Claude Resources
Exploration
Madsen Exploration Program:
Map |Underground Drilling (8 Zone) | Surface Drilling
Fork Zone | Starratt-Olsen | Hasaga Mine | Resource Estimate |
The Madsen Property at Red Lake, Ontario represents a significant exploration opportunity for Claude Resources. During 2008 and 2009 Claude demonstrated the potential for discovery of high grade gold deposits and provided and updated NI 43-101 Technical Report on the property.
Located in the prolific gold producing Red Lake area, and only ten kilometers southwest of the town of Red Lake and Goldcorp’s high grade Red Lake Mines, the property is accessible by an all-weather road.
The 10,000 acre property contains a 500 ton per day mill, a functioning 4,125 foot operating shaft and a permitted tailings management facility. All existing infrastructure is fully permitted.
The Madsen mine has a rich history. From 1938 until the mine’s closure in 1976, gold production exceeded 2.4 million ounces at an average grade of 0.29 oz/t (9.02 g/t). Historic production exceeded 100,000 oz/year and was derived from both the ‘Tuff’ and ‘8 Zone’ Trends.
Madsen Map:
Madsen Exploration Highlights:
In 2009, the Company successfully completed Phase I of the 8 Zone underground drill program as well as continued surface exploration of the Fork Zone and Apple targets.
Underground Drilling
8 Zone
In December of 2008, the Company commenced its directionally-assisted underground drill program from the 10th level of the Madsen mine shaft. The underground program targeted the plunge and strike extensions of the 8 Zone system.
Phase I of the 8 Zone underground drill program included the interception of high grade gold mineralization down plunge of the 8 ZOne; it also confirmed the development of a sub-parallel footwall and extended the strike length of the mineralized system. Drilling completed to date suggest that the 8 Zone structure may be improving with depth as demonstrated by the two deepest intercepts to date returning 0.97 oz/ton over 8.17 feet and 0.75 oz/ton over 25.92 feet. (See Media Release: Claude Resources Inc. Intercepts 1.81 oz/ton over 4 Feet in the 8 Zone at Madsen Deep (pdf))
 MUG-09-04a Click to enlarge |
 MUG-09-04b Click to enlarge |
 MUG-09-04c Click to enlarge |
The 8 Zone consists of visible gold-bearing quartz veins and silica-flooded, biotite-talc altered basalt proximal to a major ultramafic contact. In addition, current drilling of the footwall environment suggests the development of at least one sub-parallel structure hosting gold mineralization. This footwall structure has been intercepted by three drill holes and is characterized by fine disseminated arsenopyrite and quartz-carbonate veining within chlorite-biotite-actinolite altered basalt.
Highlights from the 2009 underground drill program include:
| Hole ID | From (m) | Au (oz/ton) | Length (ft) | Au (g/t) | Length (m) | VG Noted |
| MUG-08-01 ( FW Target)) |
883.00 971.80 |
3.71 0.12 |
2.46 4.70 |
127.12 4.03 |
0.75 1.42 |
Yes |
| MUG-09-02b | 891.25 | 0.63 | 1.48 | 21.52 | 0.45 | Yes |
| MUG-09-03 (incl) |
915.40 | 0.97 1.70 |
8.17 4.10 |
33.39
58.18 |
2.49 1.25 |
Yes |
| MUG-09-04 (incl) |
909.55 | 0.75 4.14 |
25.92 3.12 |
25.77 141.80 |
7.90 0.95 |
Yes |
MUG-09-05 (incl) |
943.51 | 0.71 1.81 |
11.45 4.00 |
24.30 62.09 |
3.39 1.22 |
Yes |
The 8 Zone was mined between the 2300 and 2700 levels from its discovery in 1969 until the mine’s closure in 1976. Underground mapping and historic documentation shows the development of a series of high-grade quartz-vein systems and silicification associated with a complexly-folded package of mafic and ultramafic lithologies. The system remains open in all directions and shows strong similarities to high grade mineralization presently being mined at Goldcorp’s Red Lake Complex as well as Rubicon’s F2 system.
Claude is continuing its de-watering and rehabilitation of the 5 compartment 4,125 foot, head frame-hoist-shaft below the 10th level. In December 2009, dewatering passed the 15th level, with access to the 16th level and drill chamber development anticipated during the second half 2010.
Surface Drilling
The majority of the surface exploration work to date has focused on the Fork Zone, Starratt-Olsen, Russett South and Apple target areas. Recent drill program results at the Madsen property highlighted the following:
| Russett South: | 29.08 grams/tonne over 2.0 meters |
| Fork Zone: | 31.03 grams/tonne over 2.70 meters 17.32 grams/tonne over 10.33 meters |
| Starratt: | 185.62 grams/tonne over 0.41 meters |
During 2009, Claude successfully undertook a surface exploration program to further evaluate the Fork Zone and Apple targets and to evaluate the western strike extension of the 8 Zone.
Fork Zone
The Fork zone target area is located 1,300 meters southwest of the Madsen headframe and 500 meters along strike of the McVeigh ‘Tuff’. It is host to both replacement style and high grade, vein-hosted mineralization associated with the hanging wall contact of the mafic-ultramafic trend.
2008 drilling focused on infilling to 30 to 40 meter spacing within the central high grade shoot as well as testing the northern and southern strike and up-dip extensions. This drilling indicated the target hosts two sub-parallel, moderately, southeast-dipping shear systems that host southwest plunging ore-shoots and shows continuity of several visible gold-bearing vein systems over a strike length in excess of 400 meters.
The potential of the target is highlighted by drill intercepts including 0.61 oz/ton over 33.89 feet and 0.90 oz/ton over 8.86 feet (see Media Release dated April 16, 2008 (Claude Resources Drills 17.32 g/t Au over 10.33 m. at Madsen (pdf)) and Media Release dated December 11, 2008 (Claude Resources Intercepts More High Grade Gold at Madsen Fork Zone (pdf)) . The mineralized shear systems have been intercepted over a strike length in excess of 450 meters and remain open along strike and at depth. 2009 drill results are currently being compiled to guide future exploration.
Starratt-Olsen
The Starratt Olsen mine, located approximately 2,200 meters south of the Madsen mine, operated from 1948 through 1956 and produced approximately 164,000 ounces of gold at 0.18 oz/ton. Compilation of historic results and geologic modeling revealed the potential for high-grade mineralization associated with the mafic-ultramafic trend in the footwall of the Starratt Olsen mine.
During the first half of 2008, 18 holes were completed, testing the prospective structures along 1,500 meters of strike. Hole ST-08-03 discovered high grade, shear-hosted vein systems associated with the footwall contact of the ultramafic trend, returning 185.62 g/t over 0.41 meters and 26.85 g/t over 0.58 meters (see Media Release dated April 8, 2008: Claude Resources Drills 185.62 g/t (5.97 oz./t) Gold Over 0.41 m. (1.35 ft.) at Starratt Olsen, Madsen Project, Red Lake (pdf) ).
In order to follow up on these results, the Company completed an additional 13 hole drill program at Starratt-Olsen during the remainder of 2008. Results from this program include the following:
- 14.90 grams per tonne over 0.99 meters (Hole ST-08-25);
- 21.07 grams per tonne over 1.00 meters (Hole ST-08-28);
- 13.86 grams per tonne over 0.95 meters (Hole ST-08-29); and
- 21.25 grams per tonne over 1.00 meters (Hole ST-08-29).
Full exploration results from the Company's 13 hole program are available: Starratt-Olsen 2008 13 Hole Drill Program (pdf).
Results obtained from the Starratt-Olsen Footwall continue to outline significant zones of gold mineralization. Follow-up drilling of this discovery is planned for 2010.
43-101 Resources Estimate:
In early 2008, Claude Resources commissioned SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc. (SRK), to prepare an independent 43-101 mineral resource and Technical Report for the Madsen Gold property. This resource is the result of the compilation of all historical exploration and mining data, Phase I underground drilling as at September 27, 2009 and geological and resource modeling over a period of 20 months. Resource evaluation was undertaken in October and November 2009 for four separate zones, Austin, South Austin, McVeigh and 8 Zone, that comprise the Madsen Gold Mine. This represents the first NI 43-101 compliant resource completed on the Madsen property.
Consolidated Mineral Resource Statement* for Madsen Mine, Ontario. |
|||||||
Resource Class |
Zone |
|
Tonnes |
Grade (g/tonne) |
Grade (oz/ton) |
Contained Gold (oz) |
|
Indicated |
Austin |
|
1,677,000 |
7.92 |
0.23 |
427,000 |
|
|
South Austin |
|
850,000 |
9.32 |
0.27 |
254,000 |
|
|
McVeigh |
|
374,000 |
9.59 |
0.28 |
115,000 |
|
|
Zone 8 |
|
335,000 |
12.21 |
0.36 |
132,000 |
|
|
|
Total |
3,236,000 |
8.93 |
0.26 |
928,000 |
|
Inferred |
Austin |
|
108,000 |
6.30 |
0.18 |
22,000 |
|
|
South Austin |
|
259,000 |
8.45 |
0.25 |
70,000 |
|
|
McVeigh |
|
104,000 |
6.11 |
0.18 |
20,000 |
|
|
Zone 8 |
|
317,000 |
18.14 |
0.53 |
185,000 |
|
|
|
Total |
788,000 |
11.74 |
0.34 |
297,000 |
|
* Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. All figures have been rounded to reflect the relative accuracy of the estimates. Reported at a cut-off grade of 5.0 g/t gold based on US$1,000 per troy ounce gold and gold metallurgical recoveries of 94 percent. |
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Given proximity of the mineral resource to historic stoping blocks, geotechnical buffer zones were constructed and the material within these zones was excluded from estimated resources.
The completion of this geological model and resource statement is a major milestone for Claude and its Madsen Project. It has immensely improved the Company’s geological understanding of the Madsen system and will guide future underground and surface exploration at Madsen and in the Red Lake belt.