VANCOUVER, Dec. 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - Aurizon Mines Ltd. (TSX: ARZ; NYSE Amex: AZK) is pleased to report further results from the current exploration drilling along the recently completed exploration drift, on the 810 metre level, at its Casa Berardi Mine, in north-western Quebec.
The priority of the current program is to delineate inferred mineral resources and transfer those resources to the indicated category by closer-spaced drilling. Part of the current program is focussed along Zone 120, located between a vertical depth of approximately 650 and 1,100 metres, approximately 650 metres east of the West Mine production shaft. Since the results announced on September 1, 2009, a section totalling thirteen (13) holes at an average spacing of 25 to 50 metres has been completed, to cover most of the inferred resources block. Holes were collared from the 810 metre level exploration drift.
The results from these new holes confirm the continuity of the mineralization encountered in previous holes and confirms thicknesses over 20 metres in the zone, as in hole CBP-0073 which intersected 8.1 grams per tonne over 24 metres (true thickness). The best results were as follows:
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Mineralized Intersections
Hole East From To Gold grade True width
(metres) (metres) (metres) (grams/tonne) (metres)
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CBP-0071 12,050 E 183.3 217.8 6.5 30.0
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CBP-0073 12,025 E 147.5 172.7 8.1 24.0
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CBP-0103 12,100 E 276.7 293 12.5 11.0
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The mineralized corridor identified in this area by previous surface and underground drilling programs (see Aurizon news releases dated November 10, 2006 and September 1, 2009) is approximately 400 metres wide and follows a moderate westward plunge. The mineralized veins, which are several metres wide, stockworks, and sulphide-bearing structures fill the contact between folded competent rock units, such as conglomerate, and the Casa Berardi Fault.
"These new holes confirm the continuity in thickness and grade of the Zone and indicate an excellent potential to extend the known mineralized limits further to the east and up dip toward the Principal Zone'', said Jeannot Boutin P. Eng., Mine Geology Superintendant."
Outlook
A drilling budget of $15 million for infill and exploration purposes was approved for this year to complete 40,000 metres of underground and surface drilling and 1,900 metres of underground drift access. Eleven (11) rigs are active on the property. The new results will be integrated into a new mineral resources estimate on Zone 120, as of December 31, 2009. Drilling will continue from the 810 metre level exploration drift to infill the current resources outline and to test possible lateral and down dip extensions of the gold mineralization.
Quality Control
Core assays are performed on core sawed in half, with standard fire assay procedures and atomic absorption finish. Certified reference material, duplicate and blanks are inserted in the sample sequence for quality control. Assay checking on pulp and coarse reject are carried out on approximately 5% of samples. Additional information on Quality Assurance and Quality Control ("QA/QC") can be found in the "Technical Report on the Casa Berardi Mine," dated February 9, 2009, which can be found under Aurizon's profile on www.sedar.com. Primary exploration assaying was performed at the mine site laboratory and at Swastika lab in Ontario. The QA/QC program is performed at ALS Chemex lab in Val-d'Or.
Drill hole planning, implementation and the quality control program is supervised by Jeannot Boutin, P.Eng, Mining Geology Superintendant, an appropriately qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Boutin is also responsible for the scientific and technical information in this news release.
Additional Information
One sketch is attached showing the Casa Berardi mine. All other information previously released, together with all technical reports on Casa Berardi are available on the Aurizon website at www.aurizon.com.
About Aurizon
Aurizon is a gold producer with a growth strategy focused on developing its existing projects in the Abitibi region of north-western Quebec, one of the world's most favourable mining jurisdictions and prolific gold and base metal regions, and by increasing its asset base through accretive transactions. Aurizon shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "ARZ" and on the NYSE Amex under the symbol "AZK". Additional information on Aurizon and its properties is available on Aurizon's website at http://www.aurizon.com.
