With an anticipated production of 100,000 ounces of gold a year and a target production date in late 2013, Aurizon Mines' Joanna Gold Project is expected to emerge as Aurizon's second operating mine in Quebec.
The Joanna property currently hosts 995,000 ounces of mineral reserves, 2 million ounces of measured and indicated mineral resources and 1.4 million ounces of inferred mineral resources.
Covering six kilometres of Quebec's Cadillac Break, the Joanna Gold Project is conveniently located 20 kilometres east of Rouyn-Noranda just off Highway 117 and 2 kilometres northeast of the Rouyn-Noranda airport. The Rouyn-Noranda mining district is well known for its base metal deposits associated with volcanic rocks and several gold deposits in the immediate vicinity of the Cadillac Break that have been defined over the years.
The project comprises 155 claims and is divided into six sectors based on different ownership agreements. There are currently two major deposits identified to date, the Hosco deposit and the Heva deposit. Both deposits are accessible via gravel roads less than 1 kilometre from Highway 117.
Following the optioning of the Joanna Project in 2006, Aurizon carried out surface diamond drilling, which resulted in the identification of large mineralized zones. Aurizon then evaluated the potential to mine lower grade and higher tonnage material by open pit. This study was followed by infill drilling with the objective of confirming the grade and continuity of the new mineral resources.
A feasibility study is currently underway on the Hosco open pit deposit and is scheduled to be completed mid 2011. An updated mineral resource estimate on Hosco will be included in the feasibility study. In addition, optimization of metallurgical recoveries and environmental impact studies are ongoing.
$3.7 million will be spent on exploration on Heva in 2011.