NEWS ROUNDUP — Abcourt completes study of deposits

Abcourt Mines (ABI-M) has wrapped up a prefeasibility study of the Abcourt-Barvue and Vendome base metal properties northeast of Val d’Or, Que.

The study is based on a 2-phase plan consisting of open-pit and underground mining of the Abcourt-Barvue and Vendome deposits, respectively, followed by the underground exploitation of Abcourt-Barvue.

Reserves at the Abcourt-Barvue open pits stand at 2.4 million tonnes grading 3.69% zinc and 62.86 grams silver per tonne. The calculation includes dilutions of 15% and 10% for the Abcourt and Barvue deposits, respectively.

At Vendome, reserves are pegged at 491,750 tonnes of 7.91% zinc, 0.46% copper, 58.31 grams silver and 1.28 grams gold.

Pre-production capital costs for the first phase are estimated at $22.5 million, with another investment of $3.2 million expected during the first two years of production.

Underground resources at Abcourt-Barvue are 2.9 million tonnes grading 2.89% zinc and 119.22 grams silver.

To keep its zinc-silver and gold assets separate, Abcourt has transferred its dormant Elder gold mine near Rouyn-Noranda, Que., to Aunor Mines, a wholly owned subsidiary.