New significant gold discovery ‘very positive’
IN DECEMBER 2020 it was revealed that one of the “most significant” discoveries in decades had been unearthed at the Clogau St David’s goldmine.
A potential 550m extension was found at the source of the most historic gold production, where the drilling team found a “really solid gold intercept”.
Alba Mineral Resources shared the news after the first phase of an underground drilling programme at the mine was completed that October.
Experts believe they intersected a westerly extension to the Clogau Main Lode, the area that has been the source of the most historic gold production for the iconic Welsh business.
Finding a continuation of the Main Lode, which has never previously been exploited, would constitute the “most significant discovery at the mine in many decades”, Alba said at the time.
As part of the drilling programme, seven drill holes were completed for a total of 559.5m. Within that, one particular drill returned “significant gold assays” or analysis – a finding which has been described as a “great success”.
George Frangeskides, Alba’s executive chairman, said: “The intersection of quartz veins along strike from the Main Lode is a potentially significant discovery.
“The Main Lode has provided most of the gold production at the Clogau St David’s goldmine historically, so finding a continuation of the Main Lode which has never previously been exploited would constitute the most significant discovery at the mine in many decades.
“What’s more, intersecting representative gold grades at Clogau solely from drilling is always going to be a challenge given the nature of the deposit, which is why our methodology has always involved drilling and bulk sampling working hand-in-hand.
“So for our drill team to hit a really solid gold intercept in our very first underground drilling campaign of just seven holes is a very positive outcome indeed.”
The finding came a year after miles of land were discovered to contain gold.
The samples of Clogau gold were found across a 9km stretch of the Dolgellau gold belt, including one belt four times longer than the Clogau St David’s mine.