Omineca Prepares for Accelerated Dewatering at The Wingdam Gold Project, Barkerville, British Columbia
SASKATOON, Oct. 11, 2019 /CNW/ - Omineca Mining and Metals Ltd. (TSXV: OMM) ("Omineca" or the "Company") announces that preparations for the dewatering program are underway at the Wingdam Gold Project. These preparations involve grouting off the connection point between the current project and the deep lead channel from the historic Sanderson Mine which was operational during the 1930's. The resulting reduced water flow should decrease the dewatering time from the expected 3-4 months down to 3-4 weeks. The impact of this on the project economics of the bulk sample is significant, reducing start-up time and overall life-of-project dewatering cost. Once dewatering is complete, underground work to prepare the first zone to be opened for ground freezing and bulk sampling will begin.
Omineca, along with its partners KR Investments Corp. and HCC Mining and Demolition Inc. (collectively "HCC") completed two shallow drill holes from surface into a vent raise that connects the Sanderson Mine to the current underground workings at the Wingdam Gold Project. This connection has allowed water to flow from the historic mine to the current workings accounting for the majority of the water inflow, and represents one of the primary causes of the relatively significant dewatering times associated with the project.
Using the holes drilled from surface into the vent raise, HCC has installed a grout plug at this connection point, which will serve to block off the Sanderson Mine from the Wingdam Gold Project, with the express purpose of either ceasing or significantly limiting water flow from the old mine. Severing the link should restrict water inflows at Wingdam to the natural ground water inflow rate, which is anticipated to be 25% of the current inflow rates. It will take up to two weeks for the grout to properly set-up, at which time testing will commence to ensure that the Sanderson Mine has in fact been sealed off from the Wingdam Gold Project's underground workings. Once this testing is completed, the full dewatering of the underground workings can proceed.
HCC has been actively working on the project since late spring, preparing the site for the commencement of bulk sample activities. This includes the rehabilitation of the settling ponds, which were last used during Omineca's initial bulk sample, completed in 2012.
About Omineca Mining and Metals Ltd.
Omineca Mining and Metals Ltd. controls a 100% interest in the Wingdam Gold Project through its wholly owned subsidiary CVG Mining Ltd. The 2700 ha Wingdam Gold Project is located 45 km east of Quesnel B.C. via the Barkerville highway. The property includes both placer and hard-rock tenures along the Lightning Creek valley, where topographic conditions created a thick overburden which isolated a large portion of the channel from conventional surface placer mining activity.
Forward Looking Statements
This release includes forward-looking statements regarding Omineca and its business, including statements about the effectiveness and impact of grouting off the connection between the Wingdam Gold Project and the historical Sanderson Mine. Such statements are based on the current expectations and views of future events of Omineca's management. In some cases, the forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as "may", "will", "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "intend", "potential", "estimate", "believe" or the negative of these terms, or other similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur and could differ materially as a result of the failure to stop or limit water inflow from the historical Sanderson Mine, water inflow from other sources following the grouting, known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting Omineca, including risks regarding the resource industry, economic factors and the equity markets generally and many other factors beyond the control of Omineca. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements and information by their nature are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statement or information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements or information. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and Omineca undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
SOURCE Omineca Mining and Metals Ltd
Tom MacNeill, President and CEO, 306-653-2692, www.ominecaminingandmetals.com
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