The Deep Creek claims are located approximately 112 kilometres north of Elko, Nevada, and 56 kilometres northeast of the Newmont-owned Midas Mine, in the Independence segment of the prolific Carlin gold trend.

Gold at Deep Creek was first discovered by Franco-Nevada in the mid 1980's, when two large geochemical anomalies were found to contain visible gold in grab samples. One of a dozen holes drilled intersected 14 grams per tonne gold (0.42 opt Au) over a ten meter interval, but true thickness was not determined at the time. On the surface, mineralization appears to be associated with highly silicified breccias and sinters along a prominent range front structure in carbonate rocks. Over 70 surface rock chip samples were collected mostly along the range front structure, with assays from below detection up to 68 grams per tonne gold (2.0 opt Au). The surface geology suggests that a large epithermal system may exist at depth in the carbonate rocks.


Positive geochemistry from a Q1 geological mapping and sampling program demonstrated that gold is enhanced in both the hydrothermal features along the range front structure as well as in the sedimentary rocks hosting the structure. Further review of the historical data, in combination with field mapping, has allowed Ashburton geologists to determine the drill collar locations where better historical gold grades were intersected. Drilling is now underway with the objective of the first phase being to confirm the results of historical assays previously obtained for the property. The Company will complete 6 core holes with depths up to 200 meters along a prominent range front structure, where historical data from the earlier exploration period included a resource estimate* of 1.1 million tons containing 70,000 ounces of gold along a strike length of 457 meters (1500 feet) and a depth of 122 meters (400 feet), with an inferred resource* of approximately 477,000 ounces of gold in 7.5 million tons extending southward along the structure. Visible gold has been reported by the project geologist in the second hole of the drill program, and consequently the core is being prepped for analysis on a rush basis.