Harte Gold Announces 2018 Drilling Increases Indicated Mineral Resources by 55%
TORONTO, Feb. 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HARTE GOLD CORP. (“Harte Gold” or the “Company”) (TSX: HRT / OTC: HRTFF / Frankfurt: H4O) is pleased to announce an updated NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate based on 90,000 metres of drilling completed in 2018.
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Highlights:
- Overall increase in Mineral Resources - Indicated Mineral Resources are now 1.1 million ounces Au grading 8.12 g/t and Inferred Mineral Resources are 558,000 ounces Au grading 5.88 g/t.
- Indicated Mineral Resources gold ounces increased 55%.
- Grade continuity confirmed – portion of lower grade Inferred Mineral Resource upgraded to higher grade Indicated Mineral Resource.
- Mineralization has been extended along strike to the Wolf Zone both near surface and down dip.
- Inferred mineralization has been extended down dip – the Sugar and Middle Zones are converging.
- The significantly expanded Indicated Mineral Resources will form the basis of a Feasibility Study targeted for the end of March which will define “Reserves” for the first time.
- Continued drilling in 2019, between the Middle and Wolf Zones returned significant mineralization including 12.14 g/t Au over 2.00 metres at WZ-18-197W2, 13.39 g/t Au over 3.57 metres at WZ-19-197W3 and 12.98 g/t Au over 3.90 metres at WZ-18-222W4. These results reflect a continued expansion of the Middle-Wolf Zone convergence area.
- Property wide exploration defined for 2019, targeting three areas with potential to significantly extend defined mineralization along strike of the Sugar, Middle and Wolf Zones.
2018-2019 Mineral Resource Estimate Comparison at 3 g/t Au cut-off
| Description | Indicated | Inferred | ||||
| Tonnes | Grade (g/t) | Ounces Au | Tonnes | Grade (g/t) | Ounces Au | |
| Sugar, Middle, Wolf Zones (2019) | 4,243,000 | 8.12 | 1,108,000 | 2,954,000 | 5.88 | 558,000 |
| Sugar, Middle Zones (2018) | 2,607,000 | 8.52 | 714,200 | 3,590,000 | 6.59 | 760,800 |
- Mineral Resources which are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.
- The estimate of Mineral Resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues.
- The Inferred Mineral Resource in this estimate has a lower level of confidence than that applied to an Indicated Mineral Resource and must not be converted to a Mineral Reserve. It is reasonably expected that the majority of the Inferred Mineral Resource could be upgraded to an Indicated Mineral Resource with continued exploration.
- The Mineral Resources in this report were estimated using the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM), CIM Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves, Definitions and Guidelines prepared by the CIM Standing Committee on Reserve Definitions and adopted by the CIM Council.
- Advanced Exploration Bulk Sample mined out area removed from the model.
The 3g/t Au cut-off was derived from US1250 Au price, US$0.80 exchange rate, C$86/t mining cost, C$28/t processing cost, C$10/t sustaining Capex, C$5/t G&A cost, US$5/oz refining cost, 96% processing recovery and USD115/oz shipping, smelting and royalty charges (averaged across total production).
Stephen G. Roman, President and CEO of Harte Gold commented:
“The updated Mineral Resource Estimate incorporates 90,000 metres of infill and step out drilling completed in 2018 across the Sugar, Middle and Wolf Zones. The drilling was significant as it accomplished the following objectives:
Reconfirmed that high grade mineralization is continuous and overall grade increases with infill drilling
The Company was successful in expanding the Indicated Mineral Resource gold ounces by 55% and extending mineralization an additional 400 metres down dip at the Sugar and Middle Zones at a consistent grade profile.
Management expects that with continued infill drilling lower grade Inferred Resources will be upgraded to a higher grade Indicated Mineral Resources.
Demonstrated potential convergence of the Sugar, Middle and Wolf Zones through step out drilling
The Company was also successful expanding Inferred Resources to 1,300 meters below surface. While Inferred Mineral Resources decreased year-over-year, a significant portion was upgraded to the Indicated Mineral Resources category.
Mineralization has also been expanded to include the convergence areas between the Sugar and Middle Zones, reconfirming management’s understanding that the Sugar, Middle and Wolf Zones are part of a larger system at depth.
Identified new zones of mineralization along strike and parallel to existing structures
The Company is also pleased to announce an initial Mineral Resource Estimate for the Wolf Zone. Previously, the Wolf Zone was not included in the mine plan and now demonstrates significant potential to expand the Mineral Resource base and further extend mine life. The resource also factors in addition of several parallel zones such as the Footwall Zone that was identified at the Sugar and Middle Zones.”
Longitudinal Projection – Mineral Resource Comparison is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cbb4de5c-832b-425e-bb99-cba3df1f8d3f
Near Mine Exploration Update
The Company is pleased to report the following assays returned reflecting an expansion of the Sugar Zone to the southeast and continued growth of the Middle-Wolf Zone convergence area. Assays from SZ-18-260W, WZ-18-197W2, WZ-19-197W3 were returned after the Mineral Resource cut-off and have not been factored into the latest Mineral Resource Estimate.
Sugar Zone Southeast Extension
| Hole # | From | To | Au (g/t) | Width (m) |
| SZ-18-260W | 846.85 | 848.37 | 5.37 | 1.52 |
Middle-Wolf Zone Convergence Area
| Hole # | From | To | Au (g/t) | Width (m) |
| WZ-18-197W2 | 1099.00 | 1101.00 | 12.14 | 2.00 |
| WZ-19-197W3 | 950.43 | 954.00 | 13.39 | 3.57 |
| WZ-18-221W2 | 911.42 | 913.00 | 10.27 | 1.58 |
| WZ-18-222W4 | 869.30 | 871.62 | 8.83 | 2.32 |
| WZ-18-222W4 | 884.00 | 887.90 | 12.98 | 3.90 |
| Core intersection lengths in the tables above approximate 80% true width, assay results are uncut, fire assay with metallic screen on samples >10 g/t | ||||
Longitudinal Projection – Downhole IP Target Areas is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/da33d362-85aa-4624-a114-e806e3fc9785
Near mine exploration in 2019 will focus on the expansion of Inferred Mineral Resources along strike and the convergence of all three zones – Sugar, Middle and Wolf – at depth.
The Company plans to use additional downhole geophysics to further focus diamond drilling. Downhole IP (Induced Polarization) successfully led to the discovery of the Middle Zone and extension of mineralization to a depth of 750 metres from surface, announced late last year. The Company is targeting four holes as an initial IP program for 2019, illustrated on the above longitudinal projection.
Property Wide Exploration Update
The Company is also pleased to provide an update on its property wide exploration program, now defined for three highly prospective areas. The program is based on a combination of previous diamond drilling success and VLF geophysics. These areas are called the Hambleton Lake, K7 South and Flat Lake areas.
The Hambleton Lake area is an on strike extension of known mineralization north of the Wolf Zone. Prospecting and geochemical surveying completed over the summer and fall of 2018 identified an area with high gold in soil samples up to 826 ppb. For example, similar geochemical analysis over the Sugar Zone identified values of 25 ppb in soil samples. Accessibility in the summer months necessitates a winter drill program which will begin in March.
The K7 South area is a southern extension of mineralization along strike where prospecting samples returned anomalous gold and base metals values in an area where there are several outcrops of altered feldspar porphyry and altered mafic volcanics, a similar setting to the Sugar and Middle Zones. The Company is now completing a VLF geophysical survey and will drill the area in April/May.
The Flat Lake area in the northeast area of the Property has returned significant electromagnetic anomalies as well as up to 1% zinc in surface sampling. A VLF survey will be completed in this area prior to drilling.
Planned Exploration 2019 is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/43bd2b2e-0bcc-43b6-9401-d894fcd286fe
QP Statement
The updated Mineral Resource Estimate was prepared in compliance with NI 43-101 guidelines. Robert Kusins, P. Geo. and Harte Gold’s senior Mineral Resource geologist, is the Company Qualified Person for Harte Gold and has prepared, supervised the preparation, or approved the scientific and technical disclosure in this news release. Independent Qualified Person, Eugene Puritch, P.Eng., FEC, CET of P&E Mining Consultants Inc. has reviewed and approved the technical contents of this news release.
QA/QC Statement
The company has implemented a quality assurance and control (“QA/QC”) program to ensure sampling and analysis of mine and exploration work is conducted in accordance with industry standards. Drill core is sawn in half with one half of the core shipped to Activation Laboratories located in Thunder Bay, ON, while the other half is retained at the Company’s core facilities in White River, ON, for future verification. Channel and Chip samples were sent to Wesdome Mines lab in Wawa, ON. Certified reference standards and blanks are inserted into the sample stream on a regular interval basis and monitored as part of the QA/QC program. Gold analysis is performed by fire assay using atomic absorption, gravimetric or pulp metallic finish.
About Harte Gold Corp.
Harte Gold is Ontario’s newest gold producer through its wholly owned Sugar Zone Mine in White River, Ontario. Using a 3 g/t gold cut-off, the NI 43-101 compliant Mineral Resource Estimate dated February 19, 2019 contains an Indicated Mineral Resource of 4,243,000 tonnes grading 8.12 g/t for 1,108,000 ounces contained gold and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 2,954,000 tonnes, grading 5.88 g/t for 558,000 ounces contained gold. Exploration continues on the Sugar Zone property, which encompasses 83,850 hectares covering a significant greenstone belt.
| For further information, please contact: | ||
| Stephen G. Roman President and CEO Tel: 416-368-0999 Email: sgr@hartegold.com | Shawn Howarth Vice President, Corporate Development Tel: 416-368-0999 E-mail: sh@hartegold.com | |
The Toronto Stock Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
