The Northern Miner’s Henry Lazenby highlights the best gold assays of the past week, May 17-24. Drill holes are ranked by gold grade x width as identified using the Mining Intelligence platform.
Three continents delivered this week’s top gold assays. Sokoman Minerals’ (TSXV: SIC) drilling confirmed strong, near-surface gold values at Moosehead in eastern Canada; Pampa Metals (CSE: PM) traced long intervals of primary copper and gold mineralization at Piuquenes in Argentina; and Hummingbird Resources’ (AIM: HUM) drilling at Yanfolila in Mali point to potential mine life extension.
Moosehead in Central Newfoundland
Sokoman reported the week’s best gold assay on May 23. Diamond hole MH-23-166A cut 10.2 metres grading 84.69 grams gold per tonne from 53.9 metres depth for a width x grade value of 868.
Winter drilling at the 552 Zone produced metallic pulp gold assay results, including assays from the Footwall Splay. These drill holes were chosen for a potential bulk sample site related to contracted work with consulting firm Novamera. The plan aims to model the near-surface Footwall Splay Zone for a possible bulk sample using Novamera’s technology.
Novamera’s guidance tool creates a high-resolution 3-D model of the quartz veins by detecting veins up to 4 metres off the hole in all directions. To calibrate their guidance tool, Novamera asked Sokoman to drill two holes (MH-23-166A and B) in the Footwall Splay area, which they surveyed as part of the initial setup process.
The permitting process will begin when the 3-D modelling and extraction plan is completed in the coming months.
Sokoman isn’t yet able to report resources at Moosehead, as the veined nature of the mineralization needs more drilling to raise confidence in the structures before an estimate can be made. Anearly interpretation suggests that the Western Trend and the South Pond zone converge at depth. Shear zones drilled on the property are still open in all directions.
Piuquenes Argentina
Pampa Metals on May 23 reported that diamond hole PIU-03 cut 801 metres grading 0.51 gram gold per tonne from 54 metres depth, for a width x grade value of 408.5.
The third hole in the project’s first drill campaign returned broad intersections of mineralized copper and gold material to depth on the northeast and southeast sides of the Piuquenes Central porphyry. The hole traces the newly identified core of strong chalcopyrite-bornite copper mineralization associated with intense porphyry quartz stockwork veining found in hole PIU-02.
The company believes Piuquenes could host an ore body of 1,000 metres in depth and 300-500 metres in diameter.
Piuquenes covers 18.8 sq. km in the San Juan Miocene porphyry belt. Other projects in the area include Los Azules held by McEwen Copper, a unit of McEwen Mining (NYSE: MUX; TSX: MUX), Fortescue Minerals’ (ASX: FMG) Rincoes de Araya, Aldebaran Resources’ (TSXV: ALDE) El Altar and Glencore’s (LSE: GLEN) El Pachón.
Yanfolila in Mali
Hummingbird Resources on May 23 reported that reverse circulation hole SNWRC-583 returned 21 metres grading 14.93 grams gold per tonne for a width x grade value of 313.53.
The company believes the broad, high-grade intercept could lead to resource and reserve growth near the Sanioumale West North and Kabaya South pits.
At Kabaya South, the company used drone surveys of current topographic surfaces to account for artisanal depletion since it estimated the original resource. Hummingbird is updating the historical resource ahead of a company-wide resource update expected by year-end.
Yanfolila hosts measured and indicated resources of 24 million tonnes grading 2.21 grams gold per tonne for 1.7 million oz. of metal.
