West Red Lake Gold (TSXV: WRLG) has begun its test mining and bulk sampling program at the past-producing Madsen mine in Ontario’s Red Lake district.
The four test mining target areas collectively contain 114,600 tonnes of material, with an average grade of 5.98 grams per tonne of gold. The company expects to extract around 5,000 tonnes from each area as part of the program.
The program is scheduled to run for four months, with bulk samples stockpiled in batches on-site. The company expects to process these stockpiles after restarting the mill.
The mine was last re-opened by Pure Gold Mining in 2021, struggled with high costs and inconsistent production. It was put on care and maintenance in October 2022.
2025 restart
According to West Red Lake, the current program is a critical de-risking step in the effort to prepare the Ontario mine for a targeted restart in 2025. Test mining has already begun, with crews developing top and bottom access (sills) ahead of long hole stoping in the Austin 1099/1100 area. The company plans to report on stoping progress in the next site update, expected in early October.
“Test mining will provide data on the best methods for mining at Madsen, bulk samples will allow us to compare modelled and actual resources, and the process will give our team additional operational experience,” said West Red Lake CEO Shane Williams.
Last month, the company reported drill results as high as 17.77 grams gold per tonne across 5.5 metres.
That intercept in the McVeigh zone, from 44.5 metres depth in hole MM24D-01-4081-025, included 2.2 metres grading 38.56 grams gold and 0.5 metre at 19.15 grams gold from 49.5 metres depth.
In the Austin zone, west of McVeigh, hole MM24D-09-4796-025 cut 12.1 metres at 7.35 grams gold from 92.9 metres depth, including 2.5 metres grading 19.39 grams gold from 93.5 metres depth.
Madsen hosts 1.65 million indicated oz. of gold grading 7.4 grams gold, and 370,000 inferred oz. gold at 6.3 grams gold, based on a cut-off grade of 3.38 grams gold and a gold price of US$1,800 per oz. according to a 2021 resource estimate.
The Red Lake gold district has produced over 30 million oz. of gold from high-grade zones and hosts some of the world’s richest gold deposits.
Shares in West Red Lake gained 2.5% to 82¢ apiece on Thursday morning in Toronto, valuing the company at $221 million.
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