First Mining Completes Development Drilling at Springpole Project in Northwestern Ontario

First Mining Gold Corporation announced it has completed its development drilling on its Springpole Gold project approximately 110 kilometres northeast of Red Lake, Ontario. 

The 2022 Springpole diamond drilling campaign comprised of 62 drill holes totalling 5,834 metres, and was focused on advancing geotechnical, hydrogeological, and geochemical studies related to metal leaching and acid rock drainage (ARD). 

Drilling in the southwest area of the Springpole Deposit has identified additional which extends beyond the ore zone boundary as defined in the 2021 Pre-Feasibility Study allowing for extension of the deposit continuity outside the current mineral resource area. 

Highlighted intercepts supporting the SW Extension Zone include 1.08 g/t Au over 30.0 m in hole SG22-008, and 0.98 g/t Au over 33.0 m in hole SG22-021, representing an area of opportunity for resource growth potential to be supported by infill and step-out drilling.

Highlights of the 2022 drilling program include:

•    Delineation of the Springpole SW Extension Zone over approximately 150 m in the southwesterly direction and 550 m in the strike direction, with mineralization remaining open along strike and at depth for further testing

•    Drill hole SG22-008 intersected 1.08 g/t Au over 30.0 m from 300.0 – 330.0 m, targeting the western wall area of the PFS Pit

•    Drill hole SG22-021 intersected 0.98 g/t Au over 33.0 m from 252.0 – 285.0 m, including 2.87 g/t Au over 7.0 m from 264 – 271 m, targeting the southwestern wall area of the PFS Pit

•    Drill hole SG22-027 intersected 2.14 g/t Au over 10.7 m from 228 – 238.7 m, and 0.51 g/t Au over 30.0 m from 255.0 – 285.0 m, targeting the southwestern wall area of the PFS pit.

"This is an exciting announcement by First Mining as we have been able to identify additional mineralization in the SW Extension Zone" stated Dan Wilton, CEO of First Mining Gold. "Our team at First Mining had always understood there was more potential to the current resource at Springpole and are encouraged by these results. We believe our existing resource of 4.6 million oz of M&I is the starting point for Springpole and as we continue our exploration program, we believe there will be considerable upside potential at the project and in the region."

Geotechnical drilling during 2022 consisted of 34 HQ-sized diamond drill holes totaling 3,756 metres supporting further characterization of the proposed open pit walls, the proposed construction dikes and additional areas of proposed mine infrastructure.  Drilling within the area of the southwest PFS pit wall intersected an extension of the mineralization outside of the PFS ore zone and mineral resource area. Results of the program further supported drilling results from the 2021 site investigation programs and have established expansion opportunities for additional resource delineation.

A further 10 diamond drill holes totaling 1,612 metres were completed to collect sample material for the ongoing metal leaching/ARD studies on the Project. This drilling primarily targeted areas of waste and low grade within the PFS pit for ARD sample collection, and highlights from mineralized intersections include 1.17 g/t Au over 19.0 m  from 85 – 104 m in drill hole SP22-ARD-010,  1.75 g/t Au over 16.0 m  from 212.0 – 228.0 m in drill hole SP22-ARD-012, and 0.57 g/t Au over 44.0 m  from 73.0 – 117.0 m in drill hole SP22-ARD-004.  Selected core samples from the geotechnical drill program were also utilized for the ARD test work program.

SW Extension Zone
During the 2021 development drilling campaign, two holes targeting the southwest wall of the PFS pit for geotechnical purposes intersected gold and silver mineralization outside of the PFS ore zone, highlighting a potential extension of the Springpole Deposit. As a result, the focus of drilling in this area shifted from geotechnical to near-resource exploration potential to delineate this new mineralization and build on the understanding of the geology in this area. Three additional holes drilled during the 2022 program for the geotechnical program (SG22-008, SG22-021 and SG22-027) also intersected mineralization in the SW extension area.

Mineralization includes heavily disseminated pyrite with local concentrations of semi-massive sulphide within strongly altered and leached host rocks. The favourable lithologies present for gold and silver mineralization are trachytes, porphyries, volcanic breccias, and altered andesites.

The boundaries of this zone have yet to be fully defined, with opportunities for step-out drilling and additional exploration to extend the identified mineralization. First Mining Gold has additionally completed updated lithological and structural modelling that is further supporting brownfields exploration and direct resource extension opportunity identification.

The Springpole Gold Project hosts a significant gold and silver resource in a bulk tonnage, low grade disseminated porphyry to epithermal style deposit that is associated with the emplacement of an alkali trachyte intrusive. Mineralization styles include disseminated gold-silver-sulphide mineralization that is related to multiple phases of a trachyte porphyry complex and several associated diatreme breccias, hydrothermal breccias, dykes and sills. The current mineral resource for the Springpole Gold Deposit comprises an Indicated Resource of 4.6 Million oz Au at 0.94 g/t and an additional Inferred Resource of 300,000 ounces of gold at 0.54 g/t, including Reserves of 3.8 M oz Au at 0.97 g/t, as set out in the technical report entitled "NI 43-101 Technical Report and Pre-Feasibility Study on the Springpole Gold Project, Ontario, Canada", which was prepared for First Mining by AGP Mining Consultants Inc. ("AGP") in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") and has an effective date of January 20, 2021. First Mining has now commenced activities to support a Feasibility Study on the Project. 

All sampling completed by First Mining within its exploration programs is subject to a company standard of internal quality control and quality assurance (QA/QC) programs which include the insertion of certified reference materials, blank materials and a level of duplicate analysis. Core samples from the 2022 drilling program were sent to Activation Laboratories located in Thunder Bay, Ontario where they were processed for gold analysis by 50 gram fire assay with an atomic absorption finish, and multi-element analysis (including silver) by inductively coupled plasma (ICP) method with an aqua regia digest. Activation Laboratories systems conform to requirements of ISO/IEC Standard 17025 guidelines and meets assay requirements outlined for NI 43-101.

About First Mining Gold Corp. 
First Mining is a gold developer advancing two of the largest gold projects in Canada, the Springpole Gold Project in northwestern Ontario, where we have commenced a Feasibility Study and permitting activities are on-going with a draft Environmental Impact Statement ("EIS") for the project published in June 2022, and the Duparquet, Pitt and Duquesne Gold Projects in Quebec, a collection of advanced-stage development assets located on the Destor-Porcupine Fault in the prolific Abitibi region.  First Mining also owns the Cameron Gold Project in Ontario and a portfolio of gold project interests including the Pickle Crow Gold Project (being advanced in partnership with Auteco Minerals Ltd.), the Hope Brook Gold Project (being advanced in partnership with Big Ridge Gold Corp.), and an equity interest in Treasury Metals Inc.

For further information: 
Toll Free: 1 844 306 8827
Email: info@firstmininggold.com;
Paul Morris Director, Investor Relations  Email: paul@firstmininggold.com. 
Richard Huang | Vice President, Corporate Development | Email: rhuang@firstmininggold.com

 

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Tags: Northern Ontario / Exploration / Gold / All Articles