Very disappointing to say the least. Actual order can be found here. Obviously hope 'Relief from Forfeiture' is accepted... Know nothing about this process but IMO this may not be as big an issue as it seems given forfeiture was supposedly due to an administrative oversight and not because work required was not done. Although do not like to hear others have already jumped in to stake Kerrs ground.

Don't get me wrong... there is no excuse for this... but I do think things will be resolved in OAK's favour. Sounds like we wait until at least August 3rd to hear anything on this. OAK-v is currently raising funds for next phase of Kerrs drilling so would likely be then until anything is commenced anyhow.

Withdrawal and re-opening orders are rare but many properties that are 'withdrawn' are often 're-opened'... obviously depends on specific circumstances. Like I said previous, hopefully 'administrative error' is one reason to quickly reslove and issue 're-opening order'. Also find it interesting that although NR states: "There is a mandatory 31-day review period before any requested relief can be granted by the MNDM."... but the first withdrawal order I clicked on...2009: Atikwa Lake Area had a withdrawal date of June 30, 2009... but the corresponding re-opening order had a re-opening date of July 8, 2009???... that's obviously not 31 days. What gives?

Also notice Kerrs claims to the south were issued re-opedning order in 2007... wonder why they were withdrawn in the first place as withdrawal order not posted?

One good thign about this (if there really can be anything good about this) is that although the withdrawal order does concern area of Kerrs where SGX alone has condected +$1.4 million in exploration... the area does not include claims to immediate NW of EXS-v discovery. Small consolation but always good to find something good in a bad situation.

I hope someone learned an important lesson from this and that it never happens again. Hopefully this is resolved quickly... couldn't have come at a worse time IMO.

red911

Sheltered Oak, Sage Gold mining claim lapses

2009-07-10 18:07 ET - News Release

Also News Release (C-SGX) Sage Gold Inc

Mr. Robert Hanson of Sheltered Oak reports

UNPATENTED MINING CLAIM LAPSE ON KERRS GOLD PROPERTY

The unpatented mining claim L1140877 covering approximately 240 hectares of the Kerrs gold property, one of the 43 unpatented mining claims for which Sheltered Oak Resources Corp. has an option to acquire a 55-per-cent interest from Sage Gold Inc., automatically forfeited on June 26, 2009. The area covered by the claim is where most of the recent exploratory drilling has been done on the Kerrs gold property. The down-dip extension from the reported drilling results on this claim extends to Sage's adjacent claim to the south which is also under option to Oak. Oak expects to continue with its summer drill program of approximately 4,000 metres on targeting the down-dip extension of the Kerrs gold system and drill testing coincident soil geochemistry and structural targets on Kerrs gold property claims adjoining to the southeast.

The claim automatically forfeited due to an administrative error which resulted from a failure to apply assessment work credits for work which had already been completed on the claim. An application for relief from forfeiture was made to the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines (MNDM) on July 1, 2009. On July 2, 2009, the MNDM issued an order withdrawing the area covered by the claim from staking while it considered the application. There is a mandatory 31-day review period before any requested relief can be granted by the MNDM.

Prior to the issuance of the withdrawal order, two arm's-length individuals staked the area covered by the claim. One of them filed an application to have his claim recorded with the MNDM in its Kirkland Lake office following the withdrawal order but it has not been recorded. Sage and Oak are currently assessing the accuracy of the claims staked. At the same time and out of an abundance of caution, Sage and Oak have had discussions with these individuals with a view to settling this matter in the event that relief from forfeiture is not granted by the MNDM and the staked claims are recorded.

Sage and Oak are actively pursuing a positive resolution to this situation and are making every effort to return the claim to Sage's ownership. The press release has been reviewed by Peter Hubacheck, a qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101.