Drilling reveals veins of gold in the south

August 1998

VEINS of gold have again been discovered in south Wicklow after Irish Marine Oil released details of their latest exploration. The south Wicklow discoveries were made in the Tombreane area from two holes drilled. But at this stage it is unlikely that the south Wicklow finds will bring another El Dorado situation to the area as was the case when gold was first discovered in Avoca.

The gold finds so far at Tombreane at 0.41 grammes per tonne of soil is way below what is needed for a commercial operation. IMO chairman John Teeling said that seven grammes of gold per tonne is what is normally sought for a commercial gold mine.

However, it is now believed that the gold occurs in a series of veins over a wide zone in the Tombreane area. But Irish Marine Oil’s exploration figures for the north Wexford area are much more golden. IMO, who have been drilling in the north Wexford/south Wicklow area since 1993, have discovered a vein near the surface at Kilmichael which yielded 18.24 grammes of gold per tonne of soil, while another drill hole produced a yield of 35.05 grammes per tonne.

At Knocknalour, 19.95 grammes per tonne were encountered in one hole, while another yielded 10.45.