The Hinge district was discovered in 2007. This discovery arrived soon after the discovery of the Cartwright and SG1 deposits. While Cartwright and SG1 are notable deposits in their own right, the high grade of the ore located close to surface indicated The Hinge district made it the clear target region to develop as San Gold's second mining unit.

The Hinge district was also the first major discovery San Gold made outside the Sam Antonio Mine (SAM) unit. For decades, the SAM unit has been the principal region of exploration. Recently, however, this theory has been challenged with much success. While there are some important differences in the methodology that led to the discovery of the Hinge district and 007 deposit, the fact that both zones lie outside the SAM marks a substantial new phase in the gold exploration story in the greenstone belt in Bissett.

The Hinge district contains reserves of 43,400 ounces (382,600 tons at 3.88 grams per ton), measured plus indicated resources [inclusive of reserves] of 78,900 ounces (577,100 at 4.69 grams per ton), and inferred resources of 204,500 ounces (1,564,300 tons at 4.48 grams per ton).

Click here to see the full mineral reserves and mineral resources table.

Current Operations

The primary mining method used in the Hinge district is mechanical cut and fill. The Hinge ramp allows ore to be driven to surface by truck. Mining is currently taking place between 300 and 500 metres below surface. Definition drilling into the Hinge district is currently underway from 26 Level of the Rice Lake Mine, with development and production using the Rice Lake Mine shaft expected to begin in 2012.