Northern Empire Resources Provides Regional Update and Identifies Several New Exploration Targets
- New regional geology model developed from mapping, sampling and drilling
- Identifies seven large target areas
- Sampling around known deposits identifies possible shallow extensions
Vancouver, April 25, 2018 - Northern Empire Resources Corp. (TSXV: NM) (OTC Pink: PSPGF) (the "Company" or "Northern Empire") today provided a technical update on the regional geology at the Sterling Gold Project located within the Walker Lane Trend in Nye County, Nevada. Northern Empire is focused on developing and exploring for gold deposits in Nevada with low technical risk.
Michael G. Allen, President and CEO, stated, "When we acquired the Sterling Gold Project less than a year ago, we recognized the enormous geologic and mineral potential. Our efforts thus far have focused on the northern portion, or 'Crown' as we believe this area has the greatest potential for significant discovery. Our efforts are focused on attaining an understanding of the geologic controls of mineralization and applying that understanding to guide our current and future exploration initiatives. To date, approximately 30% of the 141 square-kilometer property package has been geologically mapped and geochemically sampled, with 580 rock chip samples collected."
Of the 580 samples collected, 34 returned values greater than 1.0 g/t Au and ranged from less than detection, to a high of 13.85 g/t Au. Additional samples are being processed and may result in further near-surface targets being developed.
With the existing data, several highly prospective, near-surface targets for new discoveries have been identified and will begin to be tested in the Company's recently expanded 18,000-meter drill program. Permitting for a more significant 50,000-meter program has already begun and will focus not only on upgrading resources at the Crown, but also testing more of these exciting new regional targets.
New Exploration Targets (shown in Figure 1):
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Road Zone: Located north of the Daisy deposit and features several up-dip surface samples of greater than 1.0 g/t gold which indicates potential for shallow mineralization. This target is on the northern limb of the regional antiform identified, in mapping.
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Gold Ace Fault: The Gold Ace Fault is a north-south running structure that hosts the Company's Daisy deposit as well as the Reward deposit. The new Gold Ace Fault target zone is immediately south/updip of the Daisy deposit and features a large undrilled area of high-grade surface samples, up to 13.85 g/t Au and is located on the southern limb of the regional antiform as well as along a secondary syncline.
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Crowell Extension: The Crowell Mine is a historic, underground fluorite mine that had reported gold grades of up to 7.0 g/t (0.2 opt). This target is located along the hinge of the regional antiform and represents a potential link between the Daisy and Secret Pass deposits. This target has a strike length of approximately 800 meters.
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Radio Tower: Anomalous surface geochemistry to the south of the Secret Pass pit indicate a possible target at depth.
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Secret Pass East: Secret Pass is currently the largest deposit in the Crown and the new East zone is an under-explored portion of the Fluorspar detachment fault. Surface sampling by the Company has returned values of up to 5.0 g/t gold. This target represents a potential strike length of approximately 1,200 meters.
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Ronko Jasperoids: Undrilled Jasperoids that returned sample values of up to 2.0 g/t gold at surface and are in excellent host rocks for mineralization. Strike length of the jasperoids mapped to date is approximately 500 meters.
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Range Front Fault Zone: The range front fault running along the eastern side of the land package is a sizeable untested target that hosts large deposit potential. Historic samples returned values of up to 5.0 g/t gold at surface on secondary structures. Portions of the range front fault complex cut the Roberts Mountain and Lone Mountain formation and represent an excellent target for Carlin-style mineralization. Range front structures host 3 deposits on the eastern side of the Bare Mountain Range; Motherlode, SNA and the 144 Zone.
Figure 1. Newly identified targets at the Sterling Gold Project
https://www.northernemp.com/_resources/images/emp0501_regional-geology_targets.pdf
Advancing the Sterling Gold Project
Since the Sterling Gold Project was acquired in May of 2017, the Company has been working to develop and deepen its understanding of the regional geological model and structural controls for gold mineralization around existing deposits, and across the vast land package. Early work led to the identification of highly prospective units of host rock available for staking and the Company subsequently grew the land package from its original size of 55 square-kilometers to its current size of 141 square-kilometers.
Mapping in the Crown has defined an asymmetric fold-thrust belt in the sediment package, with a NW vergence and a NE plunge likely of Mississippian age (327-290Ma). The folding generated flexure induced failures (parallel to axial direction), and bedding plane weaknesses (low angle, grossly at 90 degrees to axial direction) that induced near north-south oriented tear faults that were later enhanced during caldera collapse to the north. These late (15-7Ma) caldera collapse events released stress on the pre-existing framework allowing fluid migration paths along both the low angle bedding slip induced failure zones, and the more vertical standing tears (N-S) and axial plane (NE-SW) slips.
The strong NE fabric generated during the compressional folding event is thought to have created the underlying structural architecture that may be responsible for the NE alignment of the known deposits along the Fluorspar Canyon trend. This fundamental understanding and the relation of this fabric to the subsequent structural events will help in the location of additional mineralized areas within the Bare Mountains. A detailed geology map can be found in Figure 2.
Figure 2. Regional Geology Map.
https://www.northernemp.com/_resources/images/emp0501_regional-geology_sections.pdf
Long Sections
Identified in the regional geology map is the asymmetric Razorback Anticline in section view to the northeast (Figure 3). The steeply dipping northern limb is fractured by bedding plane shears and axial plane faults, which trend down the plunge of the fold to the northeast. The other significant fault shown on the section is the Fluorspar Canyon Detachment fault, as it is currently known, separating Tertiary volcanic rocks from the Cambro-Ordovician sedimentary rock package. Recent drilling has shown that many more northward-dipping low-angle features are present, but not yet defined within the Cambrian Carrara carbonate package, which hosts mineralization at Daisy South.
Figure 3. Razorback Anticline long section.
https://www.northernemp.com/_resources/images/emp0501_cross-sections_Razor.pdf
Also identified in the regional geology map is a section view to the northwest from the Secret Pass area through Meiklejohn Peak to the SNA deposit (Figure 4). The lower part of the section shows detachment surfaces, possibly reactivated thrust faults, which place Cambrian Zabriskie Quartzite over Mississippian Eleana Siliciclastic rocks, and Ordovician Carbonates over Devonian and Mississippian rocks. The Detachment surface extends to the northeast toward the center of the Timber Mountain Volcanic Complex collapse, causing multiple slide blocks to develop along listric-normal faults. Tertiary latite dikes are intruded along some of the older features, which strike north and northeast. Tertiary latite dikes are also found within the Devonian and younger rocks that contain the SNA deposit.
Figure 4. SNA long section.
https://www.northernemp.com/_resources/images/emp0501_cross-sections_sna.pdf
About Northern Empire
Northern Empire Resources Corp. (TSXV: NM) (OTC Pink: PSPGF) is expanding and discovering heap leach gold deposits in Nevada. The Company presently has initial resource statements on four heap-leachable deposits at the 100%-owned Sterling Gold project, including the high-grade, fully permitted Sterling Mine. Using a 0.3 g/t Au cut-off the pit constrained inferred resources on the property total 947,000oz Au with an average grade of 1.26 g/t Au. For further information on the Sterling Project, please refer to the technical report on the Sterling Project dated July 12, 2017, found on the Company's website and SEDAR. The Company is well-financed and is aggressively drilling all four deposits in 2018 to increase resources and explore for new discoveries on the district-scale land package. Founders and management have a track record of increasing shareholder value through discovery, project development and M&A in leadership positions at success stories such as Newmarket Gold, Kaminak Gold, Underworld Resources and International Royalty Corp. For more information visit www.northernemp.com.
Sampling and QAQC Procedures
Samples were submitted to ALS Global in Reno, Nevada. Gold grade was determined by Fire Assay with Atomic Absorption, and Gravimetric Finish as well as Cyanide Soluble methods. Most ALS geochemical laboratories are registered or are pending registration to ISO 9001:2008, and several analytical facilities have received ISO 17025 accreditations for specific laboratory procedures. Northern Empire inserts a series of standards, blanks and field duplicates into the sample stream as part of its quality assurance and quality control procedures which are continually monitored by the Company.
Qualified Persons
Michael G. Allen, P. Geo., President of Northern Empire, and a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, has reviewed the technical information contained in this news release. He is the non-independent qualified person for this news release and has verified the data.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF Northern Empire Resources Corp.
"Michael G. Allen"
President, CEO and Director
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 NEWS RELEASE.
Certain information set forth in this news release contains "forward-looking statement", and "forward-looking information" under applicable securities laws. Except for statements of historical fact, certain information contained herein constitutes forward-looking statements, which include the Company's expectations about the future performance based on current results and expected cash costs and are based on the Company's current internal expectations, estimates, projections, assumptions and beliefs, which may prove to be incorrect. Some of the forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as "will", "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "projects", "plans", and similar expressions. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and undue reliance should not be placed on them. Such forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which, may cause the Company's actual performance and financial results in future periods to differ materially from any projects of future performance or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statement. These risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to: liabilities inherent in mine development and production; geological risks, the financial markets generally, the results of the due diligence investigations to be conducted by the Company. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statement will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipate in such statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by applicable securities laws. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
For further information contact:
Michael G. Allen, President, CEO and Director
Tel: +1 (604) 646-4522
Dylan Berg, Manager, Investor Relations
Tel: +1 (604) 646-4520