Jan 12 2011
Northgate Minerals Corporation (TSX: NGX, NYSE Amex: NXG) has reported that follow-up drilling on the YD West zone, located at the Young-Davidson Project in northern Ontario, has confirmed continuity and expansion of the zone as two follow-up holes have intersected higher grade mineralization.
The YD West zone was discovered when hole YD10-198 intersected 3.46 grams per tonne ("g/t") gold over 79.5 metres ("m") earlier in 2010.
Drill Highlights - Hole YD10-198A: located approximately 60 m west and below discovery hole YD10-198, returned 6.16 g/t uncut over 21.3 m (estimated 14.2 m true thickness). - Hole YD10-234: located approximately 50 m east and slightly below hole YD10-198, returned 4.37 g/t over 17.8 m (estimated 9.5 m true thickness). A part of the zone in this hole was cut off by a post- mineral diabase dyke. - These two holes have returned higher grades than the average resource grade at Young-Davidson and confirm the fault offset model relating the YD West zone to the main Young-Davidson deposit. - A US$2 million exploration budget has been allocated in 2011 to complete a 12,000 m diamond drill program, a significant portion of which will focus on defining resources within the YD West zone.
"With the receipt of these positive assay results, the 2010 exploration program at Young-Davidson has ended on a high note," commented Ken Stowe, President and CEO. "Our priority now is to focus on defining the zone's gold resources. Equally as important, the Young-Davidson deposit also remains open down dip and to the east and there is always potential for further discovery as we drill other prospective targets on the property. This ongoing exploration program is expected to have a positive impact on the annual production profile once underground mining commences in 2014."
2011 Diamond Drill Program
Following up on the success of the 2010 exploration program on the YD West zone, Northgate will expedite a diamond drill program in 2011 focusing on resource definition. Approximately 10,000 m of drilling is planned to extend the YD West zone and delineate additional resources. With the current data, the zone appears to have a minimum strike length of approximately 200 m, measures 175 m along dip and averages 20 m in true thickness.
The long section and level plan below illustrates the location of holes 198, 198A and 234 in relation to the existing Young-Davidson reserves.
Other holes drilled in 2010, located closer to surface and west of the main Young-Davidson deposit, are also shown on the long section and intersected either low-grade intervals or failed to reach target depth as a result of drilling complications.
Figure presents a level plan (horizontal slice) of the property's geology immediately west of the currently defined reserves (at 9200m elevation), which terminated against the diabase dyke (shown in brown) that was the arbitrary western limit of the present reserves. However, drill holes 198, 198A and 234 have now confirmed that there is a continuous gold bearing horizon west of the dyke.
Further Growth Potential at Young-Davidson
The Young-Davison deposit remains open in three directions: to the west, east and down dip. In 2010, geophysical surveys consisting of various forms of induced polarization ("IP"), gravity and airborne magnetics were completed over select portions of the claim group. The results of these surveys have indicated high ranking drill targets on the east and west flanks of the currently known deposit. As discussed in Northgate's press release dated January 10, 2011, two surface diamond drills will operate on the property this year with one drill focusing on resource definition at the YD West zone. A second drill will test the new geophysical and conceptual targets; mostly further along trend east and west of the Young-Davidson deposit. In general, higher IP chargeability with a co-incident gravity anomaly is associated with gold mineralization in the deposit area. These are the type of anomalies that will be tested on the east and west flanks of the Young-Davidson deposit in 2011.
Quality Control - Analyses and Sample Location
Details of quality assurance/quality control procedures for sample analysis and drill hole survey methodology are reported in detail in the Canadian National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") compliant Technical Report filed on SEDAR on August 21, 2009.
Qualified Persons
The program design, implementation, quality assurance/quality control and interpretation of the results are under the control of Northgate's geological staff, which includes a number of individuals who are qualified persons as defined under NI 43-101. Carl Edmunds, PGeo, Northgate's Exploration Manager, is responsible for the overall supervision of the program.
Source:
Northgate Minerals Corporation