i-80 Gold Corp has reported more positive drill results from the South Pacific Zone (SPZ) at its Granite Creek property in Nevada, USA, which it said continues to underscore the potential to expand the resource there.
So far, assays from the first 11 holes of 16 have been received from SPZ, and all holes that have reached the target have returned "impressive gold grades and widths of mineralization".
Due to the success, the group said its 2022 drill program has been expanded to around 30,000 (metres) of drilling and additional rigs have been added both at surface and underground.
"The consistency of high-grade gold mineralization in the South Pacific Zone is truly impressive as the ongoing drill program continues to demonstrate the significant upside opportunity at Granite Creek," said Ewan Downie, CEO of i-80 Gold in a statement.
READ: i-80 Gold intersects high-grade gold in underground drilling at its Granite Creek property in Nevada
"Including programs at Ruby Hill and McCoy-Cove in 2022, we expect to drill in excess of 50,000 metres in 2022 with a goal of expanding our already enviable resource base," Downie added.
Highlight results from SPZ included 17.2 grams per ton (g/t) gold over an intercept of 3.8 metres (m) starting from 352m depth in one hole. That included 3.4m at a grade of 22 g/t of gold from 368.1m depth.
i-80 Gold noted that it expects that SPZ will be included in a resource update following the 2022 drill campaign. The target remains wide open at depth and along strike to the north, it added.
The company also highlighted that high-grade mineralization at Granite Creek occurs in near-identical geology to Nevada Gold Mines (NGM) multi-million-ounce Turquoise ridge mine, which lies immediately to the north.
The Granite Creek deposit remains open at depth and along strike from the existing underground workings.
It is expected that refractory mineralization mined from the underground operation at Granite Creek will initially be trucked to Twin Creeks for processing, pursuant to the agreement with NGM, until i-80 Gold's Lone Tree facility is operational, the firm added.
Contact the author at giles@proactiveinvestors.com