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The Ontario Ministry of Energy, Northern Development and Mines granted LaSalle Exploration (TSXV: LSX) an exploration work permit for its Blakelock gold property located in the province’s northeastern area.
In a press release, LaSalle said that, once the permit was approved, a Phase 1, five-hole diamond drilling program was launched. The campaign’s main objective is to confirm and expand historic intersections at the project’s Porphyry Creek Zone.
“Oriented drill core will be used to better establish the geometry of the mineralized zones and the host porphyry and the continuity of the mineralization,” the media brief reads.
“Two holes have been completed and the drilling has been paused for the holiday season and will be restarted in the new year. Additional drilling is being planned to test the PCZ mineralization below 150-metres vertical depth where the zone remains open.”
Gold was originally detected at Blakelock following the discovery of the nearby, multi-million ounce Casa Berardi gold mine
According to LaSalle, gold was originally detected in the area when several companies drill-tested gold in basal till anomalies outlined by regional reverse circulation drill programs following the discovery of the Casa Berardi gold mine.
“On Blakelock, diamond drill testing by previous operators and most recently by Lake Shore Gold in 2010 resulted in the discovery of the PCZ, characterized by the presence of multiple anomalous gold zones with some significant high-grade mineralized intervals returning: 10.9 g/t gold over 10.25 metres, including 210 g/t gold over 0.4 metres; 6.16 g/t gold over 4.55 metres; and 11.53 g/t gold over 6.0 metres, including 81.9 g/t gold over 0.7 metres,” the release reads.
Blakelock sits in a central location in the Abitibi greenstone belt, 55 kilometres west of the multi-million ounce Casa Berardi mine, 50 kilometres south of Kirkland Lake Gold’s Detour mine, 140 kilometres northeast of the Timmins gold camp and 130 kilometres north of Kirkland Lake gold camp.
