Lake Shore Gold Corp. is embarking upon an advanced underground exploration program at its Bell Creek Complex, 20 kilometres east of Timmins.
The complex, which is already approved by the province, includes the Bell Creek Mine and the recently refurbished mill, as well as the nearby Schumacher and Vogel properties.
As part of Lake Shore's $89 million capital expenditure forecast for 2009, this program involves re-establishing the Bell Creek shaft for access to the underground mine to the 300-metre level.
A ramp will be developed from surface to provide access to mineralization at both Bell Creek and Vogel, which will be collared at surface behind the Bell Creek Mill. It will serve to access minearlization below the 300 metre-level and will be driven 1.5 kilometres across the Schumacher property to reach Vogel.
Shaft work will include de-watering the mine workings and refurbishing the shaft and hoisting plant.
This work will lead to bulk sampling at Bell Creek by the second quarter of 2010, with similar work to take place at Vogel during the fourth quarter of 2010.
If successful, Bell Creek would become Lake Shore Gold's second mining operation in the Timmins camp, hot on the heels of its fully-owned Timmins Mine.
Exploration drilling at the site has established a pattern of gold lenses which extends to at least 600 metres below existing mine works, and 200 metres to both the east and west.
