The mining newspaper for Alaska and Canada's North
The mining newspaper for Alaska and Canada's North
Seeks to upgrade, expand largest deposit at namesake project North of 60 Mining News – June 11, 2021
The high-grade silver mineralization at Dolly Varden is associated with four historic underground mines that produced more than 19 million ounces of silver.
Dolly Varden's updated geological model indicates deeper exploration potential at the Torbrit and Wolf silver deposits.
Dolly Varden Silver Corp. May 7 announced the start of a 2021 exploration program that includes a planned 10,000 meters of drilling that will initially focus on upgrading and expanding the Torbrit silver deposit on its Dolly Varden project in Northern British Columbia.
Located about 25 miles (40 kilometers) southeast of Stewart, the roughly 8,800-hectare (21,745 acres) Dolly Varden property covers four historic mines that produced more than 19 million ounces of silver over four decades beginning in 1919.
Four deposits associated with these historic mines – Torbrit, Dolly Varden, Wolf, and North Star – host 3.42 million metric tons of indicated resource averaging 299.8 grams per metric ton (32.93 million oz) silver; plus 1.29 million metric tons of inferred resource averaging 277 g/t (11.48 million oz) silver.
The bulk of these resources are found at Torbrit, which hosts 2.62 million metric tons of the indicated resource averaging 297 g/t (25.03 million oz) silver, and 1.19 million metric tons of the inferred resource averaging 278 g/t (10.59 million oz) silver.
This year's program is the first phase of Dolly Varden's two-year goal to aggressively expand and upgrade the Torbrit Silver Deposit and multiple silver-rich satellite zones with the objective of advancing Dolly Varden to be the next high-grade silver mine in BC.
"Our geological team has been highly encouraged with the recent engineering reviews of the Torbrit silver deposit, whereby the majority of the wide, consistent silver mineralization is potentially amenable to bulk underground mining methods such as longhole stoping as well as excellent underground geotechnical conditions," said Dolly Varden Silver CEO Shawn Khunkhun. "Our 2021 drilling program is designed to upgrade inferred resources to measured and indicated classification and test for near-mine extensions and new mineralized zones to enhance the block model."
Dolly Varden's crews are at the project and preparing to start a program that will begin with 5,000 meters focused on delineating and expanding the resources at Torbrit, followed by 5,000 meters of exploration drilling targeting new deposit areas.
The company's updated geological model suggests that the silver-rich Torbrit horizon dips underneath the bottom of the valley that hosts the deposit. Exploration drilling will include some deeper holes to explore this down plunge extension potential of Torbrit.
In addition to the drilling, Dolly Varden plans to complete road and site upgrades in preparation for underground access and exploration.
"After an intense and methodical off-season geological review, our 2021 field program will be our most ambitious but very goal oriented," said Khunkhun. "Combined with Hecla's nearby drilling program and other junior company exploration projects, this will be a very busy season in the Dolly Varden silver belt."
Hecla Mining Company's drilling is being carried out at Kinskuch, a 146,800-acre (59,400 hectares) precious and base metals exploration project that lies adjacent to the Dolly Varden property.
Hecla also owns a roughly 11% equity stake in Dolly Varden Silver Corp.
CORRECTION: The size of the Dolly Varden property has been corrected to 8,800 hectares.
Over his more than 16 years of covering mining and mineral exploration, Shane has become renowned for his ability to report on the sector in a way that is technically sound enough to inform industry insiders while being easy to understand by a wider audience.
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