O2Gold Inc. reports that it has started a drilling campaign at its Aparecida brownfield area. Located roughly 5 km from the Aurora tunnels, the Aparecida brownfield has been the spot for artisanal production for over a century.
La Aparecida brownfield area, with observed veins and drill collars. Image Credit: O2Gold Inc.
An anastomosed pattern was identified with vein mineralization located very close following the systematic exploration of the Aparecida area. O2Gold has identified and reported five gold veins in the area and three veinlets at the surface. The image above illustrates the drill targets for the planned drilling of 2,000 m.
The Fortaleza Vein, O2Gold’s first target, has a predicted extension of a minimum of 400 m. Rock channel samples have intersected maximum 42.3 g/t Au and 49.6 g/t Ag values and more geophysics surveys will further describe the projected vein extensions.
O2Gold has been continuously drilling the main Aurora vein to demonstrate its extension along the dip and strike in the Aurora area. Specific pointers indicate that its continuity reaches into the Quintanillo brownfield to the south, where 2,000 m more of scout drilling has been scheduled to delineate the vein system.
Preparing the Aurora Tunnels for Production
All through Q3 and well into Q4 2021, O2Gold has been recovering the previously productive Aurora mining tunnels, as well as its two mine entrances. The cross-section of the tunnels has a maximum depth of 150 m, and extensive rock sampling has been performed within the mine.
Many samples gathered from the tunnels exhibit grades equal to or more than 30 g/t Au, indicating a variability to the mineralization observed in O2Gold’s drill results.
O2Gold has reinforced not just adits but also tunnels of the Aurora mine, with ventilation and electricity ready to use when the tunnels reopened. O2Gold aims to start draining the tunnels in Q4 2021, and the management anticipates that the mine will be completely accessible in Q1 of 2022.
O2Gold holds a 30-year exploitation license at the Aurora mine and should fulfill minimum production requirements in 2022.