Noricum Gold Limited, the European focused base and precious metals resource development company, has said this morning to DirectorsTalk that work is progressing according to schedule on the first of its gold starter pit operations focused on outcropping gold mineralisation at the Kvemo Bolnisi target, which is located within the 861 sq km Bolnisi Copper-Gold Project in Georgia (the ‘Project’).
Resource estimation and pit optimisation work at the Company’s first starter pit target, Kvemo Bolnisi, is well underway with final results expected in the coming weeks. In order to expedite the process, work is being focused on the high grade zone of the starter pit from which in house modeling is indicating an initial mineable target of circa 50,000 tonnes.
Infill drilling at Kvemo Bolnisi has commenced today and is expected to increase the size of the mineable resource as well as test additional secondary quartzite pods identified in close proximity to the initial planned ore production area. This drilling is from surface down to approximately 10 metres so is relatively fast and inexpensive.
Kvemo Bolnisi has been specifically chosen for initial development and production as it provides an ideal opportunity to demonstrate that:
· Historic Soviet style resources at the Project can be converted into a resource in accordance with an internationally recognised standard; and
· The Company can, with the assistance of its local partner, establish a toll treatment agreement that will allow for the processing of the Kvemo Bolnisi secondary quartzite ores which will in turn establish the general terms for future treatment of other ores both existing and those newly discovered by Noricum Gold.
Noricum Gold Managing Director Greg Kuenzel said, “I am pleased to report that the activities required ahead of initial production from our first starter pit are continuing on budget and in accordance with our timetable. We have now commenced infill drilling, the results of which will be used to expand the resource currently being modelled.
“Drilling is also continuing at our second gold starter pit Tsitel Sopeli with four drill holes completed to date. This mineralisation, gold bearing secondary quartzite, is also outcropping or very close to surface. Additionally, the first IP survey has now commenced at Tsitel Sopeli and will test the larger structures known to exist at this target area.”
Kvemo Bolnisi
Work is focused on outcropping secondary quartzite gold mineralisation which presents the Company with a fast tracked route to production. The Company has negotiated access to its local partner’s infrastructure, including the operating gold heap leach operation at the neighbouring Mine, which means that Noricum Gold benefits from not having any additional capital expenditure requirements.
Drilling Results
Selected results from the Kvemo Bolinisi resource drill programme including those previously announced are tabulated below. Cut off grade is expected to be approximatley 0.3 g/t Au.
Drill Hole ID |
FROM (m) |
TO (m) |
LENGTH (m) |
AU (g/t) |
AG (g/t) |
EKBDDH001 |
0 |
0.5 |
0.5 |
0.74 |
0.50 |
EKBDDH001 |
0.5 |
1 |
0.5 |
0.74 |
0.50 |
EKBDDH001 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0.7 |
0.50 |
EKBDDH001 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
0.22 |
0.50 |
EKBDDH001 |
6 |
7 |
1 |
0.41 |
0.50 |
EKBDDH001 |
7 |
8 |
1 |
0.92 |
0.50 |
EKBDDH002 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0.51 |
1.65 |
EKBDDH002 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
8.98 |
2.61 |
EKBDDH002 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
2.62 |
1.71 |
EKBDDH002 |
3 |
4 |
1 |
1.95 |
2.11 |
EKBDDH003 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2.04 |
17.10 |
EKBDDH003 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
17.6 |
12.04 |
EKBDDH003 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
10.8 |
9.00 |
EKBDDH003 |
3 |
4 |
1 |
0.96 |
4.93 |
EKBDDH003 |
4 |
5.5 |
1.5 |
0.35 |
4.39 |
EKBDDH005 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
11.13 |
5.35 |
EKBDDH005 |
2 |
4 |
2 |
1.4 |
3.08 |
EKBDDH005 |
10 |
11 |
1 |
1.01 |
0.50 |
EKBDDH005 |
11 |
12 |
1 |
1.99 |
0.50 |
EKBDDH005 |
12 |
13 |
1 |
0.31 |
0.50 |
EKBDDH006 |
11 |
12 |
1 |
2.46 |
20.85 |
EKBDDH007 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0.16 |
3.92 |
EKBDDH007 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0.24 |
21.00 |
EKBDDH011 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0.48 |
19.75 |
EKBDDH011 |
5 |
6 |
1 |
0.68 |
0.50 |
EKBDDH011 |
6 |
7 |
1 |
0.43 |
1.76 |
EKBDDH011 |
7 |
8 |
1 |
0.11 |
0.50 |
EKBDDH011 |
9 |
10 |
1 |
0.33 |
3.04 |
EKBDDH011 |
10 |
11 |
1 |
1.15 |
2.82 |
KBPDH004 |
2.4 |
3.1 |
0.7 |
0.27 |
3.83 |
KBPDH004 |
3.1 |
3.6 |
0.5 |
1.00 |
100.00 |
KBPDH004 |
3.6 |
4.2 |
0.6 |
0.13 |
1.73 |
KBPDH004 |
4.2 |
4.8 |
0.6 |
0.15 |
1.72 |
KBPDH004 |
4.8 |
5.4 |
0.6 |
0.35 |
0.99 |
KBPDH004 |
5.4 |
5.6 |
0.2 |
1.56 |
1.68 |
KBPDH005 |
0.6 |
1.2 |
0.6 |
0.45 |
2.44 |
KBPDH005 |
1.2 |
1.8 |
0.6 |
0.28 |
0.33 |
KBPDH005 |
2.4 |
3 |
0.6 |
0.28 |
0.23 |
KBPDH005 |
3 |
3.6 |
0.6 |
0.11 |
0.20 |
KBPDH005 |
4.2 |
4.8 |
0.6 |
0.27 |
5.95 |
KBPDH005 |
4.8 |
5.4 |
0.6 |
6.90 |
6.35 |
KBPDH005 |
5.4 |
6 |
0.6 |
0.24 |
1.16 |
KBPDH005 |
6 |
6.6 |
0.6 |
0.52 |
1.96 |
KBPDH005 |
6.6 |
7.2 |
0.6 |
1.07 |
76.90 |
KBPDH005 |
7.2 |
7.8 |
0.6 |
0.22 |
29.90 |
KBPDH006 |
0 |
0.6 |
0.6 |
1.56 |
3.16 |
KBPDH006 |
0.6 |
1.2 |
0.6 |
12.05 |
3.82 |
KBPDH006 |
1.2 |
1.8 |
0.6 |
9.03 |
2.75 |
KBPDH006 |
1.8 |
2.4 |
0.6 |
12.85 |
2.51 |
KBPDH006 |
2.4 |
3 |
0.6 |
0.22 |
0.44 |
KBPDH006 |
3 |
3.6 |
0.6 |
0.65 |
0.89 |
KBPDH006 |
3.6 |
4.2 |
0.6 |
5.03 |
2.41 |
KBPDH006 |
4.2 |
4.8 |
0.6 |
0.20 |
2.77 |
KBPDH006 |
6 |
6.6 |
0.6 |
1.49 |
1.27 |
KBPDH007 |
0 |
0.6 |
0.6 |
0.40 |
3.88 |
KBPDH007 |
0.6 |
1.2 |
0.6 |
0.18 |
1.54 |
KBPDH007 |
1.2 |
1.6 |
0.4 |
0.35 |
1.33 |
KBPDH007 |
1.6 |
1.8 |
0.2 |
0.14 |
1.55 |
KBPDH008 |
1.2 |
1.8 |
0.6 |
1.21 |
79.00 |
KBPDH008 |
4.8 |
5.4 |
0.6 |
0.27 |
2.11 |
KBPDH008 |
6 |
6.7 |
0.7 |
0.17 |
1.29 |
KBPDH012 |
0 |
0.6 |
0.6 |
0.21 |
2.02 |
KBPDH012 |
0.6 |
1.2 |
0.6 |
0.33 |
1.59 |
KBPDH012 |
1.2 |
1.8 |
0.6 |
0.48 |
1.99 |
KBPDH012 |
1.8 |
2.4 |
0.6 |
0.21 |
1.21 |
KBPDH026 |
2.4 |
3 |
0.6 |
0.59 |
4.33 |
KBPDH026 |
4.2 |
4.8 |
0.6 |
0.50 |
18.60 |
KBPDH033 |
0 |
0.6 |
0.6 |
0.28 |
5.47 |
KBPDH033 |
0.6 |
1.2 |
0.6 |
1.43 |
7.91 |
KBPDH033 |
1.2 |
1.8 |
0.6 |
0.94 |
5.02 |
KBPDH034 |
0.6 |
1.2 |
0.6 |
0.31 |
2.94 |
KBPDH034 |
1.2 |
1.8 |
0.6 |
0.53 |
6.65 |
KBRC007 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0.31 |
0.31 |
KBRC007 |
8 |
9 |
1 |
0.42 |
0.42 |
KBRC008 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
7.03 |
7.03 |
KBRC008 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
2.10 |
2.10 |
KBRC008 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
0.22 |
0.22 |
KBRC008 |
5 |
6 |
1 |
0.26 |
0.26 |
KBRC008 |
6 |
7 |
1 |
0.24 |
0.24 |
KBRC008 |
7 |
8 |
1 |
0.44 |
0.44 |
KBRC008 |
9 |
10 |
1 |
0.30 |
0.30 |
KBRC009 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0.10 |
0.10 |
KBRC009 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
0.49 |
0.49 |
KBRC009 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
0.48 |
0.48 |
KBRC009 |
4 |
5 |
1 |
0.30 |
0.30 |