Aben Reports Further Drill Results from 2019 Exploration Program at the Forrest Kerr Gold Project in BC's Golden Triangle

 

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 21, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aben Resources Ltd. (TSX-V: ABN) (OTCQB: ABNAF) (Frankfurt: E2L2) (“Aben” or “the Company”) has received and interpreted additional analytical results from drill holes FK19-55 through FK19-63. These results are from  the 2019 drill exploration program at the Forrest Kerr Gold Project in the Golden Triangle region of British Columbia. This release reports on drill holes located within the Boundary Valley but distal to the main mineralized zone at North Boundary. Part of a second phase of drilling, these holes tested for precious and base metal mineralization along geologic structures and contacts located outboard from known mineralization toward the margins of the large hydrothermal system present on this part of the Forrest Kerr Property.

The 2019 drill program sought to increase the mineralized footprint in the Boundary valley, test outlying fault and shear structures for potential mineralization and to ultimately vector toward a heat and mineralizing source for the focused high-grade precious and base metal mineralization recently discovered on the Property.  

Forrest Kerr Project, Golden Triangle, B.C., location map:
https://www.abenresources.com/site/assets/files/4287/fk-003.jpg

Drill hole FK19-55 (250, -80), a sub-vertical hole collared in the Cracko zone, tested for polymetallic mineralization at depth near the southern limit of the North Boundary zone (450 m south of the mineralized center). 26 separate meter-long intervals returned Au values between 0.10 and 1.26 g/t Au with periodic Ag-Cu+/- Zn mineralization. Hole 55 was the deepest hole drilled on the Property thus far (525 meters vertical depth) and shows the mineralized zone at North Boundary that now measures 750 m x 250 m is still highly prospective at depth.

Forrest Kerr North Boundary Mineralized Plan View map:
https://abenresources.com/site/assets/files/4855/abn_n_boundary_min_plan_view.jpg

Drill holes FK19-56→58 were collared from the same pad to target mineralization associated with the Cracko fault. Holes 56 & 57 failed to cross this important structure and were abandoned prior to the target depth. Hole 56 encountered multiple isolated mineralized horizons that returned a range of polymetallic mineralization including Au (trace to 3.08 g/t), Ag (trace to 5.1 g/t), Cu (trace to 13,550 ppm) and Zn (trace to 20,600 ppm). Hole FK19-57 did not discover significant mineralization before being abandoned at 138 meters. Hole FK19-58, drilled more Easterly and at a steeper dip (090, -55) than the previous two holes, crossed the fault and ended within a poorly mineralized and intensely sericite altered rock package.

Drill holes FK19-59→61 were drilled in a fan pattern at South Boundary, located 2.5 km south of the main mineralized core at North Boundary. These three holes tested the flanks and breadth of multiple fault and shear structures within an area that represents a major structural culmination within the Boundary valley. Holes 59 and 60, drilled NNE at a -45 degree dip, encountered multiple disjunct horizons with modest Au grades (< 1.0 g/t). Hole FK19-61 (090, -48) was drilled across a major structural intersection outlined by an airborne magnetic survey completed in May 2019. This hole intersected multiple 1-meter intervals of modest Au (trace to 0.79 g/t) and Ag (trace to 11.4 g/t) mineralization with intermittent spikes in Pb (trace to 15,500 ppm) and Zn (trace to 58,800 ppm). Of note and potential importance in hole 61 was the discovery of a strongly pyritic bedded sedimentary sequence between two prominent NE trending lineations. This style of deposition and mineralization has characteristics of VMS-style stratiform mineralization found in rift environments, such as the Eskay Creek deposit, located 30 km to the Southeast. This style of mineralization had not been previously observed by Aben personnel on the Property and will be closely examined and followed up with field work and potential drill testing.

Drill holes FK19-62 & 63 were also drilled at South Boundary, about 500 m North of holes 59 → 61 and 300 m South of holes FK18-19, 20 & 21 (reported October 16, 2018). Both holes intersected coherent zones of modest grade gold mineralization with hole 62 (110, -45) reporting an average of 0.12 g/t Au between 78-135 meters (57 m) and hole 63 (110, -55) returning 0.10 g/t Au between 75-125 meters (50 m). Hole FK19-62 also encountered a separate zone between 291-337 meters that returned an average grade of 0.12 g/t Au over 46 m. Both holes intersected isolated horizons of strong Ag-Cu-Zn mineralization. The apparent mineralized corridor defined by gold values in holes 19, 20, 21, 62 & 63 measures in excess of 500 m in strike length over a lateral distance between 100-150 m. It is open toward the North and South and at depth.  

Jim Pettit, President and CEO of Aben Resources states, “We are pleased with the progress of exploration to date as we have now defined gold mineralization at North Boundary over an area measuring roughly 750 x 250 meters that is still open at depth.  We have also discovered a second 500-meter mineralized corridor at the South Boundary Zone that is open to the North and South as well as at depth. We drilled a zone at the southern margins of South Boundary that displays characteristics of VMS-style mineralization, a mineralization style not previously observed in the Boundary Valley. This newly found occurrence could prove to be significant and is indicative of the strength of the hydrothermal system present at Forrest Kerr with the presence of high-grade mesothermal veins and widespread porphyry-style alteration and mineralization. Aben has amassed a sizeable and growing database on the Forrest Kerr Property and we look forward to receiving analytical data from the remaining seven holes of the season.”

The 2019 exploration season has now concluded with over 9600 meters drilled in 25 drill holes.  Thus far, drilling at Forrest Kerr has only tested a small portion of known targets defined by rock, soil and geophysical anomalies. Base and precious metal mineralization has now been defined over an area measuring in excess of 750m x 250m at North Boundary and 500m x 150m at South Boundary. Mineralization corresponds to multiple and widespread fault and shear zone structures within a panel of Jurassic Hazelton rocks that dominate the Boundary valley.

Forrest Kerr North & South Boundary Zone Drill Hole map:
https://www.abenresources.com/site/assets/files/4826/abn_boundary_drill_plan_october_21.1024x0.jpg

Airborne Magnetic Survey from Boundary Zone on the Forrest Kerr Project:
https://abenresources.com/site/assets/files/1/Forrest-Kerr-Mag-Images-from-Boundary.pdf

Forrest Kerr Project Exploration Target map:
https://www.abenresources.com/site/assets/files/4299/abn_forrest_kerr_future_targets.png

Analytical and QA/QC description:

All 1- or 2-meter drill core samples were delivered to ALS Global prep facility in Terrace, British Columbia where they were crushed until 70% passed a 2mm sieve, then a 250g split was pulverized until better than 85% passed a 75-micron screen. Gold was tested via fire assay method Au-ICP21 with all ore-grade samples (>10 g/t) undergoing fire assay with gravimetric finish. ALS performed multi-element ICP-AES package ME-ICP41 in their Vancouver facility to test for 35 other elements. In addition to the quality assurance and quality control program performed by ALS, Aben personnel insert lab certified standards, field blanks and duplicates into the sample stream at the rate of one QA/QC sample in every 10 samples.

Cornell McDowell, P.Geo., V.P. of Exploration for Aben Resources, has reviewed and approved the technical aspects of this news release and is the Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

About Aben Resources:

Aben Resources is a Canadian gold exploration company developing gold-focused projects in British Columbia and the Yukon Territory. Aben is a well-funded junior exploration company with over $1.5 million in the Company’s treasury.

For further information on Aben Resources Ltd. (TSX-V: ABN), visit our Company’s web site at www.abenresources.com.

ABEN RESOURCES LTD.

“Jim Pettit”
______________________
JAMES G. PETTIT
President & CEO

For further information contact myself or:
Don Myers
Aben Resources Ltd.
Director, Corporate Communications
Telephone: 604-687-3376
Toll Free: 800-567-8181
Facsimile: 604-687-3119
Email: info@abenresources.com

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This release includes certain statements that may be deemed to be "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that management of the Company expects, are forward-looking statements. Although management believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements, include market prices, exploration and development successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Please see the public filings of the Company at www.sedar.com for further information.