Categories: Base Metals / Precious Metals
Topics: General Base Metals / General Precious Metals

Rockridge Resources (TSX-V: ROCK) CEO Grant Ewing on 3,000-Meter Drill Program at the Raney Gold Project in Ontario

Gerardo Del Real: This is Gerardo Del Real with Resource Stock Digest. Joining me today is the CEO of Rockridge Resources (TSX-V: ROCK)(OTC: RRRLF), Mr. Grant Ewing. Grant, how are you this morning?

Grant Ewing: I'm doing great. Thanks for asking.

Gerardo Del Real: And busy, apparently. You just commenced your 3,000-meter diamond drill program at your high-grade Raney Gold Project in Ontario. An exciting program that I believe will consist of approximately 11 drill holes. Is that correct, Grant?

Grant Ewing: Yeah, that's right. We've just commenced the program as we speak here. It's a 3,000-meter program, roughly 11 diamond drill holes planned. The first half of that program, so roughly 5 or so holes, will test the down-plunge of the high-grade hit that we announced and drilled earlier in the year, that 28 grams per tonne over 6 meters. Then we'll also test the down-plunge extent of some historic high-grade hits. That'll be focused right around the mineralized Raney zone, as we know it today. 

The last half of the program will march out along strike and test this horizon, this structural corridor that we've identified as being a similar geologic setting as the Raney mineralized zone. There's virtually no drilling completed on this structural corridor along strike. That'll be about half the program that'll test that zone.

Gerardo Del Real: How many targets have you developed on the property? I know initially you did the first-pass program and then it seemed like the follow-up field work really helped identify additional targets.

Grant Ewing: Yeah, that's right. Our first drilling program was earlier in the year and then that was followed by a summer program of prospecting, mapping, and understanding the geologic setting better. Now we've got a pretty good handle on things. We know that this magnetic low horizon that hosts the Raney mineralization extends considerably along strike east and west. This is based on the drone magnetic survey we conducted in the summer. Along this horizon, that's outside of the known mineralized zone, there's been no drill testing. So it's hard to quantify the targets, but it's a long horizon. It extends several hundred meters. We'll drill test certain areas in that and then based on results, continue to follow up.

Gerardo Del Real: The drilling contractor that you're using is very, very experienced, especially in this area. Can you speak to that a bit?

Grant Ewing: This group that we've chosen for this program is well versed in operating in the area. They work for Newmont just to the west of us, at its Borden Gold Project. We're happy to bring this group in and conduct this program.

Gerardo Del Real: Excellent. Grant, exciting times. Gold seems to be flirting with $2,000 again. Before I let you go, can you just provide everybody a brief recap of the excellent infrastructure? You mentioned Newmont and the surrounding majors that you're nestled in between there. Can you speak to that a bit? That's obviously advantageous if you're able to delineate a discovery of significance.

Grant Ewing: That is certainly the case with Raney. This project is very well located, both infrastructure-wise and in a geologic setting. It's very conducive for world-class discoveries. We can drive to this project from Timmins in under 2 hours. That really helps keep our drilling costs modest compared to operating in other areas. 

We've got a couple of high-profile neighbors. To the west is Newmont with its Borden Gold Mine. That was opened just last year and it's a high-grade underground mine. To the east, IAMGOLD and its partner are developing the Cote Gold Project. That project will be one of IAMGOLD's flagship assets going forward. The area's under pretty heavy exploration by a number of groups and there's also some serious mining companies active in the area. They're mining or developing projects.

Gerardo Del Real: Not a bad neighborhood to have an address at.

Grant Ewing: Certainly that's the case and that's part of Rockridge's strategy, acquiring projects that are in great geologic settings with world-class potential.

Gerardo Del Real: I got to ask you about Knife Lake because copper is sitting here at $3.10 a pound and I know that's an exciting project in itself, the Knife Lake deposit. Can you speak to that just a little bit? How are things on that front? I know gold is first and foremost, and Raney is the main event for now, but do you anticipate any more work at Knife Lake?

Grant Ewing: We're fortunate to have a great second asset. It's our Knife Lake Project, a copper-dominated massive sulfide deposit located in Eastern Saskatchewan, Canada. It's got an established, significant resource already. The next step there is to get into the field and drill test some of these high-priority targets we've identified very close to the Knife deposit. 

We're doing the internal planning and looking at that, perhaps in the winter upcoming. We'll get back into the Knife Lake project, perhaps as early as this winter with drilling, but that's still in the planning stages and our current focus is on the Raney Project and we'll get those drill results coming through over the next several weeks as we continue with the 11-hole drill program.

Gerardo Del Real: I like gold. I like copper. You have two exciting projects, each that have the potential to deliver on multiple fronts. Good place to be.

Grant Ewing: We agree and with a small outstanding share capital, we're well positioned for a great re-rating potential in the marketplace if we can deliver results like we did last time with this Raney drill program.

Gerardo Del Real: Fantastic. Grant, thank you for your time. Looking forward to the results.

Grant Ewing: You bet. Great talking to you today.

Gerardo Del Real: Same your way, Grant. Thank you.