Smash Minerals-Early Assays Confirm Prospectivity
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwire) -- 07/05/11 -- Smash Minerals Corp. (the 'Company' or 'Smash') (TSX VENTURE: SSH) provides an exploration update from its Whiskey Gold Property (the 'Property') located in the White Gold District of west-central Yukon Territory, Canada.
The Property occupies 4,177 claims covering an area of 846 square kilometres including the placer gold-rich Black Hills and Barker creeks, and is east of and contiguous with claims formally held by Underworld Resources Corp. and now Kinross Gold Corp.
The 2011 exploration program at Whiskey has been designed to target gold mineralization identified by comprehensive ridge soil sampling(over 7,000 samples) conducted in 2010. Targets identified thus far have characteristics similar to that of the White Gold discovery (both Golden Saddle and Arc Zones) made by Underworld Resources in 2008.
To date this season, Smash has collected a total of 3,395 reconnaissance ridge soil samples, 3,508 grid soil samples, 128 stream sediment samples,and 804 rock grab and chip samples which includes 234 trench samples. Encouraging results from this sampling has prioritised the northeast sector of the property. A property-wide helicopter supported 10,616 line kilometre magnetic and radiometric geophysical survey (100m line spacing) is currently underway. Property-wide and prospect-scale geologic mapping and prospecting is also ongoing in each of the northern and southern claim blocks. Laboratory assay results received, to date, account for approximately half of the total samples collected. Assay results are being progressively received.
Results from reconnaissance ridge soil sampling and follow-up gridded soil surveys have uncovered several areas of anomalous gold, including associated pathfinder elements (principally arsenic (As) and molybdenum (Mo)). Laboratory assay results from recent ridge soil samples in the northeast portion of the property range between detection limit to values as high as 320 ppb, including 170 ppb gold (Au) from a population of 3244 samples further highlighting a potential mineralizing system. In addition,grab rock samples in the same area returned gold values from detection limit to 5.8 g/t Au, including 0.53 and 0.58 g/t Au from a sample population of 436 samples for which assay were received. Mineralization appears to be concentrated in epithermal-style quartz veins, predominately in mafic gneisses (meta-gabbro) adjacent to major lithologic contacts. Pathfinder elements associated with gold in rock and soil samples (As & Mo) are coincident with a northwest-trending lithologic contact that extends for 14.5 kilometers.
A mechanical trenching program initiated in late June has completed 477 line-meters at locations where gold and arsenic anomalies have been identified in rock and soil. To date, 234 trench samples have been collected; assays are pending. Trenching and chip sampling is expected to continue through August.
As an integral part of Smash's technical program all grid soil samples are analysed in a field laboratory on a Niton bench top XRF (x-ray fluorescence) analyser to collect real time semi-quantitative results for several pathfinder elements known to characterise the Golden Saddle and Coffee gold deposits (Kinross, Kaminak). These data allow for next day priority follow-up of strongly anomalous results with more detailed soil sampling and trenching. All soil samples are then shipped to Acme Laboratories in Vancouver for analysis for gold plus 36 elements. A total of 3,508 grid soil samples have been analyzed on the bench top XRF to date. Smash does not intend to release these data because they are semi-quantitative. The XRF has enabled Smash to accelerate and refine its exploration work and better prioritize targets for a 3,000 m core drilling program anticipated to commence in August.
The exploration program is being directed by Adrian Fleming, CEO and Director of Smash and formerly CEO of Underworld Resources. Overall technical guidance for the program including specialist expertise in geology, geochemistry, and geophysics is being provided by Revelation Geoscience. Phil Smerchanski, P.Geo., Principal Consultant - Geology, Revelation Geoscience Ltd. is a Qualified Person and has reviewed the technical content of this press release. A significant proportion of Smash's technical team formerly worked for Underworld Resources and were responsible for the Golden Saddle discovery in 2008. The budget for the ongoing exploration program has been increased from C$4.5M to C$5.4 million which includes the planned core drilling.
A comprehensive QA/QC program is in place to monitor precision and accuracy of the assay results. All soil and rock samples are submitted with certified reference materials. Soil sample duplicates are routinely collected, and pulp duplicates are obtained for both soil and rock samples. Soil samples are analyzed by Acme Analytical Laboratories Ltd. using an aqua regia digestion and a 15 g charge for ridge and spur samples and a 30 g charge for grid samples. Rock samples are analyzed by SGS Minerals Services. Gold analyses are by fire assay using a 50 g charge and an atomic absorption spectrometry finish. Gold assays greater than 3 g/t are routinely re-assayed using a gravimetric finish to confirm initial atomic absorption results. Both Acme and SGS laboratories are ISO 9001 accredited.
Additional information and maps displaying Smash Minerals' prospective targets can be viewed on the company website at www.smashminerals.com.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
Adrian W. Fleming, CEO and Director
This press release includes 'forward-looking statements' including forecasts, estimates, expectations and objectives for future operations that are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of Smash Minerals Corp. Statements regarding mineral exploration operations and objectives are subject to risk, including, but are not limited to, exploration and geologic risk, inflation and costs of goods and services, property title issues and regulatory approvals. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and that actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking information represents management's best judgment based on information currently available. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. Smash Minerals Corp. does not assume the obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required by applicable law.
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.
Contacts:
Smash Minerals Corp.
Dwane Brosseau
Investor Relations
604-662-3380 or Toll Free: 1-855-237-6274
info@smashminerals.com
www.smashminerals.com