It is hard to understand how the old-timers left 49.5 gram per tonne gold dirt behind at Kingwest’s Lady Shenton mine near Menzies, however that is what the recently unearthed records show from face sampling done over 100 years ago. Mines Department records from the long-abandoned mine include a 22m long drive going 49.5g/t within a 45m long section going 22.3g/t gold.
The face samples from level ten of the old Lady Shenton mine at Kingwest’s Menzies gold project, show that very high-grade mineralisation is still open at depth.
A total of 37 face samples were taken along development drives and rises from level ten at the mine and they have provided a treasure trove of information for Kingwest who are looking to re-exploit the old mine that was closed decades ago in a low gold price environment.
Each sample was taken from a channel with an average width of about 1m across the face of a development drive along level 10, Kingwest said, which is 220 vertical meters below ground level.
According to the company, the old assays support the results of a recent drill hole that intersected 1.5m at 14.3g/t gold from 292.1m, including 0.3m @ 71.3g/t gold. This intersection is more than 40m deeper than the deepest level of the Lady Shenton Gold Mine.
The historic sampling information has resulted in the discovery of substantial intervals of high-grade mineralization, however, the Lady Shenton Gold Mine ceased production in 1939 after very limited mining and it looks like much of the high grade dirt may still be in place.
The sampling is also important because it confirms that at the time mining ceased, the Lady Shenton Gold Mine was “in-ore” according to Kingwest management.
Kingwest CEO, Ed Turner said: “We are very pleased that the team continues to deliver results that support our belief in the continuation of high- grade gold mineralisation at depth throughout the MGP. Lady Shenton was a major historic producer and the proof that very high-grade gold extends to the deepest levels of mining and is confirmed by results from our 2019 drilling in KWR027 is extremely encouraging for the next phase of extension drilling.”
The company said that these assay results are similar to those recently reported at the old abandoned Yunndaga mine about 6km to the south on Kingwest’s ground.
The Menzies Gold Project is notable not only for its very high-grade historic underground production but also for the limited amount of deep drilling within the area. Major deposit locations within the Menzies mineralised corridor are now open at depth over several kilometres of trend Kingwest said.
It was not unusual for old-timers to abandon mines with grades that we would consider to be crazy in today’s high gold price environment – the real question for Kingwest is just how much was left behind and how much did the old-timers not know about.
The discovery of the historic face sampling results and the realisation that this dirt at least is most likely still in the mine, has provided a significant shot in the arm for Kingwest as it looks to execute its well-defined strategy at Menzies.
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