- Published: 25 September 2019
- Written by Editor
White Gold drills 11 m of 2.66 g/t Au at White Gold
Highlights include:
- Significant mineralization encountered on Ryan's Surprise discovery, two km west of Golden Saddle. Hole WHTRS19D012 encountered two distinct zones including 2.66 grams per tonne Au over 11 metres from 93 m depth and 2.10 g/t Au over 31.78 m from 142.22 m depth, including 4.23 g/t Au over 3.06 m;
- Drill results from the Ryan's Surprise expanded on 2018 discovery drill holes, adding down-dip mineralization and demonstrating the presence of multiple gold zones in addition to those previously modelled;
- Drilling on the Arc produced some of the best grades to date, and significantly extended mineralization 300 m to the east to a length of 1,300 m, an increase of approximately 23 per cent and infilled significant gaps in the geological model;
- Preliminary metallurgical testing on the Arc deposit indicates that mineralization is non-refractory and a strong global recovery of 85.2 per cent;
- Extended high-grade mineralization at Golden Saddle deposit in multiple directions. Deposit continues to be open along strike and at depth;
- Additional drill results for the Vertigo discovery and the QV deposit are forthcoming and will be released in due course;
- Regional exploration activity is continuing across the White Gold, JP Ross and Hen properties (including Titan target), with related soil sampling, prospecting, GT Probe sampling, trenching and RAB/RC drill results to be released in due course.
"We are extremely pleased with the results to date on our flagship White Gold property where we have continued to demonstrate success on all fronts. The latest diamond drill results continue to demonstrate the continuity of near-surface mineralization on the Golden Saddle and Arc deposits and surrounding areas. With every drill hole encountering mineralization, and newly identified targets displaying similar characteristics to the Golden Saddle and Arc, we are more confident than ever in our ability to define substantial additional near-surface, high-quality mineralization on this property in close proximity to our growing flagship deposits, with the significant new mineralization encountered on Ryan's Surprise being just one such example," stated Jodie Gibson, vice-president of exploration. "The positive metallurgical results on Arc also present a tremendous new opportunity to significantly increase our resources, with some of our largest and most underexplored targets having not been considered high priority until the receipt of these recent results. We continue to be very active on several new targets across various properties and are looking forward to the balance of these results."
Ryan's Surprise discovery
Drill results from the Ryan's Surprise expanded on last year's discovery drill holes, adding down-dip mineralization and demonstrating the presence of multiple significant gold zones in addition to those previously modelled which remain open in multiple directions.
The Ryan's Surprise target is located approximately 2.0 km west-southwest from the centre of the Golden Saddle deposit. Significant mineralization was first encountered by the company in 2018, including holes WHTRYN18RC0001 which intersected 20.64 g/t Au over 6.10 m from 83.82 m depth and WHTRYN18RC0002 which intersected 5.02 g/t Au over 13.17 m from 121.92 m depth. Previous drilling was directed from north to south on an interpreted steeply northerly dipping structure. Further assessment and interpretation of these data by the company determined that the zone may actually be steeply dipping to the south. Accordingly, it was decided to test this interpretation with two northerly dipping diamond holes to explore the potential for multiple mineralized structures in the area.
The mineralization encountered to date is partially oxidized and is brecciation and stockwork quartz veining and fracture controlled to disseminated pyrite in weakly to strongly sericite altered quartz biotite gneiss, biotite schist and amphibolite. The mineralization shows a strong association with elevated arsenic and has similarities to both the Golden Saddle and Arc, and may represent a new style of mineralization previously unrecognized on the property. To date the Ryan's Surprise has returned some of the best drill results outside of the Golden Saddle and Arc, and is a strong target for additional drilling.
Drilling highlights
WHTRS19D011
This hole was drilled at an azimuth of 000 degrees and a dip of minus 60 degrees to a depth of 176 m and crossed WHTRYN18RC001. A mineralized zone was intersected which ran for 8.70 m at a grade of 1.05 g/t Au from 128.65 m depth, including 8.22 g/t Au over 1.0 m representing down-dip mineralization from WHTRYN18RC001.
WHTRS19D012
Located 125 m southwest of x011 this hole was also drilled to 176 m depth at an azimuth of 000 degrees and a dip of minus 60 degrees, and is on the same section as WHTRYN18RC002 which intersected 4.46 g/t Au over 13.72 m. xD0012 intersected two zones including an upper zone of 2.6 g/t Au over 11 m from 93 m, including 4.23 g/t Au over 3.06 m from 93 m depth. Deeper in the hole a series of zones were intersected that averaged 2.1 g/t Au over 31.78 m from 142.22 m. Within this and separated by unmineralized intervals were 2.85 g/t Au over 4.14 m from 142.33 m, 2.39 g/t Au over 4.26 m from 154 m, and 2.83 g/t Au over 11.5 m from 162.5 m, including 5.93 g/t Au over 2.07 m from 168.66 m representing down-dip mineralization from WHTRYN18RC002.
Arc deposit
Metallurgical test work on the Arc indicates that mineralization is non-refractory and strong global recovery of 85.2 per cent. Drill results from the Arc were among the highest grades encountered on the deposit, with several intercepts grading higher than the grades reported in the 2019 technical report. The reported holes also significantly extended the footprint of the deposit 300 m to the east to a length of 1,300 m, an increase of approximately 23 per cent and infilled significant gaps in the geological model.
Nine holes were completed on the Arc in 2019. Located immediately south and southeast of the Golden Saddle, the Arc contributed an estimated 17,000 indicated ounces (562,000 tonnes at 0.98 g/t Au) and 194,500 inferred ounces (5,186,000 tonnes at 1.17 g/t Au) to the company's 2019 resource update.
Two thousand nineteen drilling consisted of a first phase of seven holes (WHTAR19D029 to 035) totalling 1,424 m drilled aimed at extending the known zones, mainly to the east, and infilling large gaps within the existing resource areas in order to gain additional geological knowledge of the deposit, as well as to obtain potential gains in the quality and extent of resources. Later two additional holes were drilled in the Arc area targeting the surface geochemistry expression of a potential lower Arc lens (WHTAR19D036 to 037).
Based on the 2019 results, the mineralized footprint of the Arc has been significantly extended eastward through holes 29 and 30, along with historic hole WD-014, which extend the strike of the Arc an additional 300 m to the east, to a length of 1,300 m, an increase of approximately 23 per cent. The current interpretation is that this mineralization corresponds to an extension of the lower Arc zone, a subparallel zone to the Arc which is poorly defined in historic drilling. Additionally, on the western end of the deposit area, hole WHTAR19D034, located 850 m west of hole xD030, infilled a 150-metre gap between historic holes WD-075 and WD-088, and intercepted a higher grade than typical Arc intersections, indicating the potential to increase resource grade with additional infill drilling.
Limited and widely spaced historic drilling on the Arc has defined two east-west-trending, north-dipping zones of mineralization at least 1,300 m along strike and up to 400 m down dip. Mineralization on the Arc is hosted within breccia zones with secondary stockwork quartz veining and pyrite mineralization. These zones are hosted within a metasedimentary package consisting dominantly of biotite-rich, locally graphitic, quartzites and schist. The mineralization shows a strong association with elevated arsenic and tin, though it should be noted that there are broad zones within the Arc with strongly elevated As and Sb without gold mineralization, indicating the gold is associated with a secondary event. Initial metallurgical testing on the Arc by Underworld Resources indicated recoveries on the Arc up to 85 per cent (1).
Preliminary follow-up metallurgical work by the company in 2018 and 2019 indicates mineralization on the Arc responds well to a combination of gravity concentration (7.4-per-cent recoveries), followed by an alkaline atmospheric oxidation (AAO) pretreatment and flotation (81.5-per-cent to 87.5-per-cent recoveries) with a global recovery of 85.2 per cent. The test work also indicated that graphite within the Arc shows negligible prerobbing behaviour and that the gold mineralization is not encapsulated within sulphide minerals (pyrite or arsenopyrite) and as such indicates the mineralization to be non-refractory in nature. This preliminary work was completed on a single composite of Arc mineralization from half drill core at the COREM Technical Services facility in Quebec. While the results are preliminary, they confirm excellent potential for strong recoveries in the Arc. More detailed metallurgical test work will be completed on the Arc in upcoming seasons.
(1) See Underworld Resources news release dated Jan. 5, 2010. Available on SEDAR.
Drilling highlights
WHTAR19D030
Hole x030 was drilled just outside the Arc Main lens at the east end of the 2019 resource pit, aimed at expanding the Arc zone to the east. The hole returned 3.64 g/t Au over 5.40 m from 132 m, including 14.30 g/t Au over 1.30 m from 134 m and represent higher grades that average in the area. The mineralization intercepted in holes 29 and 30, along with historic hole WD-014, are interpreted to be eastern extensions of the lower Arc zone, and together extend the Arc zone over 300 m to the east.
WHTAR19D031
Hole x031 is located 175 m to the northwest of x030, splitting a gap of about 160 m between historic holes WD-039, WD-042 and WD-081. The hole intersected the zone where expected and returned 1.28 g/t Au over 16 m from 102 m.
WHTAR19D034
Hole x034 is located 850 m west of hole x030, filling in a 150-metre gap between historic holes WD-075 and WD-088. The main zone was successfully intersected and returned a 10.09 m intercept of 2.92 g/t Au from 65.18 m, including 3.67 g/t Au over six m from 68 m. This is a much higher grade than most Arc intersections and indicates the potential to increase resource grade with additional infill drilling.
Golden Saddle deposit
Drill results from the Golden Saddle deposit expanded the previously modelled mineralization down dip on the western portion of the deposit, added near-surface mineralization in previously unmodelled areas and locally increased thickness of the known mineralization.
The Golden Saddle deposit, including the GS Main, GS Footwall and GS West zones, consists of a series of subparallel zones trending northeast-southwest and dipping to the northwest at approximately 55 degrees with mineralization occurring along faults, fractures and breccia zones in an overall normal to strike-slip structural regime. Together, the zones define mineralization over 1,500 m strike length and up to 725 m down dip. This includes a continuous high-grade core of mineralization over three g/t Au on the GS Main that is up to 50 m true thickness and traceable over 500 m of strike length from surface up to 530 m down dip.
The results for three additional Golden Saddle holes as well as the remainder of previously released hole WHTGS19D0212 have been received. Two holes targeted the down-dip extension of the GS Main lens on the western edge of the deposit, and the third was infill targeting the GS Main and GS Footwall lenses.
Drilling highlights
WHTGS19D0212
As previously released, hole x212 was an infill hole on the eastern side of the GS main targeting where the current model was believed to be underestimating the width of the zone and confirmed this interpretation returning 4.85 g/t Au over 27.45 m from 37.55 m depth, including 6.58 g/t Au over nine m from 51 m depth. A second zone of mineralization, correlating with a GS Footwall lenses, was intercepted at 211 m depth and returned 1.37 g/t Au over 12 m, including 2.41 g/t Au over four m from 212 m.
WHTGS19D0214
Hole x214 is located 341 m to the north of x212, targeting the near-surface extension of the GS Main and GS Footwall zones. The GS Main was intersected at shallow depth, returning a 5.40 m intercept grading 3.83 g/t Au from 18 m depth. The intersection was in a previously unmodelled area and will expand the GS Main approximately 30 m in this area. An additional zone corresponding with the GS Footwall was also intercepted in the hole and returned 2.08 g/t Au over 13 m from 192 m depth.
Drilling highlights
Individual assays for the reported results ranged from trace to 11 g/t Au. True thickness for intercepts reported in the Golden Saddle and Arc are estimated at 85 to 95 per cent true thickness, and there is not enough information to determine true thickness on the Ryan's Surprise at this time.
The most significant drill results included in this release are included in the attached table.
Hole ID Target From (m) To (m) Length (m) Au (g/t) WHTGS19D0212** Golden Saddle 37.55 65.00 27.45 4.85 incl.** 51.00 60.00 9.00 6.58 and 211.00 223.00 12.00 1.37 incl. 212.00 216.00 4.00 2.41 incl. 213.30 215.08 1.78 3.86 WHTGS19D0214 Golden Saddle 18.00 23.40 5.40 3.83 and 115.00 116.00 1.00 1.61 and 192.00 205.00 13.00 2.08 and 212.00 214.00 2.00 1.60 WHTAR19D030 Arc 101.3 102.70 1.40 2.38 and 132.00 137.40 5.40 3.64 incl. 134.00 135.30 1.30 11.00 WHTAR19D031 Arc 102.00 118.00 16.00 1.28 incl. 104.00 108.00 4.00 2.54 WHTAR19D032 Arc 57.90 59.00 1.10 2.50 and 94.15 105.00 10.85 1.59 and 202.00 203.00 1.00 2.88 WHTAR19D034 Arc 65.19 76.00 10.09 2.92 incl. 68.00 74.00 6.00 3.67 and 90.00 92.00 2.00 1.45 WHTAR19D035 Arc 52.53 74.00 21.47 0.86 incl. 52.53 53.28 3.75 1.82 and incl. 61.00 74.00 13.00 0.87 and 105.00 107.00 2.00 2.50 and 182.14 185.00 2.86 0.84 WHTRS19D011 Ryan's Surprise 33.00 34.00 1.00 8.22 WHTRS19D012 Ryan's Surprise 61.15 62.20 1.05 1.39 and 93.00 104.00 11.00 2.66 incl. 93.00 96.06 3.06 4.23 and 142.22 174.00 31.78 2.10 incl. 142.22 146.36 4.14 2.85 and incl. 154.00 158.26 4.26 2.39 and incl. 162.50 174.00 11.50 2.83 incl. 168.66 170.73 2.07 5.93 * True thickness estimated at 80 to 95 per cent of the reported intervals, and there is not enough information to determine true thickness on the Ryan's Surprise at this time. ** Top portion of hole reported in company's news release dated Aug. 8, 2019, available on SEDAR.
Quality assurance/quality control
The analytical work for the 2019 drilling program will be performed by ALS Canada Ltd., an internationally recognized analytical services provider, at its Vancouver, B.C., laboratory. Sample preparation was carried out at its Whitehorse, Yukon, facility. All RC chip and diamond core samples will be prepared using procedure PREP-31H (crush 90 per cent less than two millimetres, riffle split of 500 grams, pulverize split to better than 85 per cent passing 75 microns) and analyzed by method Au-AA23 (30-gram fire assay with AAS finish) and ME-ICP41 (0.5 g, aqua regia digestion and ICP-AES analysis). Samples containing greater than 10 g/t Au will be reanalyzed using method Au-GRAV21 (30 g fire assay with gravimetric finish).
The reported work will be completed using industry standard procedures, including a quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) program consisting of the insertion of certified standard, blanks and duplicates into the sample stream.
About White Gold Corp.
The company owns a portfolio of 22,040 quartz claims across 35 properties covering over 439,000 hectares representing over 40 per cent of the Yukon's White Gold district. The company's flagship White Gold property has a mineral resource of 1,039,600 ounces indicated at 2.26 g/t Au and 508,700 ounces inferred at 1.48 g/t Au. Mineralization on the Golden Saddle and Arc is also known to extend beyond the limits of the current resource estimate. Regional exploration work has also produced several other prospective targets on the company's claim packages which border sizable gold discoveries including the Coffee project owned by Newmont Goldcorp Corp. with a measured and indicated gold resource (2) of 3.4 million ounces and Western Copper and Gold Corp.'s Casino project which has proven and probable gold reserves (2) of 8.9 million oz Au and 4.5 billion pounds Cu.
(2) Noted mineralization is as disclosed by the owner of each property respectively and is not necessarily indicative of the mineralization hosted on the company's property.
Qualified person
Jodie Gibson, PGeo, vice-president of exploration for the company, is a qualified person as defined under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, and has reviewed and approved the content of this news release.
