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Information derived
from previous owners suggested that the Hog Ranch
deposit was a high level gold system, however,
little definitive supporting evidence for this
interpretation had been developed. Previous
drilling demonstrated that high-grade gold concentrations
are present well below the level of exploitation
both beneath and outside of the developed pits.
The distribution of alteration and mineralogy
of alteration are consistent with the upper levels
of a gold-bearing hydrothermal system, in particular
the occurrence of pyrite-arsenopyrite-stibnite
coexisting with gypsum-kaolinite-quartz.
An additional discovery in the mine area is the
presence of gyserite, a rock formed at the surface
from water erupting in a hydrothermal vent.
All these observations developed from current
and past work lead to the conclusion that the
Hog Ranch mine was developed on the top of a much
larger hydrothermal system. It is the opinion
of Seabridge’s geologists that past development
exploited only the upper and waning stages of
the hydrothermal system. None of the past
mining exploited the structures in which the gold-bearing
fluids were transported. This observation
implies that the mass of the gold-bearing hydrothermal
system of Hog Ranch is intact and below the current
level of exploration.
Under its option, Romarco intends to conduct
exploration drilling designed to test deeper
parts of the Hog Ranch gold system. It is
believed that Hog Ranch has the potential to develop
a high-grade structurally-controlled gold deposit
similar to other major deposits in Northern Nevada,
like Midas and Sleeper.
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