Wesdome drills 6 metres of 314.4 g/t gold at Eagle River
Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd. [WDO-TSX; WDOFF-OTC] reported results from the ongoing underground exploration drilling program at its 100%-owned Eagle River mine 50 km west of Wawa, northern Ontario.
The Falcon zones were originally discovered from surface drilling approximately 200 metres west of the mine diorite. Surface drilling defined the zone of mineralization to a depth of 600 vertical metres below surface.
Although surface and exploration drilling is operating at a reduced capacity due to COVID-19 restrictions, recent underground drilling from the 772-metre elevation was completed to test the down-plunge extension of the Falcon Zone. Initial drilling from underground intersected visible gold in quartz veining and defines a steep easterly plunge.
It is interpreted that the Falcon 7 Zone now extends from surface approximately 1,000 metres down-plunge and is part of the up-plunge extension of the 7 Zone currently being mined near the 1,000-metre elevation. The Falcon/7 Zone has a strike length of 50 to 100 metres and often contains a subparallel hangingwall lens located approximately 10 to 20 metres to the north. Additional drilling is required to better define these zones and remains a priority in the second half of 2020.
Drilling highlights include Hole 772-E-81 with 49.9 g/t gold over 4.9 metres (44.7 g/t gold cut, 2.1 metres true width). Hole 772-E-86 returned 314.4 g/t gold over 6.0 metres (76.2 g/t gold cut, 5.2 mteres true width). Hole 772-E-88 returned 68.4 g/t gold over 2.3 metres (64.7 g/t gold cut, 2.1 metres true width).
Duncan Middlemiss, President and CEO, commented: “We are pleased with our ongoing exploration efforts at the Eagle River mine, albeit presently at reduced capacity. Intersecting the down-plunge extension of the Falcon Zone with underground drilling really shows the potential of the Falcon Zone extending to the Mine 7 Zone, which is in excess of 1,000 metres down-plunge. This is significant, as the extension of this zone is proximal to mine infrastructure and has the potential to be included in future mine production and ultimately augment production rates in the medium term.”
Wesdome’s strategy is to build Canada’s next intermediate gold producer, producing 200,000-plus ounces from two mines in Ontario and Quebec. The Eagle River complex is currently producing gold from two mines, the Eagle River underground mine and the Mishi open pit, from a central mill. Wesdome is actively exploring its brownfield asset, the Kiena complex, in Val d’Or, Quebec.