VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Jan. 12, 2017) - West Kirkland Mining Inc. (TSX VENTURE:WKM) ("West Kirkland" or the "Company") announces that it has given notice to Eastfield Resources (USA) Inc. ("Eastfield") of West Kirkland's election to purchase 7 patented mining claims comprising approximately 140 acres over a portion of the Hasbrouck and Three Hills Project.
On September 11, 2014, the Company entered a mining lease and purchase agreement with Eastfield for the patented mining claims, including surface rights. Total consideration to be paid is CDN$285,000, of which CDN$155,000 has already been paid, leaving a balance due of CDN$130,000. The legal process to close the purchase has been initiated by the Company. Closing and registration of title are expected to be completed by the end of January.
The purchase of the Eastfield patented claims and surface rights is consistent with the fully permitted Plan of Operations for the Three Hills gold mine. Federal permits for the construction and operation of Three Hills as an open pit, run-of-mine, heap leach gold extraction operation were obtained in November, 2015.
The Company also announces that at Three Hills a 1,300 meter reverse circulation ("RC") drill program has now commenced. Drilling will initially explore targets east of the permitted open pit by stepping out from hole MW14-01 (40 meters @ 1.36 g/t, 55 meters below collar), and TH12R-15 (66 meters @ 3.3 g/t, 76 meters below collar). Drill targets at Three Hills are adjacent to some of the best intercepts on the property. The earlier holes referenced above are located within the permitted open pit boundary, but are not located within the current reserve boundary.
After the planned RC drilling at Three Hills is complete, the Company also intends to perform step-out and infill RC drilling at the newly acquired Hill of Gold property, which lies three kilometers south of Three Hills and between the Three Hills and Hasbrouck Mines. Earlier drilling at the Hill of Gold by past operators totals 29,926 feet from 83 reverse circulation holes and 6 core holes. A small historical resource was estimated at Hill of Gold. Core crushed to 1-1/2 inch was tested by McClelland Laboratories Inc. in columns with gold recovery from cyanide leaching projected at 81.0% and 86.7% after 62 to 79 days.
Drilling performed at Hill of Gold in 1993 in the area currently targeted by WKM includes hole 93-63 (32 meters of 0.5 g/t gold, 58 meters below collar), and hole 93-61 (41 meters of 1 g/t gold, 70 meters below collar). Drilling in this same area in 1996 included hole HG96-5 (29 meters of 1.2 g/t gold, 55 meters below collar) and hole HGC96-6 (17 meters of 2.9 g/t gold, 59 meters below collar). Modelling by West Kirkland suggests these intercepts are open for further expansion near-surface at potential open-pit depths. The Hill of Gold host rocks and geological setting of gold mineralization are similar to the Three Hills deposit.
About West Kirkland Mining Inc.
West Kirkland owns a 75% interest in the Hasbrouck Gold Project in Tonopah, Nevada. A Pre-Feasibility Study and Environmental Assessment with construction-level drawings and all federal and state permits for the phase-one Three Hills Mine provides an advanced project with the potential for expansion from current drilling. West Kirkland also holds a 60% interest in the open pit heap-leach TUG Gold Project in Utah in Joint Venture with Newmont.
