Hi Steve and All,
You are right Steve, the first gold pour occured on Aug 13. Here is the news release from Business Wire:
businesswire.com
BW0024 AUG 19,1997 5:39 PACIFIC 08:39 EASTERN
( BW)(WHEATON-RIVER-MIN)(WRM.) First Gold Bar Poured at Golden
Bear Heap Leach Mine Business Editors
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 19, 1997--Wheaton River
Minera(TSE WRM.) Wheaton River Minerals Ltd. is pleased to announce
that gold production has commenced ahead of schedule from the Golden
Bear heap leach mine in northwestern British Columbia. Leaching of
the ore began on August 6th and the first gold pour took place on August 13th.
Since that time six dore bars containing approximately 4,300
ounces of gold have been produced. This rapid recovery confirms the high rate of leachability predicted in the feasibility study.
Gold production this year is forecast at 25,000 oz, rising to an
average of 45,000 ounces over the next four years. All mining and
leaching activities for 1997 will be completed by the end of October,
recommencing next May. More than 80 percent of gold production over
this period has been sold forward at US$379 per oz, against
anticipated operating costs of US$233 per oz.
Interested parties can view the first gold pour later this week
by accessing Wheaton River's site on the Internet. This innovative
website, which has been chronicling the construction of the Golden
Bear mine for shareholders with daily photo updates, has caught the
attention of two leading computer companies, Microsoft and IPC
Computers. The companies have added software and hardware prizes to
Wheaton River's website contest which includes two trips to the
Golden Bear mine opening in September for winners (site address:
wheatonriver.com).
In other news, drilling on the high grade Grizzly deposit has
extended the structure by at least 75 metres to the north. The
Grizzly deposit is relatively compact, containing a known resource of
152,945 tonnes grading 20.5 grams gold per tonne, or about 100,000
oz. gold. Recent stepout drilling to the north intersected the
favorable host structure 40 metres above the projected location of
the deposit, and returned an intercept of 9.6 grams gold per tonne
over 3 metres. The zone remains open to the north. Wheaton River is
currently conducting a scoping study on heap leaching the East Low
Grade Stockpile which contains a resource of 106,000 oz. A
feasibility study could be completed on this resource by mid-1998.
Neither resource forms part of the current 5-year mining plan.
The Golden Bear Mine is owned and operated by North American
Metals Corp., an 85 percent owned subsidiary of Wheaton River. --30--PS/ch*
CONTACT: Wheaton River Minerals Ltd.
Ian J. McDonald, 416/860-0919 |
