The U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has accepted Newrange Gold Corp.’s proposed assumption of permits and bonding for the Merritt decline and related activities on the Pamlico project, including collecting the permitted 1,000-ton-bulk sample.
The Merritt decline is 3 meters (m) x 4 m x 200 m in dimension and was developed by the prior owners in 2013 at a cost of $2 million to $3 million. At that time, the decline was specifically permitted with the BLM for test mining and collecting the above-mentioned bulk sample. Assumption of these permits ensures Newrange has continued access to the Merritt decline.
“Transferring the BLM permits into the company’s name is an important step in advancing our exploration of the Pamlico Project,” CEO Robert Archer said. “This will allow us to put together a comprehensive program for larger scale metallurgical and geotechnical tests that will have a significant impact on future resource and reserve estimates.”
The bulk sample will be used to generate a “break of mine” sample that will more accurately reflect the conditions likely in an actual production scenario including rock fragmentation, work indices, power requirements, rock mechanics and even the most desirable mining methods, the company said. This material will be used to assess various concentration and extraction methods for Pamlico mineralization including screening, conventional milling, reagent consumption, heap leaching and vat leaching.
Newrange has also purchased the major underground equipment necessary to extract the contemplated bulk sample including a single boom Secoma drill jumbo and a 2-yard Eimco underground LHD style loader.
Located 12 miles southeast of Hawthorne, Nevada, the Pamlico project covers the Pamlico group of mines, as well as the nearby Good Hope, Gold Bar and Sunset mines.
