- SMDI #
- 2233
- Current Showing Name
- Santoy Mine
- Historical Showing Names
- Santoy Gold Mine, Santoy Lake Gold Zones 1 to 8; Santoy Gap, Santoy Mine
- Company Name
- SSR Mining Inc.
- Project Name
- Seabee Gold Operation
- UTM Easting (NAD83 Z13)
- 599635.0000
- UTM Northing (NAD83 Z13)
- 6170125.0000
- NTS Sheet
- 063M11
- TRM (Township-Range-Meridian)
- 77-10-2
- Primary Commodities
- Gold
- Associated Commodities
- Discovery Type
- Status
- Deposit: Production
- Geological Details
- The Santoy Lake A and B gold Showings are located on a peninsula that extends into the west side of Santoy Lake - a small lake located 0.85 mile (1.37 km) southwest of the west end of Carruthers Lake. The C showing consists of two separate zones located east of the east side of Santoy Lake The showings are located approximately 5 miles (8.05 km) east of the Seabee deposits (SMDI. 0382).
The showing, to date, consists of three separate auriferous horizons. The first horizon ©, which have been traced over a strike length of 0.4 mile (700 m), is parallel to and 525 ft (160 m) east of the northeast shore of Santoy Lake. ( UTM-N: 6172600 UTM-E: 595560). The southern extension of the C Showing (named the B Zone) is located east of the southeast end of the lake. The second horizon (A), or Showing 1, occurs at the north end on the west side of the main peninsula that extends into the west side of Santoy Lake. (UTM-N 6172320 UTM-E 595270). The third horizon (B), or Showing 2, is at the south end of this peninsula on the west side (UTM-N: 6171650 UTM-E: 595350).
The showing area is underlain by Pine Lake Group plagioclase blastic intermediate to mafic volcanics, volcaniclastics, volcanic fragmentals and pelitic sediments. Structurally, the rocks have experienced multiphased folding and later high strain shear zones have formed along the limbs of and within the nose of a northwest trending synform.
The showings are described as quartz-carbonate vein-hosted gold mineralization. The mineralization consists of visible gold in association with pyrite and chalcopyrite. Grab samples assayed up to 4.90 oz./ton Au.
Zone No. 1, located at the north end of the peninsula, consists of a 23 by 10 m (75.5 by 32.8 ft) sluiced outcrop which contains visible gold in a series of shear-bounded quartz veins in mafic metavolcanics. Pyrite and chalcopyrite occur as minute disseminations within shears and microshears and as microfracture coatings in quartz veins. Diopside-hornblende-biotite-quartz alteration is common immediately surrounding the shear zones. The host shears are from 5 to 30 cm (2.0 to 11.8 inches) wide, strike 158° to 178°,and dip 58° to 74°SW. The plunge is felt to be 8° to 10° north. Bifurcating and anastomosing microshears are common. Pyrite and chalcopyrite occur as minute disseminations within the shears and microshears and as coatings in microfractures in the quartz veining. Three samples from a 2 m (6.6 ft) wide channel sample returned 1.968 to 4.906 oz./ton Au.
Zone No. 2, located at the south end of the peninsula, consists of gold mineralization hosted by an 150 m by 80 m (492.2 by 262.5 ft) network of quartz veins within a 200 m by 10 m (656.2 by 32.8 ft) shear in schistose metavolcanics which have been contorted by a north-northwest-trending antiform. Pyrite, arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite, and bornite occur as minute disseminations within sheared and silicified chlorite schist and adjacent amphibolite and along quartz vein-host rock contacts. Grab samples assayed up to 3.54 oz/ton Au. A 75 pound bulk sample, taken in 1991, returned 0.50 oz/ton Au. A trench sample, taken over a length of 3.6 m, returned 1.441 oz/ton Au.
Zone 3, which is located 180 m (590.6 ft) east of the northeast shore of Santoy Lake, consists of pyrite, chalcopyrite, malachite, azurite, bornite, and rare native gold within a series of quartz veins and within adjacent chloritic alteration halo in the host biotite-hornblende-plagioclase gneiss. The mineralization occurs within a 600 m (1,968.5 ft) long by 3 to 8.5 m (9.8 to 27.9 ft) wide zone of sinistral shearing which cuts the intermediate metavolcanics. The 144°/60° to 72°SW-trending, 1,400 m (4,593.2 ft) long host shear occurs within a boudinaged and garnetiferous biotite-sericite-chlorite alteration zone in the host gneisses. The best grab sample returned 0.135 oz/ton Au. A bulk sample from trench 4 returned 0.109 oz/ton Au.
Zone 4, which is on strike with and 1,500 m (4,921.3 ft) southeast of Zone 3, consists of a sheared outcrop of arkose which is flanked by amphibolite-feldspar-biotite gneiss. The mineralization consists of disseminated pyrite, arsenopyrite, and rare chalcopyrite and malachite. The 25 m (82.0 ft) wide, 333°/75°SW-trending outcrop is swamp covered at both ends. A trench sample returned 0.080 oz/ton Au over 5.0 m.
Zone 6, which is located 1,250 m (4,101.0 ft) southeast of Zone 4, is up to 300 m (984.3 ft) long by 8 m (26.3 ft) wide. The zone consists of a zone of en echelon shears and fractures in the sheared contact between amphibolite-chlorite-feldspar gneiss and chlorite schist (a sequence of meta-volcaniclastics and mafic meta-volcanics). The pyrite, chalcopyrite, and malachite mineralization occurs on the west limb of a structural basin. Trench samples returned up to 1.10 oz/ton Au over 2.8 m.
Zone 7, which is located on the northwest shore of a lake northeast of Zone 6, is a and mineralogically identical sister zone of Zone 6 which occurs on the east limb of the structural basin. Trench samples returned up to 0.207 oz/ton Au over 2.8 m.
Zone 8, which is located 2 km (1.2 miles) southwest of Zone 6, consists of a 3 to 9 m (9.8 to 29.5 ft) wide by 380 m (1,246.7 ft) long, north-to northwest-trending zone of shearing within highly altered and deformed mafic metavolcanics. At least two subsidiary shear zones flank the main zone. Up to 2% by volume pyrite, arsenopyrite, chalcopyrite, and bornite occur as disseminations within quartz veining in this shear system. Trench samples returned up to 0.226 oz/ton Au over 4.4 m.
Santoy Lake Gold Zone 50 is located on the edge of a small island at the southern end of Santoy Lake approximately 870 m (0.54 mile) southwest of Santoy Lake Zone 4 or 500 m (0.31 mile) southeast of Santoy Lake Zone 2. The showing consists of an auriferous quartz vein that is hosted within a shear that cuts east-striking and gently northwest dipping psammitic gneiss. The two parallel branches of the vein have an exposed length of 5 m ((16.4 ft) and a width that varies from 10 to 80 cm (3.9 to 31.5 inches). Visible sulphide mineralization is rare but visible gold was observed in the upper branch. Claude Resources speculates the two branches may represent two limbs of a small overturned fold.
Drilling of the various zones zones returned the following intersections:
DRILL ZONE INTERSECTION GM/TON DRILL ZONE INTERSECTION GM/TON
NUMBER TESTED (M) AU NUMBER TESTED (M) AU
___________________________________ ___________________________________
BUL-1 Zone 2 13.2 - 13.7 569.54 OLS-1 Zone 6 27.7 - 28.4 680 ppb
22.5 - 22.8 15.68 OLS-2 Zone 6 29.6 - 30.0 6.41
BUL-2 Zone 2 42.3 - 42.9 4.24 OLS-3 Zone 6 25.5 - 26.0 38.99
48.9 - 49.4 3.34 BUL-3 Zone 2 50.9 - 51.4 1.31
52.4 - 52.9 4.41 BUL-4 Zone 2 37.1 - 38.1 280 ppb
DRILLHOLE ZONE INTERSECTION WIDTH GM/TON INTERSECTION
NUMBER TESTED (M) (M) AU DESCRIPTION
_____________________________________________________________________________
SAN97-8 8 31.5 - 32.1 0.6 10.87 tr po: quartz actinolite
44.8 - 46.2 1.4 5.60 silicified mafic metavolcanic
SAN97-9 8 10.9 - 12.0 1.1 1.57 mafic metavolcanic
14.5 - 15.5 1.0 2.40 silicified mafic metavolcanic
SAN97-10 8 17.0 - 18.6 1.6 1.23 tr po: shear in mafic volcanics
25.4 - 25.7 0.3 70.47 1% po,1-25% cpy: qtz filled shear
25.7 - 26.8 1.1 3.20 1% po,1-25% cpy: qtz filled shear
SAN97-11 8 46.2 - 47.5 0.7 5.17 3-10% py,3% po: in a qtz vein
SAN97-12 7 21.2 - 21.3 0.1 1.27 quartz vein in fault zone
SN02-01 50 148.0 - 152.2 4.2 2.42 deformation and alteration zone
SN02-02 3 108.7 - 108.8 0.1 0.38 sulphide vein: 10% py, 9% cpy
131.8 - 132.2 0.4 0.69 quartz vein: 5% bo+po
189.4 - 189.6 0.2 0.31 cpy+chlrite bands in a shear
SN02-03 3 36.3 - 36.9 0.6 0.17 15 cm qtz vein with py,po,cpy
SN02-04 3 38.6 - 39.0 0.4 0.31 10% py+po+cpy
SN02-06 3 342.5 - 343.1 0.6 0.31 45% inverval is quartz veining
SN02-08 3 115.8 - 116.8 1.0 0.14 quartz veining
SN02-09 4 3.9 - 4.6 0.5 0.24 amphibolite: 4% py±cpy±py
4.6 - 5.6 1.0 0.14 amphibolite: 4% po±cpy±py
6.2 - 7.2 1.0 0.21 amphibolite: 4% po±cpy±py
11.1 - 11.5 0.4 0.17 mafic metavolcanics
SN02-10 4 3.3 - 3.9 0.6 1.50 qtz veining, 5% po,tr cpy
5.9 - 6.2 0.3 0.21 quartz vein: 4% po
6.2 - 7.2 1.0 0.41 quartz vein: 2% po
7.2 - 8.2 1.0 0.68 quartz vein: 2% po
SN02-11 4 12.2 - 13.2 1.0 0.65 qtz vein in amphibolite: 40% py
21.6 - 22.6 1.0 0.55 quartz veining
22.6 - 23.5 0.9 0.27 quartz veining
23.5 - 24.5 1.0 0.14 quartz veining: py+po
24.5 - 25.5 1.0 3.07 quartz veining: py+po
25.5 - 26.5 1.0 3.94 quartz veining: py+po
26.5 - 27.5 1.0 0.31 quartz veining: py+po
27.5 - 28.5 1.0 0.58 quartz veining: py+po
28.5 - 29.5 1.0 0.34 quartz veining: py+po
30.5 - 31.6 1.1 0.36 quartz veining: py+po
31.6 - 32.6 1.0 0.41 quartz veining: py+po
32.6 - 33.7 1.1 1.27 quartz veining: py+po
SN02-12 1 61.0 - 61.2 0.2 8.26 quartz vein in gabbro: 6% po+cpy
SN02-13 1 62.5 - 63.2 0.7 1.13 felsic intrusion in amphibolite
SN02-14 2 37.0 - 38.0 1.0 0.38 amphibolite
38.0 - 39.0 1.0 0.27 amphibolite
SN02-15 2 68.7 - 69.5 0.8 0.41 sericitic shear in amphibolite
69.5 - 70.0 0.5 0.10 sericitic shear in amphibolite
- Geological Domain
- Glennie
- Host Rocks
- Host Minerals
- Indicators
- Exploration History
- 12/1/2023
SSR Mining Inc.’s Seabee gold operation, which includes the Santoy underground mine and the Seabee mill
facility, remains the province’s lone gold producer. After achieving five consecutive years of record production at its
Seabee mining operation, SSR was hampered by COVID-19–related setbacks in 2020 and produced 81,686 oz of
gold. Production in 2021 rebounded to another new record of 118,888 oz of gold. In 2022, SSR reported year-end
production totaling 136,125 oz of gold, representing yet another year of record production from the operation. The
company has enough resources to keep the operation in production until at least 2032, with more being discovered
each year.
(Saskatchewan Exploration and Development Highlights 2023, p.4)
The SSR Mining Inc.–owned Seabee gold operation has been in continuous commercial production since
2014 and continues as Saskatchewan’s sole gold producer. The Seabee operation comprises production at the
active Santoy underground mine and ore processing at the Seabee mill facility. The 2022 year-end production for the
operation totaled 136,125 oz of gold, a record high in its 30 years of operation. Through the first two quarters of 2023,
the Seabee operation produced 32,196 oz of gold, compared with 90,923 oz in the first two quarters of 2022. The
2023 lower gold production at Seabee is due to lower grades milled and unplanned maintenance downtime.
(Saskatchewan Exploration and Development Highlights 2023, p.10)
In the La Ronge gold belt area, the Seabee operation focused on exploring a new reserve located at the Gap
Hanging Wall, which extends from the Santoy mine, and continued drilling at the Joker target, which aims to extend
mineralization to the Santoy mine.
(Saskatchewan Exploration and Development Highlights 2023, p.11)
(See also Production and Reserves/Resources, from Saskatchewan Exploration and Development Highlights 2023, Tables 3 & 4, p.11-12. Note: All production values are approximate; includes production from the Seabee mine, Santoy mining complex, and the Porky West and Santoy 7 bulk samples)
12/1/2024
The Seabee gold operation, owned and operated by SSR Mining Inc., has been in continuous commercial production since 1991 and is the sole gold producer in Saskatchewan. Current production comes from the Santoy underground mine and the ore is processed at the Seabee mill facility. The 2023 year-end production totaled 90 777 troy oz of gold. Through the first two quarters of 2024, Seabee produced 40 482 troy oz of gold, compared with 32 196 troy oz in the first two quarters of 2023. This past August, SSR had to temporarily suspend mining operations due to encroaching forest fires, which impacted Seabee's production in the third quarter; mining operations resumed in the second half of October 2024.
SSR continues to explore around the Seabee gold operation at Santoy mine and the Gap Hanging Wall (GHW) aiming to extend the mine life through new reserve growth. A total of 107 233 m of drilling was conducted in 2023, which concentrated on exploration targets and the expansion of mineralized zones. In 2023, underground drilling was focused on the plunge extension of Santoy 8 and 9 veins and in the Santoy 6 area. The Santoy 8 and 9 veins were extended to a vertical depth of $1200 m; gold mineralization in the Santoy 6 area was found to be associated with altered granodiorite dykes. SSR also increased the drillhole density around GHW to improve grade interpolation. At the Porky West deposit, mineralization was defined by surface drilling over a strike of 1400 m and to a vertical depth of 500 m. Additional drilling at the Petunia target identified that this mineralized zone is hosted along the same structure as the Porky West and Porky Main deposits; the estimated total strike length of the structure is thus approximately 2.8 km from northwest (Petunia) to southeast (Porky Main).
(Saskatchewan Exploration and Development Highlights 2024, p.11-12)
(See also Production and Reserves/Resources, from Saskatchewan Exploration and Development Highlights 2024, Tables 4-7, p.11-13)
4/29/1991 In 1947, prospecting in the general area led to the discovery of the gold showing named the Seabee Deposit (SMDI. 0382). The Seabee showing was staked by B. Corregon. The Seabee showing was acquired by the Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company of Canada Ltd. (Cominco) in 1948. Between 1948 and 1972, Cominco drilled and trenched the various auriferous quartz veins that comprise the Seabee showings (AF 63M12-0002).
In 1972, Cominco undertook an exploration program to discover new quartz veins on the property. Several new veins were located and in 1974 several X-ray drill holes were completed to test these veins.
In 1980, the showing area was within SMDC MPP 1113. SMDC completed an airborne INPUT and magnetic survey (AF 63M11-0034) and reconnaissance ground geological mapping and sampling (AF 63M11-0035) on the permit.
In 1980, Claude Resources Inc. optioned the permit from SMDC. The permit was split into smaller claim blocks (CBS 7588 covered the showing). Claude reconnaissance mapped the property (AF 63M11-0039) and completed reconnaissance prospecting (AF 63M11-0043). The property was optioned to Kenton Natural Resources. Kenton optioned the property to Manchester Oil and Gas. In 1988, a Manchester-Claude Resources joint venture completed ground EM and magnetic surveys over the property (AF 63M11-0052).
By 1990, the showing area was covered by S-101660. In this year, the Claude-Manchester Resources Ltd. Partnership completed preliminary prospecting of the claim. This work, which was completed by W. Buller and D. Olsen, discovered the mineralization named the Santoy Lake Showings (AF 63M11-0061). The Santoy 1 (6173200N, 595300E), 2 (6172650N, 595300E), and 3 showings were stripped and trenched and the area was soil sampled. In the same summer, Santoy Zone 2 (Showing 2), Zone 3 (Showing 3), Zone 4 (6171400N, 596600E), Zone 6, and Zone 8 were geologically mapped, stripped, trenched, and soil and rock sampled (AF 63M11-0062).
In 1991, Claude Resources completed further geological mapping, detailed prospecting, ground geophysics, trenching, sampling and diamond drilling. This work further delineated the showings. In May of 1991, Claude completed prospecting and rock and soil sampling northeast of Zone 3 on S-97986 (AF 63M11-0060). In the same year, Zones 2, 6, and 8 were trenched, detail mapped, and sampled (AF 63M11-0064).
On 26 March 1992, a Claude Resources Inc (50%)-Manchester Resources Corporation (50%) joint venture partnership announced a 7 hole (750 m) drill program to test the better portions of zones 2 and 6 (AF 63M11-0063). The better intersections are given above. In the same year, Claude completed an air photo survey over the showings (AF 63M11-0065).
In a news release dated 13 April 1992, Shane Resources Ltd. Announced that it had optioned the Santoy Lake property.
In 1994, a Claude Resources Inc.-Santoy Resources Inc. joint venture completed drill holes SAN94-1 to -12 on the northeast extension of Zone 2, drill holes SAN94-13 and -14 on Zone 3, and drill holes SAN94-15 and -16 on Zone 4 (AF 63M11-0066). Significant intersections were encountered at Zone 2 and weakly anomalous gold values were encountered in zones 3 and 4.
In the same year, the partnership completed prospecting and soil sampling of the 3 and 7 zones (AF 63M11-0068). They also sampled the 2WZ and 2EZ grids, which are on strike with and between the 1 and 2 zones, and the ABZ grid which is located on the other side of the bay and slightly southwest of Zone 2. This program also soil sampled the BZ grid (located 400 m west of the north end of Santoy Lake), the GWG grid (located 500 m north of the north end of Santoy Lake), the J Zone (located 400 m west of the north end of the GWG grid), and the J-S grid (located 1400 m northwest of the north end of Santoy Lake).
In 1997, the partnership completed drill hole SAN 97-12 on the Santoy Vein 7 and drill holes SAN97-8 to -11 on Santoy Vein 8 (AF 63M11-0069).
In the following year, Claude completed geological mapping, prospecting, and rock sampling on the Santoy 1 to 3 Zones and ground VLF-EM, IP/Resistivity, and magnetic surveys on the Santoy grids which cover these zones (AF 63M11-0070). This work located a new zone on east grid 22 between and on strike with the Santoy 1 and 2 zones.
In 2002, Claude Resources Inc. completed fiften drill holes on the Santoy 1 to 4 and Santoy 50 gold showings (AF 63M11-NW-0071). The better intersections are reported above.
The 12-18 November 2004 Northern Miner reported that in, 2004, Claude Resources completed a series of holes on zones 6, 7, and 8. Drilling on Zone 6 failed to intersect the mineralization exposed at surface. Zone 7, which was tested by 48 holes, returned values >10.0 g/t Au in 19 drill holes. Of the 21 holes completed on Zone 8, 6 holes intersected >10.45 g/t Au. Twenty three holes were completed between Zones 7 and 8. Ten of these holes intersected values of 1.5 to 76.07 g/t Au.
- Production History
- Production Period: 1991-01-01 to 2023-12-01
SSR Mining Inc.:
Summary:
- Gold
- Reserves and/or Resources
- 2022-02-23
Summary:
Santoy Mine: Measured Mineral Resource of 71,000.00 tonne
- Gold: 45,000.00 oz @ 19.75 g/tonne (Cutoff: 2.07)
Santoy Mine: Indicated Mineral Resource of 745,000.00 tonne
- Gold @ 12.74 g/tonne (Cutoff: 2.07)
Santoy Mine: Inferred Mineral Resource of 2,238,000.00 tonne
- Gold @ 6.43 g/tonne (Cutoff: 2.07)
Santoy Mine: Proven Mineral Reserve of 304,000.00 tonne
- Gold: 90,000.00 oz @ 9.16 g/tonne (Cutoff: 2.52)
Santoy Mine: Probable Mineral Reserve of 2,379,000.00 tonne
- Gold: 940,000.00 oz @ 6.4 g/tonne (Cutoff: 2.52)
2016-12-01
Combined Santoy Gap and Santoy 8 deposits:
NI 43-101-compliant
Proven and Probable Reserves of 1,241,000 tonnes (t) grading 8.67 g/t Au for 331,000 contained troy oz. Au.
NI 43-101-compliant
Measured and Indicated Resources of Santoy 8 deposit: 400,000 t grading 9.13 g/t Au for 118,000 troy oz. Au.
Santoy Gap deposit: 1,286,000 t grading 8.18 g/t Au for 338,000 troy oz. Au.
Note the Reserve figures are included in the Measured and Indicated Resources figures.
Summary:
Santoy Gap: Measured and Indicated Mineral Resource of 1,286,000.00 tonne
- Gold: 338,000.00 troy oz @ 8.18 g/tonne
Combined Santoy 8/Santoy Gap: Proven and Probable Mineral Reserve of 1,241,000.00 tonne
- Gold: 331,000.00 troy oz @ 8.67 g/tonne
Santoy 8: Measured and Indicated Mineral Resource of 400,000.00 tonne
- Gold: 118,000.00 troy oz @ 9.13 g/tonne
2014-11-30
NI 43-101-compliant
Resource Estimate for Santoy 8 with Reserves of 113,200 tonnes grading 4.81 g/t Au for 17,500 oz.
Measured & Indicated Resources of 101,700 tonnes grading 5.69 g/t Au for 18,600 oz.
Inferred Resource of 1,344,300 tonnes grading 8.56 g/t Au for 369,900 oz.
Santoy Gap deposit with Reserves of 799,600 tonnes grading 7.64 g/t Au for 196,300 oz.
Measured & Indicated Resources of 182,700 tonnes grading 5.69 g/t Au for 33,400 oz.
Inferred Resouce of 1,319,100 tonnes grading 7.50 g/t Au for 318,100 oz.
Summary:
Santoy Gap: Measured and Indicated Mineral Resource of 182,700.00 tonne
- Gold: 33,400.00 oz @ 5.69 g/tonne
Santoy 8: Measured and Indicated Mineral Resource of 101,700.00 tonne
- Gold: 18,600.00 oz @ 5.69 g/tonne
Santoy 8: Inferred Mineral Resource of 1,344,300.00 tonne
- Gold: 369,900.00 oz @ 8.56 g/ton
Santoy 8: Proven and Probable Mineral Reserve of 113,200.00 tonne
- Gold: 17,500.00 oz @ 4.81 g/tonne
Santoy Gap: Inferred Mineral Resource of 1,319,100.00 tonne
- Gold: 318,100.00 oz @ 7.5 g/tonne
Santoy Gap: Proven and Probable Mineral Reserve of 799,600.00 tonne
- Gold: 196,300.00 oz @ 7.64 g/tonne
2014-11-01
NI 43-101-compliant
Inferred Resources of Santoy 8 deposit: 1,344,000 t grading 7.14 g/t Au for 334,000 troy oz. Au.
Santoy Gap deposit: 510,000 t grading 9.23 g/t Au for 151,000 troy oz. Au.
Summary:
Santoy 8: Inferred Mineral Resource of 1,344,000.00 tonne
- Gold: 334,000.00 troy oz @ 7.14 g/tonne
Santoy Gap: Inferred Mineral Resource of 510,000.00 tonne
- Gold: 151,000.00 troy oz @ 9.23 g/tonne
2005-09-26
Santoy Vein No. 7 has an indicated resource of 190,000 tonnes grading 0.25 oz/ton (8.42 g/t) Au and an inferred resource of 10,000 tonnes grading 0.292 oz/ton Au.
Santoy 8 and 8E has an inferred resource of 910,000 tonnes grading 0.254 oz/ton Au.
Summary:
Santoy 8 and 8E: Historic inferred resource of 910,000.00 tonne
- Gold @ 0.254 oz/ton
Santoy Vein No. 7: Historic indicated resource of 190,000.00 tonne
- Gold @ 0.25 oz/ton
Santoy Vein No. 7: Historic inferred resource of 10,000.00 tonne
- Gold @ 0.292 oz/ton