Vancouver-based Nicola Mining plans to advance its New Craigmont copper property with a diamond drilling program this year. Drilling began on May 23, 2019. The project site is 10 km from Merritt.
The property includes the historic Craigmont mine. The former mine was active from 1938 to 1982, during which time it mined 33.4 million tonnes of ore grading 1.28% copper. The property remains permitted.
Nicola says the New Craigmont project does not conform to a typical exploration pipeline. Plans call for definition drilling in the unexploited areas particularly in situ orebodies and for underground surveying to delineate the material in sub-level caves in the Craigmont Central area.
Last year, drilling at Craigmont Central returned 150 metres grading 0.54% copper, including 6 metres at 1.05% and 7 metres at 2.1% and 5 metres at 9.6%. Two holes drilled at the Craigmont West target returned 100.6 metres grading 1.3% copper and 71.4 metres grading 0.6% copper.
A new 43-101 resource estimate is being done to update the historic non-compliant estimate of 54.4 million tonnes grading at least 0.4% copper. This material was unmined because a cut-off grade of 0.7% was used.
(This article first appeared in the Canadian Mining Journal)