Alba Mineral Resources said its underground drilling programme at Clogau-St David’s gold mine would be unaffected by recent Covid-19 restrictions imposed in Wales.
The company added that Wales would introduce a two-week ‘firebreak’ from 23 October to 9 November 2020 to help stop the pandemic. However, Alba is on schedule to complete the first phase of bulk sampling, and start the first phase of regional surface trenching and the preparations for the surface drilling before the end of 2020.
Hole L002 was drilled to 121.5 metres, heading north from the current workings on the Llechfraith level. Hole L003, at the Grandfathers stope on the Llechfraith level, is currently being prepared for drilling.
Bespoke pilot gold processing plant
Bulk sampling is progressing well, with the Jack Williams stope floor stripped back and stockpiled. Approximately eight tonnes of material has been gathered from build-up of previous periods of mining.
The first bulk sample is being prepared for processing at a third-party facility in Cornwall, while the remaining bulk samples will either be processed at the same facility or by Alba after it builds its bespoke pilot gold processing plant.
Alba still expects the pilot plant to be fully operational during the fourth quarter of 2020.
Underground work has also involved rehabilitating and testing a 280m length of pipeline running through the Llechfraith level. This will provide pressurised air to drill the next drill hole at a previously inaccessible target.
Alba said it would complete the rehabilitation of the remaining 300m of pipework during 2021.
Executive chairman George Frangeskides added that the company had made “excellent progress”.
“The programme is scheduled to continue until the end of October, following which we will move into the formal assaying of all the drilled and sampled material, the start of the first phase of our regional surface trenching programme as well as preparations for the surface drilling campaign which we also hope to kick off next month.”
Alba also holds interests in Greenland (graphite, ilmenite, iron ore, copper-cobalt-gold), Ireland (zinc, lead) and in Surrey (onshore oil).