Gold explorer Benz Mining (ASX:BNZ) has intersected new ‘high-grade’ gold and copper discoveries at its Eastmain Project in the James Bay region of Quebec, Canada.
The $67.16 million market capitalisation company reports the hits come from 45 diamond drillholes that were recently completed in the area for 17,965m. This drilling work was designed to extend the gold deposit to the northern part of the property and to explore outside of the known mine area and along the northwestern trend that includes the Suzanna, Michel, and Julien prospects.
These new discoveries have also extended the mineralised zones up to 10km along strike from the Eastmain Mine.
New results recorded include hole EM22-236 (Julien) with 1.88m @ 3.26g/t Au from 235.8m, including 0.92m @ 5.23g/t Au from 235.8; and EM22-260 (Suzanna) with 3.4m @ 9.32g/t Au from 264.1m, including 0.8m @ 33.96g/t Au and 0.19% Cu from 264.1m.
Hole EM22-272 (Michel) intersected 4.85m @ 7.5g/t Au, 1.91% Cu, and 13.06ppm Ag from 76.65m, including 0.5m @ 32.1g/t Au, 11.43ppm Ag, and 0.73% Cu, and 0.7m @ 21.73g/t Au, 42.38ppm Ag, and 6.56% Cu.
This drilling program followed a strategy of targeting previously identified time domain electromagnetic (TDEM) and borehole electromagnetic (BHEM) anomalies at the Eastmain Mine area, along with induced polarisation (IP) work at Julien, Suzanna, and Michel to follow the ‘best’ geophysical response interpreted to be caused by sulphide-rich gold mineralisation.
Benz reports further drilling is planned to follow up on these new target areas once the summer program targeting lithium is completed.
Commenting on the drill results, Benz Mining Executive Chairman Evan Cranston says: “These results are very encouraging, and the new discovery of 4.85m of copper at 1.91% on the Michel prospect is particularly exciting.
The drilling program targeted zones identified by EM and IP, followed the Eastmain Mine mineralised structure, and has increased the potential of the Eastmain Project.
“These discoveries have identified new mineralised zones over 10km along the mine trend”
These discoveries have identified new mineralised zones over 10km along the mine trend and have substantially extended the known mineralised zones at Eastmain, which currently hosts over 1 million ounces of gold all categories. We are focused on expanding the existing mineral resource while testing for further new discoveries, including copper and lithium on the project.”
Benz reports its exploration strategy that began in 2020 has discovered 3 new mineralised zones, including Zone D, Zone E, and Zone NW, and has expanded the previously identified Zone A, Zone B, and Zone C.
In 2022, intersections recorded at these zones included EM22-276 (Zone E) with 1.25m @ 6.19g/t Au from 130.75m; and EM22-235 (Zone NW) with 0.75m @ 9.4g/t Au from 200.25m.
Benz Mining is an ASX-listed gold explorer focused on developing its Eastmain Gold Project that lies in the Upper Eastmain Greenstone Belt in the James Bay region of Quebec, Canada. The project lies 800km north of Montreal and covers 8,000 hectares across 152 mineral claims and an industrial lease permit.
On 24 May 2023, the company announced an updated Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) for Eastmain consisting of an indicated 1.3 million tonnes @ 9g/t Au for 384,000 ounces of gold and an inferred 3.8 million tonnes @ 5.1g/t Au for 621,000 ounces of gold.
Write to Harry Mulholland at Mining.com.au
Images: Benz Mining Corp
