NewWest Gold Corporation Reports Multiple High Grade Intercepts at Sandman Project
Lakewood, Colorado (ots/PRNewswire)
NewWest Gold Corporation (TSX:NWG) ("NewWest") today announced results from its Phase One drilling program at its Sandman Project (Sandman), located in Humboldt County Nevada.
The Phase One program included 75 reverse circulation (RC) holes designed to expand and test shallow and deep targets at the known mineralized zones of Southeast Pediment, Silica Ridge and North Hill. NewWest also completed nine RC holes to test three district targets at Abel Knoll, Windmill and Sandbowl as part of the Phase One program. In total, 84 holes were completed, exceeding 27,000 feet. The drilling continued to produce high-grade intercepts associated with known mineralization, including angle-hole NH06-66 at North Hill which intercepted 5 feet at 3.956 oz Au/ton (within 40 feet of continuous gold mineralization between 10 and 50 feet with an average grade of 1.092 oz Au/ton), vertical hole SR06-100 at Silica Ridge which encountered 5 feet at 1.167 oz Au/ton (within 75 feet of continuous gold mineralization from 135 to 210 feet with an average grade of 0.236 oz Au/ton), and vertical hole AK06-2 at Abel Knoll which encountered 5 feet at 1.559 oz Au/ton (within 420 feet of continuous gold mineralization with an average gold grade of 0.087 oz Au/ton between 245 and 665 feet).
"We are excited by these drilling results," said Steve Alfers, President and Chief Executive Officer. "We verified newly discovered zones of mineralization at Southeast Pediment with excellent grades and thicknesses and have expanded mineralization at Silica Ridge and North Hill, both laterally and at depth. Our new discovery of high-grade gold mineralization at Abel Knoll is especially exciting and demonstrates the potential of our district exploration program."
<< Table 1: Phase 1 Drill Program Summary Location No. of Total Footage Holes (feet) Status After Phase 1 Abel Knoll 2 1,015 Discovered new, continuous mineralized zone Southeast Pediment 2 1,230 Identified multiple mineralized zones at depth Silica Ridge 38 12,685 Expanded known mineralization laterally and at depth North Hill 33 8.320 Extended continuous mineralization Sandbowl 5 1,760 Identified new mineralization Windmill 1 400 Identified new mineralization >>
Complete Phase One results and a map of the drill-hole locations are available on NewWest's website at www.newwestgold.com. Selected assay results are presented below. All reported drill intervals are believed to be close to true width except as noted in the text. Intervals are averages of fire assay gold values using a cut-off grade of approximately 0.010 oz Au/ton. NewWest's Phase Two program is underway and is designed to include an additional 100 holes with an estimated budget of approximately US$1.2 million.
ABEL KNOLL
Two exploration holes drilled at the Abel Knoll geochemical anomaly, located approximately three miles southeast of Southeast Pediment, identified a new zone of mineralization. Vertical hole AK06-2 encountered 420 feet of continuous gold mineralization with an average gold grade of 0.087 oz Au/ton between 245 and 665 feet. The zone includes 25 feet with an average gold grade of 0.397 oz Au/ton between 350 and 375 feet with a high five-foot value of 1.227 oz Au/ton, and 100 feet with an average grade of 0.192 oz Au/ton between 535 and 635 feet with a high five-foot value of 1.559 oz Au/ton. The width of the mineralized zone is unknown. The top 390 feet of the zone is oxidized based on a high abundance of pervasive limonite minerals. Selected Phase One drill results for Abel Knoll are as follows:
<< TABLE 2: Selected Phase One Drilling Results: Abel Knoll Drill Hole Depth From To Intercept Gold Grade High 5' Gold (feet) (feet) (feet) (feet) oz Au/ton oz Au/ton AK06-1 350 210 225 15 0.015 0.019 235 240 5 0.010 0.010 AK06-2 665 245 665 420 0.087 1.559 >>
SOUTHEAST PEDIMENT
Two angle RC holes were drilled at Southeast Pediment to explore for and help define newly discovered mineralization below the Southeast Pediment fault zone. Hole SEP06-93 encountered two new zones of mineralization beneath the known shallow mineralization, one zone of 50 feet of continuous mineralization with an average grade of 0.070 oz Au/ton between 465 and 515 feet, and a second zone of 45 feet of continuous mineralization with an average grade of 0.120 oz Au/ton between 605 and 650 feet. Hole SEP06-92 limits mineralization to the south, but the zone remains open to the north. Selected Phase One drill results for Southeast Pediment are as follows:
<< TABLE 3: Selected Phase One Drilling Results: Southeast Pediment Drill Hole Depth From To Width Gold Grade High 5' Gold (feet) (feet) (feet) (feet) oz Au/ton oz Au/ton SEP06-92 580 (less than) 0.010 SEP06-93 650 115 140 25 0.013 0.020 465 515 50 0.070 0.188 605 650 45 0.120 0.266 >>
SILICA RIDGE
Thirty-eight vertical and angle RC holes significantly increased the size of mineralized zones along five structural controls and added continuity to the zones. The zones remain open to the north and south. Vertical hole SR06-100 encountered 75 feet of continuous gold mineralization from 135 to 210 feet with an average grade of 0.236 oz Au/ton, including a five-foot intercept of 1.167 oz Au/ton. Mineralization appears to be oxidized and metallurgical analysis is ongoing. NewWest's plan for Phase Two includes 40 RC holes to further test the Silica Ridge fault and the under-explored north end of the Silica Ridge mineralization. Selected Phase One drill results for Silica Ridge are as follows (width given for SR06-129 is the partial down-dip length):
<< TABLE 4: Selected Phase One Drilling Results: Silica Ridge Drill Hole Depth From To Width Gold Grade High 5' Gold (feet) (feet) (feet) (feet) oz Au/ton oz Au/ton SR06-92 220 10 20 10 0.015 0.017 85 95 10 0.011 0.011 130 165 35 0.030 0.059 SR06-93 350 0 5 5 0.027 0.027 15 25 10 0.018 0.020 65 85 20 0.011 0.013 95 120 25 0.019 0.031 SR06-100 360 15 25 10 0.013 0.016 135 210 75 0.236 1.167 320 360 40 0.169 0.686 SR06-101 425 265 425 160 0.042 0.143 SR06-102 380 235 265 30 0.026 0.064 285 320 35 0.063 0.217 335 345 10 0.029 0.043 SR06-106 150 5 20 15 0.028 0.045 30 50 20 0.023 0.057 60 95 35 0.050 0.145 SR06-113 450 0 60 60 0.065 0.226 195 215 20 0.039 0.070 265 275 10 0.017 0.017 SR06-118 290 65 80 15 0.064 0.111 90 105 15 0.072 0.153 SR06-129 500 170 265 95 0.033 0.163 275 445 170 0.019 0.053 >>
NORTH HILL
Thirty-three step-out holes drilled in the Northwest Zone at North Hill significantly increased the size of the zone and encountered higher grades and thicknesses than in previous drilling. Angle-hole NH06-66 intercepted 40 feet of continuous gold mineralization between 10 and 50 feet with an average grade of 1.092 oz Au/ton, including a five-foot high intercept grading 3.956 oz Au/ton. The drilling extends the mineralized zone to a length of approximately 900 feet, and the zone remains generally open in all directions. The mineralization appears to be oxidized and metallurgical analysis is ongoing. NewWest plans to drill 30 holes, for a total of approximately 7,500 feet, in the Phase Two program at North Hill. This program will include step-out drilling to establish the dimensions of the mineralized zone. Selected Phase One drill results for North Hill are as follows:
<< TABLE 5: Selected Phase One Drilling Results: North Hill Drill Hole Depth From To Width Gold Grade High 5' Gold (feet) (feet) (feet) (feet) oz Au/ton oz Au/ton NH06-49 270 (less than) 0.010 NH06-50 250 175 225 50 0.175 0.566 NH06-52 340 20 30 10 0.013 0.013 150 200 50 0.030 0.108 210 230 20 0.049 0.131 NH06-53 320 145 160 15 0.022 0.024 180 200 20 0.044 0.084 220 245 25 0.148 0.467 255 265 10 0.020 0.026 NH06-54 280 90 120 30 0.019 0.031 120 155 35 0.096 0.207 185 195 10 0.062 0.103 NH06-56 240 50 100 50 0.066 0.423 110 115 5 0.024 0.024 NH06-58 320 85 115 30 0.065 0.222 120 135 15 0.037 0.076 140 145 5 0.026 0.026 175 195 20 0.040 0.056 220 235 15 0.016 0.027 NH06-63 280 45 65 20 0.100 0.179 90 95 5 0.042 0.042 115 120 5 0.035 0.035 165 195 30 0.019 0.024 245 280 35 0.019 0.061 NH06-66 160 10 50 40 1.092 3.956 95 105 10 0.016 0.018 NH06-77 300 25 50 25 0.029 0.085 75 80 5 0.034 0.034 100 120 20 0.060 0.128 NH06-81 200 10 15 5 0.012 0.012 30 35 5 0.013 0.013 110 165 55 0.068 0.213 NH06-82 190 60 65 5 0.020 0.020 130 165 35 0.081 0.233 NH06-85 230 70 75 5 0.011 0.011 110 150 40 0.047 0.209 160 195 35 0.023 0.068 NH06-86 140 25 45 20 0.086 0.160 70 110 40 0.014 0.021 >>
DISTRICT EXPLORATION
Phase One drilling of district targets Sandbowl and Windmill also identified additional mineralization. At Sandbowl, which is approximately 2,000 feet west-southwest from North Hill, five exploration holes with a total footage of 1,760 feet were drilled. Three of the holes, NH06-60, NH06-75, and NH06-76, resulted in the discovery of the Sandbowl mineralized zone. Strongly anomalous gold mineralization was also encountered in angle hole WM06-1 at the Windmill Anomaly, which is located between Southeast Pediment and Silica Ridge. Additional step-out drilling at both Sandbowl and Windmill are planned for Phase Two.
Qualified Person
All drill samples were collected following standard industry practice and were assayed by American Assay Laboratories, Inc. of Sparks, Nevada. Gold results were determined using standard fire assay techniques on a 30 gram sample with an atomic absorption finish. QA/QC included the insertion of numerous standards and blanks into the sample stream. Michael Gustin, Ph.D., of Mine Development Associates, Reno, Nevada, is NewWest's qualified person as defined by NI43-101 and has reviewed and approved this news release.
Forward-Looking Statements
Information in this news release that is not current or historical factual information may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of securities laws. Implicit in this information, particularly in respect of future operating results, economic performance, potential mineralization and resources, exploration results and further plans and objectives are forward looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties which, although considered reasonable by NewWest at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect. Readers are cautioned that there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements.
Contact:
For further information: NewWest Gold Corporation, Jennifer Van
Dinter, Director of Investor Relations, Tel: +1-303-425-7042, Fax:
+1-303-425-6634, info@newwestgold.com; NewWest Gold Corporation,
Stephen Alfers, President and Chief Executive Officer, Tel:
+1-303-425-7042, Fax: +1-303-425-6634