Crown Block - Secret Pass Open Pit
On April 6th, I had the opportunity to visit Northern Empire’s Sterling Gold Project, located north-west of Las Vegas, Nevada. My visit was great and really gave me a good perspective of the Sterling Gold Project’s scale and its potential for further resource expansion.
In particular, the Crown Block stood out as having great exploration potential, as not only is this area a focus for Northern Empire, but also has drawn a lot of attention from Corvus Gold, whose Mother Lode Open Pit is completely surrounded by Northern Empire.
In all, I left the site visit very optimistic that Northern Empire’s 2018 drill program should shed a lot of light onto the Sterling Gold Project’s potential and am eagerly awaiting news flow!
Las Vegas
After landing in Vegas, I hopped in an Uber to get to my hotel. As this was my first visit to the area, I was mesmerized by the bright lights, massive celebrity advertisements and sheer size of the Las Vegas Strip.
View from the bridge connecting the Bellagio and Ballys
Las Vegas truly is the center of the universe when it comes to marketing, because the corporations that reside here clearly understand human behaviour and how to manipulate it. Everything about the strip is designed to put a smile on your face while simultaneously extracting the maximum amount of money from your wallet.
Along the strip, a Starbuck’s tall Americano is $5.50 USD, a tall can (493ml) of domestic beer $10.00 USD, and a 'big gulp' slushy with rum or tequila will run you $30 USD. These prices remind me of those typically reserved for sporting events or concerts, which may be a good comparison for the confines of the Vegas Strip.
A view of New York New York from my hotel parking lot
While my comments here may seem negative to some, they aren’t meant to be. I have a high regard for the marketing expertise that has created this 'wonderland.'
View of the Bellagio
Bottom-line, even if you aren’t a gambler, Las Vegas is a place that everyone should visit at some point in their lives. It truly is unique in terms of what it has to offer.
Sterling Gold Project
The day of the site visit started early, as we met in the lobby of the hotel at about 6:30 am. I, however, hadn't adjusted to the 3 hour time change and was up some time before. One thing about starting your day at 4 am in Vegas is that you aren’t alone. That said, I'm sure most of the people I encountered at that time of the morning had yet to go to bed!
From our hotel, it was about a 2 hour drive up the I95 to the Sterling Gold Project. Given the size of our group, we split up into 3 vehicles. In the SUV with me was Executive Chairman, Doug Hurst, and The National Investor newsletter Editor/Publisher, Chris Temple. Both men are very experienced in the mining and investment worlds and shared several, great anecdotal stories about their experiences and lessons they've learned from the sector.
Drones and Area 51
Roughly half way to our destination, we drove past a U.S. Air Force base which, famously or infamously, is the site of at least a portion of the U.S. drone fleet.
A drone flying in the Sterling Gold Project Vicinity
One of the most intriguing, yet mysterious, sites along the way was Area 51. Of course, you can’t actually see Area 51, but many of the businesses along the highway have names inspired by this mysterious U.S. Air Force base. I'm by no means an expert on the lore surrounding Area 51, but after spending the day at the Sterling Gold Project, you very quickly become aware of a U.S. military presence.
2 (small) Helicopters in the distance
Walker Lane Trend
The Walker Lane Trend extends north-west from Las Vegas to Reno, running parallel to the Nevada and California state borders. While not as famous as the Carlin or Battle Mountain-Eureka Trends in the northern portion of the state, the Walker Lane Trend has a very rich gold mining history.
It's estimated that 50 million ounces of gold have been discovered within the Walker Lane Trend, with the Comstock Lode Mine located near Reno being, arguably, the most famous. Additionally, the Round Mountain and Bullfrog Mines are other examples of gold producing mines within the trend.
Interestingly, Barrick’s past producing 2.3 million ounce Bullfrog Open Pit Gold Mine can be seen from Northern Empire’s Crown Block. I was able to snap a photo, while standing at the top of the Secret Pass Open Pit - see below.