Why Uragold Bay Resources?
- High Purity Silica (HPS) and Silicon Metal key strategic minerals with applications in high-tech industries that include semiconductors, LCD displays, fused quartz tubing, microelectronics, solar silicon applications and recently, Silicon Anode Lithium Batteries
Uragolds business model focuses on developing low-risk, low-cost gold mining operations while exploring on core properties that hold the potential of discovering world class gold deposits. The Company’s properties are located in Canada in the Appalachian region of the province of Quebec. The properties benefit from extensive historical exploration work and from well-established infrastructure thereby helping to reduce exploration risks.
What are High Purity Quartz and Silicon Metal?
High Purity Quartz
- High Purity Quartz (HPQ) has a purity level in excess of 99.997% and is extremely rare.
- Used in the semiconductor industry to produce crucibles and quartz glass products, such as windows, rods, and tubes [Source].
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Also used in the production of silicon metal, which is the base for the semiconductor wafers, made using the Czochralski Process[Source].
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High purity quartz deposits with low impurities are rare, world supplies are tightening and HPS prices are rising [Source ].
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Demand for HPQ is growing with the high tech industry and the price for premium HPQ can vary between US$ 8,000 to US$ 25,000 or more per ton depending on the specifications needed for the final application [Source ].
Metallurgical Silicon Metal
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Metallurgical Silicon Metal has a purity of 98.5% or higher and is used as an alloying agent in the aluminum industry due to its ability to increase the strength of aluminum [Source].
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Adding Silicon Metal to aluminum alloys makes them strong and light [Source].
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As a result they are increasingly used in the automotive industry to replace heavier cast iron components [Source].
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Allows weight reductions and a reduction in fuel consumption [Source].
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Demand for aluminium has increased 5% CAGR over the past 20 years [Source].
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It has also been reported that the solar industry will have it’s first global panel shortage since 2006 [Source].
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It has become one of today’s key strategic minerals with applications in high-tech industries that include semiconductors, LCD displays, fused quartz tubing, microelectronics, solar silicon applications and recently, Silicon Anode Lithium Batteries
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Silicon Metal with 98.50% SiO2 purity sells for about US$ 3,200 per ton (or US$ 1.45 US a pound) [Source].
Martinville, Malvina and the Montpetit Quarry Silica Properties
Company announced that it’s wholly owned subsidiary, Quebec Quartz, has initiated a work program and is starting the evaluation process of its Martinville, Malvina and the Montpetit Quarry Silica properties.
Fieldwork will first start on the Martinville property where a Historical Resource of 1,000,000 tons was declared and where samples of up to 99% SiO2 were found and then continue to the Malvina property where sample as high as 99.74% SiO2 were reported. Historical records indicate that the samples were taken from quartz vein systems described as clear white quartz with limited fracturing. Both properties are located approximately 40 km south east of Sherbrooke in the Eastern Townships of Quebec.
The Montpetit Quarry is located in Hemmingford Quebec, 70 km south of Montreal. Historical records indicate the silica mined in the 1950s from the quarry was used for ferro-silica production. In 1956, 3,000 tons of sandstone quartzite was analyzed and the average result for SiO2 was 99.27% indicating that the silica from this property could be suitable for silicon metal production. The silica is described as originating from very pure quartzite sandstone from the Cairnside geological formation
Developing Quebec’s First Placer Gold Mine
Beauce Placer Gold Project is located in the municipality of Saint-Simon-les-Mines in the Beauce region of southern Quebec. The project has all the required environmental permits to start its operations, and is in the final stage for obtaining a 20 year mining lease for a placer gold mining operation. It will be Quebec’s first placer mine in 50 years.
The Company declared inferred resource of 23,000 oz. AU (741,000 m3 @ 0.97 g Au/ m3) on the Rang Chaussegros section. The importance of the nugget effect on the project potential is such that gold recovery could be between 23,000 (741,000 m3 @ 0.97 g Au/ m3) and 140 000 ounces (741,000 m3 @ 5.9 g Au/ m3), as per data derived from the historical mining figures.;
Developing an open pit gold mine in the Beauce
In April 2014, Uragold singed a definitive option agreement with Golden Hope Mines (“GNHâ€) concerning the advancement of the Bellechasse-Timmins (BT) Gold Deposit into a producing mine.
In August 2012, GNH published a resource estimate of an indicated resource of 313,900 ounces gold (2.9 million tonnes grading 3.36 g/t Au) and an inferred resource of 102,000 ounces gold (2.17 million tonnes grading 1.46 g/t Au) using a cut-off grade of 0.60 g/t. Furthermore, GNH’s many bulk-sampling campaigns revealed extensive areas of surface mineralization averaging approximately 3 g/t Au. Notable were sampled areas averaging up to 10 g/t Au (Trench 09A).
The Beauce Placer property and the Golden Hope Mines’ Bellechasse-Timmins (BT) Gold Deposit (which are both ‘nuggety’ type deposits) are located within Magog Group sediments. It should be noted that the Beauce gold project has a thick till in contrast to the Bellechasse-Timmins (BT) Gold Deposit where most of the till has been eroded away and exposed the outcrops. This suggests that both the Beauce and the Bellechasse/ Timmins deposits are genetically related – the Beauce being a placer deposit derived from an unknown Bellechasse/ Timmins type deposit.
Under the terms of the Option Agreement, Uragold will be responsible for obtaining all required permits, approvals, and documentation associated with going into production, in return for a 30% interest in the property. Uragold will then have 120 days to obtain project financing, which, if successful, will earn it a further 20% interest, giving Uragold a 50% interest in the B-T deposit. The companies will then form a Joint Venture (JV) for the operation of the mine, with Uragold serving as operator. GNH will have a carried interest into production, and will receive a 50% Net Proceeds Royalty (“NPRâ€) on the gold produced.
- 38,000 meters drilled, 2010 to 2012
- Gold Recovery:
- Gravity separation up to 92%
- Total gold (gravity + cyanidation) 99%
- Less than 1% Bellechase-Belt explored
- Located in the municipality of Saint-Magloire, in the Beauce region of Quebec
- 1 ½ hour drive south of Quebec City
- 3 ½ hours from Montreal
- Accessible year round on all paved roads, close to urban infrastructures
Moe River Gold Property
The Moe River Property is located in the southwestern part of the Quebec Appalachians in the Eastern Townships region of the Province of Quebec.
The gold bearing gravels of the Moe river valley has attracted prospectors since the 1900. Between 1958 and 1962, Tamara Mining Limited worked in the Moe River area, under the direction of G. A. Blair, P.Eng. Blair defined a historical resource based on the volume of gravels in the terraces along the river. He concluded that there were between 45 to 48 million cubic yards of material in all of the terraces containing a total of 400,000 ounces of placer gold.
