"RM: Okay, the next one is Kootenay Gold Inc. (KTN:TSX.V), which has the 100%-owned Promontorio silver project in Sonora, Mexico. Like Cangold, Kootenay already has a significant resource. AGP Mining Consultants' resource estimate puts Indicated mineral resource at 5.2 million tons, with 8.9 Moz silver, 99 million pounds (Mlb) lead and 111 Mlb zinc. It grades 52 grams of silver, 0.86% lead and 0.96% zinc.
Since that estimate, Kootenay has drilled 53,000m into Promontorio at an average depth of 300m; the results from two-thirds of that drilling will go into a new resource estimate, which is due out in another month or two. Going back through the results on the website, you see some pretty decent assays, and I expect a very definite resource increase – a doubling or even tripling in the new estimate. Then Kootenay will launch another big and aggressive drill program. It wouldn't surprise me to see 50 Moz silver and quite likely the equivalent to that in lead and zinc after that drilling.
With all of that, plus a very good share structure with heavy management participation, a very healthy treasury, and more news coming, I refuse to believe that Kootenay won't be revalued much, much higher over the coming year.
TGR: With the flagship property actually focused more on silver than gold, is it odd that this company is Kootenay Gold rather than Kootenay Silver?
RM: The company took its name from the Kootenay region of British Columbia, where it started, and it has eight or nine serious joint ventures (JVs) with some pretty good junior resource companies on gold properties there and in other parts of B.C. – Copley, Red Lobster, Deer Creek, Jumping Josephine and Rosetta Stone.
Kootenay has the best of both worlds, and operates on the prospector generator business model, taking property dilution instead of share dilution. It uses the money that generates along with money raised to work on its 100%-owned Promontorio. I don't think most people realize that Promontorio, as a standalone, will be able to potentially produce 3-5 Moz silver a year plus another 3-5 Moz silver equivalent over a 10-year-plus timeframe. In the context of other silver producers in Mexico, that's a pretty significant asset. It usually takes these producers two or three mines to get up to production numbers like that, and Kootenay will get there with a single asset. That's pretty uncommon and pretty valuable.
TGR: A lot of great silver producers in Mexico certainly would be interested in this project.
RM: Oh, one project with the potential to produce that much silver and silver equivalent in a year has to be on every radar screen. Don't get me wrong, Kootenay can take this to production. It absolutely can. It's just a matter of whether an offer is too good to refuse."
Full interview available here:
