Firstly, Teck continues it’s 5000-meter drilling campaign at Timmins Porcupine West. As a bureaucratic megalith, it’s become truly painful & frustrating for all of us, waiting on results. The last I heard, one hole has been completed to a depth of roughly 800 meters, yielding some low grade values, and at depth, finding some high grade material. This hole was a 250 meter ‘step-out’ hole from roughly the middle of the known existing proven up zone. Traditionally, a ‘step-out’ would be 50-75 meters distant from another previously drilled hole, in an effort to expand the known size of the deposit. I can only guess that the group of Teck guys on site, in collusion with their senior counterparts at Head Office, are looking for an outside boundary of the deposit to assist with deposit modelling.
Apparently, the drilling of the two holes they are working on now has been quite difficult. As the drill bits have moved from one strata level to the next, the bits have moved slightly off line, cause for major concern, as continuing downward would create even greater problems. Apparently, a solution has been employed, and the crew are continuing downward to completion of these two holes as quickly as possible. Then, of course, their process of analysis, and further Head Office delays. I suspect the crew are on a ‘gag’ order, as no definitive information has been indicated on additional drilling, or site locations at this time.
However, on a more positive note, a recent senior victim of the Teck employee cutback shared that the prevailing attitude at Teck is that the deposit modelling done to date indicates a gold deposit far greater than the Hemlo deposit Teck mined back in the 70’s/80’s, which yielded approximately 25 million oz. of gold.
Given his fiduciary responsibility to shareholders to provide information in a timely fashion, I know Chris Dupont is pushing hard on Teck to provide him with definitive information for release to Explor shareholders.
Secondly, there is most certainly a major move being made on the Timmins Camp, and the entire region for that matter, by some very seasoned, shrewd, and seriously wealthy individuals and the organizations they control. The big question is ‘Why?’
I’ve believed all along that gold will escalate in value far beyond previous highs. I think the ‘big boys’ know it’s coming as well, and they are preparing for it by acquiring as much cheap stock as they can get their hands on. We’ve seen significant buying in EXS from new investors over the past couple of weeks. The volume on Lakeshore on Friday, the 18th (LSG), next door, was huge. The recent Private Placement in Metals Resources east of TPW names a very interesting buyer. A number of other PP’s and acquisitions have taken place in the region over the past couple of months by the same bunch. I suspect Explor will probably be approached as well….Makes me go….hmmmmm.
Given the USD continues holding its strength, and oil continues to show weakness, we could see .72 Cdn dollars (or less) for some time to come. For established producers, that means far less paid out in wages, services, and fuel, (paid in Cdn dollars), and greater profit selling their gold in USD. It follows then that the gold equities market is in for a major surge of interest & enthusiasm, especially in the well established, and politically safe Timmins Camp. It’s an interesting time for EXS….I’m continuing to accumulate.
Merry Christmas to all, and a VERY Prosperous New Year!!