After reviewing my files for the past 2 yrs on BXM ... I found this explanation which many you you may remember.
In reviewing the PR's, I found numerous references to the "visable gold" in the core samples.
As I understand the process, the cores are split prior to lab analysis ... thus there is a trail and a built in redundancy for all the sampling that has gone on.
Further, many analysts & geologists have returned with exhilarating reports and some say they have "seen God!" Coupled with the *hundreds* of employees and geologists that have either worked or visited Busang, the entire question of "salting, misinterpreting, tampering, etc. etc." is just too preposterous to believe!
Additionally ... please note that Kilborn is apparently doing more than just resouce calculations based on data provided to them.
"Responding to questions regarding recent press concerning assay
methods employed by Bre-X on core sampling at Busang, John
Felderhof, Senior Vice President, in an interview from Jakarta,
stated A little knowledge can be more dangerous than none at all on
any subject. I strongly suggest that those individuals commenting
on the reliability of the cyanide leach assay method go back to
school. I do not have the time to educate them on the various grade
determination methods for gold commonly used on a global aFbasis in
the mining industry. Bre-X's current analytical method utilizes
sample intervals of 2m. The HQ core is crushed to obtain an average
sample weight of 13 kg. From this, a sample split is derived
weighing 0.75 kg (e.g. approximately 6% of the core), which is
utilized in the cyanide leach process. The balance of the sample is
reserved for future use, which includes fire assay check analysis,
and metallurgical testwork. Furthermore, routine check fire
analyses are carried out both by Bre-X and the commercial
laboratory. To date in excess of 1,200 samples have been submitted
to a third party independent commercial laboratory who, utilizing
this fire assay method, returned grades 5-7% higher than those
reported employing the cyanide leach method.
In addition, metallurgical testwork conducted by internationally
recognized Kilborn Engineering, as part of their recently completed
prefeasability study on Busang, resulted in their determining that
Bre-X's current and previously reported gold assay results are in
fact understated by as much as 12.9%."
Bre-X Minerals currently employs 320 individuals of which 4% are
ex-patriots from the Phillipines, Canada, and Australia." |
