BENZ MINING CORP. 45 diamond drill holes (DDH) were drilled for a total of 17,965m. The drilling program 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 whilst the Company was waiting for assays from drilling done over the zones the subject of the recent resource upgrade.
The drilling program followed a strategy of targeting previously identified time domain electromagnetic (TDEM), borehole electromagnetic (BHEM) anomalies at the
Core samples from the
Benz Executive Chairman,
'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 focussed on expanding the existing mineral resource while testing for further new discoveries, including copper and lithium, on the Project.'
Benz's exploration strategy, implemented in 2020, has led to the discovery of 3 new mineralised zones; the Zone D, Zone E and Zone NW. In addition, the historical areas identified as Zones A, B and C have been expanded, and the size of these zones has increased.
Continuation of this successful exploration strategy during 2022 resulted in two exceptional intersections including: 7.50 g/t Au and 1.91% Cu over 4.85m from 76.65m was intersected at Michel (EM22-272) 9.32 g/t Au over 3.40m from 264.10m at Suzanna (EM22-260)
Both holes are located in a wide-open area with very few drill holes at Michel (EM22-272) and Suzanna (EM22-260).
In addition, Zone E yielded several positive intersections that will result in the expansion of the gold mineralisation in that area. It is also anticipated that Zone NW will continue to expand with the new results indicating continuance towards the northwest and the north that will be investigated by further drilling.
Zone E
The Zone E prospect is located 3km southeast of the Eastmain mine portal and 1km southeast of the Zone D prospect. Zone E is a virgin discovery made by Benz following electromagnetics targeting in late 2020. This area is covered by thick glacial overburden.
At Zone E, mineralisation occurs in two different settings: Hosted in the volcanosedimentary sequence: An altered mylonite to proto mylonite mostly located but not restricted to the contact of the volcanosedimentary sequence and a deformed altered tonalite intrusion. The main horizon is strongly altered in biotite, sericite and carbonate and is cut by sulphide and quartz veins. Garnet porphyroblasts are observed as well, sulphides are mostly pyrrhotite, pyrite, chalcopyrite, and sphalerite. Other secondary gold-bearing structures are present. Gold grains has been observed in this setting in several holes within quartz and sulphide veins. There are also small shears with quartz veins outside of this horizon that are gold bearing and Hosted in a Tonalite: The gold mineralisation is associated with strongly altered (sericite, albite, and carbonate) locally deformed tonalite with quartz, carbonate and tourmaline veins and veinlets. Pyrite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, and, locally, molybdenite are observed in association with these quartz veins. The altered zones contain garnet porphyroblasts. Gold grains have been observed in several holes in this setting.
A total of four DDH were drilled a Zone E, mostly to follow-up mineralised intersections from 2021. The best intersections obtained in 2022 are: 6.19 g/t Au over 1.25m from 130.75m (EM22-276) hosted in a sheared and silicified basalt and associated with quartz veins; o 4.55 g/t Au over 0.65m from 460.35m (EM22-270) associated a strongly silicified and sericite-altered felsic volcanic unit with quartz veins; o 4.11 g/t Au over 0.50m from 330.00m (EM22-270) associated with quartz veins, hosted in an altered tonalite; o 2.67 g/t Au over 0.57m from 267.28m (EM22-276) hosted in an altered basalt associated with quartz veins and 1.77 g/t Au over 1.00m from 22.00m (EM22-269) hosted in a sheared and altered basalt associated with silicified felsic dykes and disseminated pyrite.
Zone NW
Zone NW follows the Mine trend to the northwest of Zone A, where the mineralisation is very similar to the Mine Horizon of Zones A, B and C. A total of seven holes were drilled at Zone NW, mostly to follow up on the exceptional results obtained in 2021, including: 9.40 g/t Au over 0.75m from 200.25m at Zone NW (EM22-235) associated with quartz and sulphide veins in a basalt; 3.40 g/t Au over 1.3m from 488.65m at Zone NW (EM22-252) strong silica and sericite associated with sulphides veinlets and quartz veins, hosted within a mylonitized ultramafic intrusion (extension of the Mine Horizon and 1.56 g/t Au over 1.85m from 409.00m at Zone NW (EN22-244) hosted in a strongly silicified and sericitized felsic volcanic unit associated with quartz veins at the contact with an ultramafic intrusion (extension of the Mine Horizon).
Gold mineralisation is associated with sulphide-rich altered and sheared rocks near or within an ultramafic intrusion (interpreted northwestern extension of the Mine Horizon from Zones A, B and C). These new intersections open the geological potential toward the northwest and the north. More drilling will be planned in that area in 2024.
Julien, Suzanna and Michel prospects (North-Western Eastmain trend)
The Julien, Suzanna and Michel prospects have been interpreted previously as the northwest continuation of the Eastmain Mine Horizon. It has been confirmed that the ultramafics present at the Mine Horizon continue in this area, however, the pyrrhotite has been transformed to pyrite and are much less conductive. The targeting used an Orevision 3D IP survey conducted by
A total of 11 drillholes were drilled in 2022 with the objective to test a series of time domain electromagnetic TDEM and VTEM anomalies.
A fixed loop time domain electromagnetic (Grid F, TDEM) survey was completed by Benz in the winter of 2021 over the Lac Placer area. Data from the survey was interpreted, and several EM conductors were modelled. Additionally, the TDEM data was integrated with VTEM data from a 2005 airborne survey and 8 other conductors were modelled from this data integration.
Contact:
Tel: +61 8 6143 6702
Email: info@benzmining.com
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In 2021, Benz confirmed the presence of visible spodumene in a pegmatite at the
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