Smash Minerals Reports All Assay Results Received, 2012 Drill Targets Ready For Early Season Drilling
All soil, stream, rock, and drill core assays have now been received. The 2011 geochemical results have been critically evaluated during an end-of-season technical summit. The following three targets in order of priority are considered drill ready for the beginning of the 2012 season:
The Stranahan's Zone occurs along strike of the northwest-oriented, structurally controlled hydrothermal system that includes the Highland Park and Glen Breton Zones. Highly anomalous gold and silver mineralization has been identified in grab rock samples from the Stranahan's Zone. This target is characterized by brecciated quartz veins with strongly sericitized and oxidized fragments of felsic orthogneiss containing abundant disseminated cubic pyrite. Rock samples from this area returned a previously reported value of 6.44 g/t Au; a gravimetric finish on this sample returned 8.00 g/t Au and 63.7 g/t Ag.
One drill hole was partially completed at Glen Breton Zone during the 2011 drilling campaign. The drill hole was abandoned due to unstable ground and swelling clays in a sericitized zone of altered felsic orthogneiss and stockwork quartz veining; the most pervasive alteration and stockwork quartz veining observed on the Whiskey Property. Previously reported rock samples from the Glen Breton Zone returned gold values ranging from detection limit to 3.19 g/t Au. Additional drilling is proposed for next season to re-test the targeted mineralized structure at the Glen Breton Zone.
The Highland Park Zone consists of altered and brecciated felsic orthogneiss and quartz veining defined by a structurally controlled hydrothermal system centered in the north-eastern portion of the Property. Highly anomalous mercury, barium, and silver with minor gold identified in soil from Highland Park may indicate a vertically zoned epithermal-style, hydrothermal system. Drilling of the Highland Park Zone will target potential gold mineralization at shallow depths beneath a cap of siliceous felsic orthogneiss.
Additional targets have also been identified that will require further investigation with trenching and sampling. These zones include the Tullamore Dew Zone which occurs along a lithologic contact between felsic orthogneiss and sericite schists-quartzites and structurally imbricated by a body of meta-gabbro. Tullamore Dew was identified by a multi-element soil anomaly that includes anomalous gold and silver that ranges from trace to 191.4 ppb Au and 4.3 g/t Ag. This target is prioritised for mechanical auger sampling to refine drill hole placement.
Smash Minerals remains fully financed with an expected C$5 million available for its anticipated spring 2012 program of exploration drilling and further sampling.
Smash is actively assessing other grassroots and advanced exploration opportunities to increase its land position in the Yukon and to create a pipeline of projects for the future.
The exploration program is being directed by Adrian Fleming, CEO and a director of Smash and formerly CEO of Underworld Resources (now Kinross Gold Corp.). Overall technical guidance for the program including specialist expertise in geology, geochemistry, and geophysics is being provided by Revelation Geoscience. A significant proportion of Smash's technical team formerly worked for Underworld Resources and was responsible for the first discovery in the White Gold District, Yukon, being the Golden Saddle discovery in 2008.
A comprehensive QA/QC program is in place to monitor precision and accuracy of the assay results. All rock, trench and drill core samples are submitted with certified reference materials and 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. SGS Minerals Services are ISO 9001 accredited.
Adrian Fleming is a Qualified Person and has reviewed the technical content of this press release.
Additional information and maps displaying Smash Minerals' results to date and the identified drill 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.
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Contacts:
Smash Minerals Corp.
Dwane Brosseau
Investor Relations
604-662-3380 or Toll Free: 1-855-237-6274
info@smashminerals.com
www.smashminerals.com