Bellevue Gold Limited (ASX: BGL) has announced that a host of strong results including 5m @ 76.4g/t gold from 55m (incl 2m @ 176.6g/t) were reported from grade control drilling on the Tribune lode at Bellevue project, Western Australia. The company said that the results reinforce the robustness of the Resource within the planned open pit development at Bellevue.
The company said that the results reinforce the robustness of the Resource within the planned open pit development at Bellevue
BGL said that two rigs are now operating full-time on grade control, completing the drill out of Resources ahead of mine development.
The company reported that at the Marceline and Deacon North lodes, step-out and infill drilling continues and the underground development continues ahead of schedule.
Grade control drilling at Bellevue project
The company had recently commenced grade control drilling program at the Bellevue project. Bellevue now has two rigs exclusively drilling grade control at Tribune lode, one of which is dedicated to the open pit areas and the other to the early underground development areas. At the same time, step-out and infill drilling is ongoing at both the Marceline and Deacon North lodes.
BGL said that the grade control drilling program was conducted on a 10m x 10m grid at the Tribune lode. The company said that encouraging results have been received for the first 34 holes of the RC drilling at the Tribune lode. The results cover the southern region of the planned Tribune open pit.
Strong results from Tribune lode
The company reported that the grade control drilling program at the Tribune lode returned intersections grading up to 176.6g/t.
Results received from RC drilling completed in the planned Tribune open pit to date included 5m @ 76.4g/t gold from 55m in DRRC337, including 2m @ 176.6g/t gold from 56m; 3m @ 15.0g/t gold from 35m in DRRC338; 2m @ 48.9g/t gold from 20m in DRRC341; 5m @ 9.6g/t gold from 55m in DRRC342; 5m @ 31.7g/t gold from 43m in DRRC346; 6m @ 8.5g/t gold from 32m in DRRC347; 2m @ 5.9g/t gold from 41m in DRRC350; 7m @ 7.8g/t gold from 15m in DRRC351; 1m @ 24.2g/t gold from 21m in DRRC357; 3m @ 24.8g/t gold from 42m DRRC359; 5m @ 17.1g/t gold from 52m in DRRC362; 5m @14.5g/t gold from 27m in DRRC363; 5m @ 5.2g/t gold from 62m in DRRC415; 4m @ 5.1g/t gold from 56m in DRRC417; 5m @ 12.5g/t gold from 35m in DRRC418; 2m @ 9.3g/t gold from 25m in DRRC420; 3m @ 3.5g/t gold from 49m in DRRC424; 4m @ 6.6g/t gold from 25m in DRRC425; 2m @ 6.6g/t gold from 8m in DRRC426; 4m @ 1.3g/t gold from 33m and 6m @ 7.3g/t gold from 40m in DRRC452; 5m @ 30.5g/t gold from 28m in DRRC454; and 4m @ 4.1g/t gold from 27m in DRRC458.
The company said that the drilling has confirmed a near vertical and laterally continuous high-grade lode in the southern end of the Tribune pit. BGL said that there was exceptional continuity of the grade and geology at the lode in the early drilling which reinforces the Company’s confidence in the robust nature of the Resource model.
Diamond grade control drilling
The company said that beneath the planned Tribune open pit, diamond grade control drilling is also currently being completed on 20m x 10m spacing with drilling again consistently intersecting the lode at the expected position. BGL said that the assays for the Tribune diamond drilling are pending due to the prioritisation of Marceline and Deacon North drilling ahead of the Stage 2 Feasibility Study.
Next steps
Bellevue Gold reported that it is continuing to infill drill the Tribune Lode ahead of mining. The company said that at the Marceline and Deacon North lodes, step-out and infill drilling continues, with four surface rigs and two underground rigs targeting further Resource growth.
BGL said that the underground development continues ahead of schedule with more than 2km of development completed, with development now 200 vertical metres below surface. The company said that Armand and Marceline declines are currently being accessed in conjunction with the rehabilitation of the existing decline.
The Company said that it is maintaining its strategy of de-risking the project through underground development, underground drilling, and grade control drilling, while continuing Resource growth drilling from both surface and underground to seek to grow the global Resources and Reserves.
“not only is the Bellevue mineralisation exceptionally high grade, but it also exhibits strong continuity”
Management comments
Bellevue Managing Director Steve Parsons said: “These results provide more firm evidence that not only is the Bellevue mineralisation exceptionally high grade, but it also exhibits strong continuity.
Whilst expected, the continuity is highly valuable because it helps underpin the de-risking and the successful development of the project.”
Image Source: Bellevue Gold Limited