Maverick Gold and Silver (CSE:MAV) has moved a step closer to drilling at its Gator property in Nevada, US, after the US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) acknowledged its notice of intent.
The notice covers the construction of access roads and eight drill pads, along with proposed drilling activities at the Gator South and GSX targets.
The company says drilling can proceed once the required financial reclamation bond has been posted and accepted by the BLM.
Maverick Vice President of Exploration Ian Foreman says the acknowledgement marks another step towards the company’s initial drilling program at Gator.
Drilling to test gold targets
“Our initial drill program is being designed to test the Gator South and GSX targets, where surface geology, alteration, and geochemistry indicate the potential for a distal disseminated gold system at depth,” Foreman says.
Located in Pershing County, Gator comprises 160 mining claims covering approximately 13.4km² of federal land administered by the BLM.
The property lies about 56km southwest of the Battle Mountain mining hub in north-central Nevada, near several operating and historical gold mines.
These include the Phoenix mine, approximately 36km northeast of Gator, which hosts 3.2 million ounces of proven and probable gold reserves. Phoenix is operated by Nevada Gold Mines, a joint venture between Newmont (NYSE:NEM) and Barrick Mining (TSX:ABX).
Gator is also situated approximately 19km west-southwest of the past-producing Cove-McCoy mine, which historically produced gold and silver and is now owned by i-80 Gold (TSX:IAU).
Regional exploration interest
Maverick CEO Glen Watson also points to SSR Mining’s (TSX:SSRM) recent acquisition of Roxmore Resources (TSX:RM), which holds the Converse Gold Project in Nevada’s Battle Mountain-Eureka Trend.
“This transaction in the Battle Mountain district represents a significant development for Maverick as the Converse deposit is hosted in the same favourably altered rock formation that outcrops at Gator,” Watson says.
Maverick believes the geological similarities support the exploration potential of its Gator property.
Maverick Gold and Silver is an exploration-stage company advancing a portfolio of high-potential gold, silver, and copper properties.
Write to Jackson Chen at Mining.com.au
Image: Maverick Gold and Silver
