JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – A two-year, 180 000 m drilling campaign at the Sukhoi Log deposit – Russia’s biggest greenfield gold project – has started.
A three-dimensional block model, which used historical drilling results, has estimated an inferred mineral resource of 58-million ounces, grading 2 g/t.
The campaign will provide the basis for Polyus to update the block model for the deposit and for the ore reserve and measured and indicated mineral resource estimates to be updated in accordance with the Joint Ore Reserves Committee (Jorc) code.
Polyus, which is listed on the LSE, reported on Tuesday that three drill rigs had arrived at the site. The fleet would be doubled in February next year to six drill rigs.
The drilling campaign would entail 50 000 m of verification drilling and 130 000 m of in-fill, geotechnical, geometallurgical and hydrogeological drilling works.
AMC Consultants, which generated the block model, would oversee the drilling to ensure compliance with Jorc code requirements.