West Red Lake Gold drills 50.52 g/t gold over 4 metres at Rowan, Ontario
West Red Lake Gold Mines Ltd. [WRLG-TSXV; WRLGF-OTCQB] provided additional drill results from its phase 1 exploration program on its 100%-owned Rowan property located in the prolific Red Lake gold district of Northwestern Ontario, Canada.
Results from hole RLG-23-149B, most notably 50.52 g/t gold over 4.0 metres, was one of the best intercepts ever drilled on the Rowan property. Based on the success of the current exploration campaign, the 2023 drill program has been expanded from 17,000 metres to 25,000 metres.
Highlights: Hole RLG-23-149B intersected 4.0 metres at 50.52 g/t Au, from 299 m to 303 m, including 0.5 m at 371.08 g/t Au, from 302 m to 302.5 m. Hole RLG-23-150 intersected 4.2 m at 15.40 g/t Au, from 384 m to 388.2 m, including 1.0 m at 63.76 g/t Au, from 386.1 m to 387.1 m. Hole RLG-23-152 intersected 4.2 m at 10.41 g/t Au, from 344.95 m to 349.15 m, including 0.5 m at 78.97 g/t Au, from 348.15 m to 348.65 m.
Drilling at the Rowan mine target continues to deliver intercepts with exceptional gold grades over significant widths that demonstrate the potential for being amenable to traditional underground mining methods.
Baseline environmental and archeological studies initiated to begin progressing Rowan mine target to advanced exploration permit status.
Shane Williams, president and CEO, stated: “The Rowan mine target continues to deliver spectacular results with every hole drilled. Our team is very encouraged not only by the exceptional grades we are seeing come out of Rowan, but also the overall thickness in a few of the intercepts which suggests very real potential for a future underground mining scenario. Based on the positive results we have seen so far in 2023, we have decided to expand the drilling program from 17,000 metres to 25,000 metres, further demonstrating our commitment to exploration and an aggressive growth strategy in the Red Lake mining district which includes not only Madsen, but all of our high-priority regional targets. This strategy will allow us to maximize value across our portfolio of Red Lake assets and take full advantage of the future optionality that could be provided by a hub-and-spoke mining operation.”
The high-grade mineralized vein zones encountered at the Rowan mine target area continue to exceed expectations, confirm the geologic model, and further improve the existing high-grade (9.2 g/t Au) 827,462-ounce inferred mineral resource at the Rowan mine.
A total of 34 diamond drill holes for 9,183 metres have been completed so far in 2023 at the Rowan mine target area. Fire and metallic screen assays have been returned for 21 out of 31 holes completed, with 3 holes having partial assay results and eight holes pending assays and quality assurance/quality control.
A total of 17,000 metres of infill and expansion drilling was originally proposed for the Rowan mine target in 2023. Based on the positive results received to date, the program has been expanded to 25,000 m and is expected to be completed by year end 2023. The additional drill metres will be used to continue de-risking the Rowan mine resource and test the growth potential down-plunge on the highest-grade portions of the resource. Current drilling at Rowan has only tested mineralization down to a depth of approximately 550 m. All of the high-grade zones still remain open below this vertical depth. The Red Lake mining district is known to host orebodies that extend down to over four km depth, which bodes well for the down-plunge growth potential at Rowan.
In conjunction with infill and expansion drilling, the company is also initiating the necessary baseline environmental and archeological assessments to begin moving the project toward an advanced exploration permit status.
The Rowan mine target consists of more than seven subparallel, near-vertical, east-west-trending veins that are currently defined over a strike length of approximately 1.1 km. Mineralization remains open along strike and at depth.
West Red Lake Gold Mines is focused on advancing and developing its flagship Madsen gold mine and the associated 47 km2 highly prospective land package in the Red Lake district of Ontario. West Lake also holds the wholly owned Rowan property in Red Lake, with an expansive property position covering 31 km2, including three past-producing gold mines – Rowan, Mount Jamie and Red Summit.