Wallbridge Resumes On-Site Exploration and Drilling Activities Following Temporary Suspension Due to Quebec Forest Fire Risk
TORONTO, July 13, 2023 - Wallbridge Mining Company Ltd. (TSX:WM, OTCQX:WLBMF) ("Wallbridge" or the "Company") today announced that following the partial lifting of the ban on access to, and exploration activities on, certain areas in northern Quebec by the Ministère des Ressources Naturelles et des Forêts (Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests) in conjunction with the Société de protection des forêts contre le feu (SOPFEU) the Company has resumed drilling and field exploration programs on its Detour-Fenelon Gold Trend Property.
"Wallbridge's priority throughout this situation has been the safety of our employees, contractors and local communities," said Wallbridge President & CEO Marz Kord. "We are extremely thankful to the government of Quebec and firefighters for their hard work in controlling the wildfires in the region. There has been no damage to any of Wallbridge's assets and we don't expect any impact on the Company's ability to complete its 2023 exploration program."
On June 5, Wallbridge advised investors of the temporary suspension of operations. Two drills are now fully operational. During the period of the temporary shutdown, Wallbridge has continued work on its projects by evaluating historic drill results, assessing geophysics results, working on the PEA report, and strategizing the exploration activities at the targets identified on its Detour-Fenelon Gold Trend.
The Company will continue to monitor wildfire development in the region and respond proactively and accordingly should the situation change.
About Wallbridge Mining
Wallbridge is focused on creating value through the exploration and sustainable development of gold projects along the Detour-Fenelon Gold Trend while respecting the environment and communities where it operates.
Wallbridge's flagship project, Fenelon Gold ("Fenelon"), is located on the highly prospective Detour-Fenelon Gold Trend Property in Québec's Northern Abitibi region. An updated mineral resource estimate completed in January 2023 yielded significantly improved grades and additional ounces at the 100%-owned Fenelon and Martiniere projects, incorporating a combined 3.05 million ounces of indicated gold resources and 2.35 million ounces of inferred gold resources. Fenelon and Martiniere are located within an 830 km2 exploration land package controlled by Wallbridge. In addition, Wallbridge believes that the extensive land package is extremely prospective for the discovery of additional gold deposits.
Wallbridge has reported a positive Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") on its 100%- owned Fenelon gold Project with an estimated average annual gold production of 212,000 ounces over 12.3 years.
Wallbridge also holds a 19.9% interest in the common shares of Archer Exploration Corp. ("Archer") as a result of the sale of the Company's portfolio of nickel assets in Ontario and Québec in November of 2022.
Wallbridge will continue to focus on its core Detour-Fenelon Gold Trend Property while enabling shareholders to participate in the potential economic upside in Archer.
For further information please visit the Company's website at www.wallbridgemining.com or contact:
Wallbridge Mining Company Ltd.
Marz Kord, P. Eng., M. Sc., MBA
President & CEO
Tel: (705) 682?9297 ext. 251
Email: mkord@wallbridgemining.com
Victoria Vargas, B.Sc. (Hon.) Economics, MBA
Capital Markets Advisor
Email: vvargas@wallbridgemining.com
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This press release may contain forward-looking statements or information (collectively, "FLI") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. FLI is based on expectations, estimates, projections, and interpretations as at the date of this press release.
All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are FLI that involve various risks, assumptions, estimates and uncertainties. Generally, FLI can be identified by the use of statements that include words such as "seeks", "believes", "anticipates", "plans", "continues", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "expects", "forecasts", "intends", "projects", "predicts", "proposes", "potential", "targets" and variations of such words and phrases, or by statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "will", "could", "would", "should" or "might", "be taken", "occur" or "be achieved."
FLI herein may include, but is not limited to, statements regarding the results of the Fenelon preliminary economic assessment ("PEA"), statements regarding the potential future performance of Archer common shares; future drill results; the Company's ability to convert inferred resources into measured and indicated resources; environmental matters; stakeholder engagement and relationships; parameters and methods used to estimate mineral resource estimates (the "MRE's") at the Fenelon Gold and Martiniere properties (collectively the "Deposits"); the prospects, if any, of the Deposits; future drilling at the Deposits; and the significance of historic exploration activities and results. FLI is not, and cannot be, a guarantee of future results or events.
FLI is designed to help you understand management's current views of its near- and longer-term prospects, and it may not be appropriate for other purposes. FLI by their nature are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such FLI. Although FLI is based upon what management believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure shareholders and prospective purchasers of securities of the Company that actual results will be consistent with such FLI, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, and neither the Company nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any such FLI. Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake, and assumes no obligation, to update or revise any such FLI contained herein to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by law. Unless otherwise noted, this press release has been prepared based on information available as of the date of this press release. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on the FLI or information contained herein.
Assumptions upon which FLI is based, without limitation, include the results of exploration activities, the Company's financial position and general economic conditions; the ability of exploration activities to accurately predict mineralization; the accuracy of geological modelling; the ability of the Company to complete further exploration activities; potential changes in project parameters or economic assessments; the legitimacy of title and property interests; the accuracy of key assumptions, parameters or methods used to estimate the MREs and in the PEA; the ability of the Company to obtain required approvals; geological, mining and exploration technical problems; failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; the evolution of the global economic climate; metal prices; foreign exchange rates; environmental expectations; community and non-governmental actions; any impacts of COVID-19; and, the Company's ability to secure required funding. Risks and uncertainties about Wallbridge's business are more fully discussed in the disclosure materials filed with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada, which are available at www.sedar.com. Furthermore, should one or more of the risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in FLI.
Cautionary Note to United States Investors
Wallbridge Mining prepares its disclosure in accordance with the requirements of securities laws in effect in Canada, which differ from the requirements of U.S. securities laws. Terms relating to mineral resources in this press release are defined in accordance with NI 43-101 under the guidelines set out in CIM Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, adopted by the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum Council on May 19, 2014, as amended ("CIM Standards"). The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") has adopted amendments effective February 25, 2019 (the "SEC Modernization Rules") to its disclosure rules to modernize the mineral property disclosure requirements for issuers whose securities are registered with the SEC under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934. As a result of the adoption of the SEC Modernization Rules, the SEC will now recognize estimates of "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources" and "inferred mineral resources", which are defined in substantially similar terms to the corresponding CIM Standards. In addition, the SEC has amended its definitions of "proven mineral reserves" and "probable mineral reserves" to be substantially similar to the corresponding CIM Standards.
U.S. investors are cautioned that while the foregoing terms are "substantially similar" to corresponding definitions under the CIM Standards, there are differences in the definitions under the SEC Modernization Rules and the CIM Standards. Accordingly, there is no assurance any mineral resources that Wallbridge Mining may report as "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources" and "inferred mineral resources" under NI 43-101 would be the same had Wallbridge Mining prepared the resource estimates under the standards adopted under the SEC Modernization Rules. In accordance with Canadian securities laws, estimates of "inferred mineral resources" cannot form the basis of feasibility or other economic studies, except in limited circumstances were permitted under NI 43-101.