“Successful step-out drilling along strike to the east, west and down-dip has shown that 2020 drilling added significantly to the mineralized volume of the Airstrip deposit and defined continuity of mineralization in all directions,” Tara Christie said in a release.
Overall, the 2020 drilling has extended the strike of Airstrip mineralization by 300 metres to the west, as well as down-dip within the resource pit limits.
Christie added that the Airstrip trend remains open down-dip to the south and to the west. Drilling is expected to restart in March. The work will include efforts to define the western strike extent of Airstrip, where a higher-grade trend is projected.
Four of the 10 holes reported were collared int the western portion of Airstrip, following up on results from September. In line with Banyan’s geological model, the drilling hit the target schist unit with gold indicator alteration.
Two holes were drilled at the east section of Airstrip, testing areas down-dip and east of mineralized intercepts from the 2019 program. These holes also returned mineralization from within the target horizon.
A one-km step-out along the projected eastern strike extension of the favourable unit hit anomalous gold from surface down to a depth of 30 metres.
No drilling has been completed to the east of Airstrip, with results to date suggesting potential for additional near-surface gold in this area.
In May, Banyan published an initial resource estimate for the near-surface Airstrip and Powerline deposits at AurMac, with a total of 52.6 million pit-constrained inferred tonnes at 0.54 g/t gold for a total of 903,945 oz. Airstrip contributes 46 million tonnes at 0.52 g/t gold to this inventory.
At 92 sq. km, AurMac is adjacent to both Victoria Gold’s (TSX: VGCX)Eagle gold mine and Alexco’s (TSX, NYSE: AXU) Keno Hill silver district. Based on option agreements with both companies, Banyan may earn up to a 100% interest in AurMac.
(This article first appeared in the Canadian Mining Journal)
