TORONTO, Sept. 14 /CNW/ - YAMANA GOLD INC. (TSX:YRI; NYSE:AUY; LSE:YAU)
today announced updates to its development projects, Mercedes in Mexico and
Agua Rica in Argentina.
Mercedes, Mexico
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Drilling continued at Mercedes, focusing primarily on the central and
northern portions of the Las Barrancas Trend, the Northwest Extension at
Mercedes, and the Lupita vein zone. Drilling year to date totals 28,201 metres
in 79 core holes.
Las Barrancas
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Drilling on the Barrancas Central and North targets continues to
intersect multiple epithermal quartz-carbonate vein and stock work zones
ranging from 1.0 to 23.0 metres in true width, in an area covered by 70-120
metres of post-mineral volcano-sedimentary rocks. Gold values in excess of 2.0
g/t gold equivalent (the current cut-off grade) have been intersected along
most of a 900 metre strike length, covering a maximum vertical range of 180
metres (910 to 1,090 metre elevations). Drilling continues to intersect
certain zones of high-grade gold mineralization (up to 16.0 g/t gold
equivalent over a true width of 5.0 metres).
Significant drill results since the last update provided in the Company's
June 17, 2009 press release (using a 2.0 g/t gold equivalent cutoff) include:
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Hole Vein Ore Shoot From To Interval Au Ag
(m) (m) (m) g/t g/t
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M09-452D Barrancas Sur 247.03 255.12 8.09 11.68 68.9
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M09-453D Barrancas Centro 193.11 194.89 1.78 10.75 172.0
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M09-459D Barrancas Centro 138.37 143.3 4.93 7.60 28.2
Barrancas Centro 204.22 210.31 6.09 4.68 122.2
Barrancas Centro 245.35 256.03 10.68 4.07 62.2
Barrancas Centro 306.56 308.92 2.36 10.27 100.1
Barrancas Centro 318.82 333.42 14.60 5.82 186.2
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M09-461D Barrancas Norte 216.78 224.33 7.55 9.08 57.5
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M09-463D Barrancas Norte 220.77 223.38 2.61 7.75 97.0
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M09-464D Barrancas Norte 177.51 183.86 6.35 15.59 63.0
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M09-469D Barrancas Centro 285.90 289.03 3.13 9.51 116.1
Barrancas Centro 296.57 298.09 1.52 14.30 94.8
Barrancas Centro 303.40 306.32 2.92 6.71 51.0
Barrancas Centro 310.29 311.76 1.47 12.14 64.7
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M09-470D Barrancas Centro 246.91 249.85 2.94 10.15 46.9
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Drill results at Barrancas are encouraging as assays have confirmed the
presence of additional high-grade gold mineralization around the drill holes
reported in June 2009. Additional drilling to define ore shoots will be
undertaken to confirm continuity of the high grade mineralization. A 3-D model
of geology and mineralization is expected to be completed by year-end.
Lupita
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Initial 2009 drilling at Lupita confirmed the presence of over 2.0 g/t
gold equivalent gold mineralization along portions of a 600 metre strike
length of the Lupita vein zone, located at the contact between the upper host
andesite and lower lithic tuff. Gold mineralization extends as much as 360
metres down-dip of surface outcrops and is open at depth.
Significant drill results since the last update provided in the Company's
June 17, 2009 press release (using a 2.0 g/t gold equivalent cutoff) include:
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Hole Vein Ore Shoot From To Interval Au Ag
(m) (m) (m) g/t g/t
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L09-027D Lupita 320.34 323.35 3.01 15.17 16.9
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L09-028D Lupita 246.58 252.68 5.55 2.59 115.3
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L09-029D Lupita 271.58 275.23 3.65 3.25 17.7
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Drilling at Lupita has significantly expanded the potential within the
vein zone, by demonstrating the presence of locally high-grade gold at greater
depths within the vein zone. The drilling program is being expanded to in-fill
and step-out around current drill holes on 60 metre centres.