VANCOUVER, BC, July 10, 2023 /CNW/ - DFR Gold Inc (DFR.CA) is pleased to announce, with its joint venture partner Panthera Resources plc (AIM: PAT), the commencement of a drilling programme on the Kalaka Gold Project in Mali (the "Drilling Programme").
Kalaka is a large gold system where multiple intersections exceeding 150 metres at greater than 0.5 g/t have been identified by previous diamond and RC drilling. The Drilling Programme will include:
Approximately 1,500 metres of RC drilling to complement existing diamond and reverse circulation drilling at the K1A target which is intended to be utilised to define a Maiden Mineral Resource estimate
Step-out drilling to the north will target an untested interpreted geophysical mineral trend
Collection of samples for a metallurgical test programme.
A broad soil anomaly above 30 ppb Au covers most of the metasediments on the tenement area and offers significant opportunity for further discovery and extension to known mineralisation. Historical drilling has consistently demonstrated significant wide gold intercepts at the K1A target, including diamond hole K1AD002 (191.8m @ 0.52 g/t Au) and reverse circulation drill hole K1ARC028 (117m @ 0.59 g/t Au including 41m @ 1.02 g/t Au).
John McGloin, CEO of DFR, commented:
"While DFR has primarily focussed on the exciting pre-feasibility Cascades Gold Project in Burkina Faso, the Kalaka Project represents an exciting opportunity in Mali with large scale bulk-mineable gold potential.
"It is hoped that the metallurgical test work programme will demonstrate the positive economics of the project. The drilling programme is expected to be completed this month with results in the third quarter of 2023."
Background
Panthera and DFR each have 40% interest in Kalaka held through their interest in Maniger Ltd. The remaining 20% interest is owned by a local partner, Golden Spear Mali SARL. Panthera is the operator of the project.
The Kalaka gold project is situated in southern Mali, 260 km southeast of Bamako. It lies approximately 80 km south of the 8 Moz Au Morila Mine and 85 km northwest of Resolute's 6Moz Au Syama Mine.
Historical work in the area has included airborne geophysical surveys, soil sampling, structural interpretations, geological mapping, and preliminary drilling activities focussed on the metasediments. This has included 20,952m of diamond, air core (AC), reverse circulation (RC) and Rotary Air Blast (RAB) drilling in 372 holes. During 2021 Panthera completed 2,430m of AC drilling in 94 holes. On the K1A prospect multiple intersections exceeding 150m at 0.5 g/t have been identified by diamond and RC drilling.
The primary mineralisation at the K1A prospect, is associated with an intrusive tonalite / micro granodiorite with metasediments in contact with the intrusive. The alteration envelope is dominantly characterised by silica-feldspar flooding and sulphide mineralisation. Elsewhere there are also numerous artisanal workings within the Kalaka tenement, mainly targeting eluvial gold.
David J Reading, M.Sc., FIMM, Fellow SEG, a director of DFR and a Qualified Person as defined under NI 43-101 has prepared or supervised the preparation of, or approved, as applicable, the technical information contained in this press release. Mr. Reading has over 40 years' experience in the mining industry covering all stages of mine development, including exploration, feasibility, financing, construction and operations. He has an MSc in Economic Geology and is a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining and of the Society of Economic Geologists.
Notes to Editors:
DFR Gold is a TSX Venture Exchange listed exploration and mine development company focused on gold in West Africa. DFR Gold holds interests in a portfolio of West African gold exploration projects including the highly prospective Cascades gold project ("Cascades") in Burkina Faso. Cascades has a Mineral Resource* prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 comprising 5.41 million tonnes of indicated resources at an average grade of 1.52g/t Au for a total 264,000 ounces of gold: and 6.93 million tonnes of inferred resources at an average grade 1.67g/t Au for a total of 371,000 ounces of gold. Please see the Company's technical report titled "Amended and Re-stated Technical Report on the Labola Project Burkina Faso" dated April 2, 2022, with an effective date of April 20, 2022 for further information regarding Cascades.
Additional Mineral Resource Estimate Disclosures
*Mineral Resources, which are not Mineral Reserves, do not have demonstrated economic viability. The estimate of Mineral Resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, marketing, or other relevant issues. The Mineral Resources in this note were reported using CIM (2014) Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves, Definitions and Guidelines and adopted by CIM Council.
The quantity and grade of reported Inferred resources in this estimation are uncertain in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to define this Inferred Resource as an Indicated or Measured Mineral Resource. It is uncertain if further exploration will result in upgrading the Inferred Resource to an Indicated or Measured Mineral Resource category.
The Mineral Resource has been constrained by an open pit evaluation using a gold price of US$1900 per ounce, and then reported at a cut-off of 0.5 g/t Au.
Contained metal and tonnes figures in totals may differ due to rounding.