The Hutti Gold Mine is located in the northern part of Hutti – Maski Schist belt. It is the only major primary gold producing center in the country. The mine has witnessed both ancient and modern mining. The gold Reserves estimated as on 1.4.2019 is 19.72 Mt @ 4.25g/t gold up to a depth of 871m or the 27th Level in the Hutti underground mine. This Reserve is classified under Proved (111) and Probable (121) categories. The exploration programme implemented in the last few years include 16,500m of surface diamond drilling and 11,000m of underground diamond drilling. 3,890 number of drill core samples and rock chip samples have been analyzed by Fire Assay. The programmes were planned judiciously and executed in two phases. For surface exploration, the Hutti Mine area was divided into 3 blocks, viz., (i) Hutti North Block, (ii) Hutti Central Block & (iii) Hutti South Block. The evaluation of exploration data has resulted in discovery of new gold reefs in the virgin and gap areas which also led to a better understanding of the geometry of existing gold-quartz-sulphide reefs besides enhancing the resource inventory.Surface diamond drilling led to the following exploration successes; (i) discovery of the existence of a new reef called Oakley?s Reef Hanging Wall (ORH) between the Oakley?s and Prospect Reefs; (ii) indicated the merging nature of Middle and Oakley?s Reefs in the north of northern dyke; (iii) indicated the presence of hanging wall/footwall branches of the existing reefs and; (vi) revealed the existence of few blind ore shoots and un-correlated lodes. Over all, the exploration has added Measured Mineral Resource (UNFC 331) of 0.59 Mt @ 4.58g/t gold which equates to 2.7 t of gold. Exploration by diamond drilling carried out in the underground mines of the Central Block of the Hutti Mine, which is the area of present mining activity, has revealed the existence of a new reef on the foot wall side of the Middle Reef which was named Middle Reef Foot wall (MRFW). A stope in this reef between 546 and 606m in Central Shaft added a high grade proved ore Reserve of 0.70 Mt @ 8.18 g/t. Inclined boreholes drilled from Zone-I (ZI), Middle (MR) and Oakleys (OR) Reefs have proved the existence of Strike Reef (SR), ZI and MR below 31st level (930m). Overall, the underground exploration programme has added Probable Mineral Reserves (122) of 0.88Mt@2.43g/t or 2.13t of gold to the inventory. On the basis of these results further detailed exploration by mine development has been planned to delineate the geometry of the Reefs and feasibility of their mining.The above exploration successes have strengthened the Exploration Team?s prognostication of the existence of inter-reef blind ore bodies as well as branching and rejoining of the Reefs both along the dip and strike extensions of the reefs. There remains more Resources to be discovered within the currently operating domains of the Hutti mines. The exploration success has enabled the management of the Company to place greater confidence in exploration as an important and indispensable part of the mining activity and appreciate the need for providing adequate budgetary support to the Exploration Department in the interest of continuously replenishing the mined Resources and Reserves. Currently, the mine has reached a kilometer depth where four major Reefs show signs of continuity. Another phase of drilling has been planned to test the down dip continuity of all the four major reefs beyond 930m which is the current deepest level that the mine has reached.
Current Status of Exploration and Resources of Hutti Gold Mines, Hutti-Maski Schist Belt, Karnataka
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The Hutti Gold Mine is located in the northern part of Hutti – Maski Schist belt. It is the only major primary gold producing center in the country. The mine has witnessed both ancient and modern mining. The gold Reserves estimated as on 1.4.2019 is 19.72 Mt @ 4.25g/t gold up to a depth of 871m or the 27th Level in the Hutti underground mine. This Reserve is classified under Proved (111) and Probable (121) categories. The exploration programme implemented in the last few years include 16,500m of surface diamond drilling and 11,000m of underground diamond drilling. 3,890 number of drill core samples and rock chip samples have been analyzed by Fire Assay. The programmes were planned judiciously and executed in two phases. For surface exploration, the Hutti Mine area was divided into 3 blocks, viz., (i) Hutti North Block, (ii) Hutti Central Block & (iii) Hutti South Block. The evaluation of exploration data has resulted in discovery of new gold reefs in the virgin and gap areas which also led to a better understanding of the geometry of existing gold-quartz-sulphide reefs besides enhancing the resource inventory.Surface diamond drilling led to the following exploration successes; (i) discovery of the existence of a new reef called Oakley?s Reef Hanging Wall (ORH) between the Oakley?s and Prospect Reefs; (ii) indicated the merging nature of Middle and Oakley?s Reefs in the north of northern dyke; (iii) indicated the presence of hanging wall/footwall branches of the existing reefs and; (vi) revealed the existence of few blind ore shoots and un-correlated lodes. Over all, the exploration has added Measured Mineral Resource (UNFC 331) of 0.59 Mt @ 4.58g/t gold which equates to 2.7 t of gold. Exploration by diamond drilling carried out in the underground mines of the Central Block of the Hutti Mine, which is the area of present mining activity, has revealed the existence of a new reef on the foot wall side of the Middle Reef which was named Middle Reef Foot wall (MRFW). A stope in this reef between 546 and 606m in Central Shaft added a high grade proved ore Reserve of 0.70 Mt @ 8.18 g/t. Inclined boreholes drilled from Zone-I (ZI), Middle (MR) and Oakleys (OR) Reefs have proved the existence of Strike Reef (SR), ZI and MR below 31st level (930m). Overall, the underground exploration programme has added Probable Mineral Reserves (122) of 0.88Mt@2.43g/t or 2.13t of gold to the inventory. On the basis of these results further detailed exploration by mine development has been planned to delineate the geometry of the Reefs and feasibility of their mining.The above exploration successes have strengthened the Exploration Team?s prognostication of the existence of inter-reef blind ore bodies as well as branching and rejoining of the Reefs both along the dip and strike extensions of the reefs. There remains more Resources to be discovered within the currently operating domains of the Hutti mines. The exploration success has enabled the management of the Company to place greater confidence in exploration as an important and indispensable part of the mining activity and appreciate the need for providing adequate budgetary support to the Exploration Department in the interest of continuously replenishing the mined Resources and Reserves. Currently, the mine has reached a kilometer depth where four major Reefs show signs of continuity. Another phase of drilling has been planned to test the down dip continuity of all the four major reefs beyond 930m which is the current deepest level that the mine has reached.
Publication Mode |
Online |
---|---|
Publication Author |
S. N. Solankar, Venkatesh Murthy N., R. B. Ganesh, Anilkumar B. V. |
Publication Language |
English |
Publication Type |
Conference Paper |
Publication Year |
2021 |
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