Mawson Resources Ltd. (TSE:MAW) on Friday provided an update to its recently announced drill programs at the Rajapalot gold project in Finland. Drilling is now under way and is scheduled to continue until April, 2017.
The Mawson team in northern Finland is progressively expanding to support and establish access for all drill rigs. Twenty local people are already working in Rovaniemi and on site at Ylitornio during the current ramp-up phase, with more than 40 people planned to be employed when all rigs are on site and active.
Base-of-till (BOT) drilling is now well under way, with near-surface gold targets being systematically tested. Two diamond drill rigs shall begin operation at Rompas-Rajapalot in the coming weeks.
Key points:
- Twenty local Finnish staff and consultants are already employed on site in northern Finland, including geologists, field technicians, environmental experts, drillers and drilling offsiders. When all rigs are mobilized in the coming weeks, more than 40 local Finnish people will be employed to execute drill programs.
- To date, 151 BOT drill holes have been completed from the planned total of 700 BOT holes. Drill assays are awaited.
- Two further diamond drill rigs will be mobilized to the Rompas-Rajapalot site by late December, 2016. Variable winter conditions have necessitated additional ice road construction to ensure safe rig access with zero environmental impact.
- Drilling will continue until April, 2017.
- Mawson has completed detailed baseline mapping and compilation of species, habitats and vegetation across the Rompas-Rajapalot area. Following three years of biological studies, the company has a detailed understanding of the natural environment at every drill location and acts to ensure the impact of all activity is minimized.
"With drilling now under way, we are now a significant employer in the local Ylitornio district and Rovaniemi city of Finland. More than 20 per cent of the base-of-till drill program has been completed, and we look forward to the flow of results from this first systematic test of the Rompas-Rajapalot gold system,” said Michael Hudson, chief executive officer.
“A slower-than-anticipated start to winter conditions has resulted in a one- to two-week delay the mobilization of two additional diamond drill rigs as we work to prepare the appropriate drill access,” he added.
Over the last three years, detailed biological studies consisting of baseline mapping and compilation of species, habitats and vegetation has led to a clear understanding of the potential impacts of the current winter work program on a site-by-site basis.
Four administrative bodies, representing the mining and environmental authorities, and both the regional and supreme administrative courts, have found that Mawson's exploration work, carried out as permitted, does not present any significant risks to nature, environment, animals, other livelihoods, or people in the Rajapalot area or its vicinity.
Monitoring over many years of the species, vegetation and habitats within the research area has proven that the impacts of Mawson's exploration work has been much smaller than was even expected. In addition, the project and Mawson's exploration work enjoys strong local support from the neighbouring village associations and the Ylitornio municipality.
Mawson shares were up 1.5% at C$0.35 on Friday.