Kirkland Lake Gold Inc. (TSX:KGI)(AIM:KGI), an operating and exploration gold company, has announced drilling results from two new underground exploration programs on the Company's 100% owned Macassa property.
The programs were designed to test a previously unexplored area of the property from the 5300 foot level of the Macassa Mine and to further explore the South Mine Complex (SMC) and have produced encouraging initial results. The SMC consists of 25 or more mineralized zones, some of which are now in production while others are being explored and developed under the Company's aggressive exploration and ore-body definition programs.
"The west exploration program now underway is of particular interest as this part of the Macassa property has never been explored," said Stewart Carmichael, Chief Exploration Geologist. "To have such early positive exploration results from these two new programs is very encouraging and a focus for this year's exploration will include both wide spaced drilling and closer spaced drilling as warranted on the #6 Break," added Mr. Carmichael.
In the first program, drilling to the south from the west end of the Mine, has yielded high-grade intersections in a previously unexplored area. The first exploration hole of this program, drill hole 53-1640, returned a number of intersections including 12.34 ounces of gold per ton (opt) over a core length of 1.5 feet. This intersection is located 1,000 feet south of the historically mined '04 Break at the -5410 foot elevation and 2,000 feet west of the current extent of the SMC.
One of the follow-up drill holes, 53-1725, similarly intersected a number of mineralized zones including 6.05 opt over a core length of 8.4 feet. Further drilling is in progress to define the geometry and continuity of these zones. Mineralization is characterised by quartz veining with visible gold and tellurides and may be structurally related to the #6 Break. The #6 Break is interpreted as being a splay structure from the '04 Break and has been traced laterally across the Macassa, Kirkland Minerals and Teck-Hughes properties a distance of 10,000 feet.
A second new exploration program is underway from the central part of the Macassa Mine, 2,800 feet east of the first program. This program is aimed at testing potential SMC related footwall mineralization as well as the potential up-dip extension of the SMC. Drilling has further defined a mineralized zone footwall to the current Lower D North resource. Drill hole 53-1621 returned an assay of 2.94 opt over a core length of 1.0 feet and drill hole 53-1622 assayed 1.34 opt over a core length of 3.1 feet. This drill program, confined thus far to a relatively small area, has also produced a number of intersections that will require follow-up drilling as well as future testing of unexplored areas.
The following are some of the highlights of the new exploration programs:
- Drilling at the west part of the Macassa property has discovered new mineralized zones in a previously unexplored area of the property. Drill hole 53-1640 intersected a new zone which assayed 12.34 opt over a core length of 1.5 feet and follow up drill hole 53-1725 also intersected a new zone which assayed 6.05 opt over a core length of 8.4 feet. This drill program has thus far been confined to a relatively small area, however, future drilling will further define this new mineralization as well as test an area over a potential strike length of 2,000 feet and a vertical extent of 1,500 feet.
- Drill hole 53-1621 on the central exploration program returned 2.94 opt over a core length of 1.0 feet (0.9 feet true width). This intersection is located 340 feet above the 5300 foot level and has extended a previously defined resource block on the SMC an additional 140 feet up dip to the -4920 elevation. This zone is interpreted as being a footwall zone to the Lower D North. Follow up drilling will be required to further define this zone and to test other unexplored areas.
These drill programs are part of a much larger ongoing exploration initiative. The Company is currently operating eight exploration drills, six of which are located underground at the Macassa Mine and two located on surface.
Five of the underground drills are operating on the 5,300 foot level. Two of the underground drills are drilling south from the historic mine workings – one testing the south and western part of the Macassa Mine near the #3 Shaft and the other testing the up-dip component of the SMC as well as various hanging wall veins associated with the '04 Break. The three remaining drills on the 5,300 foot level are drilling north from the 5305 cross-cut in the SMC. Two of these drills are testing the Lower SMC/'08 Break, while the other will shortly begin a program testing the '04 Break down to a depth of 8,000 feet. During the final quarter of this fiscal year (February 1st to April 30th, 2011) the Company also plans to test the SMC from the 5300 foot level on properties held under the joint venture agreement with Queenston Mining Inc. The remaining underground drill will continue to test '04 related mineralization from various levels of the mine. Both of the surface drill rigs are located on the Company's properties east of the Macassa. One drill is testing near surface targets, while the other is engaged in deep exploration up to 3,000 feet south of the main historic ore horizon in previously unexplored areas of the property. The Company plans to complete approximately 50,000 feet of underground exploration drilling and approximately 12,000 feet of surface drilling during the final fiscal quarter with exploration expenditures, including underground development, for this quarter estimated at $2.3 million.
Source: Kirkland Lake Gold Inc.