TORONTO, ON--(Marketwired - February 06, 2017) - NewCastle Gold Ltd. (TSX: NCA) (NewCastle Gold or the "Company") is pleased to report assay results from new drilling on the South Domes area ("South Domes") at the Castle Mountain gold project (the "Project") located in San Bernardino County, California. These results are part of an ongoing 40,000 metre Phase II definition and exploration drill program ("the Program") that commenced November 1, 2016.
To date, eleven (11) drill holes have been completed on South Domes to follow up on the encouraging values returned in core hole CMM-079 (1.09 grams per tonne gold ("g/t Au") over 213.7 metres -- see press release dated August 16, 2016) and core hole CMM-111 (1.73 g/t Au over 135.9 metres -- see press release dated October 4, 2016) on cross-section 10600N. New drilling is focused around the quartz-feldspar porphyry body and associated mineralized hydrothermal breccias identified on this section during the 2016 Phase I drill campaign. The South Domes target remains open along strike to the north and south and at depth.
Assay highlights from the first four (4) reverse circulation ("RC") drill holes on cross-sections 10600N, 10570N and 10540N across the southern portion of the South Domes target area include:
Section 10600N
- 1.07 g/t Au over 67.1 metres, in hole CMM-132
- - including 2.91 g/t Au over 12.2 metres
Section 10570N
- 1.25 g/t Au over 94.5 metres, in hole CMM-128
- - including 3.37 g/t Au over 15.2 metres
Gerald Panneton, President and CEO commented: "I am very encouraged with the ongoing exploration success at South Domes, which already contained in-pit resources of 1.3 million ounces within the 4.2 million ounce measured and indicated resource (2015 43-101). New drilling continues to confirm the high-grade nature (+ 1.0 g/t Au) of the gold mineralization and its association with previously unrecognized breccia and intrusive bodies. We will continue to extend this exciting target with additional drilling on trend to the south and north as the mineralization is open in all directions."
The current drill program is approximately one third complete with 13,000 metres of core and RC drilling as of January 31, 2017.
Table 1: Summary of Significant 2017 Core Hole Intercepts at South Domes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From To Interval Au
Hole_ID Section (metres) (metres (metres) (g/t)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
CMM-117 10540N 74.7 164.6 89.9 0.36
--------------------------------------------
including 82.3 93.0 10.7 0.89
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
CMM-123 10570N 97.5 100.6 3.0 0.86
and 115.8 120.4 4.6 0.32
and 141.7 146.3 4.6 0.23
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
CMM-128 10570N 149.4 158.5 9.1 0.45
--------------------------------------------
and 195.1 387.1 192.0 0.81
including 285.0 379.5 94.5 1.25
including 285.0 300.2 15.2 3.37
including 285.0 288.0 3.0 10.48
--------------------------------------------
and 402.3 405.4 3.0 0.44
and 443.5 454.2 10.7 0.48
and 461.8 478.5 16.8 0.46
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
CMM-132 10600N 47.2 53.3 6.1 0.31
--------------------------------------------
and 146.3 172.2 25.9 0.89
including 150.9 155.4 4.6 1.41
and including 166.1 170.7 4.6 2.96
--------------------------------------------
and 216.4 432.8 216.4 0.61
including 219.5 286.5 67.1 1.07
including 254.5 262.1 7.6 1.95
and including 274.3 286.5 12.2 2.91
including 274.3 278.9 4.6 6.08
--------------------------------------------
and 481.6 489.2 7.6 1.19
including 481.6 484.6 3.0 2.58
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
All new exploration holes were drilled at 290 degrees azimuth, with dips of -60 degrees and to an average depth of 335 to 500 metres. True widths of the intercepted intervals are estimated to be 70% to 90% of intersected widths based on the available geological information.
Reverse circulation drill samples from hole CMM-117/123/128 were submitted to ALS Minerals in Reno, Nevada for crushing until 70% of the sample is finer than a nominal two millimeters in size. A 250 gram ("g") sub-sample is taken from the crushed material and pulverized until 85% passes a 200 mesh (75 µm) screen (ALS Method PREP-31). A 30 g portion of pulverized material (pulp) is then sampled and subjected to fire assay ("FA") with atomic absorption ("AA") finish (ALS Method AuAA-23). Any gold assays greater than 10 g/t Au are re-analyzed where a 30 g portion is taken from the pulp and assayed by FA with a gravimetric finish (ALS Method Au 30g FA - GRAV). All samples that yield greater than 0.2 ppm assay are also analyzed for gold cyanide solubility (ALS Method AuAA-13).
Reverse circulation drill samples from hole CMM-132 were submitted to Inspectorate America Corporation in Sparks, Nevada for crushing until 70% of the sample is finer than a nominal two millimeters in size. A 250 gram ("g") sub-sample is taken from the crushed material and pulverized until 85% passes a 200 mesh (75 µm) screen (Method PRP70-250). A 30 g portion of pulverized material (pulp) is then sampled and subjected to fire assay ("FA") with atomic absorption ("AAS") finish (Method FA430). Any gold assays greater than 10 g/t Au are re-analyzed where a 30 g portion is taken from the pulp and assayed by FA with a gravimetric finish. All samples that yield greater than 0.2 ppm assay are also analyzed for gold cyanide solubility (Method CN403).
The Company employs an industry-standard QA/QC program consisting of standard pulps, coarse blanks and rig duplicates.
About NewCastle
NewCastle has a 100% interest in the Castle Mountain property in San Bernardino County, California. The Castle Mountain heap leach gold mine produced over one million ounces of gold from 1992 to 2004. The Mine and Reclamation Plan, under which the mine operated, was authorized by the County of San Bernardino as the Lead Agency and remains in effect. Water for the drill programs was accessed from existing patented wells on the Project.
An updated NI 43-101 resource for the project was announced December 2, 2015 which includes Measured Mineral Resources of 17.4 million tonnes grading 0.86 g/t gold containing 0.48 million gold ounces, Indicated Mineral Resources of 202.5 million tonnes grading 0.57 g/t gold containing 3.71 million gold ounces along with Inferred Mineral Resources of 40.8 million tonnes grading 0.58 g/t gold and containing 0.76 million gold ounces. The Project hosts a disseminated low sulphidation epithermal system. Gold is primarily hosted by late-stage rhyolite volcanic units within zones of silicification and brecciation associated with northeast-southwest trending/southeast dipping fault structures which are interpreted to have developed within a collapsed caldera environment. Eleven gold domains are represented by both steep and shallow-dipping orientations.
Ian R. Cunningham-Dunlop, P. Eng., the Company's Senior Vice President Technical Services, is the designated Qualified Person for this news release within the meaning of NI 43-101. He has reviewed and verified that the technical information contained in this release is accurate and has approved of the written disclosure of the same.
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.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" (collectively, "forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes information that relates to, among other things, statements with respect to the completion of the proposed drill program at Castle Mountain, the mineral resource expansion at Castle Mountain and the identification of future expansion targets at Castle Mountain. Forward-looking information is not, and cannot be, a guarantee of future results or events.
Forward-looking information is based on, among other things, opinions, assumptions, estimates and analyses that, while considered reasonable by us at the date the forward-looking information is provided, inherently are subject to significant risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other factors that may cause actual results and events to be materially different from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. The material factors or assumptions that we identified and were applied by us in drawing conclusions or making forecasts or projections set out in the forward looking information include, but are not limited to that the Company is able to procure personnel, equipment and supplies required for its exploration and development activities in sufficient quantities and on a timely basis and that actual results will be consistent with management's expectations.
The risks, uncertainties, contingencies and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information may include, but are not limited to, the risks discussed under the heading "Risks" in general to the business of NewCastle in documents filed (or to be filed) with Canadian regulatory authorities. Should one or more risk, uncertainty, contingency or other factor materialize or should any factor or assumption prove incorrect, actual results could vary materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Accordingly, the reader should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. NewCastle does not assume any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information after the date of this news release or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and any forward-looking information, except as required by applicable law.
Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2017/2/6/11G129483/Images/NCA-2017-02-6th_PlanMapforPR_SouthDomes-da72ac9f4f7a9a528d32840c329c72b9.jpg
Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2017/2/6/11G129483/Images/NCA-2017-02-6th_CrossSection_10600N_SouthDomes_for-9af86695505c869b9386592b8364be15.jpg
Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2017/2/6/11G129483/Images/NCA-2017-02-6th_CrossSection_10570N_SouthDomes_for-da456de179a9b21b9b4ae474b38d3629.jpg
For further information, please contact:
NewCastle Gold Ltd.
Susan Muir
Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications
Telephone: 416-505-7606
Email: smuir@newcastlegold.ca
