TORONTO, March 30 /CNW/ - Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd (TSX: WDO) has initiated an aggressive exploration, development and evaluation program with the goal of increasing resources and growing production. Work will be concentrated near existing infrastructure on its wholly-owned mining/milling operations near Wawa, Ontario and Val d'Or, Quebec.
HIGHLIGHTS FOR 2011
- 167,000 metres of drilling
- 50% Definition/delineation drilling
- 50% Exploration drilling
- $11.7 million drilling budget
- Mishi mine construction
- Dubuisson access and delineation drilling
G. Mannard, VP Exploration states "We hope to improve on last year's success with a bigger program this year funded from cash flow. We are focused on targets close to existing infrastructure which offer the lowest risk, lowest cost prospects to significantly expand production in the near term".
WAWA CAMP
Eagle River Mine
Work will focus on establishing access at depth to the high grade 811 Zone in the western part of the mine. This access decline opens up the central portion of the mine for new drilling at depth. It will also allow for a drilling drift to be established at a depth of 700 metres, which will permit drilling of the 811 Zone to depths of 1,000 metres, starting in 2012.
A total of $2.5 million is allocated to underground drilling at Eagle River in 2011. This includes 37,000 metres of delineation and definition drilling and 11,000 metres of exploration drilling.
In the last 16 years, the Eagle River mine has produced 858,545 ounces of gold from 2,831,930 tonnes milled at an average recovered grade of 9.4 gAu/tonne. Almost all of this production has come from depths of 500 metres or less. Limited deep drilling to date has traced the host vein structure to depths of 1,300 metres.
Mishi Project
The Mishi Project is located two kilometres west of the Eagle River mill. In 2011, pre-production development will culminate in initial production during the fourth quarter. The project envisions a 5-year mine life at a capital cost of $1.26 million.
The current mine plan was developed to optimize existing infrastructure and minimize capital expenditures. The 2011 drilling program is budgeted at $2.0 million and involves 15,000 metres of drilling. Its purpose is to provide in-pit definition, geotechnical and hydrogeological information; condemnation drilling for future waste pad expansion and step-out definition and expansion drilling. This work combined with mill optimization and metallurgical studies will provide the data required to examine potential for a larger mining operation, increasing mineral reserves and increasing mineral resources.
In total, drilling in the Wawa Camp will total 63,000 metres at a cost of $4.5 million.
VAL D'OR CAMP
An aggressive drilling campaign totalling 104,000 metres at a cost of $7.2 million is planned in Val d'Or this year. Two thirds of the drilling will be surface and underground exploration work while the remainder will involve definition drilling. The focus is on identifying new mining areas in proximity to the Kiena mine and advancing the Dubuisson project.
Kiena Mine
Surface drilling totalling 25,000 metres at an estimated cost of $2.0 million is planned. The principle targets are the Northwest and Martin Zones. The Northwest Zone is located approximately 500 metres west of existing development on the 330 and 520 metre levels. Limited historic drilling here returned encouraging intersections of 5.28 gAu/tonne over 7.9 metres corelength and 6.18 gAu/tonne over 9.1 metres corelength. The purpose of the drilling will be to delineate and define the continuity of this mineralization to the extent necessary to make a development decision. The Martin Zone has been opened up on the 330 metre level, approximately 1,000 metres east of the Kiena shaft. Underground drilling and drifting demonstrates reasonable continuity and grades. The surface drilling is designed to expand resource potential at depths of 100 to 200 metres above the range of underground drill coverage. We believe potential exists to significantly expand resources above the 330 metre level and be in position to make an informed development decision.
Surface drilling will also provide preliminary testing of the Cadillac Break tectonic zone in the southwest portion of the claims. This target lies immediately along strike from the neighbouring Malartic Gold Fields Mine (2.0 million ounces of former production) and the new Canadian Malartic Project of Osisko (pre-production development). This drilling is viewed as the start of a longer term effort to evaluate the previously underexplored 4.5 kilometre long stretch of the Cadillac Break, which traverses the southern portion of our property. Up to 4,000 metres of drilling is allocated for this target in 2011. Drilling is underway.
Underground exploration drilling totalling 31,000 metres, at a cost of $2.5 million, will focus on the southeast extension of the S-50 Zone, the M Zone target (located between the S-50 and VC Zones) and the Martin Zone. Drilling of the depth extension of the S-50 is scheduled to start late in the year after development for drill access has been established.
Underground delineation and definition drilling totalling 34,000 metres will focus on extending known zones to depth and replacing reserves. Work is concentrated on bringing new areas into the mine plan as development progresses and is estimated to cost $1.7 million.
Dubuisson Project
In March of 2010, Wesdome announced its intention to develop the Dubuisson Zone by driving a 1.0 kilometre drift east on the 330 metre level. Half of this drift was completed in 2010. A series of drilling bays are being established to provide delineation and definition drilling coverage of the deposit, its western extensions and depth extensions to 700 metres depth. This will involve 13,700 metres of drilling at a cost of $1.0 million and completion of the drifting and drill bays at an estimated cost of $1.3 million.
The Dubuisson Zone is viewed as a potential source of significant incremental production at above average grade. Drilling has commenced from the first drill bay and we look forward to the seasonally unrestricted ability to systematically drill this new discovery and fully understand its potential.
TECHNICAL DISCLOSURE
The technical content of this press release has been verified by George Mannard, P.Geo., APGO, Vice President Exploration, Marc Ducharme, P.Geo. OGQ, Chief Exploration Geologist Kiena and Ron Leber, P.Geo. OGQ, Chief Mine Geologist Kiena, who are all employees of Wesdome and "Qualified Persons" as per requirements of National Instrument 43-101.
ABOUT WESDOME
Wesdome is an established Canadian gold producer with wholly-owned mining and milling complexes located in Wawa, Ontario and Val d'Or, Québec. Wesdome has been producing gold continually for 20 years on an unhedged basis and to date has produced in excess of 1.2 million ounces. The Company has 101.2 million shares issued and outstanding and trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "WDO".
This news release contains "forward-looking information" which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the future financial or operating performance of the Company and its projects. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this press release and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances, management's estimates or opinions should change, except as required by securities legislation. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
