Frontline Receives Strongly Anomalous Soil Sampling Results from its Epworth Property, Nunavut
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The soil sampling survey consisted of seven east-northeast-west-southwest lines over a distance of 2.8 km, with lines ranging in length from 75 to 150 meters and sample station spacing at 12.5 m. Either a humus sample or B horizon / clay sample were collected at each station. The latter were frequently collected in frost boils. The best results were obtained from frost boils which turned up mineralized rock (sampled in 2021, see Project Background below). Humus samples returned strongly anomalous results adjacent to these frost boils but also in low, marshy ground.
Top results for B horizon / clay samples are as follows:
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2970 ppm Cu (TD-ICP*)
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2710 ppm Zn (TD-ICP)
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2010 ppm Pb (TD-ICP)
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127 ppm Co (TD-ICP)
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8.6 ppm Ag (TD-ICP)
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99 ppb Au (FA-AA**)
Top results for Humus (A horizon) samples are as follows:
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542 ppm Cu (TD-ICP)
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960 /848 ppm Zn (INAA*** / TD-ICP)
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101 ppm Pb (TD-ICP)
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54 / 32 ppm Co (INAA / TD-ICP)
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2 / 0.4 ppm Ag (INAA / TD-ICP)
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4 ppb Au (INAA)
*TD-ICP stands for 'Total Digestion - Inductively Coupled Plasma', an analytical method used by Activation Laboratories.
**FA-AA stands for 'Fire Assay - Atomic Absorption', an analytical method used by Activation Laboratories.
***INAA stands for 'Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis', an analytical method used by Activation Laboratories.
The highest-value soil anomalies were obtained along the 1.1 km high-grade trend identified in 2021, but weaker anomalies were obtained to the north and south, suggesting that the trend continues (to possibly 2.8 km long and still open along strike). Depth of overburden may play a role in the weaker values on some lines, though mineralization may also not be as intense in these locations. Anomalies were frequently obtained at multiple stations on individual lines, suggesting wide mineralized zones or parallel horizons. See Figure 1 for the locations of soil lines relative to the 2021 Metallic Trend and summarized results. Individual thematic maps for each element of interest will be available shortly at www.frontlinegold.com/epworth and www.emeraldgeologicalservices.com/maps.
Final results for rock-grab samples collected during the program are pending and will be reported once received.
The Metallic Trend follows the contact zone between Upper Odjick Formation red shales and Lower Rocknest Formation dolomites, often forming a valley which can be up to 100 meters wide. Mineralization occurs within grey (reduced) Rocknest dolomite flanked by red (oxidized) dolomite. Redox boundaries are thought to be a crucial control on mineralization. Data collected during the 2022 program suggest that there are at least two parallel reduced, mineralized horizons along the Trend. Multi-station geochemical anomalies appear to support this. Where exposed on surface, the mineralized horizons are up to 12 meters wide and host sulphide-rich quartz-carbonate veins up to 0.4 meters wide. Alternatively, these 'parallel horizons' may be explained by repetition of a single horizon by folding or structural duplication by thrust faulting. Larger-scale folding and / or thrusting likely explains the parallel trends that exist to the west and east of the Metallic Trend (e.g. the Payback Trend, see Project Background below). Future diamond drilling programs should help establish the geometries of these zones and their vertical extent.
Project Background:
The Epworth Project is located 85km south of the village of Kugluktuk (Coppermine), containing three main previously known areas of high-grade polymetallic mineralization from 1-25m wide occurring for more than 15km along strike (Payback South, Payback North and Metallic Showings, Figure 3). Historical surface grab samples have reported spectacular high-grade mineralization including:
- 61.2% Cu & 5600 gpt Ag (Payback Showings)
- 19.22% Zn with 810 gpt Ag, 3% Cu & 1.86 gpt Au (Metallic Showing)
The Metallic trend was identified in 2021 while investigating the historical Metallic Showing (formerly named 'Dead Showing') in the northern part of the property, consisting of dolomite with sulphide-rich quartz-carbonate veining in outcrop. Mineralized angular float boulders, subcrop (felsenmeer, frost boil rings) and outcrop were found to extend much further to the south than previously identified, along a well-defined north-northwest-south-southeast-trending corridor (see Figure 2).
Samples along the Metallic Trend returned strongly anomalous to high-grade Cu-Zn-Pb as well as consistently anomalous Au, locally high-grade Ag and anomalous Co with values up to:
- 37.8% Cu (with 184 ppb Au, 2970 ppm Zn, 449 ppm Pb, 356 ppm Co & 45 ppm Ag).
- 3.01 gpt Au (with 7860 ppm Cu & 579 ppm Co).
- 19.3% Zn, 10% Pb & 1130 ppm Ag (with 1.85 gpt Au, 3.01% Cu & 1010 ppm Co).
- 1700 ppm Co (with 201 ppb Au, 6090 ppm Cu, 8.93% Zn, 1.78% Pb & 154 ppm Ag).
Figure 1: 2022 soil sampling on the Epworth Project
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Figure 2: 2021 sampling locations of the high-grade polymetallic mineralization at the Epworth Project.
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Figure 3: Historical sampling locations of the high-grade polymetallic mineralization at the Epworth Project.
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Property Geology:
The Epworth Project is part of a broad platform-type clastic-carbonate sequence belonging to the early Proterozoic Coronation Supergroup that extends from the north shore of Takijuq Lake to the Coronation Gulf for over 130 km. Polymetallic sulphide mineralization occurs as disseminations in the matrix of coarse clastic quartzites or as concordant zones of cherty replacements and veins within permeable dolomite (Rees and Petrie, 1995). The stratigraphy, diagenetic evolution and rift-related tectonic setting of the Coronation Supergroup compare favourably to the African Copperbelt where large (>100mt) high-grade (3-4% Cu) sediment-hosted stratiform Cu-Co-Ag deposits are frequent, and to stratabound Mississippi Valley Type (MVT) sediment-hosted Pb-Zn deposits worldwide. The gold-rich nature of the system further increases the economic potential of this area.
The Epworth Project was explored by Noranda Mining and Exploration and Rhonda Mining Corporation in the mid-1990's. Surface sampling and one drill hole in the Payback South showing confirmed the high-grade nature of the polymetallic stratiform mineralization. Two holes were drilled at the Payback North showing where hole 95-1 intersected 8.3m of 0.303% Cu at shallow depths with subordinate sphalerite-galena mineralization. Noranda concluded that the 1995 drilling may have intersected the leading edge of a mineralizing system, however never returned for follow-up drilling.
Frontline can acquire an 80% interest in the 440 mining cell-units from the vendor with the issuance of 1 million common shares of FGC over 3-years and total exploration expenditures of $2 million over 4-years. The vendor retains a 2% NSR with a 1% buyback for $1 million.
Commentary
Frontline's President and CEO, Mr. Walter Henry, said, "Frontline is very excited with the anomalous soil sampling results returned from the 2022 program, confirming the robust nature of the system and potentially more than doubling the length of the Metallic Trend. The Property is hosted within a recognized large aerial sediment-hosted stratiform copper belt that has seen little systematic exploration over the last 25 years utilizing modern day exploration models. We look forward to planning an initial diamond drilling program to test the rock and soil anomalies obtained on surface in the 2021 and 2022 field programs."
Dr. Daniel Rubiolo, P. Geo, an independent qualified person as defined in National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical contents of this news release on behalf of the Company. The QP and the Company has not completed sufficient work to verify the historic information on the property comprising the Epworth Project, particularly regarding historical exploration, neighbouring companies, and government geological work. Grab samples are selected samples and not necessarily representative of the mineralization hosted on the property.
About Frontline Gold Corporation
Frontline is a Canadian junior mineral exploration company. The Company's core properties include the Crooked Pine Gold Project (Ontario), Copperlode Project (Ontario), the Flint Lake and Kakagi Lake Gold Project (Ontario), and the Route 109 Gold Project and the NE Bachelor Lake Gold Project which are both in the Abitibi Region of Quebec, and the Menderes gold project in the Izmir province of Western Turkey. Other Canadian exploration properties include other gold property groups in Ontario and include the Whitehorse Island Mining Patents.
Frontline continues to actively seek projects, and additional investor/partner(s) in order to continue to build upon its properties and net smelter return royalties.
Further information about the Company is available on the Company's website, www.frontlinegold.com, or our social media sites listed below:
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This news release contains forward-looking statements, which address future events and conditions, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. The Company's actual results, programs and financial position could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of numerous factors, some of which may be beyond the Company's control. These factors include: the availability of funds; the timing and content of work programs; results of exploration activities and development of mineral properties, the interpretation of drilling results and other geological data, the uncertainties of resource and reserve estimations, receipt and security of mineral property titles; project cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses, fluctuations in metal prices; currency fluctuations; and general market and industry conditions.
Forward-looking statements are based on the expectations and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. The assumptions used in the preparation of such statements, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements.
"Walter Henry" Walter Henry, President & CEO | Contact: Walter Henry Phone: (416) 861-9090 Email: info@frontlinegold.com Website: www.frontlinegold.com Frontline Gold Corp. (TSX-V: FGC) 372 Bay Street, Suite 301 Toronto, Ontario M5H 2W9 |
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