"round - the - clock operation"Golden Phoenix Reports Progress at Ashdown Molybdenum Mine; Mining Crews Encounter Further High-Grade
Mar 21, 2007 5:00:00 AM
SPARKS, Nev., March 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Golden Phoenix Minerals, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: GPXM) is pleased to report continued progress in the development and production of molybdenum concentrates at the Ashdown Project LLC mine, located in Humboldt County, Nevada.
Underground crews continue to extract molybdenite along the southern section of the Sylvia sill drift. The crews blasted south approximately 135 feet, increasing the daily volume of mineralized rock being removed and delivered to the mill. As drifting continued, the grade abruptly increased along the last 35 feet. In-house face assays have returned values of 3%-to-7% Mo, equivalent of up to $4,000 per ton value, awaiting confirmation by outside labs. This is an exploratory drift running south from the known high-grade zone in an area defined by little previous data. The width of the vein has also expanded from between four-and-five feet to an average of approximately eight feet, with some sections reaching up to 14 feet in total thickness.
Work progresses on the development of a second high-grade stope located in the main Sylvia zone to the north of the current mining. This stope is designed to open two new faces within the known high-grade portions of the vein over the coming weeks, and will replace the previously developed stope access due to superior efficiencies in working geometry and rock quality.
Development crews are also making excellent progress on the southwest crosscut that will open access to the down-dip extension of the high-grade zone. (Updated site maps are available at https://www.golden-phoenix.com) This area, which lies about 110 feet down-dip from the current working level, will provide access to an estimated 15,000-ton block of mineralization within the expected highest-grade segment of the vein. This represents approximately six-months production in addition to that accessed by the upper stope. Over 110 feet of crosscut has been blasted and is nearing intercept with the vein. When completed, this crosscut will allow the opening of a number of new working faces in the high-grade zones, giving more miners access to the higher quality mineralization. Six additional miners have been added to the staff, bringing the current total to 24 underground personnel. This has increased both production and development activity throughout the mine.
David A. Caldwell, CEO and Chief Geoscientist for Golden Phoenix, commented, "The discovery of the additional mineralization in the south extension of the Sylvia drift highlights the potential for future discovery on the Ashdown property. We are currently planning to utilize targeted geologic and geophysical methods that we believe are uniquely suited to unlocking the true magnitude of this largely unexplored property."
The mill has also increased its staff levels and is now capable of round- the-clock operation. The mill has been running continuously during March, except for a five-day scheduled maintenance and upgrade period during which mill feed continued to be stockpiled. The mill resumed production on March 13, 2007 and continues to produce and bag moly concentrate for near-term sale and shipment. Recoveries at the mill have improved rapidly through this ramp-up period and are now generally up to 90-to-95%, with concentrate values averaging 54% Mo. Work continues on the metallurgy of the deposit, with variances in the mineralogical composition of the moly-bearing rock being addressed through bench-testing at the mill.
The 350-foot surface hole, which was drilled two months ago, has now been accessed underground. This 12-inch hole provides communication and ventilation to the deepest portions of the workings. A refuge chamber is being constructed adjacent to the hole to provide the mine crews additional safety support. It will also allow for the delivery of sand to backfill and stabilize the active stopes as they are mined, opening the way for full-scale stope mining to proceed.
Spring weather has arrived at the mine, with milder temperatures facilitating all aspects of production. Water intrusion into the mine, which occurred two months ago, has abated and the working conditions are currently ideal.
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Golden Phoenix Minerals, Inc. is a Nevada-based mining company committed to deliver value to its shareholders by acquiring, developing and mining superior precious and strategic metal deposits in North America using competitive business practices balanced by principles of ethical stewardship. Golden Phoenix owns the Mineral Ridge gold and silver property near Silver Peak, Nevada, the Northern Champion molybdenum mine in Ontario, Canada, and is manager/operator and majority owner of the Ashdown Project LLC gold and molybdenum property held jointly by Golden Phoenix Minerals, Inc. and Win-Eldrich Mines, Ltd. of Toronto, Canada through its US subsidiary, Win-Eldrich Gold, Inc.