PROJECT OVERVIEW
Location and Access
The Winston District Gold Project is situated 18 miles (30 kilometres) southeast of the capital of Helena, and approximately 2 miles (3.2 kilometres) southwest of the small community of Winston. There is year-round access by paved highway, a major powerline intersecting the property and a railroad siding within two kilometres.
The Winston Mining District is located 37 kilometers southeast of Helena, Montana. There is year-round access by paved highway. Electrical power and a railroad siding are located close to the district, which is two kilometers north of the highway.
Past Production
- The Winston property hosts two past producing mines; the Custer and Edna mines.
- The district has a rich history of mining dating back to the 1867, with an estimated total district production of 100,000 ounces of gold from 150,000 tons of ore (an average grade of 0.67 ounces/ton or 22.8 g/t gold).
- Historic records indicate that the Custer Mine was a major contributor to the overall district production estimate.
- The Custer Vein was mined continuously for over 2400 ft (732 metres) on five primary levels.
- Very little mining was performed below the 400 ft level (4,180 ft elevation).
- The Custer and Edna mines were in production sporadically from 1930 to 1955.
Opportunity
The Winston property deposits are classified as steeply dipping syn-tectonic fissure quartz-sulfide vein systems that have the potential to extend to considerable depths.
Very little mining was performed below the 400 foot level (4,180 feet elevation) of the Custer Vein and Management believes the vein may extend for at least another 500 feet (150 metres) below this level, giving the potential for new resources measuring 2,400 feet laterally, 500 feet vertically and averaging up to 4 feet in width.
The historic development of the #1 and #2 Winze down to the 300 ft level (on the western end of the vein system) indicates the presence of high-grade Mineralization. Historically miners would only develop secondary shafts (known as Winzes) to quickly access high grade or from above. This was faster and cheaper than developing a long drift from the primary shaft. There is no reason why this high-grade zone under the #1 and#2 Winze does not continue.
Six holes of the 2014 program cut significant intercepts in veins on the western side of the Edna intrusive. This identified eight new vein targets that were never before mined. This vein trend is 500 feet long and remains open to the east, west and at depth.
Montana’s Small Miners permit will allow the company to access test and mine these vein systems quickly.
It is management’s intention to confirm and extend mineralization at the Custer and Edna mines and commence test mining at a rate of 150 tons per day ramping up to 230 tpd if warranted.
The structure of the Custer and Edna vein systems and competent nature of the surrounding wall rocks should allow the Company to utilize the very cost effective Shrinkage Stoping mining method for its operations.
