i-80 Gold Corp.(TSX: IAU) has received high-grade results from the first 16 holes drilled in the 2022 underground programme at the Granite Creek Property in Nevada to define mineralisation for mining and test for extensions of the Ogee Zone, the primary target of the underground programme.
The ongoing surface and underground drill program at the Company’s Granite Creek Property located in Humboldt County, Nevada is focused on defining mineralisation for inclusion in an updated Feasibility Study expected at the end of the ~30,000 metre drill programme.
During the fourth quarter of 2021, underground drilling platforms were completed providing access to test the expansion opportunity of the Ogee Zone, expected to provide the bulk of mineralisation to be mined in the next twelve months. Initial drilling is primarily focused on defining mineralisation immediately below existing mine workings.
Drilling in 2022 continues to focus on further expansion in the area between the bottom level of the mine workings and the deepest hole drilled by i-80 so far to test the Ogee Zone depth extension (from surface), iGS21-15, that intersected multiple high-grade mineralised horizons including 13.3 g/t Au over 13.1 m, 20.3 g/t Au over 7.5 m and 10.1 g/t Au over 17.5 m. Additional drilling has focused on extensions of the Otto, Adam Peak, and Range Front faults beneath historic workings.
Highlight results from 2022 underground drilling at Granite Creek:
- 28.1 g/t Au over 18.7 m in hole iGU22-01
- 15.0 g/t Au over 14.6 m in hole iGU22-03
- 33.8 g/t Au over 4.8 m in hole iGU22-13
- 22.5 g/t Au over 3.0 m in hole iGU22-14
The company is in the process of expanding the underground workings such that multiple headings are available for mining. The decline is being driven to depth and initial work is being performed to assess the potential to access the new South Pacific Zone located immediately below and to the north of the mine workings.
It is expected that first mineralisation from the underground operation will be trucked to Twin Creeks for processing in mid-2022, pursuant to the agreement with Nevada Gold Mines, until such time that the company’s Lone Tree facility is operational.
“These drill results further increase our confidence in the next level to be mined from the Ogee Zone,” Senior Geologist, Tyler Hill, said.
“We continue to test extensions of the Ogee Zone at depth, which will complement expansion drilling in the new South Pacific Zone.”
The Granite Creek Property is strategically located proximal to Nevada Gold Mines’ Turquoise Ridge and Twin Creeks mines at the north end of the Battle Mountain-Eureka Trend, at its intersection with the Getchell gold belt in Nevada.
High-grade mineralisation occurs in a near-identical geological setting as that at the multi-million ounce Turquoise Ridge Mine located immediately to the north; proximal to a major regional fault (the Getchell or Range Front fault) on the eastern edge of the large Osgood Mountains intrusive complex.
The Granite Creek deposit remains open at depth and along strike from the existing underground workings and step-out drilling aimed at expanding resources is currently underway.
For further information please visit: https://www.i80gold.com/
