Radisson Mining advances O’Brien gold project in Quebec’s Abitibi

The O’Brien gold mine in the Abitibi region of northwestern Quebec was the richest mine by grade along the Larder Lake-Cadillac Fault between 1926 and 1957, when miners intermittently produced an estimated 587,121 oz of gold at the underground operation from 1.1 million tonnes grading 15.25 g/t Au. The past producer and surrounding 6.4 km² property package is now owned by Radisson Mining Resources (TSXV: RDS), a junior exploration company that acquired the asset from Breakwater Resources in two stages starting in 1994 and ending in 1999, when Breakwater quit the gold business to move into zinc. Today the O’Brien project, halfway between the province’s mining towns of Rouyn-Noranda and Val d’Or, and about 500 metres north of Trans-Canada Highway 117, is surrounded by three active gold mines. Agnico Eagle Mines’ (TSX: AEM; NYSE: AEM) Lapa and LaRonde mines are 8 km and 13 km, respectively, from the project, while IamGold’s (TSX: IMG; NYSE: IAG) Westwood mine lies about 16 km away. And like Lapa, LaRonde and Westwood today, O’Brien was mined to depths of more than 1,000 metres. Previous operators extracted ore from O’Brien to a depth of 1,100 metres. Today, LaRonde is 3,500 metres below surface, while Westwood is around 2,000 metres below surface and Lapa is 1,500 metres below surface. Read the entire story at The Northern Miner.