EGR Exploration Ltd. (TSX-V:EGR) announced that it has received approval for the exclusion of select claims on the Detour West gold project in northern Ontario that cover the Frenchman River Watershed.
EGR said that during discussions with the Moose Cree First Nation about the Detour West property it recognized the critical importance of the Frenchman River Watershed.
To help safeguard this sensitive area, EGR applied for the exclusion and extension of claims within the watershed.
The 27 claims in the exclusion are located in the western third of the property, the company noted.
“From day one, in doing our review of the Detour West property we realized that the watershed is important not only for the Moose Cree First Nation but to the environment around us,” EGR Exploration CEO Daniel Rodriguez said.
“We respect that and will continue to apply for successive exclusions in the future so that these claims remain protected within EGR.”
EGR is currently obtaining permits for 580 drill holes to increase flexibility for upcoming exploration on the Detour West Property.
The drill holes are arranged in a modified grid to cover high-priority areas with minimal disturbance by utilizing existing trails and roads.
Drilling will focus on collecting till samples for gold grain analysis to trace gold dispersal patterns and identify potential high-priority targets. Each hole will also test the upper bedrock to classify lithology, alteration, potential structures, and mineralization.
Further, the company has applied for the Ontario Junior Exploration Program (OJEP) grant which, if successful, the company would receive up to $200,000 in matching funds for exploration at Detour West.
“We continue to look at all our options with the Detour West property,” Rodriguez said.
“Having additional drill holes planned allows us to be ready to react to results or pivot more quickly to an area of interest. With the application of this year's OJEP grant we plan to execute on a program this winter to test our high-priority target areas.”