Wesdome drills 40.39 g/t gold over 3 metres at Eagle River, Ontario

Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd. [WDO-TSX; WDOFF-OTCQX] reported results from recent surface exploration at the 100%-owned Eagle River mine near Wawa, northern Ontario.

Historically, mineralization of the Eagle River Mine has been hosted in the mine diorite; however, the Falcon 7 Zone is hosted in volcanic rocks west of the mine diorite. Recent underground development and initial mining at lower levels has confirmed the high gold grades and strong mineability of this mineralization.

Most recently, surface and underground drilling, from the 355 m-level exploration drift, has defined the up-plunge extent of the Falcon 7 zone and has now extended the mineralization to surface with the recent drilling within 50 metres from surface. The Falcon 7 zone drilling is located 150 metres west of the mine diorite and intersected strongly altered and mineralized quartz veins with visible gold (VG). The gold mineralization occurs within an intermediate volcaniclastic, interpreted to be more brittle and a better host for the gold mineralization than the relatively ductile encompassing mafic volcanic flow units.

Highlights of the recent drilling include Hole ERS-2022-033 that returned 11.1 g/t gold over 3.0 metres core length (11.1 g/t gold capped, 2.6 metres true width). Hole 355-E-31 returned 26.5 g/t gold over 2.0 metres core length (22.8 g/t gold capped, 1.6 metres true width). Hole 355-E-28 returned 20.3 g/t gold over 1.7 metres core length (20.3 g/t gold capped, 1.5 metres  true width). All assays capped at 125 g/t gold. True widths are estimated based on 3D model construction.

In addition, a number of drill holes have intersected mineralization in the hanging wall of the Falcon 7 zone, including a recent hole that returned 40.3 g/t gold over 1.5 metres, thus indicating the potential for parallel or folded limbs of the Falcon 7 zone. Surface and underground drilling of this area continue to be priority targets to delineate parallel structures along the Mine 5 and 300 zones extensions. Limited drilling has also intersected what is interpreted as a plunging shoot further to the west near the historic 9 zone, with one hole returning 19.4 g/t gold over 0.7 metres. This remains a prospective area and a focus for future drilling.

Mine 7 Zone: Exploration drilling completed within the central portion of the mine diorite to test for the extension of the North Contact zone was extended into the diorite to test for eastern extensions of the 300E and 7 zones that have received relatively limited exploration drilling. Drilling has defined a new lens of gold mineralization which is interpreted to be east of and along strike from the mine 7 Zone structure. One hole returned 27 g/t gold over 4.6 metres. Future drilling will be completed from underground platforms.

Highlights of the recent and select 2016 drilling results include Hole ERX-2022-018 that returned 40.4 g/t gold over 3.0 metres core length (22.4 g/t gold capped, 2.4 metres true width). Hole ERS-2022-025 returned 31.3 g/t gold over 1.0 metre core length (31.3 g/t gold capped, 0.8 metres true width). Hole ERM-2016-23 returned 34.6 g/t gold over 0.9 metres core length (34.6 g/t gold capped, 0.8 metres true width). All assays capped at 125 g/t gold. True widths are estimated based on 3D model construction.

Additionally, initial surface drilling within the volcanic rocks 150 metres east and down dip of the mine diorite of the previously mined 2 Zone intersected altered volcanic rocks with quartz veining and VG. One hole returned 233.0 g/t gold over 0.4 metres.

Duncan Middlemiss, President and CEO, commented, “We are pleased with the ongoing surface and underground drilling of the Falcon 7 Zone that continues to better define and extend the zone up plunge to surface. Extending to surface this zone could represent a new mining area. Also, the surface drilling, although early days has, returned a number of good values not only parallel to the Falcon 7 zone but also further to the west. It appears that the gold mineralization in the volcanic rocks has a similar periodicity to the gold mineralization to that of the high-grade shoots within the mine diorite. The completion of the 355 m-level development will allow us to continue drilling the Falcon 7 zone and provide access for future mining. This development can also be extended further to the west to provide drilling platforms for additional zones along strike.

“Additionally, we are pleased with the drilling that has discovered a new lens within the mine diorite, that can be drilled and developed from existing underground infrastructures as this new lens is proximal to the past producing 8 zone. Again, this indicates the potential of continually discovering new zones of gold mineralization within the relatively unexplored central portion of the mine diorite.”