Benchmark Metals – Initial Drill Results From The Connector Zone on the Lawyers Project, Yielding High-Grade Gold
Jim Greig, President and CEO of Benchmark Metals (TSX.V:BNCH – OTCQX:BNCHF) joins us to recap the recent news highlighting initial drill results from the Connector Zone on the Lawyers Gold and Silver Project, in the Golden Horseshoe of northern British Columbia. The Connector Zone is between the Cliffs Creek Deposit (a 2.1milllion oz gold resource) and the Dukes Ridge Deposit (a 109k oz gold deposit). Some of the highlighted intercepts include 41meters of 1.69g/t Gold Equivalent and 10.67meters of 5.72g/t Gold Equivalent.
We have Jim outline the strategy behind drilling the Connector Zone, focused on mine planning and adding high-margin ounces to the 2.9million ounce resource (2.1million oz indicated and over 800,000 oz inferred). We also discuss the continued drilling, part of the 100,000 meter drill program, and general timing for the upcoming PEA.
If you have any follow up questions for Jim please email us at either Fleck@kereport.com or Shad@kereport.com.
Click here to read over the full news release on the Connector Zone drill results.
This was a solid update from Jim on the exploration work Benchmark is doing.
50,000 meters drilled thus far, 50,000 meters to drill by the end of the year, a new “connector zone” discovered expanding the resources, a PEA due to come out in a few months, then an updated global resource estimate next year once all the assays are back, and then a feasibility study by the end of near year. Color me impressed!
If they really can grow their resources from over 2 million ounces of gold to closer to 4 million or even 5 million ounces, then they are going to get a massive rerating in value.
For a frame of reference:
(BNCH) Benchmark has a market cap today of $173 million and is on track to build their resources towards 4-5 million ounces over the next year.
(SKE) Skeen Resources is further along and has just over 5 million ounces of Gold nearby, and a market cap of $787 Million. (4.5 times the market cap of Benchmark).
(ESK) Eskay Mining, near Skeena in the Golden Triangle doesn’t even have a resource yet, and is still on their maiden exploration program this year, but they have a Market Cap today of $359 Million. (Double the valuation that Benchmark has, but BNCH at least knows they have over 2 million ounces of gold and a huge drill program to more than double that).
(NFG) New Found Gold is in a different jurisdiction, over in Newfoundland, but they don’t have a resource estimate yet or any economic studies yet, so nobody even knows what they actually have on a quantifiable basis and they have a market cap of $1.25 Billion.
That shows where the valuation of Benchmark could could grow as they continue to expand their resources, and once they come out with the PEA and Global Resource Estimate at the beginning of next year.