Golden Cariboo Resources Ltd. is advancing its gold exploration methodology through an orientation study utilizing Chrysos PhotonAssay™ technology at its Quesnelle Gold Quartz Mine property in central British Columbia. The company's collaboration with ALS Canada Ltd. focuses on evaluating a non-destructive analysis technique that employs high-energy photons to interact with sample materials, representing a significant departure from conventional fire assay methods.
The PhotonAssay™ technology offers substantial analytical advantages by processing sample sizes up to 500 grams per assay, compared to the 30-50 grams typically examined in traditional fire assay techniques. This increased sample volume capacity provides more comprehensive and representative gold content measurements, directly addressing the persistent challenge known as the 'nugget effect' in gold mineralization. The technology shows particular promise for the company's Halo zone target, where recent drill holes have revealed coarse, visible gold particles that conventional methods might underrepresent.
Company President and CEO Frank Callaghan emphasized the technological approach's potential to optimize resource evaluation while enhancing the transparency and reliability of assay data for future exploration and development initiatives. The orientation study will initially compare PhotonAssay™ results with traditional fire assay methods using existing core samples, including material from the recent QGQ24-21 drill hole. Researchers anticipate receiving and reporting assay results in the coming weeks, with successful implementation potentially revolutionizing gold exploration techniques by providing more accurate and representative analysis methods for precious metal deposits.
The technical methodology involves analyzing larger sample volumes to more accurately quantify both finely dispersed and coarse gold particles, addressing a fundamental limitation in current gold assessment practices. This advancement could significantly impact how gold deposits are evaluated and developed across the mining industry, particularly in regions characterized by coarse gold mineralization patterns similar to those found at the Quesnelle Gold Quartz Mine property.
