Xmet starts 7,000 metre drill program targeting further resources at Duquesne-Ottoman

Xmet (CVE:XME) said Wednesday that it has begun the second phase of diamond drilling on its Duquesne-Ottoman property in Quebec, targeting the expansion of the current 727,000 ounce inferred gold resource.
The phase two, 7,000 metre drill program will use two rigs, with one focused on resource expansion at the Shaft Zone, where summer trenching, mapping and channel sampling provided a better understanding of the structural controls on gold mineralization, the company said.
Highlights from surface channel sampling on this zone included 13.3 grams per tonne (g/t) of gold over 3.0 metres.
Meanwhile, the remaining rig will target resource expansion on the Liz and Fox Zones, which are sub-parellel to eachother, and contain 420,000 ounces of cut gold, representing 57% of the total inferred resource at the property.
The reported average horizontal width for the Liz Zone averages 7.26 metres, and 5.43 metres for the Fox Zone. The Fox Zone has reported a persistent average grade of 7.43 g/t gold over a strike length in excess of 400 metres, the company said, and as a result, management considers these two zones to be top priority for the phase two program.
"The Phase 1 drill program was extremely successful on the Duquesne-Ottoman property," said president and COO, Charles Beaudry.
"With the commencement of the Phase 2 drilling program starting today, we are targeting expansion of the current NI-43-101 compliant inferred resource base of 727,000 ounces Au.
"Upon completion of the Phase 1 drill program, Xmet's management team has tripled the size of the previous historical Kinross resource after the first year through cost-effective exploration."
Indeed, earlier this month, Xmet announced an NI 43-101 compliant resource report for the project, conducted by Watts, Griffis McOuat Limited, which estimated 727,000 ounces of inferred cut gold, using an average top cut of 30 g/t gold, or 853,000 ounces uncut.
The company is also planning on targeting other areas on the property during the drilling campaign in the winter months, including three new discovery zones where current resources have potential for further expansion, it said.
Xmet, through its subsidiary Duquesne-Ottoman Mines, carries out gold resource exploration and development.
Under the terms of a mining option agreement between Duquesne-Ottoman Mines and Duparquet Assets, Duquesne-Ottoman Mines can earn an option to purchase 75% of Duparquet Assets, which owns the Duquesne-Ottoman project. The property consists of 20 claims (commonly referred to as Duquesne West) and 40 claims (commonly referred to as Ottoman) covering an area of 928.6 hectares ,located within the townships of Duparquet and Destor in Quebec.