Westhaven Intersects High-Grade Gold at the Newly Discovered Lear Zone; Drills 10.56 Metres of 3.67 G/T Gold, Including 3.13 Metres of 7.20 G/T Gold

 

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Westhaven Ventures Inc. (TSX-V:WHN) is pleased to announce drill results from its winter drill program 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.

The Company completed 12 of approximately 60 planned drill holes for a total of 5,777 metres this winter drill program at Shovelnose.

Highlights of the winter program include:

• Intercepted the highest-grade gold outside of the South Zone.
  
  
• Extended Vein Zones 2 and 3 up to 230 metres and they remain open to the northwest.
   
• Hole SN20-56 (Lear Zone – Vein Zone 2) returned 3.46 metres (m) of 2.27 g/t gold (Au) and 7.20 g/t silver (Ag), including: 0.71m of 6.98 g/t Au and 16.50 g/t Ag.
   
• Hole SN20-56 (Lear Zone – Vein Zone 3) returned 10.56m of 3.67 g/t Au and 10.40 g/t Ag, including: 3.13m of 7.20 g/t Au and 27.30 g/t Ag, and including: 0.79m of 15.85 g/t Au and 61.30 g/t Ag.

Gareth Thomas, President and CEO of Westhaven, stated: “The 2020 winter drill program hit high-grade gold-silver mineralization on a new target outside of the South Zone. The drill intercepts in the Lear Zone (formerly the North Extension) increase the strike length of the second and third vein zones. Prior drilling to the west/northwest of the Lear Zone, including the Alpine Zone, has demonstrated a significant gold endowment (SN16-02 which intersected 0.50 metres of 16.70 g/t gold, and SN16-07 which intersected 123.00 metres of 0.23 g/t gold). We have yet to identify the source of this gold but upon resumption of drilling we will immediately follow-up on the Lear Zone discovery, as well as drill test many additional high-priority exploration targets across this largely unexplored property.” Thomas goes on to add, “Westhaven continues to prioritize safety and can report that we have no cases of the COVID-19 virus to date. We continue to closely monitor the situation and have implemented virus related safety protocols. We are currently preparing to resume the fully financed drilling activities in mid-May.”

Peter Fischl, Exploration Manager, stated: “Drilling resumed on Shovelnose in early 2020 with the testing of various geophysical targets proximal to the South Zone. This work was successful in discovering mineralized strike extensions for two zones of quartz veining previously drilled at South Zone. Vein Zones 2 and 3 have been extended to the northwest, towards the Alpine Zone, a previously defined geophysical target. Gold mineralization is strongest in the shallower portions of the two vein zones at the northwestern limit of drilling. Both zones remain open to the northwest and will be tested further along strike. This high-priority target will be the initial focus when drilling resumes later this Spring.”

Lear Zone (formerly North Extension):

A prominent north trending magnetic low with coincident resistivity high anomaly was tested northwest of the South Zone, where four holes (SN20-53, 55, 56, 58) were drilled totaling 1,853m. These holes encountered the northwest continuation of Vein Zones 2 and 3 and remain open to the northwest. Zone 2 has been extended to a total strike length of 530m while Zone 3 has been extended to a total of 400m. The zones continue into the Alpine Target, a historic chargeability and resistivity anomaly hosted in rhyolite tuff that was last drilled in 2016. Significant gold values were encountered in both vein zones in the most northwestern and shallowest hole, SN20-56, which returned 2.27 g/t Au over 3.46m (including 6.98 g/t Au over 0.71m) in Vein Zone 2 and 3.67 g/t Au over 10.56m (including 15.85 g/t Au over 0.79m and 11.15 g/t Au over 1.26m) in Vein Zone 3. Follow-up drilling will commence here to test the shallower portions of both vein zones along strike to the northwest.

Othello (formerly Southeast Extension):

Four holes (SN20-50, 51, 57, 59) totaling 1,985m tested the southeastward continuation of Zone 1. These holes were drilled on two sections spaced 100m apart, extending the vein zone by 200m to a total strike-length of 1.5 kilometres. They encountered two vein zones ~ 40m wide of quartz+/-adularia veinlets hosted in fault-bounded blocks of rhyolite tuff, andesite and minor rhyolite. Where mineralized, these vein zones feature high silver to gold ratios suggesting deeper depths of formation below the horizon of boiling and dominant gold precipitation.

Iago (formerly Target A):

Three holes (SN20-52, 54,61) totaling 1,300m were drilled along a north-northwest trending magnetic low and coincident resistivity high on three sections spaced 200m apart over a total strike length of 400m. The area tested is centered on a 200m long north-northwest trending ridge of resistant rhyolite tuff. Mapping here in 2019 uncovered localized veining and brecciation healed by dark chalcedony. Drilling encountered localized silica-healed hydrothermal breccias and localized quartz veinlet zones in rhyolite, before bottoming in a stock of monzo-diorite to syeno-diorite. The intrusion appears to core the resistivity high indicated on resistivity profiles. Veining/brecciation in drill core and on surface may be related to the emplacement of this intrusive body. The nature of this veining/brecciation here may be due to the proximity of the intrusive, which may be the heat source for the more distal South Zone to the northwest. The higher temperature environment proximal to the intrusion may preclude the formation of gold-bearing epithermal mineralization, however this knowledge serves as a guide towards targets more distal to this potential heat source.

Jessica:

One-hole totaling 639m was drilled within South Zone at the Jessica target. Hole SN20-60 tested the shallower portions of a coincident linear magnetic low–resistivity high that suggested the presence of a possible splay extending due south, off Vein Zone 1. This hole continued to greater depths below hole SN19-22 to test the nature of veining down-dip from that encountered in hole SN19-22. A broad 150m wide zone of quartz/chalcedony +/- adularia/kspar veining was intersected in rhyolitic tuff and underlying andesite. The presence of silver and base metal sulphides (chalcopyrite) indicates a deeper level and composition of mineralization here.

*Based on the geology of the vein zones with steep dips to the west, true widths are estimated to be about 80-90% of reported interval lengths. Please see the plan map below.

DRILL HOLES SN20-50 to SN20-61
Hole	From (m)	To (m)	Interval (m)	Au (g/t)	Ag (g/t)
SN20-50	NO SIGNIFICANT ASSAYS
SN20-51	357.63	365.13	7.50	0.08	50.29
	369.80	373.00	3.20	0.16	67.72
	540.00	541.42	1.42	0.40	300.00
SN20-52	NO SIGNIFICANT ASSAYS
SN20-53	87.00	88.00	1.00	4.78	2.96
	101.00	106.00	5.00	1.10	8.23
Incl	101.00	102.00	1.00	3.46	23.10
	138.00	160.00	22.00	0.43	1.27
Incl	138.00	139.00	1.00	1.90	2.54
	187.00	189.00	2.00	1.12	2.78
	297.00	314.00	17.00	0.45	2.20
Incl	297.00	298.00	1.00	2.16	10.25
Incl	311.77	311.95	0.18	3.77	29.10
	340.04	344.19	4.15	0.76	1.44
SN20-54	NO SIGNIFICANT ASSAYS
SN20-55	93.00	120.00	27.00	0.27	1.07
	133.00	167.00	34.00	0.25	1.00
	266.00	299.00	33.00	0.55	1.56
Incl	283.00	299.00	16.00	0.53	1.89
Incl	283.00	288.00	5.00	0.98	2.10
SN20-56	72.65	76.11	3.46	2.27	7.20
Incl	74.29	75.00	0.71	6.98	16.50
	184.00	194.56	10.56	3.67	10.41
Incl	185.52	188.65	3.13	7.20	27.34
Incl	185.52	186.31	0.79	15.85	61.30
Incl	187.97	188.65	0.68	13.20	48.60
Incl	193.30	194.56	1.26	11.15	12.75
SN20-57	NO SIGNIFICANT ASSAYS
SN20-58	113.00	128.00	15.00	0.39	1.82
	210.00	218.00	8.00	1.07	1.84
	237.00	246.00	9.00	0.22	1.02
SN20-59	230.00	233.00	3.00	0.33	0.41
SN20-60	427.00	428.51	1.51	0.51	141.09
SN20-61	NO SIGNIFICANT ASSAYS

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 micron. 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.

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.

On behalf of the Board of Directors
WESTHAVEN VENTURES INC.

"Gareth Thomas"

Gareth Thomas, President, CEO & Director

About Westhaven:

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, in close proximity to power, rail, large producing mines, and within commuting distance from the city of Merritt, which translates into low cost exploration. Westhaven is committed to the highest standards of environmental and social responsibility with a focus on generating positive outcomes and returns to all stakeholders. 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.westhavenventures.com.

Maps accompanying this announcement are available at: 

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8482e3e3-f4c8-451d-8046-7627b14312bf

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2d4ee8c4-7797-4e58-a320-17df86ca22bf

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/18d66027-77b4-4804-9483-e2fc3632cea9

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5f733101-bad2-4635-99d3-f6b79a05a633

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9bcd40a0-cbee-4c7b-af18-c32dbd8ef7a9

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/040cbb17-1cda-4c73-acf9-92559c740073

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/36fe69a4-4b81-4cd0-ad80-dea48d3e6f5c

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0e455084-b302-436a-b8c1-79be949394dd

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d2e6ed0a-569a-4708-935f-aca9c8047120