Vancouver — Ongoing drilling by
Results show that the zone has the same geology and style of mineralization as the Main zone, with similar widths and grades. The best intercept of the 6,600-metre program cut 39 metres averaging 3.46 grams gold per tonne and was collared the farthest north along strike.
“We recently announced the discovery of more mineralization at depth, and now we’re finding strike extensions that could quickly add resources,” says Orezone President Ron Little. “This is typical of a large deposit system.”
The northern extension occurs as two sub-parallel, 1-km-long zones. Nine of the 12 holes drilled to date were drilled on several fences to test the southern 600 metres of the zone. The remaining three holes were collared on three separate sections in order to test the northern portion. Moving from south to north, highlights are as follows:
— Hole ERC-374 cut 4 metres averaging 1.66 grams gold per tonne starting at a down-hole depth of 11 metres. This was followed by a 2-metre section that averaged 1.67 grams gold starting at 32 metres down-hole.
— Hole ERC-376 cut 2 metres of 2.28 grams gold starting at 13 metres down-hole, followed by a 4-metre interval of 1.06 grams gold starting at 39 metres down-hole.
— Hole ERC-377 cut 18 metres of 1.31 grams gold starting at 20 metres down-hole, followed by a 4-metre section of 2.24 grams gold starting at 49 metres down-hole.
— Hole ERC-378 cut 12 metres of 1.02 grams gold starting at 10 metres down-hole, followed by a 4-metre section of 1.09 grams gold and 5 metres of 1.09 grams gold starting at 27 metres down-hole, as well as 5 metres of 1.95 grams gold starting at 34 metres down-hole.
— Hole ERC-379D cut 7 metres of 1.22 grams gold starting at 48 metres down-hole, followed by a 3-metre section of 4.2 grams gold starting at 35 metres down-hole.
— Hole ERC-385 cut 8 metres of 1.65 grams gold starting at 41 metres down-hole.
— Hole ERC-392 cut 2 metres of 1.56 grams gold starting at 8 metres down-hole, followed by 4 metres of 4.5 grams gold starting at 36 metres down-hole.
— Hole ERC-393 hit 1 metre averaging 13.84 grams gold starting at 29 metres down-hole, followed by 4 metres of 1.76 grams gold starting at 42 metres down-hole.
— Hole ERC-394 cut 1 metre of 7.03 grams gold starting at 3 metres down-hole, followed by a 39-metre interval of 3.46 grams gold starting at 29 metres down-hole. This included a 5-metre section of 3.48 grams gold and 10 metres of 6.98 grams gold.
The drill program is expected to continue until the end of June in order to test extensions of the Main zone and several other targets identified in regional soil sampling.
The first phase of drilling consists of 6,000 metres of reverse-circulation work in 70 holes, plus 600 metres of core drilling in eight holes. So far, 5,000 metres of drilling have been completed, and Orezone has received assays from the first 21 holes (2,000 metres).
The program is testing Orezone’s geological model of the main deposit, while investigating possible extensions and targets surrounding the deposit.
Orezone holds six gold projects in Burkina Faso: Essakan, Sega, Bombore, Golden Hill (Intidougou), Bondi and Kerboule. The junior also holds two diamond projects in Canada and a iron oxide copper gold project in the Yukon.
Earlier this month, Orezone tabled results from the first eight holes drilled on the Essakan main zone.
Says Little: “There are already indications of expanding our resources at depth, and if preliminary results continue to be encouraging, we could expect an increase in the previously published grade and total number of ounces.”
The first eight holes targeted the eastern limb of the Essakan main zone, where geologists expected to find continuous mineralization. The results confirm the modeling and indicate continuity of the ore from section to section. Highlights of the results are as follows:
— Hole ERC-364 cut 56 metres averaging 6.7 grams gold starting at 53 metres down-hole, including 9 metres of 27.7 grams gold.
— Hole ERC-365 cut 40 metres of 1.9 grams gold starting at 34 metres down-hole. This was followed by a four other intervals: 6 metres of 2 grams gold; 13 metres of 2.5 grams gold; 6 metres of 2 grams gold; and 16 metres of 4 grams gold (this last intercept ended in mineralization at a vertical depth of 127 metres).
— Hole ERC-367 cut 50 metres averaging 2.2 grams gold starting at 20 metres down-hole, including 14 metres of 3.9 grams gold.
— Hole ERC-368 returned 7 metres at 1.7 grams gold starting at 27 metres down-hole, followed by a 3-metre interval of 1.5 grams gold, 10 metres of 1.7 grams gold, and 5 metres of 2.5 grams gold.
— Hole ERC-369 cut 43 metres averaging 1.7 grams gold starting 23 metres down-hole, including 3 metres of 2.9 grams gold.
— Hole EDD-10 was a diamond core hole; it intersected 19 metres of 1.9 grams gold starting at 42 metres down-hole, including a 7-metre section of 3.5 grams gold. Farther down-hole, a 4-metre interval returned 12.4 grams gold starting at 129 metres down-hole.
— Hole EDD-11 cut 4 metres of 4.4 grams gold starting at 104 metres down-hole, followed by 15 metres of 1.4 grams gold.
Orezone reports that Hole ERC-366 intersected a new mineralized zone at the bottom of the hole and that this increases the potential to expand sulphide resources at depth. The company will extend the hole and drill additional stepout holes along the trend.
Since the Essakan deposit is known to contain coarse gold, all samples were subject to a leaching process rather than fire-assaying. For each sample, 5 kg were pulverized to 75 microns, and then a 2-kg portion was bottle-rolled for 24 hours. Results indicate that more than 99% of the gold was recovered. This method has proved accurate, as repeat samples reveal only a small variation.
The high and rapid leach recoveries indicate that the deposit is amenable to a leaching process.
Drilling will continue to the end of June.
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