- 169 metres of 3.6 g/t gold from 254 metres downhole (hole121010), including a 5-metre interval of 21.7 g/t gold.
- 28 metres of 4.2 g/t gold from 406 metres (310 metres vertical depth) in hole 120061. This hole extended mineralization encountered in a previous hole (120086) by over 100 metres. The previous hole, reported in November, cut 158 metres of 4.3 g/t gold from 152 metres.
- 68 metres of 1.2 g/t gold from 29 metres in hole 120124 and 56 metres of 1.4 g/t gold from 63 metres in hole 120126. Both these holes were drilled in the same western section of Ikkari.
“Ikkari continues to deliver spectacular gold intersections expanding the mineralized footprint and increasing confidence in the continuity,” said James Withall, CEO of Rupert Resources.
“Drilling continues with four rigs currently turning in Area 1 as well as an underground rig at the Pahtavaara mine. Over the months ahead we will be delivering multiple updates on the development of our discoveries as we move towards a maiden resource at Ikkari over the summer. As our understanding advances we believe that we are still at the early stages of demonstrating the full geological potential of this region.”
Rupert Resources has completed 25,000 metres of drilling at Ikkari in 75 holes, with results reported for 57 to date.
The company is also drilling other prospects at Pahtavaara, and controls 451 sq. km in the region, where it also owns a permitted mill.
Drilling spaced at 80-metre centres at Ikkari has hit mineralization along 650 metres of strike so far, and to depths of at least 300 to 500 metres. The deposit has a 100-metre-plus high grade zone in the west that extends from surface to at least 300 depth and a wide, near-surface central zone that has a high-grade core and extends to the east. Ikkari is open in all directions.
Pahtavaara is a former producing mine that churned out 420,000 oz. gold and still hosts 474,000 oz. in inferred resources of 4.6 million tonnes grading 3.2 g/t gold.
Agnico Eagle Mines (TSX: AEM), whose Kittila gold mine is about 50 km northwest of Pahtavaara, has a 14.9% stake in the company.
(This article first appeared in the Canadian Mining Journal)
