VANCOUVER (miningweekly.com) – Canadian gold project developer Osisko Mining has earmarked C$3-million to be spent on exploration at its Garrison project, in Ontario, in 2018.

The work includes a resource estimate that will likely be published in July, infill and exploration drilling, and metallurgical work.

The property covers the Garrcon, Jonpol and 903 zones. Since acquiring the Garrison property early in 2016, Osisko has completed 85 000 m of new drilling and re-examined the results of 108 000 m of drilling done by previous owners.

Osisko recently reported an intersection of 8.3 m grading 16.1 g/t gold at Garrison, which is located about 40 km north of the town of Kirkland Lake.

Meanwhile, the company announced last week that it will spend about C$100-million on exploration at its Windfall-Lynx deposits, as well as the Urban Barry and Quevillon projects, in Quebec, this year.

Osisko advised that it plans to publish a maiden resource estimate for the Windfall-Lynx property in May, which is located between the towns of Val d'Or and Chibougamau, and a preliminary economic assessment by June.

Dewatering of the historic Windfall exploration ramp was completed in August, and development of the powder and cap magazines and safety bays continues. Three electrical substations and a water basin for future water treatment have been installed.

New development toward the Main zone is advancing at a rate of about 150 m a month. Osisko plans to undertake bulk sampling exercises at the Zone 27, Caribou and Underdog deposits by the end of this year. Permits for the exploration ramp towards Lynx are expected by the second quarter. About 1 200 m of exploration ramp extension are planned to reach Lynx, with a Lynx bulk sample expected to take place during the first quarter of 2019.

Osisko advised that it is currently acquiring about 560 ha of land in the Level-sur-Quevillon municipality, where it plans to build a plant to process Windfall-Lynx ores.

Further, the company has been drilling the Osborne-Bell deposit with two rigs since December. These results, along with a re-evaluation of about 200 000 m of historical drilling, will be used to produce an initial resource estimate for the deposit in early April. The property is about 20 km northwest of Level-sur-Quevillon.

Osisko also advised that a review of the exploration work conducted in 2016 and 2017 at the Fox and Black Dog discoveries, within the context of the evolving geological model for the main Windfall deposit, is currently under way. New exploration drilling is planned for the two areas in the second half of the year.

Further yet, Osisko has completed baseline exploration at the Urban Barry block. The results will be used to select up to 100 targets, some of which will be drilled this year.

At the Quevillon block, which Osisko acquired in early 2017, the company is undertaking baseline exploration including airborne geophysics, mapping and sampling. Several exploration targets resulting from this work will be drilled this year.