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An induced polarization (IP) survey completed over the Northeast IP target at Maple Gold’s 355-sq.-km Douay project in Quebec has traced a 1,500-metre long drill target, within the southwest portion of a 3 km corridor of chargeability anomalies.
The geological setting and IP response within this target area is prospective for a discovery analogous to the privately-held and past-producing Vezza deposit located 12 km eastwards of Douay, according to the company.
Vezza, within the same lithotectonic complex, produced approximately 400,000 oz. in the past at an estimated head grade of 6 g/t gold and was held by North American Palladium between 2010 and 2013.
Vezza, within the same lithotectonic complex, produced approximately 400,000 oz. in the past at an estimated head grade of 6 g/t gold
The highest-chargeability area within the anomaly has been outlined over 400 metres of strike from near-surface, based on an increase in the pyrite content – Maple plans to focus on this portion of the hydrothermal system as it extends to the northeast as a vector to higher-grade gold mineralization.
In addition, the anomalies within the eastern portion of the 3-km long corridor appear open towards the north – Maple would further extend the IP grid before drill testing the Northeast target.
A drill hole completed in 1994 completed off of the western edge of the anomaly intersected Vezza-style alteration with disseminated pyrite and anomalous gold over a core length of 90.6 metres.
“Our 2020 drilling campaign included a series of drill holes within the known deposit area where we believe we can define more near-surface higher-grade material, but we are also very excited about the prospect of making new greenfield discoveries across our greater property and the Northeast IP target represents an excellent opportunity for us to do so,” Fred Speidel, the company’s VP of exploration, said in a release.
Additional greenfield targets were generated at the western edge of Douay from limited drilling completed in 2018 with further base metal targets in the central portion of the property.
Maple plans to complete additional IP surveys over these areas to refine future drill areas.
Last year, the company released an updated resource for Douay with total pit-constrained indicated resources of 8.6 million tonnes grading 1.52 g/t gold for a total of 422,000 oz. and a further 65.8 million inferred tonnes at 0.97 g/t gold totaling 2 million pit-constrained oz.
The underground resource component is at 5.4 million inferred tonnes grading 1.75 g/t gold for a total of 307,000 oz.
Douay covers 55 km of strike along the Casa Berardi deformation zone, within the Abitibi greenstone belt.
(This article first appeared in the Canadian Mining Journal)
