Vancouver, B.C., April 7, 2022. Northstar Gold Corp. (CSE:NSG, NSGCF:OTCQB) (“Northstar” or the “Company”), announces the Company has commissioned Ronacher McKenzie Geoscience Inc.(“Ronacher McKenzie”) and SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc. (“SRK”) to develop tonnage and gold grade range estimations within an Exploration Target model for the near-surface Allied Syenite Gold Zone Bulk Tonnage Zone on Northstar’s 100%-owned Miller Gold Property, situated 18 km southeast of Kirkland Lake, Ontario.
The Near-Surface Bulk Tonnage Allied Syenite Gold Zone
Northstar has completed 14,990 metres of drilling in 71 diamond drill holes at the Miller Gold Property since 2014, including 4,120 metres in 16 drill holes completed in 2021. Recent exploration and step-out drilling has successfully defined the near-surface Bulk Tonnage Allied Syenite Gold Zone (“Allied Syenite Gold Zone” or “Zone”) as a 350 metre X 200 metre surface zone (Figure 1) that includes multiple +100 gram metre gold intercepts. Drilling in 2021 successfully doubled the volume of the Zone, which remains open at depth and along strike. A total of 6,332 metres in 22 holes has been drilled on the Allied Syenite to date.
“Northstar now has sufficient drilling and encouragement to provide basis to formally define an Allied Syenite Gold Zone Exploration Target”, states Brian Fowler, President, CEO and Director of Northstar. “This is the next logical exploration step preceding additional step out expansion drilling and commissioning a NI43-101 Mineral Resource estimation. Northstar’s strategy is to develop a material mineral resource base at the Allied Syenite Gold Zone to support an eventual mining operation at the Miller Gold Property.”
Click here to view a Proactive Canada interview with Steve Darling and Northstar CEO Brian Fowler providing further insights into this news release.
Exploration Target Definition - Scope of Work
Ronacher McKenzie and SRK will provide Allied Syenite Bulk Tonnage Gold Zone Exploration Target definition by conducting the following:
- Review and utilize the existing Allied Gold Zone model and database.
- Develop a 3D envelope around all mineralized bodies.
- Generate an Estimation Model to produce tonnage, gold grade and contained ounce estimate ranges utilizing LeapfrogTM geological modeling software.
- Disclosure of results in a Summary Memorandum will be governed by Section 2.3 paragraph 2 of the NI 43-101 and will include the required cautionary language.
- The Allied Syenite Gold Zone Exploration Target definition is expected to take 4 weeks to complete.
Figure 1. Plan View of the Allied Syenite Gold Zone with Higher Grade Envelopes
DGI Televiewer Survey
Northstar Gold Corp has commissioned DGI Geoscience Inc. to conduct Acoustic and Optical Televiewer surveying of additional drill holes in the Allied Syenite area. DGI’s borehole data acquisition services will collect in-situ borehole physical rock property data with an objective to obtain the dip and dip direction of features of interest that intersect the holes. This information provides an important fact base for geological modeling and drill target definition.
The logging suite(s) that will be utilized by DGI in the program will include the following:
Lithology & Structural Logging Suite (LSLS) – Comprises of the Optical Televiewer (OTV). The OTV collects a detailed high-resolution oriented image of the borehole wall which provides detailed structural information, detection of thin beds, determination of bedding dip, and lithological interpretation.
Geotechnical Logging Suite (GTLS) – Comprises of the Acoustic Televiewer (ATV). The ATV provides detailed, oriented, geotechnical information of joints, fractures, faults, breakouts, and other acoustically visible features.
The data collected from the new survey will augment data collected in 2021 which discovered a sub-vertical structure called the IFZ East which appears to be acting as a control on higher grade gold mineralization within the Allied Syenite.
IFZ East – Feeder Zone
Structural data collected in 2021 from drill holes MG20-47, MG21-55, and MG21-56 by DGI Geoscience Inc. using both OTV (Optical Televiewer) and ATV (Acoustic Televiewer) surveying technology successfully identified a northeast striking, -58° southeast dipping brittle fault zone cross cutting the Allied Syenite. The IFZ East Fault (see Figure 1) intersected in drill holes MG20-47, MG21-56 and MG21-70 is characterized by a halo of strong pervasive hydrothermal chlorite alteration and fracturing surrounding chlorite rich fault breccias +/- chalcopyrite, typically 3 to 7 metres in true width. The IFZ East and main branch of the Independence Fault intersect a broad, approximately 200 metre wide second order northwest striking deformation zone or splay off the Catharine Fault Zone called the “Allied Deformation Zone” within the Allied Syenite.
The intersection of these deformation zones and their proximity to higher grade gold intercepts may reflect a process of secondary gold enrichment of pre-existing shallow dipping quartz veins at the Miller Gold Property. The abundant cross fracturing along the lines of intersection creating zones of enhanced permeability and brecciation with subsequent introduction of gold, bismuth and tellurium bearing magmatic hydrothermal fluids along a geothermal gradient extending to depth. The results of drill hole MG21-70 (4.0 g/t Au over 50.6m and 2.3 g/t Au over 8m within the IFZ East from 175m to 183m) indicate that while these structures are not only important for secondary enrichment of gold within the Allied Syenite Gold Zone, but also represent important feeder zones hosting gold mineralization that extend to depth within the Allied Syenite.
About the Miller Gold Property
Northstar’s flagship property is the 100% owned Miller Gold Property (“Miller”), situated 18 km southeast of Kirkland Lake and Agnico Eagle Mines’ Macassa SMC gold mine. The Miller Gold Property is highly prospective for the discovery of a large-scale, higher grade gold system similar to the deposits of the Kirkland Lake camps that produced over 24 M ounces of gold from 7 mines (Clark 2013). Geologically, Miller is believed to be a close analog to Agnico Eagle Mines’ Macassa SMC gold mine, given the numerous geological similarities. Both Miller and the newly discovered lower SMC at Macassa share the similar formation, age and minerization style (gold-telluride vein system with calaverite the main gold mineral). Both deposits are also located next to a First Order fault structure (Catharine Fault Zone at Miller Property and the Larder Break at Kirkland Lake) potentially sharing a gold enriched magmatic hydrothermal reservoir at depth.
The Miller Gold Property also hosts near-surface, lower-grade, syenite intrusive hosted bulk-tonnage mineralization (similar to Sigma/ Lamaque). Drilling to date has yielded long intercepts (50 metres to 150 metres) of near surface, lower grade (0.5 to 1.5 g/t) gold mineralization at two-separate known Syenite intrusions (Allied, Planet) with a 100-metre wide stockwork zone in the Meilleur Syenite yielding 2.13 g/t Au over 13.05 metres and a 147.2 metre intersection averaging 0.60 g/t Au at the Planet Syenite.
The Kirkland District is being explored by major and junior gold companies alike with some significant consolidation transactions recently announced and completed. Northstar spent nearly $4 million in exploration at Miller in 2020 and 2021, resulting in the expansion / discovery of four new high-grade vein structures (Vein 1, 2, 3 and 4) and the near-surface bulk-tonnage Allied Gold Zone. Northstar completed a 14 hole, 2,495 metre Phase IIB diamond drill program at Miller on November 27th, 2021, following up a previous 8 hole, 1,990 metre Phase IIA drill program completed in late April, 2021.
Northstar recently reported results from an extensive 2021 Miller Gold Property surface stripping, mapping and sampling program that further expanded the Allied Syenite Gold Zone 130 metres to the east and southeast. The Allied Syenite Gold Zone has now been defined by drilling and surface sampling to encompass an area measuring >350 metres X 200 metres and remains open along strike to the northwest and southeast. Previous drilling in the Allied Syenite intersected 6.6 g/t Au over 117.0 metres, 4.0 g/t Au over 50.6 metres, 1.4 g/t Au over 118.5 metres, and 1.2 g/t Au over 107.3 metres.
The Company is currently awaiting metallic screen assay results from Phase IIB drill holes.
Qualified Person
Trevor Boyd, PhD, P.Geo., a ‘Qualified Person’ (Q.P.) as defined under Canadian National Instrument NI 43-101, has reviewed technical aspects of this news release.
About Northstar Gold Corp
Northstar’s primary exploration focus is the advancement of the Company’s flagship, 100%-owned Miller Gold Property, situated 18 km southeast of Kirkland Lake and Agnico Eagle Mine’s Macassa SMC gold mine. The Company’s strategy is to develop a material (+1 million ounce) mineral resource base to support a stand-alone mining operation at the Miller Gold Property.
The Miller Gold Property shares several important geological similarities with Kirkland Lake District gold deposits, including a similar style and age of gold-telluride mineralization, similar aged rocks and interconnected First Order controlling structures (Catharine Fault at Miller) off the Kirkland / Cadillac Larder Breaks. The premise is that gold-telluride mineralization at the Miller Gold Property is tapping the same magmatic gold source as the Kirkland gold deposits, which have produced over 25 million ounces of gold from 7 mines over the past 100 years.
Since going public by IPO in late 2020, Northstar has spent >$4 million in exploration at Miller, resulting in the discovery of a series of broad, shallow dipping sheeted quartz-gold-telluride vein structures in the Allied Syenite (Allied Syenite Gold Zone) and Planet Syenites and numerous +100 gram/metre drill hole intercepts.
During the period of August 7th – November 4th, 2021, Northstar completed an enhanced surface stripping, mapping and sampling program targeting near-surface gold mineralization over the Allied Syenite, No. 1 Vein and other areas on the Miller and recently acquired adjoining Searles Patent. In November, 2021 the Company announced the completion of a 14-hole, 2,495 metre Phase IIB diamond drill program at Miller targeting expansions of the Allied Gold Zone, twinning a number of historic No. 1 Vein drill holes on the Searles Patent and drill testing the newly discovered Area E mineralized zone 450 metres west of the Allied Syenite.
Recent 2021 drilling has more than doubled the surface expression (>350m X 200m) of the Allied Syenite Gold Zone, which remains open along strike and at depth. As a precursor to a Mineral Resource Estimate and for reporting purposes, the Company has commenced work to formally document the Allied Syenite Gold Zone as an Exploration Target in Q4. This will provide the Company and investors a conceptual tonnage and gold grade range at the Allied Syenite Gold Zone and provide basis for continued expansion drilling and mineral resource development.
Northstar has 3 additional 100%-owned exploration projects in northern Ontario, including the recently acquired 1,200 ha Rosegrove Property situated 0.5 km from the Miller Gold Property, the 4,500 ha Bryce Property, an intrusive-gold / PME VMS project located along the projected east extension of the Ridout Break, and the recently expanded Temagami-Milestone Cu-Ni-Co Property located in Strathcona Township. Northstar is advancing all 3 properties to the NI 43-101 Technical Report stage to maximize geological understanding, increase investor awareness and optimize monetization opportunities.
On behalf of the Board of Directors,
Mr. Brian P. Fowler, P.Geo.
President, CEO and Director
(604) 617-8191
bfowler@northstargoldcorp.com
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains certain forward looking statements which involve known and unknown risks, delays, and uncertainties not under the control of Northstar Goldcorp. which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of Northstar Gold Corp to be materially different from the results, performance or expectation implied by these forward looking statements. By their nature, forward looking statements involve risk and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on factors that will or may occur in the future. Actual results may vary depending upon exploration activities, industry production, commodity demand and pricing, currency exchange rates, and, but not limited to, general economic factors.
