Marathon Drilling Intersects New Zone Grading 4.43 g/t Gold Over 20.8 m:
Increased Open Pit Potential at Leprechaun Gold Deposit
TORONTO, March 25 /CNW/ - Marathon PGM Corporation (MAR-TSX) ("Marathon") reports significant gold intersections in the latest 6 drill holes at the Leprechaun Gold Deposit, Central Newfoundland ("Leprechaun Deposit"). Visible gold with fine and coarse cubic pyrite in quartz-tourmaline vein stockwork was observed in 5 drill holes (photo)(http://www.marathonpgm.com/images/25-Mar-10visiblegold.jpg). These new gold intersections push the up dip and along strike boundaries of the mineralization outside of the current resource envelope. Assays are pending for the remaining thirteen drill holes. Valentine Lake is an option and joint venture agreement between Marathon and Mountain Lake Resources Inc (TSX.v:MOA").
Highlights:
- visible gold hosted by quartz-tourmaline stockwork returned 4.43 g/t gold over 20.8 m in hole VL-10-156 and 8.67 g/t gold over 7.4 m in hole VL-10-154 - mineralization in holes VL-10-150, -153, -154, and -156 is near surface and outside the current resource envelope - new gold intersections in the Hanging Wall and Footwall zones will help reduce strip ratio for potential open pit development - an additional 1,000 m drilling is planned for May to finish phase 1 of exploration - phase 2 drilling is set to commence after a review of priority targets and ground exploration
"Considering this newly discovered zone of mineralization is near surface and outside the current resource envelope, it will go a long way to improve open pit potential," said David Good, VP of Exploration.
Significant Results from Leprechaun Gold Deposit ------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Core True Best Main From To Width Width Gold Zone Results Section Zone (m) (m) (m) (m) (g/t) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- VL-10-150 10,200 M 43.5 57.5 14 5.2 4.71 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- VL-10-152 10,075 M 142 150.7 8.7 7.2 4.64* ------------------------------------------------------------------------- VL-10-154 10,225 M 63.8 80 16.2 7.4 8.67* ------------------------------------------------------------------------- VL-10-155 10,075 M 119 129 10 9.5 2.35 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- VL-10-156 10,225 M 17.5 40 22.5 20.8 4.43 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Core True Additional From To Width Width Au Results Section Zone (m) (m) (m) (m) (g/t) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- VL-10-150 10,200 HW 29 31 2 2 1.02 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- VL-10-150 10,200 M 41 66.7 25.7 9.5 2.92 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- VL-10-150 10,200 SED 78.3 80 1.7 1 0.78 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- VL-10-152 10,075 HW 30.5 34 3.5 3.3 0.52 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- VL-10-153 10,200 M 20 24.4 4.4 3.1 1.95 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- VL-10-154 10,225 M 23 30.4 7.4 5.5 1.60 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- VL-10-154 10,225 M 50.9 59 8.1 4.5 0.77 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- VL-10-154 10,225 SED 89.1 92.5 3.4 2 0.70 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- VL-10-155 10,075 HW 14 17 3 3 0.80 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- VL-10-155 10,075 HW 45 48 3 3 0.55 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- VL-10-155 10,075 M 154 156 2 2 2.33 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- VL-10-155 10,075 SED 161.5 168.3 6.8 6 0.43 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- NB - * 2 of the reported assay values were cut; historically the cutting factor is 58 g/t Au; M - Main Zone, HW - Hanging Wall, SED - Sediments
Leprechaun Deposit Drilling
Marathon completed 33 drill holes totaling 3,998 m of NQ core during phase 1 of the 2010 drilling program (drill hole location map)(http://www.marathonpgm.com/images/valentinelakedrillmap.jpg). Visible gold associated with 2-5 % fine disseminated to coarse cubic pyrite in a quartz-tourmaline stockwork was identified in holes VL-10-150, -152, -154, -155 and -156. Visible gold was observed in previously released drill holes VL-10-138, -145 (photo)(http://www.marathonpgm.com/images/visiblegoldvl145.jpg), -147 and -149. The new gold intersections confirm near surface mineralization as well as down dip and along strike extension of the mineralized zone.
Marathon previously announced the presence of gold mineralization in the footwall sediments at the Leprechaun Deposit as an underexplored host environment. Holes VL-10-152, -154, -155 and -156 all intersected gold mineralization in the sediments, increasing the importance of exploring the footwall as a new potential source for gold.
Leprechaun Deposit
To date, the Leprechaun Deposit is the first defined gold resource within the highly prospective Valentine Lake Gold Project ("Valentine Lake"). The Leprechaun Deposit has an NI 43-101 compliant inferred mineral resource of 1,314,780 tonnes grading 10.50 g/t gold using a 5 g/t gold minimum cut-off and a 3 metre minimum width for a total estimated mineral resource of 443,000 ounces of gold. Cutting individual assays to 58 g/t gold, the average grade is 8.51 g/t gold, for a total estimated mineral resource of 359,000 ounces of gold at the cut grade. The Leprechaun Deposit is open at depth and along strike. The resource estimate of the Leprechaun Deposit presented in the NI 43-101 Technical Report dated January 12, 2005 was performed by Larry Pilgrim, P. Geo. a Qualified Person (see: NI 43-101 Valentine Lake Technical Report).
Marathon is exploring Valentine Lake under an option and joint venture agreement between Marathon and Mountain Lake Resources Inc (TSX.v:MOA"). Please see Marathon's OJVA press release of December 23, 2009 by clicking http://www.marathonpgm.com/news/2009/231209.pdf
All of the samples were sent to Eastern Analytical Laboratory Ltd., in Springdale, Newfoundland. Samples were assayed using lead collection fire assay with AA (atomic absorption) finish. Results from fire assay are used for drill hole planning only. Assay results for the planned updated resource calculation will be determined by a metallic screening process to be conducted at a later date. Due to the coarse nature of the gold at the Leprechaun Deposit, the metallic screening method has demonstrated an increase in the gold values of up to 30 % over standard fire assay techniques.
David Good, Ph.D., P.Geo., VP of Exploration is Marathon's Qualified Person in compliance with National Instrument 43-101 with respect to this release. Dr. Good has reviewed the contents for accuracy and has approved this press release on behalf of Marathon.
About Marathon PGM Corporation:
Marathon is exploring resource development potential in the immediate vicinity of the Marathon deposit to expand mine life of the planned large tonnage, open pit mining operation. The Marathon deposit is one of the largest PGM-Cu reserves in Canada and is expected to grow with development of additional nearby resources. Marathon's optimized P+P reserve of 91.45 million tonnes grading 0.832 g/t Pd, 0.237 g/t Pt, 0.085 g/t Au, 0.247% Cu and 1.44 g/t Ag, contains 2.44 million ounces of Pd, 696,000 ounces of Pt, 251,000 ounces of Au, 497 million lbs of Cu and 4.23 million ounces of Ag. Marathon also has development and exploration stage properties in southeastern Manitoba and western Newfoundland, respectively. Marathon's management plans to build on its experience through the advancement of its properties and by examining other strategic opportunities. Mountain Lake has a 30% interest in the Valentine Lake Gold Property with an option to acquire the remaining 70% interest from Richmont Mines Inc. and a subsequent sub-option and joint venture agreement whereby Marathon PGM Corp. can earn a 50% in the property.
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION
Except for statements of historical fact relating to Marathon, certain information contained herein constitutes "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements include statements that are predictive in nature, depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, or include words such as "expects", "anticipates", "plans", "believes", "considers", "intends", "targets", or negative versions thereof and other similar expressions, or future or conditional verbs such as "may", "will", "should", "would" and "could". We provide forward-looking statements for the purpose of conveying information about our current expectations and plans relating to the future and readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. By its nature, this information is subject to inherent risks and uncertainties that may be general or specific and which give rise to the possibility that expectations, forecasts, predictions, projections or conclusions will not prove to be accurate, that assumptions may not be correct and that objectives, strategic goals and priorities will not be achieved. These risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to those identified and reported in Management's Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2008.
Other than as specifically required by law, we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made, or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, whether as a result of new information, future events or results otherwise.
%SEDAR: 00020574E
For further information: For further information: David Leng, P.Geo:. Tel: (416) 849-3432, [email protected]
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