Aurizon reports update on exploration at Casa Berardi
June 01 2009 - 9:00AM
PR Newswire (US)
Shares Listed: Toronto Stock Exchange - Ticker Symbol - ARZ NYSE
Amex: - Ticker Symbol - AZK U.S. Registration: (File 001-31893)
VANCOUVER, June 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Aurizon Mines Ltd.
(TSX: ARZ; NYSE Amex: AZK) is pleased to provide a progress report
on exploration activities at its Casa Berardi mine property, in
north-western Quebec. In the first quarter underground exploration
was centered on the development of an exploration drift at the 810
metre level, east of Zone 113 and south of the Casa Berardi fault.
The exploration drift will provide drill access to test the depth
extension of Zone 113 and to test the continuity and extension of
Zones 118 to 122 and 123-South. To date, 1,091 metres of drifting
has been completed, providing drill access 500 metres east of the
production shaft. Drilling performed in the vicinity of Zone 113
has confirmed the previous geological interpretation of the Zone
and has extended the favourable gold trend 100 metres deeper. To
date, nineteen (19) underground holes totalling 5,695 metres have
been completed. The best results reported are as follows:
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Mineralized Intersections Hole East From To Gold grade True width
(metres) (metres) (metres) (grams/tonne) (metres)
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CBW-0885 11,382.5 176.5 190.4 12.7 13.2
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CBW-0692 11,397.5 338.6 353.0 6.1 7.2
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CBW-0886* 11,352.5 160.0 180.1 30.6 20.1
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CBW-0696 11,427.5 208.3 212.8 22.3 3.9
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* Hole CBW-0886 was drilled within the mineral reserves contour
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Geology At Casa Berardi, mineralization is generally closely
associated along a 30 to 50 metre wide gold trend, hosting multiple
quartz veins and disseminated gold rich sulphide ore bodies, such
as Zones 113, NW and Lower Inter, which are currently included in
mineral reserves. This gold trend was previously identified down to
850 metres from prior underground drilling. The current program has
extended the trend down to the 950 metre level intersecting two
mineralized intervals along drill holes. Mineralization did not
intersect a large quartz vein similar to Zone 113, but intersected
quartz veins, stockworks and disseminated sulphide located along
the Casa Berardi Fault (CBF) and also along splays of the fault (S)
developed along the contacts of sediments and volcanics and
sediments and conglomerates. Results of all drill holes are
provided in detailed tables attached to this news release. Outlook
Since the recommencement of mining operations at Casa Berardi, the
first priority was to confirm the viability of existing mineral
reserves, followed by renewing mineral reserves depleted by
production and upgrading inferred mineral resources to the
indicated category. http://files.newswire.ca/734/Gold_Inventory.doc
The 2009 exploration program has been increased in order to test
targets outside of the contours of the current mineral resources.
The new underground and surface drilling program, which will
explore along the west extension of the Lower Inter zone, along the
Principal Zone and along the dip extension of the East Mine with
the objective of increasing the inferred and indicated mineral
resources, will commence in the coming months. Five (5) rigs will
be active on the program. Two drill rigs are currently active along
the 810 metre level, with a third rig to be added when development
of the drift is completed. A total of 40,000 metres of underground
and surface drilling and 1,900 metres of underground exploration
access drifting at the 810 metre level and south of the Lower Inter
Zone should be completed this year. Quality Control Core assays are
performed on core sawed in half, with standard fire assay
procedures and atomic absorption finish. Certified reference
material, duplicate and blanks are inserted in the sample sequence
for quality control. Assay checking on pulp and coarse reject are
carried out on approximately 10% of samples. Additional information
on Quality Assurance and Quality control ("QA/QC"), can be found in
the 'Technical Report on the Casa Berardi Mine", dated February 9,
2009, which can be found under Aurizon's profile on
http://www.sedar.com/. Primary exploration assaying was performed
at the mine site laboratory and the QA/QC program is performed at
ALS Chemex lab in Val-d'Or. Drill hole planning, implementation and
the quality control program is supervised by Jeannot Boutin P.Eng.,
Mine geology superintendent, an appropriately qualified person as
defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Boutin is also
responsible for the scientific and technical information in this
news release. Additional Information One sketch is attached showing
the Casa Berardi mine area. Detailed results from the additional
holes drilled are reported in a separate table. All other
information previously released on the Casa Berardi mine is also
available on the Aurizon website.
http://files.newswire.ca/734/Casa_Berardi.pdf About Aurizon Aurizon
is a gold producer with a growth strategy focused on developing its
existing projects in the Abitibi region of north-western Quebec,
one of the world's most prolific gold and base metal regions, and
by increasing its asset base through accretive transactions.
Aurizon shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol
"ARZ" and on the NYSE Amex under the symbol "AZK". Additional
information on Aurizon and its properties is available on Aurizon's
website at http://www.aurizon.com/. Forward-Looking Statements and
Information This news release contains "forward-looking statements"
and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable
securities regulations in Canada and the United States
(collectively, "forward-looking information"). The forward-looking
information contained in this news release is made as of the date
of this news release. Except as required under applicable
securities legislation, the Company does not intend, and does not
assume any obligation, to update this forward-looking information.
Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to,
statements with respect to estimated mineral resources, anticipated
effects of drill results on the Casa Berardi project, estimated
mineral reserves and timing and expectations of future development,
exploration and work programs. Often, but not always,
forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words
such as "plans", "expects, "is expected", "budget", "scheduled",
"estimates", forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes",
or the negatives thereof or variations of such words and phrases or
statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could",
"would", "might", or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. The
forward-looking information contained in this news release is based
on certain assumptions that the Company believes are reasonable,
including, with respect to mineral reserve and resource estimates,
the key assumptions and parameters on which such estimates are
based, as set out in the technical report for the property, that
the current price of and demand for gold will be sustained or will
improve, the supply of gold will remain stable, that the general
business and economic conditions will not change in a material
adverse manner, that financing will be available if and when needed
on reasonable terms and that the Company will not experience any
material accident, labour dispute, or failure of plant or
equipment. However, forward-looking information involves known and
unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the
actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be
materially different from any future results, performance or
achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking
information. Such factors include, among others, conclusions of
economic evaluations, the risk that actual results of exploration
activities will be different than anticipated, that cost of labour,
equipment or materials will increase more than expected, that the
future price of gold will decline, that the Canadian dollar will
strengthen against the U.S. dollar, that mineral reserves and
resources are not as estimated, that actual costs or actual results
of reclamation activities are greater than expected; that changes
in project parameters as plans continue to be refined may result in
increased costs, of unexpected variations in mineral reserves and
resources, grade or recover rates, of failure of plant, equipment
or processes to operate as anticipated, of accidents, labour
disputes and other risks generally associated with mining,
unanticipated delays in obtaining governmental approvals or
financing or in the completion of development or construction
activities, as well as those factors and other risks more fully
described in Aurizon's Annual Information Form filed with the
securities commission of all of the provinces and territories of
Canada and in Aurizon's Annual Report on Form 40-F filed with the
United States Securities and Exchange Commission, which are
available on Sedar at http://www.sedar.com/ and on Edgar at
http://www.sec.gov/. Although the Company has attempted to identify
important factors that could cause actual actions, events or
results to differ materially from those described in
forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause
actions, events or results to not be as anticipated, estimated or
intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking
information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future
events could differ materially from those anticipated in such
statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on
forward-looking information due to the inherent uncertainty
thereof.
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Casa Berardi Fault Length along Gold True Hole East From To the
hole grade Width Zone (grams/ (metres) (metres) (metres) (metres)
tonne) (metres)
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CBW-0685 11397.5 183.7 185.0 1.3 4.7 1.0 CBF
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CBW-0686 11397.5 193.4 195.6 2.2 6.8 2.0 CBF
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CBW-0687 11397.5 221.3 222.0 0.7 12.0 0.5 CBF
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CBW-0691 11397.5 205.3 212.8 7.5 2.7 6.1 CBF
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CBW-0691 11397.5 279.5 291.0 11.5 0.4 7.5 CBF
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CBW-0692 11397.5 338.6 353.0 14.4 6.1 7.2 CBF
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11397.5 CBW-0692 Incl. 340.7 343.5 2.8 30.1 1.4 CBF
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CBW-0696 11427.5 208.3 212.8 4.5 22.3 3.9 CBF
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11427.5 CBW-0696 Incl. 210.5 212.8 2.3 42.6 1.8 CBF
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CBW-0697 11427.5 231.5 235.8 4.3 3.0 3.2 CBF
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CBW-0698 11427.5 256.7 258.3 1.6 23.3 1.2 CBF
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CBW-0699 11412.5 336.8 346.9 10.1 0.7 4.5 CBF
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CBW-0883 11382.5 173.2 176.1 2.9 13.1 2.8 CBF
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CBW-0884 11382.5 181.4 184.8 3.4 4.6 3.0 CBF
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CBW-0885 11382.5 176.5 190.4 13.9 12.7 13.2 CBF
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CBW-0886 11352.5 160.0 180.1 20.1 30.6 20.1 CBF
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CBW-0888 11352.5 192.4 194.6 2.2 2.7 1.8 CBF
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CBW-0889 11352.5 210.9 214.0 3.1 3.5 2.7 CBF
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Casa Berardi Fault Splays Length along Gold True Hole East From To
the hole grade Width Zone (grams/ (metres) (metres) (metres)
(metres) tonne) (metres)
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CBW-0684 11397.5 157.7 166.8 9.1 3.6 9.0 S
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CBW-0685 11397.5 147.9 156.0 8.1 9.2 7.8 S
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CBW-0686 11412.5 159.1 162.4 3.3 6.5 3.0 S
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CBW-0687 11412.5 164.2 168.6 4.4 6.1 4.0 S
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CBW-0691 11412.5 173.9 181.3 7.4 2.0 5.7 S
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CBW-0692 11412.5 189.9 191.3 1.4 8.4 1.0 S
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CBW-0693 11397.5 217.4 218.9 1.5 4.6 1.0 S
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CBW-0693 11397.5 243.0 247.5 4.5 4.5 3.4 S
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CBW-0695 11427.5 162.5 165.5 3.0 9.0 3.0 S
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CBW-0696 11427.5 161.3 166.2 4.9 10.2 4.8 S
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CBW-0697 11427.5 176.0 182.0 6.0 1.7 4.8 S
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CBW-0698 11427.5 182.0 185.9 3.9 3.4 3.0 S
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CBW-0699 11412.5 197.0 201.5 4.5 3.1 3.0 S
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CBW-0883 11382.5 153.0 156.0 3.0 4.2 2.8 S
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CBW-0884 11382.5 145.5 152.5 7.0 4.5 6.8 S
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CBW-0885 11382.5 142.0 151.5 9.5 4.4 9.3 S
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CBW-0886 11352.5 133.5 144.0 10.5 3.7 10.3 S
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CBW-0888 11352.5 141.0 147.0 6.0 3.4 5.6 S
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CBW-0888 11352.5 154.5 162.0 7.5 8.4 7.2 S
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CBW-0889 11352.5 163.5 165.0 1.5 8.3 1.2 S
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Zone 118 Length along Gold True Hole East From To the hole grade
Width Zone (grams/ (metres) (metres) (metres) (metres) tonne)
(metres)
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CBW-0887 11600 358.5 366.4 7.9 2.7 6.8 118
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CBW-0887 11600 501.0 505.6 4.6 2.4 2.3 118
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DATASOURCE: Aurizon Mines Ltd. CONTACT: AURIZON MINES LTD., David
Hall, President and C.E.O., Telephone: (604) 687-6600, Toll Free:
1-888-411-GOLD, Fax: (604) 687-3932; Michel Gilbert, Vice
President, Telephone: (819) 874-4511, Fax: (819) 874-3391; Web
Site: http://www.aurizon.com/; Email: ; or Renmark Financial
Communications Inc., 2080 Rene-Levesque Blvd. West, Montreal, QC,
H3H 1R6, Barry Mire: , Henri Perron: ; Media: Vanessa Napoli: ,
Tel: (514) 939-3989, Fax: (514) 939-3717
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