A large-scale geological project. The Territory company has begun prospecting work at the Aunakit site, where it expects to discover large deposits of ore gold.
According to preliminary estimates by experts, gold reserves at the deposit can reach 49 tons. It is planned that the average content of valuable metal in ore will be 1.5 grams per ton.
The project covers two promising areas – Verkhneaunakitsky and Nizhnedogaldynsky. Their total area exceeds 34 square kilometers. The license for geological exploration of these territories is valid until October 2029.
The company intends to speed up work and put reserves on the state balance sheet by 2029. This will allow you to obtain a license for exploration and production gold according to a simplified scheme for pioneers.
At the first stage, which will last until 2027, Territory plans to confirm the mineral resource base in the amount of 15 tons of gold for open-pit mining. At the same time, an additional resource potential of 50 tons of precious metal will be assessed.
To achieve these goals, a set of geological exploration activities is planned. Specialists will conduct geological routes with a total length of 100 kilometers and perform detailed geochemical and magnetic surveys. The work program includes the selection and analysis of more than 8 thousand rock samples.
The total investment in the search and evaluation stage of the project is estimated at 600 million rubles.
Geologists note the prospects of the project, citing the successful examples of the nearby Krasnoye and Vostochnoe fields. Their total reserves exceed 90 tons of gold with similar ore characteristics.
The discovery of a new deposit at Aunakit can significantly strengthen the position of the Irkutsk region as one of the key gold-mining regions of Russia. Successful implementation of the project will create new jobs and replenish the regional budget.
The material was prepared with the support of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science as part of the Decade of Science and Technology.
Source: @nedradvnews
