The Cordero Deposit is hosted in the El Carmen Stock and consists of coarse-grained tonalite, diorite, and gabbroic phases. The quartz veins form as laminated fault-fill veins within a sinistral brittle-ductile shear zone. They are interpreted as conjugate shears within a steeply dipping, north-striking regional shear zone. The controlling shear zone also hosts the Los Mangos Deposit, located 2.8 kilometres to the north. The quartz veins in the Cordero Deposit form a series of en echelon segments that consistently step to the right along strike. The veins have been repeatedly reactivated and exhibit three distinct phases of development: early barren quartz veins, sphalerite + galena + pyrite + gold mineralization controlled by microfractures, and brittle fracturing along the margins of the veins filled with quartz + pyrite + tellurides + gold. Gold mineralization occurs during the latter two phases of vein development. The final stage of brittle fracturing and micro-breccia is commonly associated with 'bonanza' gold grades. Subsequently, the veins are crosscut by aphanitic mafic dykes and numerous brittle faults. The brittle faults are generally dextral and offset the quartz veins from <1.0m to 10s of metres. The late brittle faults commonly dismember the mineralized veins into short strike-length segments, the continuity of which is difficult to discern from drill data. The Cordero Deposit is informally divided into five main zones: Athenas, Cordero, Venus, Venus Gap, and Victoria Ramp zones (Figure 2).
Table 1: Composited assay results from the lower Venus Gap Zone |
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Table 1 Composited assay results from Lower Venus Gap Zone |
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|
Hole ID |
From
(m) |
To (m) |
Length (m) |
Au
(g/t) |
Ag
(g/t) |
|
|
RVICDDH-24-030 |
158.8 |
160.3 |
1.5 |
6.4 |
17.7 |
|
|
including |
159.7 |
160.3 |
0.6 |
15.9 |
42.9 |
|
|
RVICDDH-24-031 |
141.5 |
143.7 |
2.2 |
6.7 |
8.4 |
|
|
including |
141.5 |
142.3 |
0.8 |
7.3 |
6.9 |
|
|
including |
142.3 |
142.7 |
0.4 |
14.9 |
23.0 |
|
|
RVICDDH-25-032 |
184 |
185.65 |
1.65 |
9.2 |
15.7 |
|
|
including |
184 |
184.6 |
0.6 |
18.8 |
30.3 |
|
|
RVICDDH-25-034 |
154.45 |
156.55 |
2.1 |
11.9 |
31.8 |
|
|
including |
154.45 |
155.1 |
0.65 |
32.5 |
92.1 |
|
|
RVICDDH-25-035 |
193 |
194.7 |
1.7 |
3.6 |
4.7 |
|
|
including |
194 |
194.7 |
0.7 |
6.5 |
7.9 |
|
|
RVICDDH-25-036 |
204.1 |
205.1 |
1 |
1.4 |
1.9 |
|
|
RVICDDH-25-037 |
no significant results |
|
|
RVICDDH-25-038 |
no significant results |
|
|
RVICDDH-25-039 |
138.9 |
140.2 |
1.3 |
0.5 |
1.3 |
|
|
RVICDDH-25-040 |
176.6 |
182.6 |
6 |
7.5 |
10.2 |
|
|
including |
177.25 |
177.9 |
0.65 |
9.3 |
21.4 |
|
|
including |
180.05 |
180.55 |
0.5 |
67.8 |
39.7 |
|
|
RVICDDH-25-041 |
no significant results |
|
|
RVICDDH-25-042 |
169.4 |
172 |
2.6 |
6.7 |
9.9 |
|
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including |
171.4 |
172 |
0.6 |
19.5 |
33.8 |
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Note:
all intervals are presented as drilled width. True width is approximately 80%-90% of the drill interval. |
Soma's Vice President of Exploration, Chris Buchanan, stated, "Drilling in the Venus Gap Zone continues to return the broadest, high-grade intervals in the mine. Extending this zone down dip adds resources to the mine plan and supports development of deeper levels of the Venus and Venus Gap veins."
Table 1 presents the composited assay results from twelve drill holes at the Venus Gap Zone. Assays in the drilling range from below detection to a maximum grade of 67.8 g/t Au. The drilling currently covers approximately 150 m of strike length between the southern-most drill intercept (RVICDDH-25-035) and the northern-most intercept (RVICDDH-25-040). RVICDDH-25-036 extends the known dip of the vein system 135m down dip from the 0770 level, the current mining operations. Like other parts of the Venus Gap Zone, wider zones of mineralized stockwork in the footwall of the principal gold-bearing quartz veins and in enclaves of wall rock between anastomosing vein segments were intersected. RIVICDDH-25-040 intersected the widest interval of gold mineralization in the lower Venus Gap with a total width of 6.0 m and an average grade of 7.5 g/t gold (Plate 1). Three of the drill holes intersected quartz veins but did not return significant gold assays (Table 1). This is attributed to the nuggety nature of the gold distribution observed across the Cordero Deposit.
A long section of the drill intercepts is presented in Figure 3. The high-grade intercepts delineate multiple segments of the vein system that are separated by cross-cutting faults and late mafic dykes. Selected highlights from the 2024 drill campaign on the upper Venus Gap vein are presented in Table 2 (see news release dated November 12, 2024). Underground drilling is ongoing in this area to determine the strike and dip extents of the lower Venus Gap quartz veins. The vein segments are located proximal to existing mine workings in the Victoria Ramp and Venus Vein areas. Access to the lower Venus Gap is planned from the Victoria Ramp workings and is expected to intersect the veins in Q4 2025.
Table 2: Selected highlight intersections from the upper
Venus Gap vein (see press release dated November 12, 2024) |
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Hole ID |
From
(m) |
To (m) |
Length (m) |
Au (g/t) |
|
|
BAZUDDH-24-018 |
52.45 |
57.65 |
5.2 |
16.1 |
|
|
includes |
52.45 |
53.25 |
0.8 |
94.3 |
|
|
includes |
55.3 |
55.65 |
0.35 |
4.8 |
|
|
RVICDDH-24-018 |
71.6 |
73.1 |
1.5 |
6.6 |
|
|
includes |
71.6 |
72.6 |
1 |
8.8 |
|
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and |
134 |
135 |
1 |
12.5 |
|
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and |
138.4 |
140.8 |
2.4 |
5.4 |
|
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includes |
139.4 |
140.1 |
1.4 |
8.5 |
|
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and |
144.55 |
145.55 |
1 |
2.7 |
|
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RVICDDH-24-021 |
46 |
47 |
1 |
3.3 |
|
|
and |
76.5 |
77.5 |
1 |
13.7 |
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includes |
77.1 |
77.5 |
0.4 |
34.3 |
|
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and |
81.5 |
82.5 |
1 |
11.2 |
|
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includes |
82.1 |
82.5 |
0.4 |
27.6 |
|
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and |
128.2 |
132.7 |
4.5 |
9.3 |
|
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includes |
128.8 |
129.4 |
0.6 |
8.3 |
|
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includes |
130.95 |
131.8 |
0.85 |
27.8 |
|
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RVICDDH-24-024 |
71.6 |
74.6 |
3 |
8.9 |
|
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includes |
71.6 |
72.45 |
0.85 |
10 |
|
|
includes |
74.2 |
74.6 |
0.4 |
45.1 |
|
|
and |
140.4 |
147.95 |
7.55 |
13.9 |
|
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includes |
140.4 |
141.7 |
1.3 |
24.7 |
|
|
includes |
146.5 |
147.95 |
1.45 |
48.6 |
|
|
and |
151.5 |
153.3 |
1.8 |
4.5 |
|
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includes |
152.3 |
153.3 |
1 |
6.4 |
|
|
VICDDH-23-006 |
100.1 |
101.8 |
1.7 |
4.1 |
|
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and |
151.15 |
154.65 |
3.5 |
10.7 |
|
|
includes |
151.15 |
151.8 |
0.65 |
9 |
|
|
includes |
151.8 |
152.8 |
1 |
21.3 |
|
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includes |
152.8 |
153.65 |
0.85 |
10.7 |
|
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and |
158.4 |
161.2 |
2.8 |
1.7 |
|
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Note: Intervals are composited to a 1 m minimum stope width for
conventional mining. The drillholes are targeted to intersect the vein
orientation as perpendicular as possible. The true width is approximately 70% to 90% of the drilled width. |
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In addition to supporting mining operations at Cordero Mine, Soma's exploration team continues to evaluate numerous small-scale mines near Machuca. Drilling is ongoing at the Colossa and Colossa 2 informal mines (Figure 4). Three high-priority Au anomalies close to informal mines were identified in the regional soil survey. Additionally, the copper anomaly identified on the soil grid is the focus of infill soil sampling and geological mapping. These targets are scheduled for detailed geological mapping and drilling in the second half of 2025. Soma also continues to work with the local communities on the Machuca Property as part of its ongoing ESG program.
The Otú fault system ("Otú Fault") extends for over 100 km, from Aris's Segovia-Remedios mines (TSX:ARIS) in the south to Nechi in the north, where it is buried beneath younger sedimentary overlap sequences. Soma's property holdings now cover more than 56 km of this regional structure. High-grade gold mineralization occurs along the entire strike length of the Otú Fault. The high-grade gold occurs in brittle-ductile to brittle quartz veins formed during the later stages of deformation along the Otú Fault. Across the district, the quartz veins typically display orientation patterns that suggest the veins form in conjugate faults associated with brittle faulting on the Otú Fault. Notable deposits along this trend include Segovia-Remedios, La Aurora, El Limon, Le Ye, Los Mangos, and Cordero. The Machuca Property is located along a critical segment of this regional fault structure and displays multiple indications of high-grade gold mineralization.
QA/QC Statement
Soma follows a comprehensive QA/QC program to ensure the reliability of assay data collected from its exploration programs. All samples are sawn or split in half, with one half being returned to the core box for storage. The second half-core is placed in a labelled plastic bag with a tag, document, and sealed for shipment. Batches of samples are shipped to Actlabs Colombia SAS (Actlabs) in Rio Negro with security tags and documented chain of custody.
Pulps of each sample are prepared in Rio Negro. Pulp samples are then shipped to Actlabs Canada for multi-element analysis. All samples are analyzed using package 1E3, an ICP-MS analysis that provides the concentration of 51 elements. Fire assay analysis for gold and Silver is completed by Actlabs in Rio Negro. Thirty-gram aliquots of each sample are analyzed for gold using a standard fire assay with an atomic absorption finish, package 1A2. Overlimit samples are subjected to an additional fire assay with a gravimetric finish, package 1A3-30, to determine the gold concentration.
A comprehensive QA/QC program has been implemented to monitor the reliability of assay data collected during exploration programs. The program includes the regular insertion of certified blanks, duplicates, and certified OREAS standards. Assays of the QA/QC samples are automatically compared to the certified value and standard deviations in the database.
Qualified Person Statement
Mr. Chris Buchanan, P.Geo, is Soma's Vice-President of Exploration and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Buchanan has reviewed the technical information disclosed in this press release.
ABOUT SOMA GOLD
Soma Gold Corp. (TSXV: SOMA) is a mining company focused on gold production and exploration. The Company owns two adjacent mining properties in Antioquia, Colombia with a combined milling capacity of 675 tpd. (Permitted for 1,400 tpd). The El Bagre Mill is currently operating and producing. Internally generated funds are being used to finance a regional exploration program.
With a solid commitment to sustainability and community engagement, Soma Gold Corp. is dedicated to achieving excellence in all aspects of its operations.
The Company also owns an exploration property near Tucuma, Para State, Brazil that is currently under option to Ero Copper Corp.
On behalf of the Board of Directors
"Geoff Hampson"
Chief Executive Officer and Chairman
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 release.
All statements, analysis and other information contained in this press release about anticipated future events or results constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect" and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may", "will", "should", "could" or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are subject to business and economic risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results of operations to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and opinions of management at the date the statements are made. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements even if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by applicable laws. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
SOURCE Soma Gold Corp.
For further information, please contact Andrea Laird, telephone: +1-604-259-0302
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