 39 intersections with gold grades of more than 3.5 grams gold, and among those 39 were 12 intersections of more than 7 grams gold.

The quartz vein systems are concentrated in three separate corridors varying from 5 to 15 metres in width. The area evaluated to date measures 400 by 150 metres. Holes are drilled at 50-metre intervals, and each is 100 metres deep. Gold-bearing structures remain open at depth and along strike.

Altavista President Guy Hebert said the assay results were beyond the company’s expectations. The company was expecting commercial gold values in only one of every three holes drilled — a ratio characteristic of granite gold deposits.

In light of these impressive early results, Altavista has expanded its drill program to 150 holes, including definition drilling at 25-metre intervals in preparation for a feasibility study and exploration holes at 100-metre intervals to determine the extent of the mineralization. The program should be completed by September.

In addition to the Santa Anna property, Altavista holds 12 claims in Montbray Twp., which have similar geology to Santa Anna. In the summer of 1995, gold showings of up to 12.68 grams per tonne were found.

Altavista acquired the Lost Bay group of 26 claims adjacent to the Montbray property. Showings grade up to 28.11 grams gold per tonne.

The company plans to start exploring both the Montbray and Lost Bay properties this spring.