TORONTO (miningweekly.com) – Toronto-based Iamgold is investigating potential problems with the handling of drill samples at the Kalana project, in Mali, smaller partner Avnel Gold reported on Monday.
Under an agreement with Avnel, Iamgold can earn 51% of the project by spending $11-million, delivering an NI-43-101 resource calculation of at least two-million ounces of gold and proceeding with a feasibility study.
Iamgold has informed Avnel that sample preparation protocols have not been consistdeskripsi zenith vertical shaft impact crusherently followed by SGS, the independent laboratory engaged in the programme, during periods of 2010.
„The issue is being intensively investigated by SGS and Iamgold aprocesses of crushing stone crusher mining processnd remedial action has been initiated,“ the company said.
The SGS laboratory at Kalana has been temporarily closed and will be re-opened once more experienced SGS emplomining cone crusher for sale stone crusher indiayees have been sent to the laboratory and additional equipment installed, Avnel said.
All reverse-circulation and diamond-drilling samples analysed to date will be re-analysed zenith hp 500 cone crusher stone crusher indiaat SGS’s sample preparation laboratory in Bamako and analytical laboratory in Kayes, and Iamgold wants to have all the re-assaying completed by the end of this year.
„Preliminary investigations indicate that some sample material for pulverisation was lost during the sample preparation phase, and that drill samples were found discarded on the project site,“ Avnel said.
„Iamgold report that they believe the QA/QC protocols were properly applied to pulverised samples, but that the loss of sample material may have distorted the representivity of those samples.“
There is a good chance that the problems began early in the 2010 drill programme, so errors may have been included in assay results reported in June, but Iamgold says that underground grab sample assays reported at the same time are unaffected and that the geological observations therein remain valid.
Avnel quoted Iamgold exploration vice-president Mike Donnelly as saying that the sampling and assay problems were „unfortunate“ but that Iamgold is still „enthusiastic“ about the potential for the project.
Shares in Avnel Gold slipped 1,8% on Monday, to 27,5 Canadian cents. Iamgold dipped 0,5%, to C$17,84 a share by 16:00 in Toronto.