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Outcropping gold mineralization was discovered by a Tonopah prospector in the 1960s in the hills
just northwest of Black Rock and US 95/6. The mineralization was explored at that time by a 50-foot
deep shaft (Boss Mine) and some dozer trenches plus 2 diamond and 8 rotary drill holes. Houston Oil
and Minerals Corporation (HOM) began systematic surface exploration of the outcropping mineralization
and surrounding area in 1979 and outlined a small, unclassified resource of about 200,000 tons at an
average gold grade of 0.07 ounces per ton. Disappointed with the small size and their inability to get
the ore to leach, HOM relinquished the property at the end of 1979.
The property was then acquired in 1981 by Ebco Enterprises and optioned in that year by Falcon
Exploration, who proceeded to delineate a larger reported ore zone at the Boss of about 786,000 tons at
an average gold grade of 0.055 ounces per ton and elected to construct a small open-pit, heap leach mine.
Homestake Mining Company optioned Falcon’s peripheral claims in 1987 and discovered gold
mineralization south of Black Rock during their drill program. Homestake relinquished the property
that same year.
Falcon poured their first bar of gold in January 1988 and began an exploration program on the
peripheral claims in the spring of that year. Westley Explorations and Mintec Resources optioned
the Boss claims from Falcon in August of 1988 and undertook a surface exploration and drilling
program. The area northeast of Black Rock, now known as the Castle zone, was never drilled by
Mintec. Mintec eventually relinquished their claims in the early 1990s, including the northeastern
corner of the block, which covered the current Castle deposit.
Kennecott Exploration staked a large block of claims northeast of the Boss pit in 1992 as part of a
large regional exploration program in the Walker Lane District. This original claim block did not
include what eventually became the Castle discovery. Kennecott executed a surface exploration program
of geological mapping, rock sampling and resistivity (CSAMT) surveying on the property later that
year with initial drilling in 1993. The discovery hole (CAS – 30) was drilled in June 1994
with an intercept of 160 feet (215 feet to 375 feet) at an average gold grade of 0.04 opt. Kennecott
eventually drilled a total of 65 RC holes totalling 26,435 feet, which delineated a broad mineralized
zone 2400 feet wide and at least 4200 feet long. The last RC hole was drilled in August 1995. The ore
zone was never systematically drilled out and other mineralized drill holes were left without follow-up.
In October 1996, Fisher-Watt Gold Company (FWG) purchased the Castle property, consisting of 20 ¿CPî
claims, from Kennecott. They staked an additional 32 lode claims around the periphery of the Kennecott
block. The surrounding ground to the west and south, including the Berg and Black Rock zones, was
staked by Platoro Resources, LLC earlier in that same year. In January 1998, the property was optioned
from FWG by Zephyr Resources.
Subsequent to Zephyr Resources, Cordex Exploration Co (a 100% subsidiary of Rayrock Resources Inc.)
leased the FWG properties and conducted additional exploration activities including RC drilling.
In 1999 Glamis Gold acquired Rayrock and the Castle/Black Rock project was dropped.
In 1999 Platoro acquired the FWG ground, thereby consolidating the property positions under one owner.
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