Virginia extends Roberto system

Ongoing drilling at the Elonore project in the Opineca reservoir region, Que., continues to expand the Roberto mineralized system for owner Virginia Gold Mines (VIA-T).

Drilling from ice on the southeast extension of the Roberto zone returned 2.8 metres (true thickness, beginning 83 metres below surface) grading 15.5 grams gold per tonne, including a 0.8-metre section (from 85.7 metres) running 20.6 grams gold.

Hole 65, an infill hole on the central portion of the Roberto zone, yielded 3.3 metres (from 376.4 metres) of 12.7 grams gold, and confirmed the zone to a vertical depth of nearly 300 metres.

Virginia says the latest round of drilling suggests that the Roberto zone does not to continue to the southeast, but is replaced by a similar new zone, dubbed Mid-Roberto, which is situated between the Roberto and Roberto Est zones.

Drill results form Mid-Roberto include:

• Hole 87 — 7.9 metres (from 178 metres) containing 8.1 grams gold;
• Hole 90 — 2.5 metres (from 115 metres) of 5.9 grams gold; and
• Hole 91 — 12.2 metres (from 110.8 metres) of 5.3 grams gold, including 3.75 metres (from 122 metres) of 9.2 grams.

The zone remains open to the southeast and at depth.

The same holes extended the Roberto Est zone by more than 50 metres to the southeast, and confirmed the zone to a vertical depth of more than 175 metres. The best result came in hole 87, which yielded 6 metres (from 227 metres) of 8.9 grams gold, and 6 metres (from 241 metres) of 11.2 grams. The remaining holes returned slightly lower grades over similar intervals.

Hole 88 cut only Roberto Est and yielded 4.6 metres (from 194 m) of 10.6 grams gold, 1.5 metres (from 205 m) of 10.7 grams, and 0.8 metre (from 217 m) of 14.2 grams. Roberto Est also remain open to the southeast and at depth.

Meanwhile at the north end of the system, drilling has extended the Roberto zone by some 150 metres. Highlights include:

• Hole 35 – 0.9 metre (from 165.4 metres) containing 7 grams gold per tonne;
• Hole 36 – 2.9 metres (from 246.6 metres) running 6 grams gold;
• Hole 37 – 1.2 metres (from 103.3 metres) grading 4.8 grams gold; and
• Hole 38 – 1.3 metres (from 297 metres) of 2.7 grams gold.

The drilling tested the zone to a vertical depth of 225 metres. Virginia says that while the grades and widths are lower than elsewhere on Roberto, the drilling has confirmed continuity. The zone remains open to the north and at depth.

The same four holes also cut the Biotite zone, which replaces the pinching Roberto Est zone, which pinches toward the north. Hole 38 surrendered a 10.9-metre section of 5.3 grams gold, and hole 1.2 metres of 18.5 grams (cut). The remaining holes returned lower grades over widths generally less than a metre.

The Biotite zone is sandwiched between Roberto and Roberto Est, and is characterized by abundant biotite and the presence of quartz-actinolite veins and veinlets with frequent visible gold.

Limited drilling slightly south, and about 10 metres into the hanging wall of the Roberto zone has cut the Roberto Est HW zone, with grades between 4.5 and 34.3 grams gold over widths measuring 0.9-3.5 metres.

In all, Virginia says the latest round of 11 drill holes has extended the Roberto mineralized system to a lateral distance of more than 1 km.

Drilling continues with three drill rigs on site.

Meanwhile, Everton Resources (EVR-V) has begun organizing for a summer exploration campaign on its neighbouring land package. Plans call for mapping, and rock-, boulder-, till- and lake-bottom-sediment sampling.

The company has budgeted $700,000 for the campaign, with $500,000 will of that earmarked for the 285-sq.-km Opinaca project; the remainder will be spent on the 303-sq.-km Wildcat project.

Everton has also increased its land portfolio in James Bay region by map-staking some 1,128 claims covering around 575 sq. km. The claims are situated between the Eastmain River, to the south, and the LG-3 Reservoir, to the north. The claims are home to lake sediment gold targets.