Underground drilling also intersected high gold grades. Hole AE-21-024 returned 17.72 g/t gold over 1.3 metre including 25.5 g/t over 0.8 metre. Hole AE-21-024 returned 13.9 g/t gold over 2.4 metres, including 26.1 g/t over 1 metre.
The holes are part of the phase two drilling seeking both new gold horizons and to expansion of known zones. Gold horizons at Aureus East are stacked within folded host rocks that dip gently toward the east. Underground drilling will focus on a 500- by 500-metre pocket near underground openings where two drills will be working.
The Aureus East suspended mine is part of the Aureus (formerly Dufferin) property acquired by Aurelius in February 2020. The mine is permitted and includes a 300 t/d mill. It produced 14,903 oz. of gold from 1995 to 2018.
Work done by the company on previous exploration records revealed extensive high grade intersections not modelled into historic resources. No 43-101 compliant resources are available, but the historic estimate was 152,000 indicated tonnes at 11.9 g/t gold (58,000 contained oz.) and 434,000 inferred oz. at 6.9 g/t (96,800 contained oz.).
(This article first appeared in the Canadian Mining Journal)
