Benchmark Metals Inc. (TSX-V:BNCH, OTCQX:BNCHF) announced 20,000 meters of mineral resource expansion drilling at the Cliff Creek and Dukes Ridge deposits of its Lawyers gold-silver project in British Columbia.
This drill program has the potential to expand high-grade contiguous zones below existing deposits that could pave the way for underground mining in a future economic study, the company said. Drilling plans include step-out and infill drilling below the open pits in areas not included in the 2022 preliminary economic assessment (PEA).
The potential for expansion at depth is noted with selected drill intersections including 21 meters at 4.04 grams per ton of gold and 84.12 g/t silver, or 5.09 g/t gold equivalent, in drill hole 21CCDD049; and 13.74 meters at 6.43 g/t gold and 378.59 g/t silver, or 11.16 g/t gold equivalent, in drill hole 22DRDD003.
"The deposits remain open for additional resource growth with high-grade gold and silver mineralization below the existing deposits,” CEO John Williamson said in a statement. “Expansion drilling is anticipated to significantly improve the project economics by adding more high-grade mineralization to the mine schedule.”
He continued: “The areas below the deposits contain 4- to 15-meter wide zones of consistent high-grade gold and silver mineralization. The plunging high-grade mineralized zones appears to be 50 to over 100 meters in length and in some areas the length is still unconstrained, both Cliff Creek and Dukes Ridge are open at depth."
Benchmark Metals is advancing its wholly-owned Lawyers gold-silver project in the prolific Golden Horseshoe of northern British Columbia. The property consists of three mineralized deposits, which remain open for expansion, in addition to over 20 new target areas along the 20-kilometer trend.
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