Benchmark Metals Inc has told investors it is planning a 'significant' C$30 million program in 2022 at its flagship Lawyers gold-silver project in the Golden Horseshoe of British Columbia.
In a year-end update, the resource group said the work would advance engineering, permitting and add more near-surface gold-silver ounces towards a preliminary economic assessment (PEA) at the property, which would then be followed by a feasibility study.
It comes as the firm completed 83,570 metres (m) of drilling in 2021 at the asset.
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"Benchmark awaits the majority of drill results from its large 2021 drill program to expand the gold-silver deposits and to delineate the potential at new discovery areas," said John Williamson, Benchmark CEO in a statement.
"The 2021 program has provided significant gold-silver mineralization that will support expansion of the existing deposits in all directions. Benchmark will distribute news as it becomes available from the laboratory with a specific focus on grouping drill-holes in areas that contribute to increasing gold-silver ounces," he added.
Benchmark cited the following plans and milestones for 2022:
- Updated mineral resource estimate
- Preliminary economic assessment
- Technical and engineering work to support a feasibility study
- 2022 will have a similar scope and scale work program with a $30 million budget with emphasis on engineering, permitting, and results to support a mining endeavour
- Drill testing new targets for satellite deposit potential
The company said its 2021 program had expanded mineralization on-strike length and to depth and provided new areas for at surface gold-silver ounces at the Connector Zone and the Mid-Cliff Creek Zone.
In addition, the Marmot discovery zone is providing potential for a satellite deposit across a major plus 1 kilometre structural corridor, the company noted.
Benchmark's Lawyer's asset consists of three mineralized deposits that remain open for expansion, in addition to over 20 new target areas along the 20 kilometre (km) trend.
Contact the writer at giles@proactiveinvestors.com