Estimated Gold Resource Increases by 70% At Livengood
VANCOUVER, BC - International Tower Hill Mines Ltd. Reported independent 2008 year-end updated mineral resource estimate for the Livengood gold project, near Fairbanks, Alaska. The independent study incorporates all of the 2008 drilling (a total of 183 core and reverse circulation holes) and trenching (totalling over 41,063 metres). The updated indicated gold resource is 128.6 M/t at an average grade of 0.83 g/t (3.41M ounces gold) and inferred resource of 142.1 M/t at an average grade of 0.74 g/t (3.39M ounces gold), based on a cut off grade of 0.50 g/t gold. This updated estimate represents a 70% increase of the gold resource from the previous estimate.
The expansion of the deposit over the past 12 months incorporates the discovery of the larger and higher grade Core Zone area in the Money Knob target. The Livengood Gold Deposit remains open for expansion in all directions. The Core Zone area has an estimated indicated gold resource of 68.8 M/t at an average grade of 1.03 g/t gold (2.28M ounces) and an estimated inferred gold resource of 65.2 M/t at an average grade of 0.93 g/t gold (1.95M ounces) based on a cut off grade of 0.70 g/t gold.
"ITH is extremely pleased to see the rapid expansion of the higher confidence indicated component of the gold resource, which grew by 84% in this updated estimate," stated Jeff Pontius, President & CEO. "We plan to commence our 2009 drill program in February."
Given the deposit's favourable low strip ratio geometry and recently announced positive metallurgical results for both the oxide/transitional and unoxidized material, the Company believes that the deposit has reached an important critical mass for development considerations, with the potential to grow significantly larger.
The companyÕs address is Suite 1920, 1188 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC V6E 4A2, 604-683-6332 .