The Jojay project is an advanced stage gold exploration property located
within the greenstone belt of northern Saskatchewan. Jojay is located
approximately 11 road kilometres from an existing mill and has an
exploration access road into the property. As reported in press release
of July 2005, previous exploration and surface drilling has outlined a
mineral resource on the property.
Background: The project area is located in the west central portion of
the La Ronge Domain. Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company of Canada
Ltd, latterly Cominco, acquired the property and over the next twenty
years conducted exploration which led to the discovery of the Jojay Gold
Deposit.
By the late 1960s, Cominco had reportedly estimated 'reserves' of
110,000 tons grading 0.26 oz Au/ton ('indicated') and a further 90,000
tons grading 0.26 oz Au/ton ('inferred') for the Jojay deposit. The
reliability of these figures is unknown and they are not in accordance
with the categories set out in NI 43-101. The auriferous mineralisation
was traced over a 300 metres strike length and drill tested to a depth
of approximately 75 m. The deposit was considered to be open at depth.
Claude Resources (Claude) acquired 100% of the mineral rights and
entered a joint venture with SMDC in April 1986 whereby Claude acquired
a 34% working interest, while SMDC acted as operator with a 66% working
interest. Shore Gold Fund Inc was entitled to earn a 15% interest in
the property by funding certain expenditure commitments.
Limited geophysical surveys were completed and magnetic and Induced
Polarisation anomalies were found to reflect the known gold-pyrrhotite
mineralisation. Trenches were re-established, geological mapping and
sampling was conducted and diamond drilling was completed. SMDC fully
covered the property with additional geophysical surveys which assisted
the mapping of the geological contacts. Diamond drill holes tested the
known mineralisation along strike and at depth (120 to 160 metres
vertical) and trenching exposed the mineralisation at surface.
In 1987 Kilborn prepared a preliminary economic analysis of the Jojay
deposit. The analysis assumed inferred 'reserves' of 750,000 tons at a
grade of 0.24 oz Au/ton. These 'reserves' do not meet the criteria of
reserves required by NI 43-101. The reserve base was revised and
amended later that year and a more precise geological model was
established which indicated three main mineralised zones termed the Red,
Blue and Orange Zones. A probable mineable reserve of 313,174 tons at a
grade of 0.264 oz Au/ton was estimated which met the criteria of
National Policy 2A. The estimate was based on a cross-sectional polygon
method. As no economic criteria were applied, this does not meet the
requirements of NI 43-101.
Following definition drilling, a computerised geostatistical resource
estimate concluded that a geological 'reserve' of 294,500 tons grading
0.24 oz Au/ton was present to a depth of 150 metres. Utilising a
cut-off grade of 0.15 oz Au/ton, minimum mining width of 1.2 metres,
dilution of 10% and a maximum depth of 100 metres, probable mineable
reserves of 129,100 tons grading 0.26 oz Au/ton were estimated for the
Red and Blue Zones and possible mineable reserves of 16,500 tons at a
grade of 0.30 oz Au/ton were estimated for the Orange Zone under
National Policy 2A guidelines. These do not meet NI 43-101 criteria for
reserves. A pre-feasibility study in November 1987, assumed custom
milling at the nearby Star Lake mill, which has subsequently been
decommissioned and concluded that a small operation to high-grade the
deposit would be viable at the then current gold price of Cdn$600/oz,
but recommended additional drilling to delineate a peripheral
mineralised zone prior to proceeding to a full feasibility study.
Further drilling was subsequently conducted, but the resources were not
upgraded.
At the beginning of 1989, SMDC changed its name to Cameco. No further
exploration work appears to have been conducted on the property until
the Wescan/Claude JV carried out a confirmatory drill program July 2005.
Seven holes were drilled for a total of 1218.7 meters. The purpose of
the program was to test the strike extension and continuity of
previously indicated mineralization where gaps in data existed both down
dip and down plunge as well as to confirm the occurrence of multiple
zones. The program was successful in adding to the confidence level of
the previously indicated zones named the orange, blue, purple and red by
previous operators as well as locating additional unnamed zones which
warrant further investigation. ( Press release August 2, 2005.)
The Jojay Lake project area straddles the north-north-easterly trending
contact between a sequence of interbedded mafic to felsic volcanic rocks
and sedimentary rocks. These were intruded by subvolcanic
gabbro/diorite intrusions, porphyry and mafic dykes.
A shear zone, known as the Jojay Structural Zone, extends the entire
length of the property and continues beyond the boundaries, along the
sediment-volcanic contact. A second shear, termed the Parallel
Structural Zone, occurs some 250 metres east of the Jojay Zone. Steeply
dipping faults occur including the major Gnat Lake fault zone, which
displaces the Jojay deposit. The mineralisation consists of a group of
steeply dipping, gold, polymetallic sulphide-bearing quartz vein stock
work/silica flooded zones, located adjacent and parallel to the Jojay
Structural Zone.
At least five separate zones have been recognised, including:
- The Red Zone, traced over a strike length of 300 metres to a
depth of approximately 320 metres. The zone remains open down-plunge.
- The Blue Zone, traced over 250 metres along strike to a vertical
depth of approximately 130 metres. It is essentially closed, though
narrow intercepts at a depth of 200 metres some 100 metres north of the
main Blue Zone lens indicate that an additional lens may be developing
in this area.
- The Orange Zone was intersected in two drill holes at relatively
shallow depth (~25 metres), though subsequent drilling indicated little
tonnage potential.
- The Purple zone was traced over a strike length of greater than
100 metres and to a depth of approximately 100 metres vertical. This
zone is open at depth and along strike to the north and south.
The Footwall zone was encountered in the (1988) drilling campaign.
However, a hole drilled to test the zone 50 metres beneath the initial
intersection encountered the Gnat Lake fault and intersected significant
but unusual gold mineralisation hosted within the fault, which did not
resemble typical Jojay style mineralisation but consisted of a series of
white pyritiferous quartz veins.
Diamond drill testing completed to the south along strike of the Red
Zone also intersected appreciable gold mineralisation 100 metres to the
south of the previously known extent of the zone.
A survey systematically tested for gold-in-till dispersion trains
throughout the property and indicated two principal anomalies separated
by 300 to 400 metres of till and swamp. Minor anomalies were also
detected proximal to the cross-cutting Gnat Lake Fault along strike from
the Jojay deposit, and close to the Park Lake fault, proximal to the
Parallel Structural Zone.
In September 1987, limited metallurgical test-work was conducted on a
representative sample of the mineralisation. This demonstrated that
recoveries in excess of 96% were achievable using a combination of
gravity and cyanide leaching with carbon adsorption.
The deposit is still open in a number of areas
Wescan Goldfields Inc. Work on Jojay was recommenced in June of 2007.
Most significantly, Wescan awarded a contract to AMEC's Saskatoon office
to carry out a scoping study of the Jojay project to evaluate the
economics of the project in anticipation of moving to an underground
bulk sample phase. As well, it is intended as part of the next phase of
the contract to complete a NI 43-101 compliant technical report and
resource estimate. Wescan also awarded a contract to Can North of
Saskatoon to carry out the necessary environmental baseline work
required to permit an underground exploration program.
A surface drilling program took place on Jojay in the fall of 2007. An
initial drill program of approximately 3,500 meters for the first phase
with possible extension to a phase II and phase III. The first phase of
drilling was designed to supplement the existing data base to confirm
and update the resource. The additional phases were designed to extend
the known mineralization to depth and to test for new sub-parallel zones
that may occur along the main shear zone (the Jojay Structural Zone).
The gold mineralization in the project area is associated with
mafic-felsic volcanics. Approximately $700,000 to $800,000 in
expedatures was spent in the foregoing program during the year.
The Jojay Lake property covers an area of 198 hectares and is located
approximately 150 km northeast of La Ronge, Saskatchewan. In June of
2006, Wescan staked additional claims to include ground of interest
along the western boundary of the original holdings. The Jojay project
is one of the portfolio of properties acquired from Shore Gold Inc. at
the company's initial formation in 2004. Wescan initially held the
property in a Joint Venture with Claude Resources Inc. with a 25%
interest and acted as operator. Wescan purchased Claude's 75% interest
to now hold 100% in October, 2006 in exchange for an issue of treasury
shares. (Press release November 1, 2006).
2008 Drill Program Update: Drilling commenced on December 10, 2007 and
778.7 meters were drilled in three holes prior to shutting down for
Christmas break; samples from drilling were submitted for analysis with
results listed further in 2008 report. Drilling recommenced on January
8, 2008 and at the time of writing work is continuing on hole number six
with a total of 1,464 m drilled in the current program to date. The
program called for drilling an initial phase of 3,500 m with a possible
extension for additional drilling based on results. Wescan previously
announced (see Wescan news release June 12, 2007) the award of the
contract to a Saskatoon based consulting engineering firm to carry out a
Scoping Study of the Jojay Project to evaluate the economics of the
project in anticipation of moving to an underground bulk sample phase,
and with the intension of completing a NI 43-101 compliant technical
report and resource estimate. Below were the first set of significant
gold intercepts;
- 22.95 grams per tonne (g/t ) over 1.70 metres (m), including
52.47 g/t over 0.70 m in drill JJ07-02
- 49.07 g/t over 0.50 m in drill hole JJ08-09
- 41.36 g/t over 0.80 m in drill hole JJ08-04
- 6.48 g/t over 5.50 m, including
36.8 g/t over 0.60 m in drill hole JJ08-06
- 9.37 g/t over 2.60 m, including
37.52 g/t over 0.40 in drill hole JJ08-09
(See Wescan news release February 29, 2008 for all results
)
Drilling down plunge of the known mineralized zone resulted in a
significant overall deepening of the deposit. In the north, the
mineralized zones were extended from 200 metres to 300 metres from
surface and the southern mineralization was extended from 150 metres to
250 metres from surface. These drill results clearly demonstrate the
significant increase of resource potential at Jojay.
The 2007-2008 Jojay drill program included a total of 6,336 metres of
diamond drilling in 22 holes and was completed in late February, 2008.
This drill program focused on infill drilling required for a resources
estimate. In addition, step out drilling tested deeper areas of
mineralization.
Significant uncut gold intercepts for the first 10 holes (JJ07-01 to
JJ08-10) are reported on the table in the Wescan February 29th 200 news
release as well as the results for the remaining 12 holes.
In early 2010 Wescan completed a 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate on
Jojay (see February 4th, 2010 News Release). The Mineral Resource
Estimate was completed by A.C.A. Howe International Limited in
accordance with Canadian Securities Administrators National Instrument
43-101 ("NI 43-101") and CIM Standards on Mineral Resources and
Reserves. Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources have been determined
in the Red Zone (also referred to as the Main Zone) and six minor zones
at the Jojay Gold Deposit. The Mineral Resources include 21 Wescan
diamond drill holes completed in 2005 and 2007-2008 and 79 historic
drill holes. At a block cut-off grade of 2 g/tonne Au, non-diluted
Indicated mineral resources, located entirely in the Red Zone, amounted
to 420,000 tonnes with an average grade of 3.7 g/tonne Au, for 50,000
ounces gold. Non-diluted Inferred mineral resources, approximately half
of which were located in the Red Zone amounted to 630,000 tonnes with an
average grade of 4.3 g/tonne Au, for 87,000 ounces gold. No Measured
Resources or Reserves of any category were identified. Mineral resources
are not mineral reserves and by definition do not demonstrate economic
viability. There is no certainty that all or any part of the mineral
resource will be converted into mineral reserve.
This NI 43-101 compliant resource estimate is a major milestone for the
Jojay Gold Project. Wescan's exploration to date has confirmed and
expanded a significant gold resource on the Jojay zone hosted by a
continuous shear structure (i.e. Jojay structural zone) at a
volcanicsedimentary contact. The mineral resource estimate outlines the
Red Zone and six minor mineralized zones. The zones are vertically
dipping with a north-south strike. The Red Zone is modeled over a strike
length of approximately 500 metres to a depth of 400 metres, and
averages 4-5 metres wide. The Red Zone remains open down-plunge at
depth.
2011 will entail based on recommendations by our technical team and
consultants an initial 2500 metre program with strategically plotted
drill targets. Then based on successful results a larger scale Phase II
program will be proposed to extend the zone and increase the mineral
resource.