Projects
WKP WEST, HAURAKI REGION, NEWMONT JV (65% Newmont: 35% GEL)
WKP is developing as a major new gold discovery within a 'BIG SYSTEM' capable of hosting a major gold deposit:
A gold mineralised zone approximately 150m wide with strike continuity over 600m has demonstrated depth continuity over 300m with individual high grade intercepts in each drill hole including 60.4g/t (2 ounces) gold over 1.4 meters.
The WKP area is a 2 km mineralized alteration zone, just 10 km from Newmont's Martha gold mine at Waihi and 5 km northeast of the Golden Cross deposit (634,000 oz gold production in the 1990's).
The WKP epithermal system has magnetic/alteration characteristics similar to the Martha mine and has open-along-strike potential for several kilometres southward, being at least 900m long, 150m wide, and unconstrained to over 300m depth.
Current drilling by Newmont is targeting two new zones, the 'WKP Central zone' of strong silicification and veining approximately 180 m wide, with field mapping, soil geochemistry and ground geophysics (resistivity) demonstrating strike continuity over 600m, and 'WKP West'.
Recent news releases on the project.
| April 18, 2012 | GEGL Commences 5,500 m Drill Program at WKP |
| February 29, 2012 | GEGL Strikes 9.7m of 17.2g/t Gold and 24.2 g/t Silver at WKP Central |
| December 01, 2011 | GEGL Consolidates new discovery at WKP South (Now referred to as WKP West) |
| August 26, 2011 | GEGL makes new discovery at WKP South (Now referred to as WKP West) |
| May 12, 2011 | Significant high grade drill results - WKP West (Now referred to as WKP Central) |
WKP Drilling 2010/2011
(click to enlarge)
Resistivity section along WKP24
2010/11 Drilling Results:
| Hole # | From | To | Interval(m) | Gold (g/t) | Silver (g/t) |
| WKP 24 | 125.9 | 282 | 156.1 | 1.6 | 2.6 |
| incl. | 268.2 | 282 | 13.8 | 6.6 | 3 |
| 207.7 | 209.3 | 1.6 | 30.2 | 44 | |
| 207 | 210 | 3 | 15.6 | 23.2 | |
| 262.5 | 263.5 | 1 | 16 | 9.8 | |
| 251 | 253 | 2 | 6.2 | 2.9 | |
| 252 | 253 | 1 | 11.3 | 5.1 | |
| WKP 25 | 221 | 236 | 15 | 19.36 | 12.8 |
| incl. | 225 | 226.8 | 1.8 | 61.4 | 80.3 |
| 235 | 236 | 1 | 9.5 | 19.3 | |
| WKP 26 | 115 | 293 | 178 | 1.05 | 3.0 |
| incl. | 141 | 205 | 64 | 2.0 | 2.6 |
| 167.2 | 168 | 0.8 | 24.5 | >100 | |
| WKP 27 | 129 | 281.4 | 152.4 | 1.16 | 2.2 |
| incl. | 181.4 | 182.8 | 1.4 | 30.7 | 77.7 |
| 197.8 | 198.8 | 1 | 7.61 | 11.4 | |
| 240 | 241.1 | 1.1 | 11.0 | 5.7 | |
| WKP 28 | 174 | 223 | 49 | 1.08 | 3.3 |
| incl. | 174 | 175 | 1 | 7.69 | 34.0 |
| 187 | 188 | 1 | 5.31 | 35.5 | |
| 214 | 215 | 1 | 11 | 19.2 | |
| WKP 29 | 216 | 219.2 | 3.2 | 37.0 | 17.0 |
| incl. | 217.1 | 218 | 0.9 | 89.2 | 39.2 |
| and | 279.8 | 293 | 14.8 | 4.82 | 2.7 |
| WKP 30 | 194 | 237 | 43 | 0.93 | 1.21 |
| incl. | 194 | 203 | 9 | 3.2 | 2.6 |
| WKP31 | 146.1 | 155.8 | 9.7 | 17.2 | 24.2 |
The WKP Central zone represents a compelling new target that has commenced exploration in the summer of 2010, followed by surface mapping and additional geophysical data (CSAMT resistivity). Further drilling was completed in 2011, with an additional hole, WKP31 completed in early 2012.
WKP Central and its drilling program intersected broad alteration and intense silification over wide intervals on the three diamond drill holes (WKP 24,25,26). Quartz vein stockworks and gold-silver mineralization were encountered adjacent to major structures with high grade intersections apparent in broad mineralized intervals. A significant high grade intersection was encountered in WKP31.
MUIRS REEF (100%)
- Width: 20 - 30 m; bonanza grades 1 - 2 m wide; including channel sampling of 24 m @ 5.72 g/t Au & 20 m @ 4.9 g/t Au;
Hole RC33 from 61 m to 62 m: 1 m @ 358 g/t Au; - Historical production: 43,000 oz Au @ 16 g/t Au
- Strike extensions N , S + 500 m
- Consolidate resources to JORC / NI 43-101 status: 2011
- Historical Resource of 390,000 oz @ 1.5 g/t Au; indicated resource (0.5 g/t cutoff) 0 -- 75 m depth
The Muirs gold prospect lies 65 km southeast of the Martha Mine (Newmont Mining, 10m oz Au) at the southern end of the Hauraki Goldfield. Two quartz reefs were mined within this epithermal system until the 1930s, with over 43,000 oz of gold extracted from shallow surface and underground workings. To expand and develop the prospect's zone of identified mineralization, Glass Earth Gold's recent exploration has been concentrated on surface channel sampling. This program discovered significant quartz veining, exhibiting multiple phases of gold deposition, across over 450 m of the prospect's southwest extension, and provided the following results (reported on 19 July 2011):
Channel Sample Program
(click to enlarge)
| Channel No | From | To | Interval m | Gold g/t | Silver g/t | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSTR 01 | 0 | 28 | 28 | @ | 1.78 | 2.4 |
| including | 15 | 16 | 1 | @ | 8.70 | 7.4 |
| MSTR 02 | 0 | 23 | 23 | @ | 1.13 | 0.9 |
| including | 11 | 12 | 1 | @ | 7.91 | 0.3 |
| MSTR 03 | 0 | 7 | 7 | @ | 0.89 | 0.7 |
| MSTR 04 | 0 | 18 | 18 | @ | 0.36 | 0.4 |
| MSTR 06 | 0 | 24 | 24 | @ | 5.72 | 1.9 |
| including | 0 | 1 | 1 | @ | 26.1 | 8.8 |
| 15 | 16 | 1 | @ | 33.4 | 9.9 | |
| MSTR 07 | 0 | 14 | 14 | @ | 1.81 | 1.2 |
| including | 2 | 3 | 1 | @ | 7.03 | 3.5 |
| MSTR 08 | 0 | 18 | 18 | @ | 0.43 | 0.4 |
To build on these results and the exploration history of this prospect (summarized below), Glass Earth Gold is now launching a further drilling program, in order to prove up identified mineralization and establish an NI 43-101-compliant resource.
Exploration Summary
Glass Earth Gold is actively evaluating the Muirs gold prospect as it represents a highly promising, yet underexplored, gold resource:
- the Muirs and Massey quartz reefs have hosted a producing gold mine which, through shallow open pitting and from three underground levels, achieved total production of 43,642 oz of gold until the 1930s;
- there have been several phases of more recent exploration over the Muirs system which provided encouraging results without providing a definitive understanding of the evident gold mineralization; and
- importantly, this advanced gold prospect lies just 65km southeast of Newmont Mining's Martha Mine at Waihi, located within the central Hauraki Goldfield area (see map), meaning efficient extraction through toll milling is a real possibility.
Previous drilling and channel sampling work in the 1990s had returned interesting individual gold intercepts at the Muirs prospect (for instance drillhole RC33 from 61 m to 62 m returned 1 m @ 358g/t Au, and channel sampling on surface returned 20 m @ 3.6 g/t Au). Encouraging rock chip samples and soil geochemistry indicated that two new potential vein systems enveloping the Muirs and Massey veins are gold mineralized.
A historic 'global resource' calculation was derived of 390,000 oz @ 1.5g/t Au (based on a cutoff grade of 0.5 g/t Au and constrained to a depth of 75 m).
The veins represent a highly typical epithermal gold system, with outcropping banded and colloform textured quartz veins, quartz breccia, and vein swarms mapped up to 20 m wide in the historical open pit. The host andesitic flows and pyroclastics are the southernmost extension of the Tertiary Volcanics of the Hauraki Goldfield which hosts the Martha Mine as well as the WKP West prospect.
Glass Earth Gold Exploration
Above: Laying cable for E-SCAN]
Click to enlarge
Large scale E-SCAN(r) 3D resistivity surveys were conducted at Otawa and Gibraltar (respectively north and south of Muirs) in 2007, with follow up surface mapping and rock chip sampling. Rock chip sampling of outcrops returned individual results in the 0.5-3.0 g/t Au range. This work demonstrated that this exciting epithermal gold prospect conjoins into one large continuous alteration and quartz veined system over 5000m in length, surrounding the historic Muirs Reef gold deposit.
In 2008 drilling of three deep diamond holes to test ground in and around the historic Muirs Reef deposit returned several gold intercepts, with the Massey Reef interpreted to be a sheeted vein system consisting of numerous banded quartz veins up to 5 m in width with interstitial stock work veining and brecciation, displaying extensive quartz veining and strong alteration and weathering throughout.
In 2009, gradient array resistivity profiling was undertaken over the Muirs prospect, with results suggesting a broader epithermal vein system west of the Muirs Reef veins. Data processing of the gradient array resistivity program was completed, with interpretation providing encouraging detail on subsurface geology and indicating the potential for several major new veins and extensions of existing veins. At this point our conclusions were that:
- a high-level epithermal gold system was indicated by the broad mineralized intersections in the three diamond drill holes, including 30 m @ 1.2 g/t Au and 6 g/t Ag, 16 m @ 1.1 g/t Au and 3.5 g/t Ag, within a broad zone of 37 m @ 0.8 g/t Au and 3.5 g/t Ag, confirming a mineralized system to 75m depth;
- additional gold mineralized quartz veins intersected either side of the broad intercepts indicate potential for a stockwork of veins between the Massey and Muirs vein systems;
- recent EM electrical ground surveying confirmed additional resistors indicative of new veins in the vicinity of Massey and Muirs quartz reef, and a potential new reef system east of Muirs quartz reef; and
- quartz vein petrology indicates a high-level epithermal system with unconstrained depth potential.
In late 2010 five drillholes completed a fence of drilling across the centre of the Muirs prospect, with the work program objective being to test geophysical/gold geochemical anomalies located parallel to, and along strike of, the Muirs and Massey Reefs. The objectives were only partially met, due to full sectional coverage not being achieved.
MSDDH05 (targeting the Muirs Reef in an untested central zone) intersected veining on the contact between andesite and volcaniclastic sediment, but with no economic mineralization detected, while MSDDH06 (targeting the western geophysical anomaly and coincident gold anomalous rock chips) encountered fresh unaltered andesite without significant alteration or veining, and accordingly the western target has been discounted as prospective.
Reverse circulation drilling testing the Eastern Vein target (MSRC01 and MSRC02), intersected hydrothermal clay-pyrite alteration with minor quartz veining. These drill holes terminated well short of their proposed depths, and while no gold mineralization was detected results indicate potential for parallel vein sets to the east of the Muirs/Massey vein system.
Above: Diamond drilling at the Muirs Reef project.
Click to enlarge
MSDDH07 (drilled 440m south along strike of the Muirs Reef) was the most encouraging and insightful hole of the campaign. Drilled to test a strong resistor south along strike from Muirs Reef workings, MSDDH07 encountered strong hydrothermal alteration with all of the features associated with gold mineralization - including broad intervals of intense silicification, potassium-feldspar addition (adularia), frequent narrow quartz veining and high concentrations of iron sulfides (pyrite). Gold assays were sub-economic with the highest result being 0.41ppm gold over 1m from a hydrothermal breccia.
Accordingly this area to the south and west of Muirs Reef has significant potential. MSDDH07, while encountering anomalous mineralization, provided further encouragement due to the presence throughout of extensive veining and alteration. The hole terminated in mineralization and demonstrates a link to Massey Reef, where high gold grades have been detected at surface.
As encouragement was found in the detection of alteration and veining on the potential Eastern Vein target, and significant potential indicated to the South (where intense alteration and silicification was encountered over 300m south of the Muirs Reef, open both south and westwards), interest in the Muirs prospect has remained high and exploration work steadily continued.
Most recently, channel sampling commenced in 2011, discovering significant quartz veining which exhibited multiple phases of gold deposition, across over 450 m of the prospect's southwest extension. Gold mineralization was consistently encountered, with results including 24 m @ 5.72 g/t Au. Steady and encouraging exploration progress to date means that Glass Earth Gold now plans a further drilling program in 2011, with the objective of proving up identified mineralization and establishing an NI 43-101-compliant resource.
Placer Mining
GEGL subsidary Glass Earth Mining (Dunstan Mining Ltd) actively mines for placer ("alluvial") gold across GEGL's large permit holding in the Otago region (where over 8M ounces of gold has been mined historically since the first gold rush in 1861).
Current resources under mining and resource consents total ~15,000 oz, with a further ~15,000 oz under resource development.
The mining enables cash to be generated from ground already being held for hard-rock exploration (where we are looking for targets similar to the nearby Macraes Mine, a mesothermal shear-hosted 7.2M ounce deposit owned by OceanaGold).
Current placer production is around 2,000 oz/annum, with the immediate goal of our placer operations is to increase production to 7,500 oz/annum to cover all company-wide "General and Administrative" expenses, with further profit being re-invested into hard-rock drilling and wider exploration in Otago and up north at WKP and Muirs."
GEGL Mining Equipment
Gold Recovery Units
(GRU's)GRU #1, GRU #2, GRU#3:
processing at between 50m³ - 70m³/hr depending on composition of the material; jigs or riffles recovery;
 GRU#1 when leased out to L&M at Earnscleugh (click to enlarge) |
 GRU#2 at McAdies (click to enlarge) |
 GRU#3 on site at Drybread (click to enlarge) |
Excavators
6 x ranging in size from 20-33 tonnes;
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Dump Trucks:
2 x 25 tonne articulated
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Dozer:
1 x D 85
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Ancillary pumps, generators, testing gear, & workshops etc.
OPHIR (50%)
- Grade: Drill intercepts average 5 - 7 g/t Au over 6 m, bonanza grades up to 56 g/t Au
- Potential: Wai-iti open along strike 600 m & down dip, 3 adjacent anomalies: + 500,000 oz Au
- Type: Mesothermal shear hosted gold; multiple veins and shear breccia localized by greenschist
- Length: 6 km greenschist, defined from mapping and ultra detailed magnetics, several individual 500 m targets
- Width: 6 - 8 m gold bearing quartz veins
- Depth: 0 - 75m drill confirmed
GARIBALDI
- Grade: multiple samples between 1 g/t - 16 g/t Au
- Length: 900m network of quartz veins
- Width: Broad zone ~300m based on surface rock chips / geochemistry containing multiple parallel features; anomalous gold in soils peak 9,750ppb Au
The Garibaldi gold prospect lies in the centre of the Otago schist belt, a mesothermal gold province host to the 7M oz Macraes Mine (Oceana Gold 100%) currently producing in excess of 200,000 oz gold per annum. Historically this region was a prolific placer gold producer, with some 8M oz of gold recovered. Placer gold production continues on a moderate scale today.
Glass Earth undertook a major geophysical survey over the entire area in 2007-2008 targeting major structures likely to host Macraes style mesothermal gold.
Click to Enlarge
Exploration following the airborne geophysics survey highlighted mafic protoliths as important hosts to gold mineralisation; regional geochemical surveys followed by detailed soil sampling recorded anomalous gold in soil over an area 5 km x 2 km with individual results up to 9,750 ppb Au. Narrow outcropping quartz veins gave anomalous rock chip values (up to 8.73 g/t gold) which encouraged a significant trenching program to delineate mineralised quartz veins and host mafic schist over a 900m x 300m area.
Multiple areas of highly anomalous gold, arsenic, tungsten - key ingredients of "Macraes"-style mineralisation strike out over 1km.
Otago Region exploration has focused on developing targets recognised as having the signature of orogenic - mesothermal gold mineralisation and the size to generate large gold deposits.
 Digging the trench (click to enlarge) |
 Digging the trench (click to enlarge) |
 Quartz Vein in bottom of channel (click to enlarge) |
