Duparquet Gold Project Sees Promising Expansion with New Discoveries
First mining Gold has announced the discovery of two new gold zones, named Miroir and Aiguille, at it’s Duparquet Gold Project located in Western Quebec, Canada, approximately 50 kilometers north of Rouyn-Noranda within the prolific Abitibi Greenstone Belt.These discoveries were made during ongoing expansion drilling at the project site.
The Duparquet project currently boasts a notable gold resource, estimated at 3.44 million ounces in the Measured and Indicated categories, as detailed in a 2023 technical evaluation. The newly identified Miroir and Aiguille zones hold the potential to further increase this resource. According to Marina Iund of InnovExplo, lead author of the project’s mineral resource study, these areas are geologically significant.
The Miroir zone is situated north of the Valentre target, while Aiguille lies to the south, effectively establishing new geological markers within the primary gold-bearing corridor. This corridor is aligned with the Destor-Porcupine fault line, a key structure facilitating the movement of mineralized fluids. Drilling data has highlighted the importance of syenite, a prevalent rock type at duparquet, as a host for gold concentration.
Drilling operations are actively continuing in both the Miroir and Aiguille zones, with these areas becoming primary targets as the 2025 field season progresses. The data collected will be crucial in determining whether gold mineralization occurs as a continuous structure or in localized pockets.
The project’s resources are documented in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 (NI 43-101), Canada’s standard for mineral resource reporting. This documentation confirms the 3.44 million ounce Measured and Indicated resource, with an additional 2.64 million ounces estimated in the Inferred category.
the Duparquet region has a history of gold production, with the Beattie and Donchester mines operating during the mid-20th century. Past records indicate that the average gold grades from these past-producing mines were comparable to those found in other established deposits within the Abitibi Belt.
First Mining Gold maintains rigorous quality assurance and quality control procedures, utilizing the fire assay method for gold analysis, known for its accuracy even at low concentrations. Samples are analyzed at AGAT Laboratories, which holds ISO 17025 accreditation, demonstrating its technical competence.
Previous studies, as noted by Marina Iund, have demonstrated geological and gold grade continuity across all mineral zones within the project. These studies also identified syenite intrusions, volcanic rocks, and an east-west fault network as key structural features contributing to gold accumulation.
Looking ahead, two drilling rigs will remain operational at Duparquet throughout 2025. The primary objective is to connect the newly discovered zones with existing resources and to upgrade gold resources from the Inferred category to the more confident Indicated category, requiring denser data and robust geological verification. Given the Abitibi Belt’s reputation as a highly productive Archaean greenstone belt, and the potential for extensive mineralization along fault lines, the Miroir and Aiguille zones are considered to have significant potential to contribute to the overall project.
