TORONTO (miningweekly.com) – Award-winning exploration company Eastmain Resources is preparing for a strategic step-change as it gears up to start development at its flagship Eau Claire gold deposit, part of the Clearwater project, in the James Bay region of Quebec.

To kick-start the transition process, TSX-listed Eastmain had recently appointed experienced mining professional Dr Laurence Curtis as director and chairperson, tasked with spearheading the company’s transition from explorer to developer.

In the coming months, Eastmain intended to further build out its board and management by adding new members to the team with the skills and experience required to advance Eau Claire through the upcoming stages of development, president and CEO Don Robinson told Mining Weekly Online in an interview.

Following on from an updated mineral resources statement in April, Eastmain was increasing efforts to move the project further up the value curve and had appointed consulting engineering firm G Mining Services to complete a preliminary economic assessment (PEA) by the second quarter of 2016. The PEA, which was reported to be progressing on schedule and within budget, would provide the basis for a decision to proceed to a preliminary feasibility study, or definitive feasibility study.

With a cash balance of C$4.8-million as of July 31, Robinson noted that Eastmain was well funded to complete its next milestone.

He explained that, as part of the PEA treatment, G Mining was undertaking optimisation studies, focused on increasing potential ore extraction of near-surface openpit and underground gold resources at Eau Claire.

Ongoing definition drilling was directed at a high-priority, 1-km-long corridor within the 450 West zone, containing wide, high-grade intersections comprised of gold-rich quartz-tourmaline veins and replacement zones.

“Eastmain is committed to accelerating the advancement of its award-winning Clearwater project, along the path towards potential production, while it continues to expand mineral resources at the high-grade Eau Claire gold deposit,” Robinson highlighted.

Located within the James Bay region of Quebec, a politically and geologically preferred mining jurisdiction, the Eau Claire gold deposit contained the second highest-grade, potential openpit, undeveloped measured and indicated gold resource in North America. The project was close to mine-essential infrastructure and was supported by a strong relationship with local First Nations.

Earlier this year, SRK Consulting had completed an updated mineral resource estimate for the Eau Claire gold deposit, defining 6.8-million tonnes of high-grade openpit constrained resources in the measured and indicated resource categories, containing 885 000 oz of gold at an average grade of 4.05 g/t. The deposit also held about 1.1-million tonnes, which contained 110 000 oz of gold at an average grade of 3.12 g/t in the inferred category.

Robinson pointed out that exploration work continued, with the company discovering potential future underground, ramp-accessible, wide, high-grade zones of replacement-type gold mineralisation through definition drilling within the 450 West zone.

Eastmain had also discovered a new potential openpit resource target 2 km east of Eau Claire.

“We have demonstrated that the Eau Claire deposit is one of a few very attractive high-grade gold projects with mine-ready infrastructure in a [mining] friendly jurisdiction. Our recent Discovery of the Year Award, presented by the members of the AEMQ [Association L’Exploration Minière du Quebec], is a testament to both a fantastic project and a successful exploration team. We are excited to enter this new transition phase towards the development of Eau Claire,” Robinson enthused.

Robinson noted that Eastmain would continue to align itself with experienced, quality business and technical partners and as was the case with the G Mining Services, whose president and CEO Louis Gignac was also awarded the AEMQ's Hector Authier Award for his contributions to Quebec’s mining industry. Gignac was also one of the 2016 inductees to the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame.

Eastmain’s drilling partner Forages Rouillier was bestowed the AEMQ's Company of the Year Award.