Dec 1 2016
Midas Gold Corp. today announced the additional assay results from its ongoing resource enhancement drill program on the Stibnite Gold Project, Idaho. As reported on August 23, 2016, Midas Gold initiated this drill program with a goal of improving, expanding and de-risking the mineral resources defined in the December 2014 preliminary feasibility study ("PFS") before commencing a feasibility study ("FS"). A single oriented HQ diameter drill hole was completed in the central portion of the Yellow Pine deposit in order to replace historical drill data and provide improved controls on gold and, particularly, antimony mineralization in this area. Drill hole MGI-16-414 intersected a 200m long continuous interval of significant gold mineralization and, in addition, cut a series of distinct higher grade antimony vein sets, starting at surface. Highlights of the intercept are tabulated below, while complete results are attached at the end of the press release.
"This 200m intercept of continuous gold mineralization, starting from surface, demonstrates the impressive scale and continuity of the mineralizing system in the Yellow Pine deposit, one of three deposits that comprise our Stibnite Gold Project," said Stephen Quin, President & CEO of Midas Gold Corp. "The narrower, higher grade antimony intercepts within the much broader gold mineralizing system are consistent with prior drilling and historical mining records. These results improve our confidence in the controls on mineralization at Yellow Pine, and will enhance our resource estimates in this critical, early mine life area," said Mr. Quin. Drilling is continuing, including additional holes planned for this area. Further drill results from the central and southern portions of the Yellow Pine deposit are pending. "Based on the results of the holes received to date, Midas Gold will be extending its drill program into the first quarter of 2017," said Mr. Quin.
Hole MGI-16-414
As identified in the 2014 PFS, several areas within the Yellow Pine deposit were identified as potential sites for additional drilling that could result in potential improved confidence, enhanced economic returns through resource conversion and/or extending higher grade areas. Hole MGI-16-414 was drilled at a shallow inclination targeting an area directly beneath the former open pit that had extensive historical, but limited Midas Gold, drilling data due to challenges with drill hole management in this area. Recent structural analysis from pit mapping, reconstruction of historic underground stopes and oriented drill core suggested the majority of previous operators' drilling was oriented to cut gold mineralized structures at optimum angles but not later faults and associated stibnite vein arrays. Hole MGI-16-414 was oriented to target the east-northeast gold-mineralized breccia zones as well as a series of east-west to west-northwest trending, north dipping antimony vein sets that are exposed in the current high wall of the former open pit. The results for hole MGI-16-14 are slightly lower grade than the legacy drill data for gold in this area (at 2.25g/t Au vs. the block model indicating 2.55g/t Au), which is consistent with the PFS modelling that indicates slightly lower gold grades if historical drill data is excluded from the grade estimate. However, the hole intersected significant stibnite veining outside the limits of the known antimony resource envelope. The antimony vein arrays were the subject of historical underground development and stoping, and subsequent open pit mining, and accounted for much of the past antimony production at Stibnite. Hole MGI-16-414 intersected six discrete zones of antimony veining ranging from 1.5-meters to over 10-meters true thickness and cut the veins at high angles. The drillhole and associated oriented core structural information will facilitate improved modeling of these features in future mineral resource and reserve estimates.
Details of the previous news releases, the Project and the Prefeasibility Study can be found filed under Midas Gold's profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) or at www.midasgoldcorp.com.
To view the locations of current drill holes, please see the figures at the end of this release.
Sampling Procedures, Quality Control and Quality Assurance
The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101 ("NI43-101") and reviewed and approved by Stephen P. Quin, P. Geo., President and CEO of Midas Gold Corp., and a Qualified Person. The exploration activities at the Stibnite Gold Project were carried out under the supervision of Richard Moses, C.P.G., Qualified Person and Field Operations Manager for the Stibnite Gold Project. All gold assays are by a 30g Fire Assay charge followed by an atomic absorption finish (with a 0.005g/t lower reporting limit). Samples reporting values > 6g/t gold are re-analyzed using a 30g Fire Assay charge followed by a gravimetric finish. Silver is analyzed via a 4-acid digestion followed by an ICP finish (with a 0.5g/t lower reporting limit). Samples reporting values > 10g/t silver are reanalyzed using a 50g Fire Assay charge followed by a gravimetric finish. Antimony is analyzed via a 4-Acid digestion with ICP finish with a 5g/t lower reporting limit. Samples reporting values >500g/t antimony are reanalyzed using XRF fusion. Some intervals may not add or subtract correctly due to rounding, but differences are deemed insignificant. Analyses are carried out by ALS Chemex in their Reno and Elko, Nevada and Vancouver, British Columbia laboratories. Umpire samples are routinely submitted to third party labs and blank and standard samples are inserted at appropriate intervals and used for quality assurance and quality control and a review of the results of analyses of the blanks, standards and duplicates by the Company's Qualified Person indicates values are within normal and acceptable ranges.
About Midas Gold and the Stibnite Gold Project
Midas Gold Corp., through its wholly owned subsidiaries are focused on the exploration and, if warranted, site restoration and development of gold-antimony-silver deposits in the Stibnite-Yellow Pine district of central Idaho that are encompassed by its Stibnite Gold Project.