Kirkland Lake Gold of Toronto is having no problem finding high grade gold intersections as it drills east and west of the Macassa South mine complex and along the Amalgamated Break.
The latest results come from 71 holes drilled from the east and west exploration drifts on the 5300 level and from the 5600 level ramp development. More than 29,000 metres have been drilled so far.
Drilling east of the South mine complex (SMC) cut high grades 200 metres northeast of the existing limits of the mineral resource. Key intercepts included 111.8 g/t gold over 2.1 metres true width, 53.0 g/t over 2.1 metres true width, and 49.2 g/t over 2.0 metres core length in the Footwall zone.
Drilling west of the existing resource found high grades at a distance of 275 metres. Key intercepts included 24.4 g/t over 2.0 metres core length, 46.5 g/t over 2.0 metres core length, and 17.7 g/t over 2.2 metres core length.
Drilling that targeted the Amalgamated break and associated hanging wall found high grades up to 175 metres west of the existing resources. Key intercepts were 108.2 g/t gold over 3.3 metres core length, 51.3 g/t over 2.0 metres core length, and 20.1 g/t over 5.4 metres core length.
Macassa management is confident that there is significant potential to increase the mineral resources at Macassa. The results from the Amalgamated Break support the view that that area offers a new opportunity because the break is parallel to the main and 04 breaks throughout the Kirkland Lake gold camp.
Meanwhile, development on the 5300 level continues. It is scheduled to advance 350 more metres to the east and 429 more metres to the west. This is a tracked level with several diamond drill bays. Six underground drills are now active.
(This article first appeared in the Canadian Mining Journal)