Donlin contains about 39 million ounces of gold grading 2.24 grams gold in the measured and indicated categories, making it one of the largest and highest grade undeveloped open pit projects in the world
Drillhole DC-1888 intersected 6.93 metres of 43.1 grams gold starting from 178.6 metres, including 3.25 metres of 90.5 grams gold; and drillhole DC-20-1878 cut 19.77 metres averaging 11.3 grams gold from 48.86 metres downhole, including a sub-interval of 7 metres of 25.2 grams gold.
Another hole, DC20-1886, cut 33.88 metres of 6.5 grams gold starting from 218.20 metres depth, including 7.94 metres of 11.3 grams gold.
The drilling was in both the ACMA and Lewis deposit areas of the project and the partners intend to continue drilling Donlin next year. The data from the 2020 drill program will be incorporated into an updated model.
“With the latest set of assay results, we continue to encounter intersections of higher grade mineralization than previously modeled,” NovaGold’s president and CEO, Greg Lang, stated in a press release.
“With the industry burning through reserves, and grades continuing to decline, great drill results with even higher than modeled grades are exciting for any mining company – and we believe that to be particularly true for Donlin Gold at this late stage of development.”
Barrick Gold CEO Mark Bristow commented that the drill results from this year’s work program, along with exploration at the project over the last two decades, “continue to highlight Donlin’s world-class potential.”
“A comprehensive geological understanding of any orebody is a foundational step that few companies in the gold industry do well,” Bristow stated in the news release. “With an orebody the size, scale, and quality of Donlin Gold, it is of even greater importance in order for the project to successfully deliver maximum value for all our stakeholders.”
On a 100% basis, the project contains about 39 million ounces of gold grading 2.24 grams gold in the measured and indicated categories, making it one of the largest and highest grade undeveloped open pit projects in the world.
(This article first appeared in The Northern Miner)
