Dalradian Resources (DALR:AIM) (DNA:TSX)
A third stope test was conducted to validate the long-hole mining method on a shallow dipping (50-55 degrees) portion of the vein, located 60 metres below the surface on the V-75 vein at the deepest point of the current development. In comparison Stopes 1 and 2 had dips of 73 degrees and 76 degrees respectively. The resource model estimated contained gold in Stope 3 of 224 oz; the stoping test resulted in 303 oz for an increase of 35%. The average width of Stope 3 was 1.80 metres, 15 metres long and 14.1 metres high with an estimated dilution to the designed stope of 64%, the estimated dilution based on the geotechnical model was 85%. 1001 tonnes of material were removed at a gold grade of 9.41 g/t producing 303 ounces of gold.
Eric Tremblay, Chief Operating Officer commented,
“I am particularly pleased with the results from the third stope. This demonstrates our ability to long-hole stope veins at the shallow end of the range that we are likely to encounter at this deposit. The dilution was lower than predicted by the model and resulted in a diluted grade of 9.41 g/t of gold. With the exception of a single wedge failure in the footwall at the end of mining, Stope 3 remained open without support for several weeks. This indicates that we can easily manage dilution from the footwall by using simple low cost methods such as cable bracing.”
Representative samples of both coarse and fine rock fragments were collected at a frequency of 1 sample taken every two scoop buckets from the stope. A total of 367 muck samples were taken from Stope 3, totalling 1.8 tonnes of ore, for an average of 5 kg per sample.
Stay tuned for upcoming news on their feasibility study.