West African Mining explores for gold deposits in Ghana

At a time when it is expanding its land holdings in Burkina Faso, West African Mining (SMF-E) is also drilling its Teleku-Bokazo gold property in neighboring Ghana.

The Quebec-based junior can acquire the 58.5-sq.-km property, subject to a 1% net smelter return royalty held by Vauquelin Mines (VAQ.A-M). To date, more than 18,000 metres of reverse-circulation (RC) drilling and 3,000 metres of follow-up diamond drilling have been completed.

The work is aimed at testing a northwest-trending, gold-bearing shear zone measuring 1,000 metres long by 300 metres wide. Trenching has revealed that the southeastern portion contains a 350-metre-long lobe of potentially economic gold values. Mineralization occurs in saprolite associated with quartz-vein stockworks and altered volcano-sedimentary rocks hosting the quartz veins.

Trench 4 returned 295 metres grading 1.34 grams gold, including 113 metres grading 2.27 grams gold per tonne and a 90-metre interval grading 1.27 grams gold. Trench 5, cut at right angles to trench 4, returned 177 metres of 1.54 grams gold, including 118 metres of 2.15 grams.

To date, 264 RC holes have been drilled over the anomaly. Of these, 186 were directed toward the southeastern lobe. Eight of the holes drilled along trench 4 extended the oxidized zone to 30-40 metres below surface and identified primary sulphide mineralization in underlying bedrock. In addition, two mineralized horizons were outlined in the oxidized zone.

The upper horizon, which occurs at surface, carries an average thickness of 7.6 metres and an average grade of 1.74 grams gold. The lower horizon, which lies at the interface with unweathered rocks, occurs at a mean depth of 28 metres and averages 8 metres in thickness grading 3.47 grams gold. The best hole returned 47 meters (from 0 to 47 metres) averaging 3.47 grams gold, including 2 metres (from 45 to 47 metres) of primary sulphide mineralization grading 19.15 grams gold. Several other holes also bottomed out in primary mineralization.

Potentially economic grades

The remaining 76 holes of the program were drilled to provide broadly spaced tests along the anomaly’s next 700 metres. Of these 76 holes, 32 intersected potential economic gold values. Highlights include: 13 metres (from 24 to 37 metres) grading 3 grams gold, including 2 metres (from 24 to 26 metres) grading 9.9 grams gold for hole 132, and 5 metres (from 32 to 37 metres) grading 3.75 grams gold for hole 133.

Twenty-five shallow holes were diamond-drilled to test primary mineralization identified in the RC program. Ten holes were collared at irregular intervals along a 250-metre traverse extending across the southeastern lobe. Of these, six intersected several zones grading more than 2 grams gold over a minimum 2-metre intersection. Highlights include: 4 metres (from 45 to 49 metres) grading 96.8 grams gold for hole 1; 5 metres (from 39 to 44 metres) grading 15.43 grams for hole 2; and 14 metres (from 0 to 14 metres) grading 5.28 grams for hole 7. Results from the remaining holes are pending.

West African has budgeted $2.9 million for the Teleku-Bokazo property in the 1996-97 exploration season, which began last September. The program will include additional infill diamond drilling, and reserve calculations are expected by early April.

In other news, the junior has acquired 75% interests in each of the Gourcy, Mana, Baho-Kari and Koumbia permits.

The company’s total land holdings in Burkina Faso now stand at 10,000 sq. km.

— all in the Birimian greenstone belt. The properties are reported to have potential to host both gold and volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits.

Elsewhere in the country, the junior has identified 20 geochemical and geophysical targets on its Mires and Lopal concessions. Drilling began earlier this month on both concessions, with 4,000 metres of RC drilling planned for Mires. On the Kodyel concession, north of the Mires permit, the company is conducting a geophysical survey.

West African plans to spend $1.3 million on the Mires and Lopal concessions and about $500,000 on geophysical work over the rest of its properties in Burkina Faso.