i-80 Gold Corp. [IAU-TSX; IAUX-NYSE] reported additional positive results from exploration drilling at the 100%-owned Ruby Hill property, located in Eureka County, Nevada.
The 2023 program continues to expand high-grade gold and polymetallic mineralization in multiple zones and has identified carbonate replacement deposit (CRD) mineralization in the central portion of the Blackjack deposit — a complete summary of new results is provided in an attached table.
The current drill program at Ruby Hill is focused on defining and expanding high-grade mineralization in multiple target areas including Carlin-type gold, polymetallic CRD and zinc-skarn. All horizons remain open for expansion.
Recent highlight results from the most recent 12 drill holes include:
Blackjack CRD: 15.6% Zn, 8.7% Pb, 420.4 g/t Ag and 0.6 g/t Au over 40.4 metres (iRH23-41), including 20.9% Zn, 25.1% Pb, 1.0 g/t Au and 1,221.1 g/t Ag over 11.8 metres.
Blackjack skarn: 10.7% Zn, 0.4% Pb, 0.2 g/t Au and 37.0 g/t Ag over 47.9 metres (iRH23-41).
East Hilltop: 15.9% Zn, 4.3 g/t Au and 284.4 g/t Ag over 7.2 metres (iRH23-39).
Gold-mineralized zones: 6.9 g/t Au over 50.7 metres, including 8.0 g/t Au over 24.9 m (iRH23-40) – Ruby Deeps; 9.1 g/t Au over 10.2 metres (iRH23-41) – Lower Jack.
“The Ruby Hill drill program continues to yield exceptional results in multiple target areas including the recent identification of high-grade polymetallic CRD mineralization in the Blackjack Zone,” stated Tyler Hill, chief geologist of i-80. “Step-out drilling is expanding mineralization in several zones with all known horizons remaining open for expansion. We are also compiling the results of recently completed geophysical surveys that have identified multiple high-priority anomalies that will be tested in the future.”
Drilling continues to expand both polymetallic CRD and skarn mineralization in the Upper and East Hilltop Zones situated along the Hilltop fault structure where mineralization has now been defined over a strike length of approximately 750 metres including the Upper, Lower and East Hilltop Zones. The current drilling program is also focused on the Blackjack deposit, one of the primary polymetallic zones at Ruby Hill, where zones of gold mineralization are also being intersected. Step-out drilling is also demonstrating significant expansion potential in the Ruby Deeps gold deposit.
The Blackjack deposit is located immediately under the Archimedes pit and is being tested utilizing directional core drilling. The 2023 program is demonstrating the potential to expand high-grade polymetallic mineralization through step-out drilling and is also defining CRD mineralization in the upper central portion of the deposit. Hole iRH23-41 intersected high-grade skarn, CRD and gold mineralization with highlight new results that include:
iRH23-41 (skarn): 10.7% Zn, 37.0 g/t Ag and 0.2 g/t Au over 47.9 metres.
iRH23-41 (CRD): 15.6% Zn, 8.7% Pb, 420.4 g/t Ag and 0.6 g/t Au over 40.4 metres.
iRH23-41 (Carlin-type gold): 9.1 g/t Au over 10.2 metres (Lower Jack).
East Hilltop: Both CRD and skarn mineralization are being delineated in the East Hilltop target area. The skarn zone is located along strike to the south of, and in a near-identical geological setting, as the Blackjack deposit. The CRD mineralization is located immediately to the east of the Upper Hilltop Zone along the Hilltop fault structure. New drilling at East Hilltop returned high-grade results including drill hole iRH23-39 (CRD) that returned 15.9% Zn, 4.3 g/t Au and 284.4 g/t Ag over 7.2 metres.
Ruby Deeps is the core Carlin-type gold deposit at Ruby Hill and is located beneath the western portion of the Archimedes pit with a strike length of over 800 metres. Hole iRH23-40 represents a 100-metre step-out north of hole IRH23-09 (7.3 g/t Au over 10.2m) and south of drilling completed in 2022. The Ruby Deeps remains open south of iRH23-09. Highlight new assays include iRH23-40 that returned 6.9 g/t Au over 50.7 metres, including 8.0 g/t Au over 24.9 metres.
Additional exploration targets are being drilled at Ruby Hill in 2023 including the TL and FAD Zones. Further targets delineated in the recently completed geophysical surveys will be tested later in the year. Multiple holes have targeted mineralization proximal to the historic TL Mine with mixed results and narrow zones of mineralization.
Several holes have recently been completed (assays pending) at the FAD deposit located approximately 2 kmsouth of Ruby Hill where earlier drilling completed by Paycore returned intercepts of up to 8.0 g/t Au, 79.0 g/t Ag, 10.0% Zn and 1.0% Pb over 27.4 metres in hole PC22-10.
The company has submitted for approval its plan to develop an underground mine at Ruby Hill with mineralization accessed via a ramp from the Archimedes open pit. The target is to commence construction in 2024 to provide underground platforms for definition drilling and mining operations.
