Westhaven Hits High-Grade Gold at Multiple Zones at Shovelnose: 15.97 Metres of 9.15 g/t Gold and 27.43 g/t Silver at FMN Zone and 79.00 Metres of 2.73 g/t Gold and 15.78 g/t Silver at South Zone

 

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Westhaven Gold Corp. (TSX-V:WHN) is pleased to announce drill results from its ongoing drill campaign at its 17,623-hectare Shovelnose gold property. Shovelnose is located within the prospective Spences Bridge Gold Belt (SBGB), which borders the Coquihalla Highway 30 kilometres south of Merritt, British Columbia.

Recent Highlights:

• SN21-161 (FMN: 220.32-236.29m) 15.97m of 9.15 g/t Au and 27.43 g/t Ag, including 6.13m of 11.07 g/t Au and 34.26 g/t Ag, and 2.49m of 28.56 g/t Au and 79.12 g/t Ag.
  
  
• SNR21-02 (South Zone: 167.00-246.00m) 79.00 metres (m) of 2.73 g/t gold (Au) and 15.78 g/t silver (Ag), including 12.44m of 6.35 g/t Au and 3.38 g/t Ag.
  
  
• SN21-158 (FMN: 93.22-150.90m) 57.68m of 0.68 g/t Au and 11.19 g/t Ag, including 3.46m of 9.46 g/t Au and 151.82 g/t Ag, including 0.90m of 31.70 g/t Au and 529.00 g/t Ag.
  
  
• SN21-160 (South Zone: 275.09-311.40m) 36.31m of 0.72 g/t Au and 2.52 g/t Ag, including 6.53m of 2.23 g/t Au and 4.59 g/t Ag.
  

Gareth Thomas, President & CEO of Westhaven Gold, states: “With this significant high-grade gold-silver drill intercept at the FMN Zone, our theory that more high-grade centres occur along this major NW-SE structure has proven correct. Hole SN21-161 (15.97m of 9.15 g/t Au and 27.43 g/t Ag) is approximately 700m away from the Franz Zone discovery drill hole SN20-101 (7.78m of 14.84 g/t Au and 40.68 g/t Ag). Our Exploration Manager, Peter Fischl talked about a “kink” in the structure and its importance for potential mineralization along key structures exhibiting strike-slip movement. Our team is gaining a better understanding of the structural controls on the Shovelnose Property which is important as we focus the majority of the fully funded 2021 drilling on exploration targets on this large and underexplored property. In addition, drilling in the South Zone, which is geared towards the completion of an inaugural maiden resource estimate by years-end, continues to intersect significant widths of high-grade gold-silver mineralization and demonstrate continuity of veins (SNR21-02: 79.00m of 2.73 g/t gold and 15.78 g/t silver).”

Peter Fischl, Exploration Manager, adds: “Drilling this Spring at Shovelnose continues to show the potential of the FMN target. Vein Zone 1 continues to be traced to the northwest where it appears to be deflecting slightly northward, outlining a slight “kink” of about 20^o off the main structure. This “kink” in Vein Zone 1 is helping focus stronger dilation along this structure where significant strike-slip movement has likely occurred. Previous drilling southeast of FMN at South Zone had encountered stronger veining in rhyolite, suggesting some lithological control on gold mineralization. Hole SN21-161 intersected Vein Zone 1 in a thick section of andesite, suggesting it is not lithology, but deflections in the structure that are ultimately controlling stronger gold mineralization. Significant quartz veining continues to be encountered northwest of hole SN21-161, as seen in hole SN21-162, a hundred-metre step-out to the northwest (assays pending). A second vein zone was encountered deeper in a number of holes drilled at FMN. This zone is now designated as “Vein Zone 4”. It has been traced along a northwest strike for 350 metres, consisting of 2 to 10% cm-scale quartz veinlets over widths of up to 90m, locally with quartz breccia veins of up to 1m wide. The shallower portions of this zone will be targeted to follow-up on the elevated gold assays returned in the deeper portions of this zone.”

FMN Zone

Hole SN21-158 is drilled on Section F0600 at FMN. It is an upper cut to hole SN21-155 (0.16 Au over 36.52m). It hit Vein Zone 1 at 135.70-159.00m, hosted in andesite flows and heterolithic tuff and comprised of 15 to locally 60% banded quartz-adularia +/- ginguro veins to 23cm wide. Hole SN21-161 is a 100m step-out northwest of hole SN21-158 (31.70 Au over 0.90m). This hole intersected Vein Zone 1 consisting of the following andesite hosted sequence: a section of brecciated banded quartz-adularia-ginguro veining at 220.30-228.10m followed by banded quartz-adularia +/- ginguro veinlets to 233.00m in rhyolite tuff. The veined tuff is followed by heterolithic breccia with 3-10% quartz fragments to 245.50m.

South Zone

Hole SNR21-02 is on section 1025 and is an undercut to SNR21-01. Hole SN21-160 is drilled at South Zone on Section 1025 and is an undercut of holes SN21R-02 (2.73 Au over 79.00m). It encountered Vein Zone 1 at 270.80-324.00m depth (about 1100m elevation), consisting of quartz-adularia +/- ginguro veins and breccia veins to 7.4m wide hosted in rhyolite and rhyolitic tuff.

Table of Recent Results (Newer Holes in Bold): 

Hole_ID	Target	From(m)	To (m)	Int (m)	Au (g/t)	Ag (g/t)	High Au (ppb)
SN21-150	FMN	25.71	34.46	8.75	0.70	4.14	2880
including		32.80	34.46	1.66	2.27	2.97	2880
SN21-151	FMN	321.22	351.50	30.28	0.26	15.49	957
including		332.00	338.00	6.00	0.58	34.70	957
and		499.00	503.31	4.31	0.24	27.53	332
SN21-152	South Zone	291.00	310.00	19.00	0.38	26.86	1415
including		291.00	293.00	2.00	1.21	144.50	1415
SN21-153	FMN	-	-	-	-	-	212
SN21-154	South Zone	365.89	369.15	3.26	0.72	33.90	1725
and		382.00	385.05	3.05	0.23	20.56	288
SN21-155	FMN	302.42	338.94	36.52	0.16	9.44	462
including		322.60	326.00	3.40	0.44	26.19	462
SN21-156	FMN	323.87	327.44	3.57	0.22	7.12	256
SN21-157	South Zone	302.88	318.29	15.41	0.37	17.48	1215
including		306.85	313.00	6.15	0.68	25.43	1215
SN21-158	FMN	93.22	150.90	57.68	0.68	11.19	31700
including		139.74	143.20	3.46	9.46	151.82	31700
including		139.74	140.64	0.90	31.70	529.00	31700
SN21-159	South Zone	343.15	352.12	8.97	0.79	20.39	3190
including		347.17	350.17	3.00	1.98	39.14	3190
and		361.60	371.00	9.40	1.88	15.85	13100
including		364.59	366.16	1.57	8.76	23.77	13100
SN21-160	South Zone	275.09	311.40	36.31	0.72	2.52	5150
including		276.00	290.00	14.00	1.58	3.46	5150
including		276.00	282.53	6.53	2.23	4.59	5150
SN21-161	FMN	220.32	236.29	15.97	9.15	27.43	30500
including		220.87	227.00	6.13	11.07	34.26	23500
including		226.00	227.00	1.00	23.50	52.60	23500
including		233.00	235.49	2.49	28.56	79.12	30500
SNR21-01	South Zone	130.92	162.00	31.08	0.73	1.45	5710
including		138.00	144.30	6.30	2.46	3.42	5710
and		180.23	232.00	51.77	4.22	46.42	84000
including		202.15	230.00	27.85	7.51	83.94	84000
including		205.00	211.25	6.25	20.11	273.07	57600
including		227.96	228.44	0.48	84.00	280.00	84000
SNR21-02	South Zone	167.00	246.00	79.00	2.73	15.78	28300
including		187.00	199.44	12.44	6.35	3.38	25800
including		193.78	197.44	3.66	16.98	7.73	25800
including		219.28	236.11	16.83	6.02	64.04	28300
including		220.03	223.68	3.65	14.82	211.64	28300

*A total of 31 holes have been drilled to date in 2021. Assays have now been released for 14 holes with an additional 17 holes pending assay*

Please click the following link to the 2021 drill database table of assay results:
https://www.westhavengold.com/projects/shovelnose-gold/maps/

On behalf of the Board of Directors
WESTHAVEN GOLD CORP.

"Gareth Thomas"

Gareth Thomas, President, CEO & Director

Qualified Person Statement

Peter Fischl, P.Geo., who is a Qualified Person within the context of National Instrument 43-101 has read and takes responsibility for this release.

QA/QC

Core samples were prepared using the PREP-31 package in ALS’s Kamloops facility each core sample is crushed to better than 70 % passing a 2 mm (Tyler 9 mesh, US Std. No.10) screen. A split of 250 g is taken and pulverized to better than 85 % passing a 75-micron (Tyler 200 mesh, US Std. No. 200) screen. 0.75g of this pulverized split is digested by Four Acid and analyzed via ICP-MS (method code ME-MS61m (+Hg)), which reports a 49-element suite of elements. All samples are analyzed by Fire Assay with an AES finish, method code Au-ICP21 (30g sample size). Additional Au screening is performed using ALS’s Au-SCR24 method, select samples are dry screened to 100 microns. A duplicate 50g fire assay is conducted on the undersized fraction as well as an assay on the entire oversize fraction. Total Au content, individual assays and weight fractions are reported. All analytical and assay procedures are conducted in ALS’s North Vancouver facility. A QA/QC program included laboratory and field standards inserted every 25 samples. At least one field blank is inserted in every batch of 25 samples, with additional blanks inserted following samples with visible gold.

Westhaven’s ongoing Quality Assurance and Quality Control programs include auditing of all exploration data. Any significant changes will be reported when available.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

About Westhaven Gold Corp.

Westhaven is a gold-focused exploration company advancing the high-grade discovery on the Shovelnose project in Canada’s newest gold district, the Spences Bridge Gold Belt. Westhaven controls 37,000 hectares (370 square kilometres) with four 100% owned gold properties spread along this underexplored belt. The Shovelnose property is situated off a major highway, near power, rail, large producing mines, and within commuting distance from the city of Merritt, which translates into low-cost exploration.

Westhaven trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the ticker symbol WHN. For further information, please call 604-336-6921 or visit Westhaven’s website at www.westhavengold.com

Maps accompanying this announcement are available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ea14d06a-4fc1-43bf-ad7b-a2fb9bbd7d09
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2a488fec-740f-41ae-bad9-cb8c8373be7b
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9074a297-240d-40b7-b42d-24d5a06cfb40
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f5bff132-4788-4320-970d-064018db0166