Lucky Friday | exploration
Drill results from the Lucky Friday mine remain strong. Definition drilling added approximately 7 million ounces of silver to reserves in 2011. The drilling focused on two resource areas: one to the west near the Silver Fault to the 6600 level in the mine, and the second was in a central portion of the deposit between the 6400 and 6900 levels of the mine. Drilling identified, refined, and upgraded the resource in the 30 Vein and a number of intermediate veins. The 30 Vein, which has demonstrated to contain higher silver grades, represents approximately 73% of current proven and probable ore reserve tonnages, while the remaining 27% of reserves are contained in various intermediate veins which have lower silver grades than the 30 Vein.
Underground exploration drilling defined 30 and intermediate vein mineralization below the 8000-foot level. Exploration drilling also targeted the ground in proximity to the Silver Fault to the west where higher-grade vein intercepts appear to correlate with the 30 Vein as well as intermediate veins. Recently intersected veins in the Silver Fault blocks from the 7600 to 7800 levels highlighted a 10.3 foot thickness which graded 18.4 ounces per ton silver, 15.3% lead, and 4.5% zinc.
Hecla completed approximately 37,472 feet of underground in-fill (definition) and underground drilling at the Lucky Friday through in 2011.
The exploration budget for Lucky Friday / Silver Valley in 2012 is approximately $6 million.
latest assay table results – 7500 - 7600 levels
(Within Silver Fault Blocks - Q4 2011)
| Area |
Width (Feet) |
Level (Feet) |
Silver (oz/ton) |
Zinc (%) |
Lead (%) |
||
| 30 Vein 40 Vein 50 Vein |
6.0 3.9 14.5 |
11.0 8.0 7.8 |
8.8 2.5 3.5 |
1.1 9.5 7.2 |
latest assay table results – 7000 - 7200 levels
(Within Silver Fault Blocks – Q4 2011)
| Area |
Width (Feet) |
Level (Feet) |
Silver (oz/ton) |
Zinc (%) |
Lead (%) |
||
20 Vein 50 Vein 50 Vein |
4.5 2.8 2.1 |
7.6 18.2 27.2 |
7.6 10.2 19.2 |
6.3 15.1 1.1 |
latest assay table results – 6500 - 7200 levels
(Within Silver Fault Blocks – Q4 2011)
| Area |
Width (Feet) |
Level (Feet) |
Silver (oz/ton) |
Zinc (%) |
Lead (%) |
||
5 Vein 30 Vein 30 Vein 30 Vein 30 Vein 40 Vein 90 Vein
|
3.9 9.4 8.9 15.0 6.1 5.4 1.8 |
13.1 26.5 9.2 23.3 12.8 18.2 13.7 |
10.9 5.2 4.3 0.2 9.7 7.4 1.1 |
16.4 16.7 7.1 2.3 6.7 12.8 8.8 |
latest assay table results – 7500 - 8000 levels
(Drilling from 5900 #4 Shaft,
between western Silver Fault Splays –
Q3 2011)
| Area |
Width (Feet) |
Level (Feet) |
Silver (oz/ton) |
Zinc (%) |
Lead (%) |
||
| 50 Vein 70 Vein 30 Vein 30 Vein 30 Vein 41 Vein 41 Vein 50 Vein 50 Vein |
7.8 1.2 6.8 10.3 8.9 1.1 1.3 8.0 7.2 |
7730 7900 7880 7790 7770 7760 7640 7590 7750 |
6.8 18.3 24.7 18.4 34.4 17.4 20.1 6.2 8.1 |
7.3 3.9 4.9 4.5 4.4 4.4 9.2 9.4 10.1 |
7.4 4.4 24.7 15.3 16.2 42.8 21.2 6.3 7.8 |
latest assay table results – 6400 - 6900 levels
(Drilling from 6400-55 Station - Central,
between western Silver Fault Splays – Q3 2011)
| Area |
Width (Feet) |
Level (Feet) |
Silver (oz/ton) |
Zinc (%) |
Lead (%) |
||
| 5 Vein 20 Vein |
1.3 5.3 |
6880 6880 |
5.8 4.6 |
0.6 9.7 |
7.0 4.3 |
latest assay table results – 6300 - 6600 levels
(Drilling from 6100-52 Station,
between western Silver Fault Splays – Q3 2011)
| Area |
Width (Feet) |
Level (Feet) |
Silver (oz/ton) |
Zinc (%) |
Lead (%) |
||
| 30 Vein 40 Vein 5 Vein |
6.6 5.7 4.2 |
6480 6380 6530 |
9.5 6.0 10.9 |
4.1 15.5 0.4 |
10.3 3.9 3.3 |
latest assay table results – 7000 - 8100 levels
(Drilling from 5900 #4 Shaft,
between western Silver Fault Splays – Q2 2011)
| Area |
Width (Feet) |
Silver (oz/ton) |
Zinc (%) |
Lead (%) |
||
| 30 Vein 30 Vein 50 Vein 50 Vein |
6.8 6.2 7.8 5.9 |
43.5 23.5 6.8 8.1 |
3.8 2,6 7.3 5.6 |
19.7 15.6 7.4 10.2 |
latest assay table results – 7000 - 8100 levels
(Drilling from 5900 #4 Shaft – Q2 2011)
| Area |
Width (Feet) |
Silver (oz/ton) |
Zinc (%) |
Lead (%) |
||
| 50 Vein 40 Vein 30 Vein 30 Vein 30 Vein 20 Vein |
5.7 6.9 8.1 5.4 4.4 8.8 |
8.3 4.9 14.3 14.0 14.9 5.9 |
4.5 5.4 1.9 4.5 7.2 7.9 |
9.3 4.8 19.0 11.1 8.6 5.0 |
(Q1 2011)
| Area |
Width (Feet) |
Silver (oz/ton) |
Zinc (%) |
Lead (%) |
||
| 40 Vein 40 Vein 30 Vein 30 Vein 30 Vein 20 Vein |
6.1 7.1 7.3 8.4 7.5 9.1 |
15.9 4.9 21.5 14.3 17.3 5.9 |
15.2 9.8 16.7 19.0 20.3 5.9 |
5.1 5.4 3.2 1.9 7.3 5.1 |
latest assay table results – 6400 - 6900 levels
(Drilling from 6400-55 Station - Central – Q3 2011)
| Area |
Width (Feet) |
Level (Feet) |
Silver (oz/ton) |
Zinc (%) |
Lead (%) |
||
20 Vein |
5.0 1.5 8.6 5.2 13.4 3.2 6.7 2.5 |
6560 6770 6750 6810 6470 6740 6800 6480 |
16.9 21.0 13.5 14.6 12.8 24.1 17.0 5.7 |
2.6 4.8 3.6 7.6 6.7 5.4 6.4 4.9 |
25.6 16.6 15.4 8.9 12.8 20.8 14.0 6.7 |
latest assay table results – 6300 - 6600 levels
(Drilling from 6100-52 Station - Q3 2011)
| Area |
Width (Feet) |
Level (Feet) |
Silver (oz/ton) |
Zinc (%) |
Lead (%) |
||
| 30 Vein 30 Vein 40 Vein 40 Vein |
6.1 5.8 13.4 2.7 |
6330 6500 6490 6420 |
9.4 9.3 7.5 5.6 |
4.5 14.7 6.8 3.3 |
7.7 7.9 7.8 6.2 |
latest assay table results – 6200 - 6500 levels
(Drilling from 6100 Level – Q2 2011)
| Area |
Width (Feet) |
Silver (oz/ton) |
Zinc (%) |
Lead (%) |
||
| 20 Vein 30 Vein 40 Vein 50 Vein |
0.9 11.3 4.6 0.2 |
5.4 12.2 2.0 11.1 |
20.0 6.2 3.3 0.1 |
6.2 9.8 1.8 23.0 |
latest assay table results – 3600 - 4400 levels
(Drilling from 4050 Level – Q2 2011)
| Area |
Width (Feet) |
Silver (oz/ton) |
Zinc (%) |
Lead (%) |
||
| 30 Vein 30 Vein 30 Vein 40 Vein 40 Vein 40 Vein 70 Vein 90 Vein |
6.8 3.0 3.5 3.7 4.1 2.7 11.8 1.5 |
22.6 13.9 18.4 8.6 10.3 16.8 14.1 72.5 |
3.3 0.1 3.7 0.1 0.1 0.1 1.3 4.2 |
12.6 5.3 14.7 5.7 6.2 13.0 9.2 2.9 |
(Drilling from 4050 Level – Q1 2011)
| Area |
Width (Feet) |
Silver (oz/ton) |
Zinc (%) |
Lead (%) |
||
| 20 Vein 30 Vein 40 Vein 60 Vein 60 Vein 90 Vein 90 Vein 110 Vein |
9.1 8.4 6.1 1.4 8.8 5.3 7.2 9.4 |
7.9 14.3 15.9 45.1 2.9 24.2 12.6 7.9 |
5.1 1.9 5.1 1.2 2.3 2.1 0.6 12.6 |
5.9 19.0 15.2 16.4 4.5 3.3 7.7 8.7 |