TORONTO, Feb. 7, 2019 /CNW/ - Wallbridge Mining Company
Limited (TSX:WM, FWB:WC7) ("Wallbridge" or the "Company") is pleased to announce continued positive
results from ongoing development and production as part of the 35,000-tonne bulk sample and underground exploration program at
its 100%-owned Fenelon Gold Property ("Fenelon" or "Property").
Highlights:
- To date approximately 25,000 tonnes of ore with a reconciled average grade of 17.34 g/t gold containing more than 14,000
ounces of gold has been processed at the Camflo Mill in four separate mill runs.
- More than 13,300 ounces of gold has been recovered and sold
- Stope grades are meeting expectations, ranging from 10.55 to 33.32 g/t gold (See Table 1).
- On target to achieve total bulk sample production of ~35,000 tonnes grading 19-22 grams per tonne of gold for production of
21,000-24,000 ounces of gold.
- Mill recoveries have reached 99%
- The Loan with Auramet has now been reduced from US $8M to US $3M with the balance to be paid by the end of February, 2019
"We are proud of our team for their excellent work in executing our bulk sample plans safely and efficiently. The current bulk
sample that started in the second quarter of 2018 will be completed this quarter. We are planning for a very active 2019 program
continuing after the completion of the 35,000-tonne bulk sample, which involves a total of 50,000 to 75,000 metres underground
resource expansion and surface exploration drilling while we advance our permitting activities," stated Marz Kord, President & CEO of Wallbridge. "We are also pleased to have reduced our debt down to US
$3M. This loan will be paid by the end of February which will simplify our balance sheet."
Fenelon Bulk Sample Production Update
Following the dewatering of the pit and underground and rehabilitation of existing infrastructure, ramp development began in
mid-June which was quickly followed with first stope production in August. Ramp development and the final level (5130 Level) were
completed in January and the final stopes are currently being mined.
Production from five stopes as well as low grade ore from 2004 bulk sample were processed at Camflo mill from September 2018 to January 31, 2019. Wallbridge, in its original bulk sample
plans, included the historical low-grade ore as part of the first mill run while milling performance was optimized. Lessons
learned from the first mill run were applied to the next mill runs to achieve remarkable recoveries of more than 98%.
The next mill run is scheduled for the second half of this month.
"This bulk sample has provided Wallbridge with the opportunity to learn about mining methods, productivities, costs, logistics
and milling recoveries associated with the zones tested. The lessons learned are being applied towards future plans and we are
excited about moving this project forward using our experience in de-risking the project. We are confident in our team and the
achievements to date and look forward to continued positive exploration results," stated Frank
Demers, Vice-President, Mining & Projects.
Table 1.
Fenelon Gold 2018/2019 Bulk Sample Summary Table to February
6,2019
|
Drift/Stope material
|
Mill Reconciled
|
|
Tonnes
|
Au g/t
|
Contained Au
Ounces
|
Recovered Au
Ounces
|
Recovery
|
Mill Run #
|
2004 Ore(1)
|
2,277
|
4.23
|
310
|
248
|
80%
|
1
|
CH-01 Stope
|
4,823
|
16.23
|
2,516
|
2,013
|
80%
|
1 & 2
|
Development Ore(2)
|
4,615
|
16.10
|
2,389
|
2,372
|
99%
|
1, 2, 3, & 4
|
NV-01 Stope
|
4,852
|
10.55
|
1,646
|
1,635
|
99%
|
2 & 3
|
CH-02 Stope
|
1,368
|
17.51
|
770
|
765
|
99%
|
NV-02 Stope
|
2,736
|
18.24
|
1,605
|
1,593
|
99%
|
NV-03 Stope(2)
|
4,453
|
33.32
|
4,771
|
4,737
|
99%
|
4
|
Total to February 6, 2019(2)
|
25,124
|
17.34
|
14,006
|
13,363
|
95%
|
|
NV-04/05 & Others(3)
|
~10,000 t
|
25-35
|
8,000-11,300
|
7,800-11,000
|
98%
|
5
|
Total Estimated Bulk Sample(3)
|
~35,000 t
|
19-22
|
22,000-25,000
|
21,000-24,000
|
98%
|
|
(1)
|
Ore from surface and underground stockpile left behind from the 2004 bulk
sample
|
(2)
|
Estimated. Pending final reported numbers for Mill Run #4
|
(3)
|
Estimated. Production of last stopes currently underway
|
Fenelon Geology & Exploration
"The milling results for mill runs #2, #3 have reconciled extremely well with the grade estimates from our grade control
program at Fenelon, which is quite remarkable for this type of high-grade gold mineralization. The preliminary results of mill
run #4 were just received. In this mill run, we processed our highest-grade stope so far and our mine grade call was slightly
underestimating grade due to a conservative high-grade capping approach. One of the most important outcomes of this bulk sample
is to refine our high-grade capping and block modeling approach based on the mill reconciled head grades, thereby significantly
improving future reserve grade estimates and de-risking future production," stated Attila Péntek, Vice-President, Exploration of
Wallbridge.
The 2018 underground and surface drill programs were completed before the holidays and drill rigs were de-mobilized. Assay
results of several drill holes are still pending and will be reported as they are received in the next few weeks.
The 2019 drill program (50,000-75,000 m planned) will commence in Mid-February with the
mobilization of initially one underground and one surface drill rig. The 2019 underground resource drilling will initially be
carried out from the recently established 5130 level (~125 m depth) and will target the main high-grade shoots down-plunge to
200 m depth.
The development of an exploration drift is currently underway and will be completed by the end of February. This drift will
facilitate resource drilling to greater depth and along strike, including also the Tabasco and Cayenne mineralized corridors, as
well as the new deep mineralized system discovered by the last drill hole of the 2018 program (FA-18-051, see Wallbridge Press Release dated January 15, 2019).
The 2019 surface exploration drill program will follow known mineralized zones to 300-400 m
depth and test targets further away from the mine workings.
Figure 1: Fenelon Gold, 3D
View
Wallbridge's Fenelon Gold Property is located in northwestern Quebec proximal to the Sunday
Lake Deformation Zone ("SLDZ") which hosts the Detour Gold Mine in Ontario, and Balmoral
Resources' gold deposits at Martiniere. The Fenelon Gold Property hosts the Discovery Zone gold deposit and surrounding 4 km
strike length of a gold-hosting secondary splay of the SLDZ.
Since acquiring the property in late 2016, Wallbridge has completed an updated resource estimate and a positive
pre-feasibility study on the existing resource (see Wallbridge Press Release dated February 02, 2017). In addition, Wallbridge has
completed surface exploration drilling campaigns and is currently drilling from underground as part of its 35,000-tonne bulk
sample at Fenelon. Drilling to date has significantly extended existing zones and discovered several new parallel zones.
Drill core samples from the ongoing drill program at Fenelon were cut and bagged on site and transported to SGS Canada Inc.
Samples, along with standards, blanks, and duplicates included for quality assurance and quality control, were prepared and
analyzed at SGS Canada Inc. laboratories. Samples are crushed to 90% less than 2mm. A 1kg riffle split is pulverized to >95%
passing 106 microns. 50g samples are analyzed by fire assay and AAS. Samples >10g/t Au are automatically analyzed by fire
assay with gravimetric finish or screen metallic analysis. To test for coarse free gold and for additional quality assurance and
quality control, Wallbridge requests screen metallic analysis for samples containing visible gold. These and future assay
results may vary from time to time due to re-analysis for quality assurance and quality control.
The Qualified Persons responsible for the technical content of this press release are Marz
Kord, P. Eng., M. Sc., MBA, President & CEO and Attila Péntek, P.Geo., Ph.D., Vice President Exploration for
Wallbridge Mining Company Limited.
About Wallbridge Mining
Wallbridge is establishing a pipeline of projects that will support sustainable production and revenue as well as organic
growth through exploration and scalability.
Wallbridge is currently developing its 100%-owned high-grade Fenelon Gold property in Quebec
with ongoing exploration and a 35,000-tonne bulk sample. Wallbridge is also pursuing other additional advanced-stage projects
which would add to the Company's near-term project pipeline. These discussions benefit from the operating capabilities Wallbridge
demonstrated by safely and efficiently mining the Broken Hammer deposit in Sudbury, which was
completed in October 2015. As part of this strategy, the Company recently optioned the Beschefer
Project, an advanced gold property with proven size and grade-potential near Fenelon Gold. Wallbridge is also continuing
partner-funded exploration on its large portfolio of nickel, copper, and PGM projects in Sudbury,
Ontario, with a focus on its high-grade Parkin project.
Wallbridge also has exposure to exploration for copper and gold in Jamaica and British Columbia through its 11.3% ownership of Carube Copper Corp. (CUC:TSX-V, formerly Miocene Resources
Limited, a Wallbridge spin-out of its BC assets).
This press release may contain forward-looking statements (including "forward-looking information" within the
meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the US Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) relating to, among other things, the operations of Wallbridge and the environment in
which it operates. Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or
"does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not
anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may",
"could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Wallbridge has relied on a number of assumptions and
estimates in making such forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, the costs associated with the development and
operation of its properties. Such assumptions and estimates are made in light of the trends and conditions that are considered to
be relevant and reasonable based on information available and the circumstances existing at this time. A number of risk factors
may cause actual results, level of activity, performance or outcomes of such exploration and/or mine development to be materially
different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements including, without limitation, whether such
discoveries will result in commercially viable quantities of such mineralized materials, the possibility of changes to project
parameters as plans continue to be refined, the ability to execute planned exploration and future drilling programs, the need for
additional funding to continue exploration and development efforts, changes in general economic, market and business conditions,
and those other risks set forth in Wallbridge's most recent annual information form under the heading "Risk Factors" and in its
other public filings. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and such information is inherently
subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that are difficult to predict and may be beyond the control
of Wallbridge. Although Wallbridge has attempted to identify important risks and factors that could cause actual actions, events
or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors and risks that
cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Consequently, undue reliance should not be
placed on such forward-looking statements. In addition, all forward-looking statements in this press release are given as of the
date hereof.
Wallbridge disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as
a result of new information, future events or otherwise, save and except as may be required by applicable securities laws. The
forward-looking statements contained herein are expressly qualified by this disclaimer.
SOURCE Wallbridge Mining Company Limited
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