Benchmark Metals Inc. (TSXV: BNCH) (OTCQX: BNCHF) has received promising new results from three multi-purpose drill holes at the AGB Deposit in British Columbia.
Highlight assays included 101.60 m of 4.68 grams per tonne (g/t) gold and 89.89 g/t silver or 5.80 g/t gold equivalent (AuEq) with 13.00 m of 23.72 g/t gold and 212.84 g/t silver or 26.38 g/t AuEq in drill hole 21AGBDD040.
In addition to testing the near-surface continuity of mineralisation, drill holes 21AGBDD054 and 21AGBDD055 were designed to evaluate the geotechnical properties of the rock mass as well as hydrogeological regime of the pit area.
These cost-effective multi-purpose drill holes were successful in continuing to delineate high-grade continuity of near-surface mineralisation at the southernmost extent of the AGB zone while also providing the geotechnical and hydrogeological data necessary to design the overall pit slope for future engineering studies.
Benchmark’s flagship Lawyers Gold-Silver Project is located within a road-accessible region of the prolific Golden Horseshoe area of north-central British Columbia, Canada.
“The 2021 drill programme has intersected near-surface high-grade mineralisation within the pit shells modelled in 2021 and could potentially add significant resources in the near-term Mineral Resource update,” CEO, John Williamson, said.
“As these results continue to expand the limits of the mineralisation, further drilling in 2022 will continue to expand resource potential in all directions.”
Highlights:
- Robust mineralisation near the southernmost extent of the AGB zone and south of historical mining including 37.50 m of 2.15 g/t gold and 46.76 g/t silver or 2.74 g/t AuEq with at-surface 2.50 m of 22.62 g/t gold and 120.26 g/t silver or 24.13 g/t AuEq in drill hole 21AGBDD054;
- Potential for improved economics and reduced strip ratio by adding near-surface, open-pittable gold and silver ounces to the AGB Deposit, and;
- Last of the drill results from AGB that will support the updated Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE), future drilling will go towards the Feasibility Study.
Multi-Purpose Geotechnical Drillholes
Over the 2021 drill programme a total of seven PQ and HQ sized geotechnical drill holes were drilled at the Cliffs Creek and AGB Deposits, totalling 2415 metres.
In addition to testing for near-surface mineralisation, with the potential to positively impact an updated MRE, these drill holes were conducted to collect data for slope analysis and pit slope design that will impact the overall size and shape of the future pit design.
Work included in-situ permeability (packer) tests, geotechnical logging, down-hole televiewer mapping, sampling for geotechnical test work such as unconfined compressive strength, sampling for comminution test work, piezometer installation for groundwater baseline towards engineering design and environmental baseline.
By executing this work with multi-purpose drilling and data collection the project is on pace to a construction decision.
For further information please visit: https://www.benchmarkmetals.com/
