|
Gold
mineralization has been known in the area since the
1930s and numerous showing are known to crop out on the
Blondeau Property. Most notorious is vein #1 where
individual assays ran consistently above 30g/t and where
a bulk sample of 3880 tons was collected by Penn-Gold in
1995.
The property is underlain by volcano-sedimentary rocks
of the Baby-Guigues formation. This formation is
composed mainly of massive mafic volcanics with
occasional pillowed horizons. Lesser intermediate flows
are intercalated and this sequence is topped by minor
felsic tuffs and occasional iron formations. The rocks
are intruded by conformable intermediate diorites,
discordant ultramafic dykes and lamprophyres.
Bulk Sample
and Mineralization
The gold mineralization in the area is mainly
vein-hosted slightly crosscutting the host rocks and to
a lesser extent by fractured iron formations acting as a
chemical trap for the gold solutions. On the property, 7
distinct zones have been inventoried and briefly worked,
all within quartz veins. To the south of vein #1, a
gold-bearing iron formation was found but its potential
remains largely unknown.
The Belleterre area has never been systematically
worked. Many reasons may be invoked to explain this
incongruity namely the relative small size of the belt
and the difficulty of obtaining a sizeable property are
amongst these. NioGold intends on carrying out
methodical work to gain a better understanding of the
geology and to build a comprehensive database of the
work performed in the past. These steps are deemed
essential for the discovery of deposits in the area.
With these objectives in mind, NioGold carried out its
first exploration program on the property in 2003
consisting in an extensive high-resolution airborne
geophysical coverage of the property and a ground
prospecting program. Thus far in 2004, target evaluation
through satellite imagery interpretation and detailed
target evaluation based on geological criteria were
completed by two independent consultants.
Blondeau is a high profile property with the capability
of hosting high-grade gold structures. The former
Belleterre mine is the best example of the potential of
the area having produced 700 000 ounces of gold at an
average grade of 0.40 oz/t. Structures like these are
also found in the Red Lake district of Ontario and are
regarded as the most lucrative mining operations in the
industry. |
