Owner
Post by Franko10 ™ on Jul 7, 2005 15:36:50 GMT -5
Star Diamond Project prefeasibility core and large diameter drilling (cnw)
Stock Symbol: SGF: TSX
SASKATOON, July 7 /CNW/ - George H. Read, P. Geo., Senior Vice President Exploration, is pleased to announce that the contracts for the prefeasibility core and large diameter drilling (LDD) on the Star Diamond Project have been executed. The drilling of the first hole of the core drilling program commenced this week. It is anticipated that the LDD program will commence by the fourth quarter.
Encore Coring and Drilling Inc. of Calgary has been contracted to supply two drill rigs and drill crews to complete 21,000 metres of PQ (75 millimetre diameter) core drilling on the Star Kimberlite and an additional 5,000 metres of PQ core drilling on regional exploration targets that were defined from last year's GeoTEM survey. All core will be accurately logged and this information will form the basis of the three dimensional geological model that will be constructed for the Star Kimberlite during the prefeasibility study. Down-hole geophysical logging will be completed on all core holes and geotechnical measurements will be made on core samples. Geohydrological measurements and ore dressing test work will be conducted on selected boreholes and core. Core holes will be drilled on a grid pattern on 100 metre centres on the thick, central part of the Star Kimberlite and 200 metre centres on the outer, thinner part of the kimberlite. It is estimated that some 97 holes will be completed in the Star core drilling program, which will continue until late 2005. The objective of the core drilling is to map the sub-surface geology and thereby define the geological continuity away from the bulk sample shaft and associated lateral drifts.
Nuna Logistics Limited of Vancouver has been contracted to undertake 17,000 metres of large diameter (1.20 metre) drilling using two Bauer BG36 RC System drill rigs. These rigs are presently in the final stages of manufacture in Germany and are expected to be delivered to the Star Diamond Project site in August for a scheduled commencement of drilling in September. The Bauer BG36 rig has the capability of drilling a 1.2 metre diameter hole to a depth of 360 metres below surface and is ideally suited to mini-bulk sampling the Star Kimberlite on a grid pattern. The rigs have been specifically designed for sampling kimberlite and a number of design changes were instituted to minimize potential diamond breakage in the recovery process. Seventy-two LDD holes are planned and they will be drilled adjacent to the PQ core holes. It is estimated that in excess of 10,000 tonnes of kimberlite will be recovered from the LDD holes and this kimberlite will be processed through the on-site DMS plant with final diamond recovery at SGS Lakefield Research, in the same manner as the initial bulk sample. The objective of the LDD is to mini-bulk sample the kimberlite in a three-dimensional manner and determine the grade of the kimberlite away from the bulk sample shaft and associated lateral drifts.
The planned core and LDD drilling programs outlined above are the first phase of prefeasibility drilling on the Star Diamond Project. It is possible that geological complexity and/or statistical parameters of recovered diamond populations may require some additional drilling.
Shore has recently recruited a team of seven geologists who will manage the drill programs under the guidance of Project Leader, Pieter du Plessis. Three of these geologists have previous kimberlite experience: two at Snap Lake and one at Ekati. In addition A.C.A. Howe has three geologists on-site to complete underground mapping and assist with the drill programs. SRK Consulting of Vancouver will be responsible for the on-site collection of geotechnical information and their three geotechnical engineers will also play a role in geological core logging.
Senior Vice President Exploration, George Read, states: "Encore Drilling has significant experience in drilling Fort a la Corne kimberlites and we are confident that they will deliver results on schedule. We are pleased that we have secured the LDD contract with Nuna Logistics. This contract brings new technology in the form of Bauer rigs to the Fort a la Corne kimberlite field. These rigs have been successfully used for collecting bulk samples on diamond projects in Australia and southern Africa and are ideal for sampling the Star Kimberlite."
The prefeasibility study on Star, with a budget of approximately $43 million, is now the largest work program outlined for any of the Fort a la Corne kimberlites. The aim of the prefeasibility study is to define a National Instrument 43-101 compliant mineral reserve for the Star Kimberlite. Shore is a Canadian based corporation engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral properties. Shares of the Company trade on the TSX Exchange under the trading symbol "SGF".
/For further information: Kenneth E. MacNeill, President & C.E.O.; or George H. Read, P. Geo., Vice President Exploration at (306) 664-2202/
Stock Symbol: SGF: TSX
SASKATOON, July 7 /CNW/ - George H. Read, P. Geo., Senior Vice President Exploration, is pleased to announce that the contracts for the prefeasibility core and large diameter drilling (LDD) on the Star Diamond Project have been executed. The drilling of the first hole of the core drilling program commenced this week. It is anticipated that the LDD program will commence by the fourth quarter.
Encore Coring and Drilling Inc. of Calgary has been contracted to supply two drill rigs and drill crews to complete 21,000 metres of PQ (75 millimetre diameter) core drilling on the Star Kimberlite and an additional 5,000 metres of PQ core drilling on regional exploration targets that were defined from last year's GeoTEM survey. All core will be accurately logged and this information will form the basis of the three dimensional geological model that will be constructed for the Star Kimberlite during the prefeasibility study. Down-hole geophysical logging will be completed on all core holes and geotechnical measurements will be made on core samples. Geohydrological measurements and ore dressing test work will be conducted on selected boreholes and core. Core holes will be drilled on a grid pattern on 100 metre centres on the thick, central part of the Star Kimberlite and 200 metre centres on the outer, thinner part of the kimberlite. It is estimated that some 97 holes will be completed in the Star core drilling program, which will continue until late 2005. The objective of the core drilling is to map the sub-surface geology and thereby define the geological continuity away from the bulk sample shaft and associated lateral drifts.
Nuna Logistics Limited of Vancouver has been contracted to undertake 17,000 metres of large diameter (1.20 metre) drilling using two Bauer BG36 RC System drill rigs. These rigs are presently in the final stages of manufacture in Germany and are expected to be delivered to the Star Diamond Project site in August for a scheduled commencement of drilling in September. The Bauer BG36 rig has the capability of drilling a 1.2 metre diameter hole to a depth of 360 metres below surface and is ideally suited to mini-bulk sampling the Star Kimberlite on a grid pattern. The rigs have been specifically designed for sampling kimberlite and a number of design changes were instituted to minimize potential diamond breakage in the recovery process. Seventy-two LDD holes are planned and they will be drilled adjacent to the PQ core holes. It is estimated that in excess of 10,000 tonnes of kimberlite will be recovered from the LDD holes and this kimberlite will be processed through the on-site DMS plant with final diamond recovery at SGS Lakefield Research, in the same manner as the initial bulk sample. The objective of the LDD is to mini-bulk sample the kimberlite in a three-dimensional manner and determine the grade of the kimberlite away from the bulk sample shaft and associated lateral drifts.
The planned core and LDD drilling programs outlined above are the first phase of prefeasibility drilling on the Star Diamond Project. It is possible that geological complexity and/or statistical parameters of recovered diamond populations may require some additional drilling.
Shore has recently recruited a team of seven geologists who will manage the drill programs under the guidance of Project Leader, Pieter du Plessis. Three of these geologists have previous kimberlite experience: two at Snap Lake and one at Ekati. In addition A.C.A. Howe has three geologists on-site to complete underground mapping and assist with the drill programs. SRK Consulting of Vancouver will be responsible for the on-site collection of geotechnical information and their three geotechnical engineers will also play a role in geological core logging.
Senior Vice President Exploration, George Read, states: "Encore Drilling has significant experience in drilling Fort a la Corne kimberlites and we are confident that they will deliver results on schedule. We are pleased that we have secured the LDD contract with Nuna Logistics. This contract brings new technology in the form of Bauer rigs to the Fort a la Corne kimberlite field. These rigs have been successfully used for collecting bulk samples on diamond projects in Australia and southern Africa and are ideal for sampling the Star Kimberlite."
The prefeasibility study on Star, with a budget of approximately $43 million, is now the largest work program outlined for any of the Fort a la Corne kimberlites. The aim of the prefeasibility study is to define a National Instrument 43-101 compliant mineral reserve for the Star Kimberlite. Shore is a Canadian based corporation engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral properties. Shares of the Company trade on the TSX Exchange under the trading symbol "SGF".
/For further information: Kenneth E. MacNeill, President & C.E.O.; or George H. Read, P. Geo., Vice President Exploration at (306) 664-2202/
