Kenorland Minerals Ltd (TSX-V:KLD) has announced the commencement of drilling in addition to the 2022 exploration budget at its Frotet Project, located in northern Quebec and held under a joint venture (JV) with Sumitomo Metal Mining Canada Ltd.
The Vancouver-based mineral exploration company said a total exploration budget of C$12.5 million has been approved by the JV for continued exploration over the next 12 months. Work will include up to 40,000 meters (m) of drilling carried out over two phases: a summer campaign from April to July 2022, and a winter campaign from January to April 2023.
"As we begin this next phase of exploration it is important to recognize that within two years, we have taken Regnault from a blind greenfields discovery to over 45,000 metres of drilling to date, confirming a gold system of exceptional quality and scale,” CEO Zach Flood said in a statement. “Although we have made incredible progress, it is still early days as the discovery unfolds."
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Kenorland said the 2022 summer drill program has commenced and will include up to 14,500 meters of diamond drilling, of which approximately 12,000 meters will be allocated towards the Regnault discovery at the Frotet Project, and up to 2,500 meters will be designated for regional exploration.
This program follows the recently completed 10,880-meter winter drill program. It said it expects assays from the winter 2022 program to be announced during the second quarter.
Regnault summer 2022 drill program
The company said approximately 60% of the proposed drilling will be allocated for step-out drilling along the R1, R5, and newly discovered veins. Six drill holes are planned to significantly expand these vein systems towards the east at depth targeting plunges within the interpreted east-dipping Regnault diorite. An additional six drill holes are designed for broad-spaced step-outs towards the west along the R5 and recently discovered veins.
Up to 25% of the proposed program will be assigned towards step-outs along the other known vein systems including the R2, R3 and R4 Trends. The remaining 15% of the proposed drill program will be allocated for the exploration of additional mineralised structures to the south of known vein systems within the Regnault discovery area.
To date, a total of 45,086 meters have been drilled at Regnault since the initial discovery drill program in early 2020. The project is currently operated by Kenorland and exploration is co-funded with JV partner, Sumitomo Metal Mining Canada.
Frotet regional summer 2022 drill program
Kenorland said approximately 2,500 meters of diamond drilling is planned for a first-pass drill program at the Cressida target, located within the northwestern portion of the 39,365-hectare property.
The Cressida target is located directly along strike and within the main mineralised corridor hosting the former producing Troilus Gold Mine, currently being explored by Troilus Gold Corp. An ongoing ground induced polarization (IP) survey is expected to be completed in mid-May to help refine drill targets.
The Cressida target is located between and along strike of Troilus Gold's Southwest Zone (2.5km to the northeast) and their recently discovered Beyan Gold Zone (3km to the southwest).
Kenorland's focus is on early to advanced-stage exploration in North America. It currently holds four projects in Quebec, where work is being completed under joint venture and earn-in agreement from third parties.
In Alaska, the company owns 100% of the advanced stage Tanacross porphyry copper-gold-molybdenum project as well as a 70% interest in the Healy Project, held under a joint venture with Newmont Corporation.
Contact the author at stephen.gunnion@proactiveinvestors.com