Queenstake Drills 140 Feet of 0.46 opt Gold at Starvation Canyon
August 03 2006 - 10:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
DENVER, Aug. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- A recently completed
surface drill hole by Queenstake Resources Ltd. (TSX: QRL; Amex:
QEE) at the Starvation Canyon project identified one of the best
intervals of high-grade gold mineralization in the history of
Jerritt Canyon exploration: 140 feet with an average grade of 0.46
ounce of gold per ton (opt) or 43 meters of 16 grams of gold per
tonne (gpt), beginning at 280 feet (85 meters) from surface. This
interval includes an intercept of 70 feet of 0.63 opt (21 meters of
22 gpt), which in turn includes 40 feet of 0.87 opt (12 meters of
30 gpt). Commenting on this exploration result, President and Chief
Executive Officer Dorian L. (Dusty) Nicol said, "This exciting
discovery of additional high-grade gold mineralization at
Starvation Canyon is significant due to its location, as much as
its thickness and grade. The 140-foot interval at 0.46 opt is
located between the two known gold resource zones and could
represent a newly identified northwest trending gold-bearing
structure. It is also considerably higher grade than our Starvation
Canyon estimated measured and indicated resources of 676,400 tons
at 0.28 opt (190,700 contained ounces). We are following up with
additional step-out drilling intended to extend the west zone of
Starvation Canyon." Starvation Canyon's gold resources are
contained in two northwest trending zones (see the Appendix: Map
1), which currently extend 1,700 feet (518 meters) and are open in
several directions. The currently defined resource is within a
prospective 4.5-mile (7.2 kilometer) corridor of gold occurrences
in favorable geologic settings. This trend appears comparable
geologically and geochemically to the mineralized trends in the
northern and central parts of the Jerritt Canyon district that have
combined to produce over 7.5 million ounces of gold since 1981. Two
reverse-circulation rigs are drilling at the project, with a core
rig expected to be added to the program later this year. Queenstake
expects to invest $3 million in exploration at Starvation Canyon in
2006. The project is located on Queenstake's private land,
approximately 12 miles southwest of the Jerritt Canyon mill. The
Starvation Canyon deposit lies above the water table in an area of
steep topography and could be easily accessed by development of a
drift from the hillside. Evaluation of Starvation Canyon
Exploration Drift Mr. Nicol added, "With a very large area of
favorable geology for exploration drilling, we are optimistic about
resource additions at Starvation Canyon and advancing the project
to production within the next two years. We are currently
evaluating development of an exploration drift that could more
rapidly advance the project from underground drill platforms.
Preliminary designs indicate that an 800-foot drift would reach the
known boundary of the west zone. We expect to make a decision
regarding the exploration drift in the fourth quarter of 2006." The
exploration results(1) from surface reverse circulation drilling in
the west zone described in this news release are outside of the
boundary of estimated resources(2) identified at year-end 2005
(refer to the March 5, 2006 news release announcing estimated
mineral reserves(2) and resources). The table below provides
highlights from a completed drilling campaign of three 500-foot
(152-meter) holes in the west zone of Starvation Canyon. Drill hole
TJ-248 was approximately 80 feet east of the eastern boundary of
the West Zone at Starvation Canyon and drill hole TJ-246 was
approximately 300 feet (91 meters) west of TJ-248. Table 1:
Starvation Canyon West Zone Drill Results Highlights(1),(3),(4) Dip
From To Interval Grade Drill Hole # (feet) (feet) (feet) (opt)
Type* TJ-246 -90 410 420 10 0.224 RC TJ-247 -90 380 390 10 0.150 RC
TJ-248 -90 280 420 140 0.459 RC including 285 355 70 0.625 RC with
305 345 40 0.871 RC and 390 420 30 0.547 RC * RC denotes reverse
circulation drilling Drilling is ongoing in other parts of
Starvation Canyon for which results will be reported later this
year. Drill testing of some prospective targets at Starvation
Canyon has been hampered this year by a lack of sample recovery at
the targeted depths using reverse circulation drilling. Testing of
these areas awaits the arrival of a core drilling rig. Queenstake
Resources Ltd. is a gold mining and exploration company based in
Denver, Colorado. Its principal asset is the wholly owned Jerritt
Canyon gold operations in Nevada. Jerritt Canyon has produced over
7.5 million ounces of gold from open pit and underground mines
since 1981. Current production at the property is from underground
mines. The Jerritt Canyon District comprises 119 square miles (308
square kilometers) of geologically prospective ground controlled by
Queenstake, representing one of the largest contiguous exploration
properties in Nevada. Notes: (1) A complete data set, from which
the drill results highlighted in this news release were selected,
is available as an Appendix to this news release under the Investor
Information/News section on the Company's website,
http://www.queenstake.com/. (2) Mineral "resources" or "resource"
used in this news release are as defined in National Instrument
43-101 of the Canadian Securities Administrators and are not terms
recognized or defined by the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC). Mineral resources are not reserves and do not
have demonstrated economic viability. For further information,
please refer to the risk factors and definitions of reserves and
resources in the Company's filings on SEDAR and with the SEC on the
Company's website, http://www.queenstake.com/. The Qualified Person
for the technical information contained in this news release is Mr.
Dorian L. (Dusty) Nicol, President and Chief Executive Officer of
Queenstake. (3) Results presented in this news release were
analyzed using standard fire assay techniques at the American Assay
Lab in Elko and Reno. Intercepts are reported as drilled and are
not necessarily "true widths," which have not yet been calculated.
(4) A description of the geology, sampling procedures and the
Company's laboratory Quality Assurance/Quality Control procedures
are described in the Company's National Instrument 43-101 Technical
Report filed on SEDAR on May 4, 2006. This report is available
under Investor Information/Financial Information/SEDAR filings at
http://www.queenstake.com/ or at http://www.sedar.com/ under the
Company's name. For further information call: Wendy Yang,
303-297-1557 ext. 105 800-276-6070 Email - Web -
http://www.queenstake.com/ Cautionary Statement - This news release
contains "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of
applicable Canadian securities regulations and Section 21E of the
United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements,
other than statements of historical fact, included in this release,
and Queenstake's future plans are forward-looking statements that
involve various risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking
statements include, without limitation, (i) estimates and
projections of reserves and resources, (ii) estimates and opinions
regarding geologic and mineralization interpretation, (iii) timing
of project advancement, (iv) timing of commencement of production
from a deposit, and (iv) timing of availability of drills and other
equipment. There can be no assurance that such statements will
prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could
differ materially from those anticipated in such statements, in
particular the estimates do not include input cost increases that
could occur in future. Forward-looking statements are based on the
estimates and opinions of management on the date the statements are
made, and Queenstake does not undertake any obligation to update
forward-looking statements should conditions or management's
estimates or opinions change. Forward-looking statements are
subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, including gold
and other commodity price volatility, political and operational
risks, which are described in the Company's 2005 Annual Information
Form filed on SEDAR and 2005 Annual Report on Form 40-F on file
with the Securities and Exchange Commission as well as the
Company's other regulatory filings. DATASOURCE: Queenstake
Resources Ltd. CONTACT: Wendy Yang of Queenstake Resources Ltd.,
+1-303-297-1557, ext. 105, or +1-800-276-6070, Web site:
http://www.queenstake.com/
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