i-80 Gold Corp has reported the latest drill results from its Granite Creek property in Nevada, USA, which have bolstered the firm's confidence in future underground mining at the project.
The assays come from the first 16 holes sunk this year aimed at defining mineralization and to test for extensions of the so-called Ogee zone.
In the fourth quarter last year, underground drilling platforms were completed to allow access to test the expansion opportunity at the zone, which is the area expected to provide the bulk of mineralization to be mined over the next 12 months.
"These drill results further increase our confidence in the next level to be mined from the Ogee Zone," said Tyler Hill, senior geologist of i-80, in a statement. We continue to test extensions of the Ogee Zone at depth, which will complement expansion drilling in the new South Pacific Zone," he added.
READ: i-80 Gold says drilling expands high-grade mineralization in South Pacific Zone at Granite Creek
Highlight results from the 2022 drilling include an intercept of 28.1 grams per ton (g/t) gold over 18.7 metres (m) starting from 151.9m depth in one hole, and 33.8 g/t of the precious metal over 4.8m starting from 165.2m depth in another.
Drilling at granite Creek in 2022 continues to focus on further expansion in the area between the bottom level of the mine workings and the deepest hole drilled by i-80 so far to test the Ogee Zone depth extension, which started from surface and hit multiple high-grade mineralized horizons.
An updated feasibility study for Granite Creek is expected at the end of the around 30,000m drill program.
The firm's Granite Creek property is strategically located near to Nevada Gold Mines’ Turquoise Ridge and Twin Creeks mines at the north end of the Battle Mountain-Eureka Trend, at its intersection with the Getchell gold belt in Nevada.
High-grade mineralization occurs in a near-identical geological setting as that at the multi-million ounce Turquoise Ridge mine, which is immediately to the north.
i-80 Gold says it is a well-financed, Nevada-focused, mining company with a goal of achieving mid-tier gold producer status.
It aims to develop multiple deposits within its property portfolio with processing at i-80’s centralized milling facility that includes an autoclave.
Contact the writer at giles@proactiveinvestors.com