MONTREAL, July 05, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Midland Exploration Inc. (“Midland”) (TSX-V: MD ) is pleased to report that as a result of its latest drilling campaign on the Casault property, the Vortex zone has been extended at least 200 metres to the west, thus defining the gold-bearing system over a distance of more than 700 metres strike length. The Vortex zone, a major gold-bearing system associated with alkaline intrusions, was initially discovered during a drilling campaign conducted in the fall of 2017, in joint venture (50/50) with SOQUEM INC. (“ SOQUEM ”).
Over the course of April 2018, a diamond drilling program comprising eight (8) drill holes for a total of 2,860 metres was completed on the Vortex zone. In addition to extending the zone another 200 metres to the west, several other drill holes completed during the program intersected zones 450 and 475 at shallow vertical depths ranging from 150 to 250 metres.
Best results include, in drill hole CAS-18-101, a breccia zone altered to albite, ankerite and silica mineralized with approximately 5% pyrite. This breccia zone, which corresponds to zone 450, graded 12.42 g/t Au over 1.05 metre from 289.76 to 290.70 metres, and remains open at depth. Approximately 200 metres further west, drill hole CAS-18-105 yielded the best drill intersection to date in zone 475, with a grade of 0.51 g/t Au over 26.0 metres from 241.0 to 267.0 metres, including 2.09 g/t Au over 2.30 metres. This zone remains wide open to the west and at depth. In addition, a new gold-bearing zone (zone 550) was identified about 75 metres north of zone 475, near the contact between fragmental units and mafic volcanic rocks. Drill hole CAS-18-105 intersected an interval grading 3.67 g/t Au over 0.45 metre , from 54.0 to 54.45 metres. (Note that true thicknesses cannot be determined with the information available at this time; intervals are therefore reported in core length).
Note that due to the presence of a major fault zone, drill holes CAS-18-102 and 103, which were initially planned on a section located 100 metres east of drill hole CAS-17-96, did not reach the bedrock and were abandoned in overburden. In 2017, the latter drill hole intersected zone 450 with a grade of 1.38 g/t Au over 26.2 metres, including 7.87 g/t Au over 2.2 metres. This gold-bearing zone intersected in drill hole CAS-17-96, which remains the best drill intersection to date for zone 450, therefore remains untested along its eastern depth extension. Meanwhile, two additional drill holes totalling approximately 700 metres were recently completed in an effort to test a northeast-trending magnetic anomaly to the south of Vortex, as well as the extension of the Vortex zone roughly 600 metres east of drill hole CAS-17-96. Assay results for these two drill holes are pending.
In addition, a new prospective area exhibiting the same magnetic features, located about 3 kilometres east of the Vortex zone, was identified along the northern contact of the Timiskaming-type conglomerate basin. An induced polarization survey will be conducted in this prospective area in order to generate new drilling targets.
For the Vortex zone, Midland and SOQUEM recently approved a new drilling program totalling more than 3,000 metres, to test the extension of the Vortex zone some 250 metres west of drill holes CAS-18-104 and 105, where a structural complexity (folding) was interpreted based on survey results. This new program will also test the lateral extent of zones 450 and 475 at a vertical depth of 500 metres, over a strike length of more than 1 kilometre.
The Casault property consists of 315 claims (173 square kilometres) that cover the Sunday Lake Fault over more than 20 kilometres strike length, approximately 40 kilometres east of the Detour Lake mine. This open pit mine hosts mineral reserves estimated at 14.1 million ounces of gold (“Moz Au”) consisting in proven reserves of 87.7 million tonnes grading 1.27 g/t Au for 3.58 Moz Au, and probable reserves of 353.8 million tonnes grading 0.92 g/t Au for 10.49 Moz Au. (Midland cautions that the mineralization at the Detour Lake Mine may not be indicative of the mineralization that may be identified on the Casault property and Vortex Zone).
Figures accompanying this announcement are available at
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Quality Control
All analyses were performed by ALS Minerals in Val-d’Or, Quebec. All samples were analyzed for gold by fire assay with atomic absorption (AA) finish on 30-gram fractions, and all samples with grades above 10.0 g/t Au were reanalyzed with gravimetric finish. For quality control purposes, certified standards and blanks were inserted in all sample batches at regular intervals in the sample stream. All data were reviewed by Mario Masson, certified geologist and VP for Midland, a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101.
About SOQUEM
SOQUEM, a subsidiary of Ressources Québec, is a leading player in mineral exploration in Quebec. Its mission is to explore, discover and develop mining properties in Quebec. SOQUEM has participated in more than 350 exploration projects and contributed to major discoveries of gold, diamonds, lithium and other mineral commodities.
About Midland
Midland targets the excellent mineral potential of Quebec to make the discovery of new world-class deposits of gold, platinum group elements and base metals. Midland is proud to count on reputable partners such as SOQUEM INC., Agnico Eagle Mines Limited, IAMGOLD Corporation, Osisko Mining Inc., Altius Minerals Corp., NioBay Metals Inc., and Abcourt Mines Inc. Midland prefers to work in partnership and intends to quickly conclude additional agreements in regard to newly acquired properties. Management is currently reviewing other opportunities and projects to build up the Company portfolio and generate shareholder value.
This press release was prepared by Mario Masson, P.Geo., VP Exploration for Midland and Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. For further information, please consult Midland’s website or contact:
Gino Roger, President and Chief Executive Officer Tel.: 450 420-5977 Fax: 450 420-5978 Email: info@midlandexploration.com
Website: www.explorationmidland.com
Neither 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.
This press release may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to vary materially from targeted results. Such risks and uncertainties include those described in Midland's periodic reports including the annual report or in the filings made by Midland from time to time with securities regulatory authorities.
