Wesdome drills 74.6 g/t gold over 30 metres at Kiena, Quebec
Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd. [WDO-TSX; WDOFF-OTCQX] reported underground exploration drilling results from the Kiena Deep A zone at the 100%-owned Kiena mine complex in Val d’Or, Quebec.
Recent underground definition and exploration drilling at the Kiena Deep A zones area has confirmed the A zone continues down plunge along the basalt ultramafic contact with drilling returning high grade from this continuous zone of mineralization. As well, drilling confirmed the Footwall zone comprises three subparallel zones and one crosscutting zone that have now been extended over 300 metres down plunge.
Mineralization remains open laterally and down plunge and additional drilling platforms are being established as the A zone ramp progresses to provide for more optimal drilling distances and angles. Drilling also confirmed the existence of lower-grade stockwork veins within the hangingwall of the A zone within brecciated and altered basalt. These zones have the potential to be mined as access development in the hangingwall due to their proximity to the A zones stoping area, and thereby having potential to be added to the resource base:
These zones are generally located within five metres from the contact with the schist (A zone) at a grade of five to 6 g/t gold and an average thickness of two metres. Drilling is continuing to better determine the extent of these zones.
Highlights include Hole 6796W3 that returned 74.6 g/t gold over a 30.0-metre core length (24.8 g/t gold capped over 5.0 metres true width) A1 zone. Hole 6752W9 returned 38.3 g/t gold over 37.3 metres core length (18.2 g/t gold capped over 6.0 metres true width) A zone. Hole 6752W8 returned 35.9 g/t gold over 30.3 metres core length (27.0 g/t gold capped over 7.0 metres true width) A zone. All assays capped at 90.0 g/t gold. True widths are estimated based on 3-D model construction. Refer to company press release for complete assays.
Duncan Middlemiss, president and CEO, commented: “We are pleased with the recent underground drilling that continues to define the high-grade A zone and now confirms the extent of the subparallel Footwall zone, which we expect to grow further with continued drilling. The Footwall zone, and now the newly discovered hangingwall basalt zones, will positively impact project economics as the same underground infrastructure utilized to access the A zone can be leveraged to mine these additional zones on a low-unit-cost basis.
“We are continuing to spend aggressively on exploration at Kiena with $17.7-million to be spent in 2022 that includes approximately 50,000 metres of underground drilling and 30,000 metres of surface drilling. As part of the 2022 drilling program, two underground drills have been moved onto the 33 level to test historic zones and anomalous drill results further to the east along strike from the Kiena mine. Surface drilling is ongoing and will be accelerated once the ice has melted utilizing the two barges left at site. Planned drilling is concentrated around the Shawkey and newly discovered Bourgo zone.
“We are also pleased with the progress being made ramping up production at Kiena. As planned, production will ramp up throughout the year with higher production expected in H2 2022. While we continue to expect commercial production in Q2, production this year will be back end weighted in H2 2022 as we continue to ramp up, with total production this year forecasted at 64,000 to 75,000 ounces. As per the 2021 prefeasibility study, completed prior to the Footwall zone discovery, the life-of-mine average yearly production is 83,574 ounces with costs declining materially in 2024 once higher output levels are realized. However, with the discover of the Footwall zone, and most recently with the hangingwall basalt zone, we expect these new zones could extend the LOM and have the potential to increase annual production given the increase reserve ounces per vertical metre.”