LaSalle Exploration (LSX) has received a permit to carry out exploration work at its Blakelock gold property in northeastern Ontario.
The permit was issued by Ontario's Ministry of Energy, Northern Development and Mines, and pertains to a Phase 1 diamond drilling program.
An initial five holes have been planned, focusing on confirming and expanding historic intersections within the Porphyry Creek Zone (PCZ). An oriented drill core will be used to better understand the geometry of the mineralised zone, as well as the host porphyry and the continuity of mineralisation.
Two holes have been completed so far, but the drilling work has been paused for the holiday season and will resume new year.
LaSalle Exploration has also planned additional drilling work, which will test mineralisation at the PCZ below a depth of 150 metres, where the zone remains open.
Located within the prolific Abitibi greenstone belt, roughly 55 kilometres west of Hecla Mining's multi-million-ounce Casa Berardi mine and 50 kilometres south of Kirkland Lake's Detour mine, the Blakelock property covers a 15-kilometre stretch of the Casa Berardi Break (CBB).
Diamond drilling conducted by earlier operators of the Blakelock property, most recently by Lake Shore Gold in 2010, resulted in the discovery of the PCZ, which is characterised by several anomalous gold zones.
This historic drilling work returned significant results, including 10.9 grams per tonne of gold over 10.25 metres and 11.53 grams per tonne of gold over 6 metres.
An induced polarisation survey is also scheduled to begin in January next year, focusing on the sediment package immediately south of the PCZ and CBB, which traverses the central region of the Blakelock property. LaSalle believes this area, with very little historic drilling, is a prime target for additional gold discoveries.
LaSalle Exploration is currently steady at C$0.15 per share, as of 1:15pm EST.