TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - July 22, 2013) - Desert Gold Ventures Inc. (TSX VENTURE:DAU) (the "Company" or "Desert Gold") is pleased to announce the successful completion of a soil sampling program on the first of four target areas on the Company's Djimbala Gold Permit in Mali. The prospect is situated in the Yanfolila Gold Belt in an area that hosts regional scale fundamental structures. These structures are essential in the formation of gold deposits in West Africa and make the whole permit highly prospective for the discovery of significant gold resources.
The prospect lies 30km north of the Kordieran Project, 40 km north of the Kalana Mine and adjacent to Gold Field's Komana Project. Komana has so far declared an inferred mineral resource of 9.1 Mt at a grade of 2.5g/t for 750 000 Moz of gold and is targeting a resource of 2 Moz of gold.
The conceptual target on the strategic Djimbala project is orogenic-style gold mineralization, similar to gold mines and other projects in the Yanfolila Gold Belt. A number of prospects surround the permit and the structures hosting the Faliko (Gold Fields), Salona (Gold Fields) and Niechilela (Gold Fields) prospects extend into the Djimbala permit. The project has artisanal gold workings in altered sedimentary host rock and in elluvial deposits. Seven of the artisanal workings occur within the sampled area.
A map is available at the following address: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/n722dau1.pdf .
The sampling program covers the first of 4 areas prioritized for follow-up exploration. A total of 1120 surface soil samples were collected in the first phase of sampling on Djimbala. The sample lines are oriented north-south and spaced 200 metres apart. Samples were collected every 50 metres along these lines, and at an average 30 centimetre depth.
The sampling highlights a strong correlation between anomalous gold values and geological structures identified on aeromagnetic maps. 9 exploration targets were identified on the grid. Please refer to the geochemistry map below. 3 Samples analysed over 1 gram per tonne of gold with the highest gold value being 22.6 grams per tonne. The table below summarizes the distribution of gold values.
| Number of samples | Gold Assay Values (ppb) |
| 539 | <10 |
| 499 | 10 to 29 |
| 19 | 50 to 99 |
| 16 | 100 to 999 |
| 3 | 1000 to 22 600 |
Total number of samples 1120
The company plans to do detailed infill soil sampling over the 9 exploration targets.
A map is available at the following address: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/n722dau2.pdf .
Sample Protocol
Samples were taken from the B soil horizon, generally 30cm to 50cm below surface. 2kg of unscreened material was gathered in the field, placed in calico bags with unique ticket numbers and shipped to ALS Mali SARL Bamako laboratory for analysis. The samples were assayed by means of fire assay with an atomic absorption finish.
As part of the quality assurance and quality control program, a standard, blank and duplicate sample were inserted within every 20 samples submitted to the laboratory. Plots of the assay results from the standard reference material show that the assay data can be accepted.
About Desert Gold
Desert Gold Ventures Inc. is an advanced exploration and development company which holds mining assets in Mali, Rwanda and Senegal.
For further information concerning Desert Gold Ventures Inc. and the TransAfrika material properties, please refer to Desert Gold's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com or visit our website at www.desertgold.ca .
The technical information reported in this report was reviewed by Leon Willem de Waal (Pr. Sci. Nat) an Independent Qualified Person. This news release has been prepared on behalf of the board of directors of Desert Gold, which accepts full responsibility for its contents.
Louw van Schalkwyk, B.Sc. Geology (Honours)
Vice President, Exploration, Director
This press release includes certain "forward-looking statements". All statements regarding the ability of the Company to successfully delineate new resources in proposed drilling programs are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. 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. All statements that are not historical facts, including without limitation statements regarding future estimates, plans, objectives, assumptions or expectations of future performance, are "forward-looking statements". We caution you that such "forward looking statements" involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and future events to differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Such risks and uncertainties include the inability of the Company to close the Proposed Transaction and the Financing due to the state of the capital markets and other risk factors as discussed in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulatory agencies. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as may be required by law.
For further information concerning Desert Gold Ventures Inc. and the TransAfrika material properties, please refer to Desert Gold's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com or visit our website at www.desertgold.ca .
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