ONGold Resources, a gold explorer operating in the remote James Bay region, has signed a collaboration agreement with Nibinamik First Nation.
The Toronto junior miner has the community’s consent to start diamond drilling on its Ti-pi-ha-kaa-ning (TPK) project, 470 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay.
In a Sept. 4 news release, the company said: “Meaningful and consistent engagement with the community has resulted in an understanding that is transformational in terms of what the community and ONGold are initiating together.”
TPK is a 48,000-hectare exploration property known for its extensive gold mineralization that could have district-scale mining potential.
On the map, the project is situated between southeast of Nibanamik and north of Neskantaga First Nation. The company accesses the property and its exploration camp on Rowlandson Lake by float plane from Nakina.
Exploration is still at an early stage with the area known to have significant gold upside along with signs of nickel, copper and platinum group metals.
An eight-hole diamond drill program, totalling 2,400 metres, has started and will conclude in the latter half of September. The company said this effort will build on the results of a previous exploration campaign conducted back in 2012.
“Through negotiation of the Collaboration Agreement with Nibinamik First Nation, we have demonstrated again that ONGold understands how to engage with communities in a meaningful way,” said Kyle Stanfield, CEO of ONGold in a statement.
The area has been explored for gold, silver and base metals since the 1930s, more recently by companies such as Northern Superior Resources and Rainy River Resources in the 2000s.
