I-80 Gold discovers high-grade silver-rich CRD mineralisation at RUBY HILL

The Hilltop target is one of five conceptual exploration targets drilled in the 2022 program at Ruby Hill and was identified for its potential to host polymetallic (silver-lead-zinc) mineralisation. The new zone of mineralisation is located approximately 400 m southwest of the poly-metallic Blackjack Zone and immediately south of the Archimedes pit and the planned portal that the company is advancing for construction.

Mineralisation in the Hilltop target consists of polymetallic carbonate replacement (CRD) in the form of massive and semi-massive sulfide mineralisation containing high-grade silver (including 515.3 g/t Ag over 28.3 m and 929.7 g/t Ag over 4.6 m) and has been intersected in two areas within the Hilltop target. Definition and expansion drilling is underway, and the horizon remains open along strike and at depth. Mineralisation has been intersected in additional holes 50 m west of iRH22-43, for which assays remain pending.

The Ruby Hill district has a long history of high-grade polymetallic CRD mining that began in the late 1800’s, resulting in production of 1.65 million oz Au, 39 million oz Ag, 625 million lb Pb and 12 million lb Zn, from just 2 million t of ore through 1964. Since then, the CRD potential of the district has been largely overlooked, providing the Company what it believes to be a substantial opportunity.

The discovery of the Hilltop zone opens up a greater than 1.5 km corridor between the Archimedes pit and the original Ruby Hill mine that has historically been under-explored due to post-mineral alluvial cover. Importantly, iRH22-43 intersected massive sulfide mineralisation immediately below the alluvium at a depth of 146 m. Discovery International Geophysics of Saskatchewan, Canada, has been contracted to conduct downhole electromagnetic (EM) and induced polarisation (IP) surveys over the area, with the goal of defining additional massive sulfide zones.

The company is completing a large-scale surface (+20 000 m) drill program at Ruby Hill for both deposit delineation and exploration purposes. Definition and expansion drilling is focused on the initial areas planned to be mined including the 426 Zone and the deeper Ruby Deeps Zone, where recently released results include: 19.8 g/t Au over 33.2 m and 7.1 g/t Au over 78.6 m in the Ruby Deeps deposit; and 15.6 g/t Au over 12.2 m and 13.9 g/t Au over 13.4 m in the 426 deposit. Multiple gold and polymetallic exploration targets are also being drilled.

 

“At current metal prices, the rock value of the initial drill intercepts in the Hilltop Zone represent some of the highest-grade mineralisation identified, on a per tonne basis, to-date at Ruby Hill”, stated Ewan Downie, CEO of i-80. “Given its proximity to the underground infrastructure planned in 2023, this zone is expected to fit in to our future development and mine plans such that we ultimately expect to produce gold, silver, and base metals.”

Read the article online at: https://www.globalminingreview.com/mining/05092022/i-80-gold-discovers-high-grade-silver-rich-crd-mineralisation-at-ruby-hill/