Omai begins core drilling at Wenot Pit

The Canada-based Omai Gold Mines Corp has commenced the first phase of diamond core drilling at the Omai Project in Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni).
It was noted that the 5000-metre drill programme would focus on expanding the open-pit potential of the historical past-producing Wenot Pit, where previous drilling had demonstrated the potential for similar grades and thicknesses of gold extending below the current pit.
The drilling, combined with the logging and assaying of 6000 metres of historical core, is expected to accelerate a new mineral resource estimate planned for late 2021.
During the first quarter of this year, environmental baseline, metallurgy, and hydrology studies are expected to commence.
Historical data and geophysics along with new geologic modelling suggest multiple relatively untested targets for evaluation by trenching and drilling on the licence.
In a statement on Thursday, Omai Gold Mines Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mario Stifano said: “We are very excited to kick off our initial 5000 metres of drilling, especially after extending mineralisation 150 metres below the historical pit with multiple high-grade assays, including 9.1 grams per tonne gold over 14 metres, as part of our programme of logging and sampling of 6000 metres of unassayed recovered historical core. We look forward to testing the extent of gold mineralisation below Wenot and reporting on our results in the coming months.”
A single rig with two shifts will initially be deployed at the potential drill sites.
Under former management, Cambior, the Omai gold mine historically produced 3.7 million ounces of gold from the Fennell and Wenot open pits. But experts have posited that this has hardly scratched the surface and that Omai is far from mined out.