IAMGOLD Corporation (TSX: IMG) (NYSE: IAG) has obtained positive initial assay results from its 2021 exploration diamond drilling programme at the Nelligan joint venture project located in Quebec, Canada and 15 km from the Monster Lake Project 100% owned by IAMGOLD.
The Nelligan Gold project (on a 100% basis) hosts Inferred Mineral Resources containing 3.2 million ounces of gold grading 1.02 g/t Au
Highlights include:
Renard Zone – Infill
- 86.7 meters (“m”) at 1.34 grams per tonne gold (“g/t Au”) in drill hole NE-21-170 from 126.0 m including
- 12.0 m at 2.65 g/t Au from 148.5 m;
Followed by a separate interval of:
- 45.0 m at 2.13 g/t Au from 222.0 m including
- 12.0 m at 6.27 g/t Au from 234.0 m;
- 111.0 m at 1.11 g/t Au in drill hole NE-21-173 from 175.5 m; followed by a separate interval of:
- 16.5 m at 2.05 g/t Au from 327.0 m;
- 46.5 m at 1.26 g/t Au in drill hole NE-21-172 from 183.0 m including
- 12.7 m at 3.05 g/t Au from 200.4 m;
Followed be a separate interval of:
- 28.7 m at 1.70 g/t Au from 238.3 m including
- 0.9 m at 27.0 g/t Au from 239.1 m;
Followed by a separate interval of:
- 42.0 m at 1.06 g/t Au from 301.5 m;
- 34.5 m at 1.26 g/t Au in drill hole NE-21-174 from 199.5 m; followed by a separate interval of:
- 19.5 m at 3.80 g/t Au from 283.5 m including
- 1.5 m at 24.6 g/t Au from 283.5 m;
Followed by a separate interval of:
- 7.6 m at 5.69 g/t Au from 343.5 m including
- 1.5 m at 21.0 g/t Au from 348.0 m;
Renard Zone – West Extension
- 40.5 m at 1.28 g/t Au in drill hole NE-21-178 from 51.0 m;
- 15.0 m at 7.81 g/t Au in drill hole NE-21-180 from 36.0 m including
- 1.3 m at 70.1 g/t Au from 45.0 m.
Executive Vice President, Growth, Craig MacDougall, said he results of the 2021 Nelligan drill programme continue to confirm the continuity of mineralisation in the resource area at similar observed grades and widths as the company works to improve resource classification.
“Importantly, our drill programme continues to confirm the extension of mineralisation along strike to the west – well beyond the area of the currently defined mineral resources. This provides a significant opportunity to further increase the mineralised envelope of Nelligan, which remains a prime objective of our exploration program. We look forward to initiating our 2022 winter exploration program which will step out to test the west extensions and providing an updated Nelligan resource towards the end of 2022.”
The company’s latest assay results are from 13 diamond drill holes totaling 4,260 metres as part of the completed 2021 drilling program totalling 9,534 metres. One hole was re-drilled to validate the results from a previous hole for which core recovery was considered very poor and not representative.
The 2021 diamond drilling programme was designed to in-fill and delineate selected areas of the deposit to improve resource classification, as well as continue step-out drilling to evaluate and confirm the extension of mineralisation to the west along strike which was sparsely tested in previous drilling programs.
Mineralisation is now observed over a strike length of at least 1,500 metres, over widths varying from 100 to 300 metres and to a depths ranging from 200 to 350 metres. The mineralized system of Renard remains open along strike and at depth.
Next Steps
The results of the 2021 exploration drilling programme will be used to update the deposit model to help guide future drilling programmes. Planning is well advanced for the 2022 northern winter exploration program which will test further the west extensions and expand the known resources in specific areas. An updated resource estimate is anticipated for the end of 2022.
Regional exploration activities and future exploration programmes continue to be guided by the ongoing incorporation and compilation of exploration data to refine geological, geochemical and structural models to help identify and prioritise additional targets for evaluation on the large project land package.
For further information please visit: https://www.iamgold.com/English/home/default.aspx
