Major Drilling is partnering with Alianza Minerals with results from six completed drill holes totaling 1,770 meters (5,805 feet) of reverse-circulation drilling at the Horsethief Gold Property 16 miles (25 km) east of Pioche, Nevada. Pioche, once a prolific site of American old west silver discovery, and later a booming location for World War II-era lead and zinc production, is once again a base camp for mineral exploration.
Finding drilling success in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic is a hard-earned accomplishment. Alianza’s President and CEO attributes it to expert adaptation to circumstances and excellence in project execution for the fulfillment of the first drilling phase of this gold exploration project.
Major Drilling equipment and crews at the Alianza Minerals Horsethief gold project completed 1,770 meters of drilling. Photo courtesy of Alianza Minerals.
“We are pleased with our progress at Horsethief with our first drill-test of the property,” Jason Weber, President and CEO of Alianza, said. “Our crews from Big Rock Exploration and Major Drilling have done a great job executing the program, especially as we all adapt to operate safely in light of the current health crisis.”
Six holes have been completed to date, with five reaching target depth using the Schramm 455. The project mobilized in October 2019. Results are now part of the long history of Pioche area mineral exploration in the southeastern Nevada desert.
Drilling at Horsethief follows a successful 2019 program that included detailed mapping with geology consistent with other major deposits in the region such as the Long Canyon Gold Mine. The drilling team added a second shift with an experienced driller and crew to meet project schedule requests from the client. Alianza plans to complete up to 3,000 meters of drilling in up to ten holes in the area.
Alianza Minerals has gold, silver and base metal projects in Yukon Territory, British Columbia, Nevada, Colorado and Peru. It currently partners with exploration groups Hochschild Mining PLC and Coeur Mining, Inc.
“It’s a great experience for our drilling crews to be in this location and safely work, putting forward necessary COVID-19 health protections for successful completion of these holes for Alianza,” Landon Eborn, Major Drilling Surface Superintendent, said. “Alianza is a great partner to work with, and we’re very happy they are satisfied with the drill results so far at Horsethief.”
Safety is a key aspect of every Major Drilling program with careful attention to new COVID-19 safety protocols. In March 2020, Major Drilling implemented enhanced sanitization of workspaces and encouraged hand washing practices and social distancing in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Health measures were implemented into all workshops, warehouses and field operations.
“We are leading by example following the COVID-19 guidelines to keep everyone safe and healthy at home and at work,” Oscar Sandoval, Major Drilling America Field Safety Manager, said.
Major Drilling’s teams always strive to infuse every task with safety as a top priority. Excellence in safety is made possible through Major Drilling’s combined education and training programs: Critical Risks Management, TAKE 5, and 10 Lifesaving Rules.
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Map of Horsethief project drilling targets courtesy of Alianza Minerals.
Drilling at Horsethief is a return to mineral exploration near Pioche in Nevada’s southeastern desert.
Enhanced safety standards are in place as part of Major Drilling’s COVID-19 pandemic response demonstrated by Oscar Sandoval, Major Drilling America Field Safety Manager.
