My thoughts on trenching/drilling - Why and Where.I got to thinking why would TOC be undertaking such a large trenching program at this time. They are cutting 7 long trenches for a total length of 140 m (about 20 m each)
I think the first, and most obvious reason, is that Pilar is spread across a large area starting at or near surface with multiple surface exposures, if it didn't start at the surface, trench samples would never be collected. Why are trenche samples at Pilar are being collected for different reasons.
Two Main zone trenches are complete and material will be used for
column leach studies and detailed structural analysis. Of significant interest to me is the trenche in the main zone because this is the most detailed area of expoloration and perhaps ready for an open pit mine to start generating cash flow, thus they need to do column leach studies. The primary target in the Main zone is the centre of high-grade oxide gold-silver mineralization. One 20-metre trench was cut through the Main zone where
surface channel sampling has yielded 10 metres at 2.5 grams per tonne gold and 27 g/t silver.
A trench at North Hill is complete and has been channel sampled to analyze an anomalous copper zone with oxide gold-silver mineralization. What a great property Pilar is turing out to be, GOLD, SILVER, and COPPER.
A trench at 4-Trench is complete and will be used for structural analysis and future drill targeting. To me this implies that 4-Trench is exposed at the surface and should be an exciting part of the next drill program.
Drilling started December 15th and is underway with key objectives of expanding the Main Zone and 4-Trench, 5,000 to 8,000 metres is planned between now and July of 2022. Drilling will focus on continued stepout drilling along the Main zone trend and new 4-Trench trend. Exploration drilling will continue to evaluate target areas along the Triple Vein zone. Surface exploration work is currently under way on key target areas
Drilling to include: - Stepouts of Main zone expansion targets:
- JES-21-43: 35.1 metres at 0.66 gram per tonne gold;
- JES-21-47: 47.7 m at 0.75 g/t Au, including three m at 5.6 g/t Au and 22 g/t Ag;;
- JES-21-50: 39.7 m at 0.96 g/t Au, including 1.5 m at 14.6 g/t Au
- Stepout and exploration drilling along 4-Trench trend:
- JES-21-53: 15.3 m at 1.1 g/t Au new 4-Trench trend;
- Exploration drilling along Triple Vein zone;
- Four artisanal surface and underground workings over 200-metre strike with surface sampling up to 4.5 g/t Au and 735 g/t Ag.