Canadian miner Lion One Metals said mining at its URW1 lode at the Tuvatu alkaline gold project in Fiji has started, and it has obtained an initial face sampling underground.

Officials said strike driving has reached the URW1 Lode and an initial intersection has revealed one primary vein and numerous stockwork style veins.

“Visible gold was observed in multiple locations on the face of the lode and within four different fracture orientations,” Lion One said.

“Three of these fracture orientations are sub-parallel to the grade control drill axis and would therefore be difficult to identify given their orientation relative to the grade control drilling. A sample line was completed perpendicular to the main vein, and a grab sample was collected from the foot of the face.”

Lion One Chairman and CEO Walter Berukoff cited diligence and hard work by its teams for the ability to mine the second lode so close to the first, and said the amount of coarse-grained gold visible at the face was even more than it expected.

“We are optimistic that the overall grade of the URW1 lode could end up being even higher than what the grade control drilling has suggested. We continue to learn more about the Tuvatu system as we open the system up underground, and we are beginning to see how well-endowed the Tuvatu system truly is.

“Just like the discovery of the URA1 lode on our initial drive underground, the system continues to provide surprises to the upside as our underground developments progress.”

Lion One wholly owns Tuvatu, which is located on the island of Viti Levu.

Source: Lion One Metals