Mines D’Or Orbec Inc. has announced promising preliminary results from its first seven-hole drill program at the Lac Bernard Sud anomaly within the Muus Property, which it owns entirely. The drilling took place over an extensive area of approximately 2.5 kilometers located in the Chibougamau region of Quebec’s Abitibi Greenstone Belt. The company has so far reported results from four of these holes.
Further results from additional drill holes and surface sampling from an area 15 kilometers east of Lac Bernard Sud are anticipated in the coming weeks. Initial assays reveal significant geological similarities with the adjacent Nelligan gold deposit, particularly in the nature of sedimentary rock-hosted intercepts, which have shown multiple anomalous gold zones across two distinct intervals. The discoverers have confirmed the presence of an orogenic gold system, with mineralization open along the strike and downwards, meriting further drilling to establish the continuity of these promising zones and assess for higher gold grades.
CEO John Tait expressed enthusiasm regarding the findings, saying the company exceeded its targets for this year’s drilling at Lac Bernard Sud. He highlighted the geological similarities to IAMGOLD’s Nelligan Discovery, which boasts a substantial indicated mineral resource alongside impressive inferred reserves. The presence of silicification, pyrite, and arsenopyrite without clear links to intrusive rocks suggests that Lac Bernard Sud is indeed an orogenic gold system, reinforcing its potential for further gold mineralization.
The new drilling campaign primarily focused on areas where the Obatogamau Formation, characterized by volcanic rock, meets the sedimentary Caopatina Formation along the favorable Guercheville Deformation Zone. This geological context is known to be typical of productive orogenic gold systems, suggesting that the company may be on the verge of discovering larger and higher-grade gold-mineralized systems.
Encouraging results were reported for holes MUUS25-19 and MUUS25-23, which identified gold grades ranging between 0.15 g/t and 0.20 g/t across significant intervals. The drill results indicated extensive anomalous gold zones, warranting additional work to confirm the continuity of these findings, especially in hole MUUS25-23, where a 45-meter long gold-anomalous zone was detected.
Despite some drill holes returning no significant results, the company remains optimistic as they await further assay results from additional holes drilled during this campaign. Notably, the southern areas of drill holes MUUS25-19 and MUUS25-23 are considered highly prospective and may require future exploration to fully realize the Muus Property’s potential.
The next steps outlined by the company include a thorough review of data acquired from the drill program, targeted extensions of drilling both along strike and at depth, refining geological modeling, and awaiting results from summer fieldwork conducted in the eastern part of the property.
Orbec Mines D’Or holds a strategic position in the region, controlling a 14-kilometer stretch along the highly prospective Guercheville Deformation Zone. As the exploration continues, the collaboration with IAMGOLD, a significant shareholder, could provide invaluable expertise as Orbec seeks to tap into the geological promise that similar properties in the vicinity have shown.
In summary, the preliminary findings from the drilling program at Lac Bernard Sud suggest a favorable geological setting that could lead to significant gold discoveries. Continued exploration is deemed essential in this promising area, as the company looks to transition into subsequent phases of drilling with heightened precision and confidence.
