Nevada Exploration has revealed that it has started the Scorpion drilling program at its South Grass Valley Project.
The Scorpion drilling program is designed to map and evaluate the geochemistry of the bedrock, alluvium (cover), and groundwater above a target area defined by favourable lower-plate host rocks and enriched gold in groundwater. The Company expects the program to begin with relatively wide-spaced Scorpion drill holes to depths of 150m (500ft) to build a 3D geochemistry model that will then direct tighter follow-up Scorpion drilling, with the specific objective of systematically advancing the Project for the focused application of deeper drilling.
About South Grass Valley
NGE’s 100% owned, 22.1 km2, South Grass Valley Project is located approximately 50 kilometres south-southwest of Barrick Gold Corp.’s Cortez complex, along the Eureka – Battle Mountain Gold Trend, within the specific region of north-central Nevada known for Carlin-type gold deposits (“CTGD”). NGE identified the Project based on elevated concentrations of gold (up to 80 ppt) and CTGD trace element geochemistry in groundwater as part of a basin-scale exploration program, and NGE’s follow-up work established the significant, coincident presence of hydrothermally altered and geochemically anomalous lower plate carbonate host rock. Interpretation of air magnetic and gravity geophysics projects this favourable host rock towards the target area defined by the enriched gold and supporting geochemistry in groundwater.
Kelly Creek Scorpion Drilling Results Update
The Company is still waiting for a portion of the assay results from its recently completed Scorpion drilling program at Kelly Creek. The Company drilled 59 Scorpion drill holes, totalling 5,564 metres (18,255 feet), for an average depth of 93 metres (304 feet). A total of 43 holes encountered bedrock at an average depth of 70 metres (230 feet). The Company sampled alluvium and bedrock in all holes at 1.5 metre (5 foot) intervals, as well as the groundwater, which was sampled approximately every 10 metres (30 feet). Once all assay results have been received and processed, NGE will provide a full detailed report of the results of the program. NGE expects the next stage of work at Kelly Creek will focus on deeper diamond or RC drilling to test the mineralized bedrock and structural projections confirmed by the Scorpion drilling.
Discussing the recently completed Scorpion drill program at Kelly Creek, NGE’s CEO, Wade Hodges explains: “While we are still waiting for some final results, we already know that we have successfully used our Scorpion platform to collect 3D groundwater and alluvium geochemistry samples to vector into potentially ore-grade, mineralized bedrock with similar host rock, alteration, structural, and geochemical characteristics to the orebodies associated with the nearby 8 Moz Au Marigold and 5 Moz Au Lone Tree deposits. This program has been a tremendous success in terms of focusing our efforts at Kelly Creek for the next stage of deeper drilling and solidifying our workflow as we now begin Scorpion drilling at South Grass Valley. Most certainly this represents an important milestone for our Company. We look forward to sharing a detailed technical update once we’ve received all of the assay results.”