Idaho Strategic Resources, Inc. announced the recent completion of surface mining of the high-grade Jumbo Vein and plans for exploration of the Jumbo Vein by drifting along the vein from the pit bottom. Surface mining of the Jumbo Vein resulted in 4,000 tonnes of ore at a grade of 17.3 grams per tonne (gpt) gold. The Jumbo Vein consists of a banded quartz vein that typically occurs 10 to 20 m in the hanging wall of the Idaho Fault.

It is known to occur in the central part of the Golden Chest mine property and had minor production in the late 1890's to early 1900's. The recent surface mining consisted of a small pit on a near-surface section of the vein, following it down from the 1115 m elevation to the 1069 m elevation. On each mined bench, the Jumbo Vein was typically exposed for 22-26 m along strike with a width of 0.3 to 1.0 m. The average vein strike was N18oE and average dip was 53oNW. The vein was well-oxidized with abundant iron-oxides and minor amounts of pyrite, arsenopyrite, and chalcopyrite.

Visible gold was often seen in hand samples. As the Jumbo Pit was mined, blast hole drill cuttings were sampled and assayed to direct ore control. An average weighted grade for the ore polygons, based on the blast hole samples, was 13 gpt gold.

However, more selective mining occurred along the vein in practice and composite samples of mined truckloads showed a higher weighted average of 17.3 gpt gold. Three vein chip samples were taken across the vein exposed in the southeast pit wall as mining progressed down in the Jumbo Pit and the results are displayed below (lengths of sample are in true thickness). Exploration drilling was completed in the vicinity of the Jumbo Pit during 2011 and indicates continuity of the vein along strike and vertically below the existing pit bottom.