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Exploratory drilling results indicate gold mining operations near Kamloops could be extended another six years.
The additional lifespan hinges upon New Afton Mine's C-zone block cave, a down-plunge extension of the B-zone block cave currently mined at the underground operation 10 kilometres west of the city.
Results of the drilling were released this week.
Operator New Gold projects that under current conditions the mine would operate until 2022-23, but that could be extended to 2029 if the C-zone contains sufficient copper-gold mineralization.
“The results of the 2016 C-zone drilling confirm the continuity of mineralization immediately to the west of the block cave volume included in our C-zone feasibility study reserve, indicating good potential to further increase New Afton’s overall mine life,” said Mark Petersen, vice-president of exploration.
“Looking forward, it is particularly encouraging to see step-out holes as far as 150 metres west of the planned block cave continue to intersect copper and gold mineralization at grades similar to those currently being mined.”
So far this year, New Gold has completed about 60 per cent of its planned 10,000-metre exploration for 2016.
Based on the encouraging results, the company plans to complete the remainder of the $6-million program during the second half of the year.
