I had hopes for those guys in Nevada
US Gold Corporation is a gold exploration company focused on Nevada's Cortez Trend, which is home to some of the world's largest gold deposits. In 2005, Rob McEwen purchased 33.3% of the Company through his private company, McEwen Capital, and raised $75.15 million to create Nevada's premier exploration company. Since Mr. McEwen took control of the company, its share price has increased by over 2,000% and the Company has launched four unsolicated takeovers at the same time for other Nevada focused exploration companies.
But they don't seem to be going anywhere...
American Bonanza is another one.. great little operation.. no carry thru.. any idea on them? BZA/TSXV
Matamec, Everton, Maudore, Malartic all good little explorers in PQ, eastern Canada..
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This will keep you busy for a while. If you want narrow vein copper zinc and gold potential in Eastern Canada, read on.. these guy's stories go back a coupla years, but we will see some recycling soon... It ain't just Osisko drilling in that area...
Held by Cambior Inc. and Aurizon Mines Ltd, the Sleeping Giant mine (project 32) is located 70 km west of Lebel-sur-Quévillon. The lode gold deposit is characterized by high gold grades of up to 11 g/t Au. A project, estimated at $7 million, to deepen the shaft by 200 m, to reach a total depth of 1,060 m, was announced in March 2003. It should be completed during the second quarter of 2004, and will provide access to new gold zones (Zones 6, 7, 8, and 18).
On the Comtois property (project 34), located 15 km northwest of Lebel-sur-Quévillon, Candor Ventures Corporation and Maude Lake Exploration Ltd conducted an exploration program involving a ground magnetometer survey, detailed mapping, sampling, and 7 drillholes totalling 1,860 m. Several drillholes yielded significant intercepts, including 8.7 m at 5.75 g/t Au in drillhole COM-03-94, set up between the Osborne and Bell zones.
Inferred resources for the Osborne and Bell deposits are estimated at 808,000 tonnes at an average cut grade of 9.6 g/t Au.
Strateco Resources Inc. drilled over 10,000 m on the Discovery project (project 24), located 35 km north of Lebel Sur-Quévillon. The drillholes intersected the lateral and depth extensions of gold mineralization in the East and West lenses. Strateco Resources Inc. is earning an interest in the property from GéoNova Explorations Inc., a subsidiary of Campbell Resources Inc., who estimated a resource of 2.12 million tonnes at a grade of 5.11 g/t Au for the Discovery Zone.
On the Windfall Lake property (project 101), located some 90 km east of Lebel-sur-Quévillon, Noront Resources Ltd, Alto Ventures Ltd, and Fury Explorations Ltd announced the discovery of 5 gold zones (A, B, C, D, and E) as a result of two drill campaigns totalling 21 drillholes (4,118 m). The best intersections include a 6.00 m interval at 8.9 g/t Au in drillhole FUR-03-03.
CHIBOUGAMAU AREA (FIGURE 1C-1)
In 2003, we compiled 17 gold projects in the Chibougamau area, which forms the northeastern tip of the Abitibi subprovince.
In 2003, one gold producer, the Joe Mann mine (Au-Ag), was in operation for the Chibougamau area.
(ed's note: this could be two by 2008.)
On June 6, Campbell Resources Inc. suspended development work in the access ramp at the Copper Rand 5000 project. Following an agreement with its partners to restructure the project’s financing, development work resumed in October, and the start of commercial production is scheduled for the end of 2004. The Copper Rand 5000 project contains measured and indicated resources of 1.9 million tonnes at 1.55% Cu and 3.33 g/t Au. At the Joe Mann mine operated by Campbell Resources Inc. (project 102), an extensive underground drilling program delineated the high-grade West Zone, which contains a measured resource of 61,507 tonnes at 16.01 g/t Au, an indicated resource of 118,661 tonnes at 12.99 g/t Au, and an inferred resource of 230,154 tonnes at 12.79 g/t Au. Mining in the West Zone is slated to begin during the second quarter of 2004.
NORMÉTAL – LA SARRE – AMOS AREA
(FIGURE 1C-1)
The number of gold projects carried out in this area, located in the west-central part of the Abitibi Subprovince, stood at 10 in 2003. These projects mainly involved prospecting, geochemical and geophysical surveys. A 9-hole drill program totalling 2,051 m was completed by Exploration Atlantis Inc. on the Lamorandière project (project 61), located 35 km northeast of Amos. These drillholes encountered lode gold mineralization.
ROUYN-NORANDA – CADILLAC AREA
(FIGURES 1C-1 AND 1C-3)
A total of 29 gold exploration projects were compiled in this
area, which forms the southwestern corner of the Abitibi Subprovince in Québec. Three mines produced gold in 2003 in the area, namely the Mouska and Doyon mines (Au-Ag), and the LaRonde polymetallic mine (Au-Ag-Zn-Cu). Exploration carried out at the LaRonde mine will be described in the section on polymetallic deposits.
In late November 2001, Richmont Mines Inc. suspended operations at the Francoeur mine (project 5), located 20 km west of Rouyn-Noranda. Following a delineation drilling program totalling 7,801 m in the West Zone at the mine, resources increased slightly from 822,821 tonnes at 8.91 g/t Au to 84,510 tonnes at 7.89 g/t Au. With these results in hand, Richmont Mines Inc. decided against a resumption of mining operations.
On the Wasamac property (project 7), located 6 km east of the Francoeur mine, a drill program successfully located and traced the Wasamac ductile shear zone, which hosts two gold zones along the extension of Zones 1 and 2 of the former Wasamac Mine. Gold is associated with fine-grained disseminated pyrite in intense albite-hematite-carbonate alteration zones. The best intersections include 2.71 m (true thickness) at 8.57 g/t Au in drillhole WS-03-15.
At the Mouska mine (project 19), Cambior Inc. announced the internal shaft would be deepened by 210 m, to a total depth of 880 m. This project, estimated at $11 million, will require a production shutdown from January to October 2004. It will eventually provide access to probable resources of 142,000 tonnes at 15.4 g/t Au and inferred resources of 173,000 tonnes at 14.6 g/t Au in lenses 40, 50, and 50 South. At the Doyon Mine (project 20), Cambior Inc. completed a drill program which outlined a new gold vein system in the J Zone, located 125 m east of existing infrastructure. A preliminary estimate of 156,000 tonnes of inferred resources at 7.5 g/t Au was calculated for zones J20, J40, and J125. Theses zones consist of pyritechalcopyrite- rich quartz veins with native gold. On the contiguous Westwood property (project 105), located to the east of the Doyon mine, Cambior Inc. announced it had intersected the extension of Zones 1 and 2 of the Doyon mine (north corridor) with grades of 39.3 g/t Au over 0.6 m, and 1.8 g/t Au and 0.24% Cu over 3.5 m in drillhole 1158-02. In the same drillhole, the Westwood horizon yielded 4.2 g/t Au and 0.14% Cu over 9.5 m. The north corridor is characterized by locally sericitized intermediate and mafic volcanic rocks that host disseminated sulphides and quartz stringers. The Westwood horizon is composed of multiple bands and stringers of semi-massive pyrite, with sphalerite and chalcopyrite, hosted in a strongly altered dacite. With these positive results in hand, Cambior Inc. plans to excavate a 2 km long exploration drift from level 14 at the Doyon mine to reach the Westwood property.
This drift will enable the company to carry out deep exploration in a vast area to the east of the Doyon mine.
Agnico-Eagle Mines Ltd implemented an extensive drill program to test the Contact Zone on the Lapa property (project 29), located 16 km west of Malartic, in the Cadillac Tectonic
Zone. This is one of the most significant off-minesite discoveries to take place in the Abitibi over the past decade. In 2003, Agnico- Eagle Mines Ltd acquired Breakwater Resources Ltd’s interest in this project.
The Contact Zone, as its name implies, lies at the
contact between sheared and altered mafic and ultramafic lavas
of the Piché Group and sediments of the Cadillac Group.
Indicated resources in the Contact Zone are estimated at
2,268,000 tonnes at 9.94 g/t Au, with another 1,723,700 tonnes
of inferred resources at 8.57 g/t Au. At depth, a new gold structure, the Contact South Zone, was detected 6 m to the southwest of the Contact Zone. The best intersections include 3.5 m at 10.97 g/t Au in drillhole 118-03-21A.
Following the discovery of the Contact Zone, Queenston
Mining Inc. launched a drill campaign on the contiguous
Pandora property (project 30), located to the west of Lapa.
Drillhole PD-03-01 encountered gold mineralization (3.7 g/t Au
over 11.5 m) at the contact between volcanic rocks of the Piché
Group and sedimentary rocks of the Cadillac Group. This structure is interpreted as the western extension of the Contact Zone.
Queenston Mining Inc. and Globex Mining Enterprises Inc.
completed two drillholes to test the Liz Zone on the Duquesne
West property (project 44), located 25 km north of Rouyn-
Noranda. The Liz Zone is a gold-bearing shear zone characterized by sericitized and ankeritized intermediate to mafic volcanic rocks with 5 to 20% pyrite. Drillhole DQ-03-16 intersected 13.6 m at a grade of 4.53 g/t Au.
MALARTIC – SENNETERRE – VAL-D’OR AREA
(FIGURES 1C-1 AND 1C-4)
The number of gold projects reported in the Malartic –
Senneterre – Val-d’Or area, which forms the southeastern part
of the Abitibi Subprovince, stood at 34 in 2003. Two mines,
Sigma-Lamaque and Beaufor (Au-Ag), produced gold in the
area during the year. Several key events marked the year 2003 in the Val-d’Or mining camp. Commercial production began in February at the Sigma-Lamaque open pit mine, held by McWatters Mining Inc.
However, mining operations were suspended on October 1st,
due to lower than expected milled ore grades. Consulting firm
RSG Global Pty Ltd was commissioned to review the entire
Sigma-Lamaque operation. The firm recommended a $2 million
drill program to produce a new resource estimate. The Kiena
gold mine (project 42), also held by McWatters Mining Inc.,
was shut down in late September 2002 due to a depletion of
reserves, concentrated in the main lens, Zone S-50. Following
drilling conducted in 2002, new indicated resources totalling
2,894,000 tonnes at a grade of 4.26 g/t Au were discovered in
Zones P and R, located in the hanging wall of Zone S-50. In
November, McWatters Mining Inc. sold to Western Québec
Mines Inc. the Kiena mine complex, and in December, sold to
Richmont Mines Inc. the Fourax and East-Amphi properties.
Richmont Mines Inc. plans to carry out a drill program on the
East-Amphi property in 2004.
Metanor Resources Inc. discovered an auriferous structure,
Zone 5, on its Dubuisson property (project 40), located in
the western part of the city of Val-d’Or. Zone 5 is associated
with a 3 to 5 m wide shear zone that strikes E-W and dips 700
north. The shear zone hosts quartz-carbonate veins associated
with chlorite-sericite-fuchsite-pyrite-rich alteration zones. In 2003, 38 drillholes totalling 5,650 m identified 115,696 tonnes of measured and indicated resources at a grade of 4.15 g/t Au and 3,245,222 tonnes of inferred resources at 4.15 g/t Au. Drill intercepts namely include 4.04 g/t Au over 1.8 m in drillhole ME-03-08.
In order to test several geophysical targets, Kalahari
Resources Inc. completed 25 drillholes totalling 6,550 m on the
Lamaque property (project 12), located in the eastern part of the city of Val-d’Or. This exploration program led to the discovery of a gold zone, the Sixteen Zone, which consists of quartztourmaline-pyrite veins in a strongly leached granodiorite porphyry. Drillhole SX-03-07 intersected 44.5 m of mineralization; the best intercepts are 8.23 m at 7.13 g/t Au and 3.66 m at 6.62 g/t Au.
Western Québec Mines Inc. completed 10 drillholes totalling
1,657 m to test the #22 structure on the Shawkey property
(project 43), located 5 km west of Val-d’Or. This structure
contains quartz-tourmaline-chlorite veins with erratic gold
values, hosted in a porphyry intrusion. The best results were obtained in drillhole 141-141, with 6.45 g/t Au over 3.65 m. Following the acquisition of the Kiena mine complex, Western Québec Mines Inc. prepared an exploration program for 2004 that involves driving an exploration drift from the Kiena mine to the Shawkey property and drilling into known gold zones. On the Midway project (project 41), which straddles the Cadillac Tectonic Zone some 16 km west of Val-d’Or, Northern Star Mining Corporation drilled 9 holes totalling 1,524 m. Gold intercepts include 6.20 g/t Au over 6.13 m in drillhole NSM-03-01, in an altered gabbro with 10% sulphides. A second drill program (7,600 m) was launched in October 2003.
On the Croinor property (project 85), located 70 km west of Val-d’Or, South-Malartic Exploration Inc. and Huntington exploration Inc. conducted an important drill program. Several drillholes yielded significant intercepts of gold-bearing quartz veins hosted in an altered and pyrite-rich diorite sill, these include 8.12 g/t Au over 5.7 m for drillhole CR-03-246 (zone 2). In 2002, a total resource of 7.1 million tonnes at a grade of 2.3 g/t Au was delineated on this project. Work to extract a 20,000 tonnes bulk sample began in November 2003 and will last until January 2004.
The ore will be shipped to the Camflo mill, located near Malartic.
On the Swanson property (project 2), located near Barraute, some 65 km north of Val-d’Or, Phoenix Matachewan Mines Inc. launched a 1,500 m drill program. Drillhole SW-03-02 intersected 4.8 m at 8.56 g/t Au. The gold mineralization is associated with syenite dykes and carbonate-fuchsite-rich altered wall rocks.
Gold occurs with pyrite in quartz veins. Measured resources were established at 421,564 tonnes at 3.26 g/t Au, with indicated resources of 687,078 tonnes at 3.11 g/t Au.
TÉMISCAMINGUE AREA (FIGURE 1C-1)
In the Témiscamingue area, underlain by the Pontiac Subprovince to the south of the Abitibi Subprovince, 2 gold projects were reported in 2003. Vantex Oil, Gas and Minerals Ltd (project 54) reported results from an exploration program on the Guillet property, located 5 km east of Belleterre. This program included a geochemical survey, surface stripping, channel sampling, and 31 shallow drillholes totalling 2,500 m to test gold structures.
Drillhole LE03-28, on the Lake Expanse zone, encountered 10.3 m grading up to 6.25 g/t Au. Exploration for Polymetallic Deposits and Diamonds
CASA BERARDI – MATAGAMI AREA (FIGURE 1C-2)
In terms of base metal exploration, 20 projects were compiled in the Casa Berardi – Matagami area. Two base metal mines were in operation in this area in 2003, Selbaie and Bell-Allard. In October 2003, Noranda Inc. announced it had not yet decided to go ahead with development work on the Perseverance ore deposit, located 10 km west of Matagami. The company also stated that mining operations would cease as planned at the Bell-Allard mine during the fourth quarter of 2004, due to depletion of reserves. SOQUEM INC., in partnership with BHP Billiton, completed 9 drillholes on the Brouillan property (project P4),
drillholes on the Caber project with partner Tango Minerals Resources Inc. (project P30), and 3 drillholes on the Du Dome-Matagami property in conjunction with Metco Resources Inc.
(project P8). Joint venture partners Cancor Mines Inc. and SOQUEM INC. completed a drill program on the Kistabiche property (project P41), which hosts the Explo-Zinc deposit, where resources are estimated at 1.06 million tonnes at 7.13% Zn, 0.69% Cu, and 31 g/t Ag. Drillhole Kist-03-07 intersected 3.62 m at 1.29% Zn within a total interval of 16.70 m grading 0.61% Zn.
LEBEL-SUR-QUÉVILLON – DESMARAISVILLE AREA
(FIGURE 1C-2)
In 2003, the number of exploration projects compiled in the central Abitibi Subprovince focussed on the search for polymetallic deposits stood at 9. In early 2003, Breakwater Resources Ltd completed an exploration program undertaken in 2002 at the Langlois mine, focussing on Zone 97 (project P57). In May, based on the results of 28 drillholes totalling 11,511 m, the company announced an increase in mineral reserves for Zone 97. Proven and probable reserves at the mine are now estimated at 3.323 million tonnes at 10.8% Zn, 0.8% Cu, 52 g/t Ag, and 0.1 g/t Au. In June, Breakwater Resources Ltd released the results of an updated feasibility study initially submitted in August 2001 by SRK Consulting. Company management is waiting for the price of zinc to improve and for financing to be secured before deciding to reopen the mine.
Operations at the Langlois mine were suspended in November 2000. On November 20, 2003, the Fonds de prospection minière jamésien announced the discovery of a kimberlite indicator mineral (G10 harzburgitic pyrope) in a sample collected from an
esker during a reconnaissance survey near Lebel-sur-Quévillon (project P47).
CHIBOUGAMAU AREA (FIGURE 1C-2)
In the Chibougamau area, 6 exploration projects for
polymetallic deposits were reported in 2003. In September, Inmet Mining Corporation and Loubel Exploration Inc. launched an exploration program on the Lemoine property (project P34).
Three deep drillholes are planned (1,100 m to 1,200 m each) to
test geophysical anomalies detected in downhole PEM surveys
conducted in 2002.
NORMÉTAL – LA SARRE – AMOS AREA
(FIGURE 1C-2)
In 2003, 4 polymetallic exploration projects were compiled in
the Normétal – La Sarre – Amos area. Inmet Mining Corporation
conducted a drill program on the Castagnier property (project
P31) and an electromagnetic survey on the Landrienne project
(project P32), both located east of Amos.
ROUYN-NORANDA – CADILLAC AREA
(FIGURES 1C-2 AND 1C- 3)
With 9 ongoing projects in 2003, the Rouyn-Noranda mining camp and the Cadillac area remained very active in terms of polymetallic exploration. Two base metal mines were in operation in this area in 2003, namely the LaRonde and Bouchard-Hébert mines. In March, a rock fall in two production stopes at the LaRonde mine prompted Agnico-Eagle Mines Ltd to forecast a 20% drop in production for 2003. In June, the company announced the launch of a feasibility study concerning a deep mining project, referred to as LaRonde II, which would involve sinking a shaft of more than 3,000 m (10,000 feet) to reach deep seated ore zones. Throughout the year, Agnico-Eagle Mines Ltd continued its deep exploration program on Zone 20 North at the mine (project P48). Drillhole 3215-60A intersected 20.2 m at 9.0 g/t Au. Finally, the company closed in September the acquisition of the Bousquet property, located immediately to the west of the LaRonde mine, from Barrick Gold Corporation.
Breakwater Resources Ltd concluded an important exploration campaign involving drilling and geophysical surveys to the northwest and southeast of the Bouchard-Hébert mine (project P58). Drillholes were set up to test offhole pulse EM anomalies detected in previous drillholes. On May 7, 2003, Noranda Inc. announced the end of a long strike, which began in June 2002, at the Horne smelter in Rouyn-Noranda.
MALARTIC – SENNETERRE – VAL-D’OR AREA
(FIGURES 1C-2 AND 1C-4)
Four exploration projects for polymetallic deposits were compiled for 2003 in the Val-d’Or mining camp and the Senneterre and Malartic areas. One base metal mine was in operation in 2003, the Louvicourt mine east of Val-d’Or. Aur Resources Inc. carried out an important drill program on the Dunraine property, located a few kilometres southwest of the Louvicourt mine.
TÉMISCAMINGUE AREA
(FIGURE 1C-2)
In the Pontiac Subprovince, 2 exploration projects for polymetallic deposits were reported. Ongoing diamond exploration in Québec and the success of companies working in the Cobalt area in northeastern Ontario prompted many companies to re-examine the diamond potential of the Témiscamingue region. In December, Sudbury Contact Mines Ltd announced the discovery of a kimberlite pipe, dubbed SC-118, on the Québec portion of its Timiskaming project (project P28). Analytical results to determine the presence of diamonds are expected in the new year. Additional exploration is also planned on this property in 2004.
Exploration Opportunities
PRECIOUS METALS
In the southern Abitibi Subprovince, two areas in the Cadillac
mining camp attracted much attention in 2003, namely: - an area east of the Doyon mine, where drillholes completed by Cambior Inc. intersected three gold zones at depth; - a segment of the Cadillac fault centered on the Lapa property, where drillholes completed by Agnico-Eagle Mines Ltd intersected a new gold zone, the Contact Zone.
These new discoveries are two shining examples of the potential remaining at depth in the Abitibi, in mineralized areas long known and mined for several decades. In the next few years,this part of the Cadillac camp will undoubtedly prove to be one of the most important hot spots for gold exploration in Québec. Other segments of the Cadillac fault located to the west and east also offer promising potential at depth. In northeastern Abitibi, a geological survey at 1:50,000 scale was conducted by the Ministère des Ressources naturelles, de la Faune et des Parcs (MRNFP) in 2003, under the supervision of Patrice Roy, in the Lac Charron area (NTS 32 G/08 and 09), south of Chibougamau. This survey outlined two regional goldbearing structures along the northeastern margin of the La Dauversière pluton (LDP) (Roy et al., 2003; Grenier et al., 2003).
The Palmer-Tippecanoe deformation zone (PTDZ), an E-W structure nearly 14 km long, runs through seven copper-gold showings, inclu-ding showing R-14 (144.29 g/t Au over 2.44 m in channel sample, mineral deposit file 32 G/09-21). These showings are similar in many ways to mineralization encountered in the vicinity of the Joe Mann mine (southwestern part of the LDP).
The junction between the PTDZ and the Lac Dufresne deformation zone, a NE-SW structure wedged between the LDP and the Boisvert pluton, which hosts a gold showing, is marked by the presence of sericite-iron carbonate schists with anomalous gold (100 pbb Au, grab sample, summer 2003). This zone, several kilometres long by nearly one kilometre wide, hosts several unexplained “INPUT” electromagnetic anomalies. These anomalies appear to extend eastward into an area which may contain additional conductors, but where no detailed geophysical surveys have been conducted.
BASE METALS
Mapping conducted by the MRNFP to the east of Matagami, in the Lac Olga area (NTS 32 F/11 and 14) in 2002 (Goutier et al., 2002) and in the Lac au Goéland area (NTS 34 F/10 and 11) in 2003 (Goutier and Doyon, 2003), traced the eastward extension of volcanic units found along the northern limb of the Galinée anticline. Volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) deposits in the Matagami camp are associated with the Key Tuffite, a marker horizon of silica and sulphide-rich tuffs occurring at the contact between volcanic rocks of the Lac Watson Group and basalts of the Wabassee Group. Goutier and Doyon (2003) traced the extension of volcanic rocks (rhyodacites) of the Lac Watson group into the Lac au Goéland area. They also reported the presence of garnet and anthophyllite, which suggests these rocks were affected by a volcanogenic alteration system. These features indicate that the mineralized interface at Matagami, where the vast majority of Zn-Cu-Ag ore deposits in the mining camp occur, extends eastward for more than 15 km. This opens up vast area to the east of Matagami for the search of volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits, and creates a highpotential opportunity in the northern Abitibi Subprovince.
In the third phase of the project, slated for the summer 2004, MRNFP mapping will cover map sheet 32 F/15, the western half of 32 F/09, and the southern half of 32 K/02.
The Lebel-sur-Quévillon base metal mining camp also offers a significant potential. The Grevet-Mountain volcanic complex, located in the Cameron deformation zone, hosts the Langlois mine where Breakwater Resources Ltd is actively exploring in order to eventually resume mining operations. It also hosts the Grevet B (indicated resource of 306,000 tonnes at 9.92% Zn, 0.52% Cu, 22.8 g/t Ag, and 0.07 g/t Au) and Orphée (inferred resource of 1.8 million tonnes at 4.2% Zn, 0.5% Cu, and 12 g/t Ag) deposits. The mineralized structural corridor, which trends E-W towards the east and NW-SE towards the west, is more than 1.5 km wide and extends for nearly 20 km. Metco Resources Inc., on its own or in partnership with Breakwater Resources Ltd, continued their investigations in this area, following the discovery of induced polarization anomalies in 2002
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