North Bay reports high-grade gold assays, begins test mining at Fran Gold Project
Published: 09:23 16 Jul 2025 EDT
North Bay Resources Inc. (OTC:NBRI) has begun mobilizing for test mining at its Fran Gold Project in British Columbia after reporting a gold assay of 0.5 ounces per ton (14 grams per ton) from a massive sulphide outcrop between Trenches B and C.
The mineralized zone measures approximately 30 meters by 40 meters with a depth exceeding four meters, representing an estimated 15,000 tons of material, the company said in a statement.
The sample follows a series of high-grade results from 2024 surface sampling, including assays of up to 2.27 oz/t gold and 2.45 oz/t silver in the B and C Zones.
Crews are expected on site within five days to begin ramp-up operations, with shipment of gold ore planned to North Bay’s Bishop Gold Mill in Nevada for processing.
The move follows extensive assays of the project’s historic stockpile, which confirmed strong surface grades of 0.34 oz/t gold and an impressive 80% recovery rate at the company’s Bishop Gold Mill using gravity separation. While assays showed a natural decrease in grade at depth, North Bay said the stockpile holds an estimated 4,200 tons of material valued at $420,000 based on a gold price of $3,300 per ounce.
North Bay also reported that a 518-pound gold concentrate shipment to its refining partner, Just Refiners in Reno, yielded recoveries consistent with mill performance from 28 tons processed at the Bishop facility.
Meanwhile, exploration at the Hilltop Zone returned new assays of 0.1 oz/t gold over 55 feet, confirming historical grades of up to 1 oz/t. The discovery extends the known mineralized footprint along a north-south fault system that hosts the richest zones of the deposit.
The company is advancing a dual-track strategy at Fran, combining surface oxide zone mining to supply the mill with exploration across the Main Bullion Alley, East Zone, and Hilltop Zone. North Bay is also working with a mine engineering firm to assess the economics and mine planning for a potential bulk-tonnage operation.
