Thunder Mountain Gold, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: THMG; TSX-V: THM), a US-based exploration company focused on discovering and defining high grade, high quality precious and base metal resources has announced that the initial drilling program has begun on its 100 percent owned South Mountain Project located in Owyhee County, Idaho.
The primary focus for this season's drilling is the gold anomaly in the Intrusive Breccia target that covers an area approximately one mile long by nearly one-half a mile wide. The zone is located approximately 2,500 feet south of the historic South Mountain polymetallic mine area. Envirotech Drilling of Winnemucca, Nevada has been contracted to drill approximately 3,000 to 6,000 feet (925 to 1,850 meters) of reverse circulation drilling. The total drilled for this season will depend upon the weather conditions as the Project is located at elevations of up to 7,800 feet (2,400 meters) above sea level.
The initial round of drilling is to test the four main targets associated with the mile-plus long gold breccia zone. If time allows, additional drill holes are also being designed to test the down dip extensions of the Texas and DMEA 2 sulfide replacement ore zones in the main mine area. Although these two areas are being targeted separately, the Company believes that there is a relationship between them due to a common mineralizing event. Although the initial round of drilling will be completed by reverse circulation drilling, any favorable geology and mineralization results encountered will be either simultaneously core drilled or followed by core drilling.
Jim Collord, President of Thunder Mountain Gold, commented, "The Thunder Mountain Team is excited to begin drilling at the South Mountain Project to test the potential extent and grade of this large gold anomaly. The recent sample results taken from the road cuts were outstanding and as a result we believe the target has the potential to be more extensive than we initially expected. With our recently completed $1.2 million private placement we are well positioned to complete this drilling program at South Mountain starting this season and finishing early next year."
About South Mountain
The 100% owned South Mountain Mine was purchased by Thunder Mountain Gold in 2007. This flagship property was first mined in the late 1800s through the 1950s, and consists of a land package of approximately 1,200 acres of mostly private land – both patented and leased. A new gold target was revealed during fieldwork at South Mountain in 2009, and additional exploration was conducted on the new target to further identify the gold potential of this gold bearing intrusive breccia.