Gold equivalent resources have increased significantly as a result of ...
posted on
Jan 25, 2016 08:56AM
a 100% interest in 74,000 hectares of land in the historic Rouyn-Noranda Mining Camp
MONTREAL, QC--(Marketwired - January 25, 2016) - Falco Resources (TSX VENTURE: FPC) ("Falco" or the "Company") is pleased to report an updated mineral resource estimate for its wholly-owned Horne 5 gold project located in Rouyn-Noranda, Québec. Gold equivalent resources have increased significantly as a result of the update. The estimate combines the results of the 2015 surface confirmation drilling program and the historic drilling data collected by Noranda Inc. between 1924 and 1976. The majority of the Noranda drilling was conducted as radiating "fan drilling" on 15m spacing from 40 underground working levels developed throughout the deposit. New Indicated and Inferred Resources have been estimated for the Horne 5 deposit. This new mineral resource estimate contains 5 high grade zones.
Highlights
At a C$65/tonne net smelter return ("NSR") cut-off
Luc Lessard, President and Chief Executive Officer, stated "We are very pleased with the significant increase in resources at our Horne 5 project. In 2015, we conducted a successful drill program and made substantial progress at the project. With the release of today's updated resource, another milestone has been reached, as we have now outlined a prospective large bulk-tonnage underground resource. Our ongoing PEA and future feasibility work will be directed towards outlining the economic criteria necessary to see the Horne 5 deposit become Canada's next significant new gold mine."
Horne 5 Resource Estimate
The Horne 5 resource estimate is based on 4,384 underground drill holes (305,788m) drilled by Noranda between 1924 and 1976 and 18 new confirmation drill holes (17,300m) drilled by the Company in 2015. The resource estimate also includes silver assays from exhaustive metallurgical test work completed by Noranda (comprising 2,112 drill holes representing 75,540m) grouped in 54 lots.
Falco's confirmation drill holes were collared from surface. They successfully confirmed previously drilled areas between 650m and 2,035m below surface. The historic Noranda holes were collared at depths ranging from 600m to 2,300m below surface across a strike length of up to 1,000m. The majority of drilling was conducted as radiating "fan drilling" on 15m spacing from 40 underground working levels developed throughout the deposit. The 15m spacing is significantly closer than standard drill spacing used in resource estimation work today providing a very high level of confidence in the data. Falco sampled at 1m intervals, Noranda dominantly sampled at 3m core lengths (which homogenizes individual higher grade results), generating the more than 87,000 assays that were used in the 2015 resource estimate.
Table 1 - Horne 5 Deposit - Mineral Resource Estimate
Resource Class | Cut-off (NSR $C) | Tonnes (Mt) | AuEq (g/t) | Au (g/t) | Ag (g/t) | Cu (%) | Zn (%) | Contained AuEq (Moz) | Contained Au (Moz) | Contained Ag (Moz) | Contained Cu (Mlbs) | Contained Zn (Mlbs) | ||||||||||||
> 50 | 82.2 | 2.53 | 1.59 | 14.49 | 0.18 | 0.90 | 6.694 | 4.212 | 38.293 | 328.1 | 1,638.4 | |||||||||||||
> 55 | 74.1 | 2.64 | 1.66 | 14.87 | 0.19 | 0.94 | 6.273 | 3.959 | 35.397 | 306.2 | 1,531.8 | |||||||||||||
> 60 | 66.0 | 2.74 | 1.74 | 15.26 | 0.19 | 0.97 | 5.823 | 3.691 | 32.378 | 283.1 | 1,412.1 | |||||||||||||
> 65 | 58.3 | 2.86 | 1.82 | 15.60 | 0.20 | 1.00 | 5.361 | 3.418 | 29.273 | 260.4 | 1,284.8 | |||||||||||||
> 70 | 51.1 | 2.98 | 1.91 | 15.93 | 0.21 | 1.02 | 4.893 | 3.142 | 26.163 | 237.7 | 1,152.6 | |||||||||||||
Indicated | > 75 | 44.2 | 3.11 | 2.01 | 16.20 | 0.22 | 1.04 | 4.421 | 2.865 | 23.048 | 215.2 | 1,017.0 | ||||||||||||
> 80 | 38.0 | 3.25 | 2.12 | 16.46 | 0.23 | 1.06 | 3.962 | 2.592 | 20.086 | 193.4 | 886.7 | |||||||||||||
> 85 | 32.3 | 3.39 | 2.25 | 16.69 | 0.24 | 1.07 | 3.525 | 2.332 | 17.331 | 173.0 | 761.7 | |||||||||||||
> 90 | 27.5 | 3.54 | 2.37 | 16.88 | 0.25 | 1.08 | 3.129 | 2.095 | 14.902 | 154.0 | 652.4 | |||||||||||||
> 95 | 23.3 | 3.70 | 2.50 | 17.04 | 0.27 | 1.09 | 2.775 | 1.878 | 12.780 | 136.8 | 558.6 | |||||||||||||
> 100 | 19.7 | 3.86 | 2.64 | 17.25 | 0.28 | 1.09 | 2.452 | 1.679 | 10.948 | 121.1 | 474.3 | |||||||||||||
> 50 | 19.2 | 2.62 | 1.72 | 22.47 | 0.21 | 0.56 | 1.616 | 1.060 | 13.841 | 86.6 | 237.2 | |||||||||||||
> 55 | 16.6 | 2.78 | 1.85 | 23.78 | 0.21 | 0.57 | 1.483 | 0.985 | 12.692 | 76.6 | 208.6 | |||||||||||||
> 60 | 14.5 | 2.92 | 1.97 | 24.99 | 0.21 | 0.57 | 1.367 | 0.920 | 11.688 | 68.6 | 183.0 | |||||||||||||
> 65 | 12.7 | 3.08 | 2.10 | 26.26 | 0.22 | 0.57 | 1.254 | 0.855 | 10.705 | 61.7 | 158.1 | |||||||||||||
> 70 | 10.9 | 3.25 | 2.25 | 27.60 | 0.23 | 0.55 | 1.139 | 0.788 | 9.670 | 54.7 | 133.1 | |||||||||||||
Inferred | > 75 | 9.1 | 3.47 | 2.46 | 28.48 | 0.24 | 0.53 | 1.013 | 0.716 | 8.307 | 47.5 | 106.1 | ||||||||||||
> 80 | 7.6 | 3.71 | 2.69 | 28.92 | 0.25 | 0.50 | 0.904 | 0.655 | 7.055 | 41.5 | 83.4 | |||||||||||||
> 85 | 6.4 | 3.94 | 2.91 | 29.77 | 0.26 | 0.47 | 0.814 | 0.601 | 6.146 | 36.4 | 67.1 | |||||||||||||
> 90 | 5.4 | 4.21 | 3.15 | 30.82 | 0.27 | 0.46 | 0.733 | 0.549 | 5.372 | 32.0 | 54.9 | |||||||||||||
> 95 | 4.8 | 4.42 | 3.35 | 31.48 | 0.27 | 0.45 | 0.678 | 0.514 | 4.835 | 28.9 | 47.4 | |||||||||||||
> 100 | 4.3 | 4.60 | 3.51 | 32.28 | 0.28 | 0.45 | 0.636 | 0.485 | 4.460 | 26.6 | 42.6 | |||||||||||||
Resource Estimate Notes:
Resource Modeling Notes:
Modelled Zones
For the purpose of the mineral resource estimate, four mineralized envelopes (ENV_A, ENV_B, ENV_C and ENV_D) were identified, defined, and modelled from 600 meters to 2,600 meters depth. The deposit is vertical with a width of 500m to 800m and a thickness varying from 7m to 120m. The principal envelope (ENV_A) consists of a disseminated to massive sulphide body hosted by a rhyolite unit. The ENV_A interpretation takes into account the gold (approximate cut-off grade of 0.5 g/t Au), copper and zinc assays, the specific gravity which correlates precisely with the presence of sulphides and the geological mapping of underground workings which locates the disseminated and massive sulphide facies. ENV_A shows zonation in gold, copper and zinc as well as a zonation in the sulphide content. ENV_B, ENV_C and ENV_D consist of low grade gold-bearing zones defined using an approximate cut-off grade of 0.5 g/t Au. ENV_B and ENV_C are concordant to ENV_A and located north of it while ENV_D is located at depth and is slightly discordant to ENV_A.
High Grade Zones
Within ENV_A, high-grade zones were defined for gold (approximate cut-off grade of 2.5 g/t Au), copper (approximate cut-off grade of 0.2% Cu) zinc (approximate cut-off grade of 0.75% Zn) and specific gravity (approximate cut-off grade of 3.5 t/m3). Wireframes of high grade zones were used as hard boundaries to constrain the interpolation of gold, silver, copper, zinc and density into the block model.
There is no established correlation between the current high grade zone nomenclature and historical Au-rich lenses as defined by Noranda, which were based on a higher gold cut-off of approximately 6.0 g/t Au.
Table 2 - Horne 5 Deposit - C$65/t NSR Cut-off - Mineral Resource Estimate Per Zone
Resource Class | Zone | Tonnes (Mt) | AuEq (g/t) | Au (g/t) |
Ag (g/t) |
Cu (%) |
Zn (%) |
Contained AuEq (Moz) | Contained Au (Moz) | Contained Ag (Moz) | Contained Cu (Mlbs) | Contained Zn (Mlbs) | ||||||||||||
ENV_A | 36.6 | 2.59 | 1.51 | 15.93 | 0.17 | 1.15 | 3.053 | 1.780 | 18.768 | 141.2 | 931.5 | |||||||||||||
ENV_B | 0.1 | 2.23 | 2.13 | -- | 0.06 | 0.02 | 0.010 | 0.010 | -- | 0.2 | 0.1 | |||||||||||||
ENV_C | 0.1 | 2.75 | 2.65 | -- | 0.06 | 0.03 | 0.011 | 0.011 | -- | 0.2 | 0.1 | |||||||||||||
ENV_D | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |||||||||||||
Indicated | HG_A | 6.6 | 3.12 | 2.15 | 15.71 | 0.12 | 1.09 | 0.664 | 0.458 | 3.345 | 18.0 | 159.2 | ||||||||||||
HG_B | 10.9 | 3.10 | 2.15 | 15.48 | 0.30 | 0.54 | 1.083 | 0.754 | 5.416 | 71.9 | 130.6 | |||||||||||||
HG_C | 2.2 | 3.79 | 3.17 | 8.95 | 0.24 | 0.28 | 0.263 | 0.220 | 0.621 | 11.3 | 13.1 | |||||||||||||
HG_D | 1.8 | 5.48 | 3.79 | 21.30 | 0.46 | 1.36 | 0.312 | 0.216 | 1.210 | 18.0 | 53.1 | |||||||||||||
HG_E | 0.4 | 3.30 | 2.60 | 11.82 | 0.32 | 0.13 | 0.047 | 0.037 | 0.167 | 3.1 | 1.2 | |||||||||||||
ENV_A | 11.8 | 3.10 | 2.08 | 27.89 | 0.23 | 0.59 | 1.179 | 0.789 | 10.593 | 59.3 | 154.6 | |||||||||||||
ENV_B | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |||||||||||||
ENV_C | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |||||||||||||
ENV_D | 0.9 | 2.70 | 2.36 | 4.09 | 0.12 | 0.19 | 0.075 | 0.066 | 0.114 | 2.4 | 3.6 | |||||||||||||
Inferred | HG_A | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||||||||||||
HG_B | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |||||||||||||
HG_C | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |||||||||||||
HG_D | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |||||||||||||
HG_E | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |||||||||||||
Resource Distribution By Level
As previously disclosed in the November 6, 2015 press release, the Company conducted a preliminary assessment of the existing infrastructure at the Horne 5 project and recognized that the existing Quémont #2 shaft could be used as its main production shaft. The Quémont #2 shaft will need to be rehabilitated to current production standards, however it will not have to be widened to accommodate larger skips. The Quémont #2 shaft has a depth of 1,200m (Level 33) and will have to be dewatered. The Company estimates that 44% of the Indicated mineral resources are located between Level 17 and Level 33, which are accessible with the current shaft depth.
Table 3 - Horne 5 Deposit - C$65/t NSR Cut-off - Mineral Resource Estimate Per Level
Resource Class | Elevation Range | AuEq Proportion | Tonnes (Mt) | AuEq (g/t) | Au (g/t) | Ag (g/t) | Cu (%) | Zn (%) | Contained AuEq (Moz) | Contained Au (Moz) | Contained Ag (Moz) | Contained Cu (Mlbs) | Contained Zn (Mlbs) | |||||||||||||
Lvl 17 - Lvl 33 | 44.30% | 26.8 | 2.76 | 1.68 | 16.84 | 0.17 | 1.13 | 2.374 | 1.446 | 14.498 | 101.7 | 667.7 | ||||||||||||||
Indicated | Lvl 33 - Lvl 49 | 47.00% | 27.5 | 2.85 | 1.88 | 15.07 | 0.21 | 0.87 | 2.521 | 1.661 | 13.340 | 127.5 | 525.8 | |||||||||||||
Lvl 49 - Bottom | 8.70% | 4.1 | 3.59 | 2.39 | 11.03 | 0.35 | 1.02 | 0.467 | 0.310 | 1.435 | 31.1 | 91.2 | ||||||||||||||
Lvl 17- Lvl 33 | 0.10% | 0.0 | 2.58 | 1.61 | 10.42 | 0.40 | 0.45 | 0.001 | 0.001 | 0.006 | 0.1 | 0.2 | ||||||||||||||
Inferred | Lvl 33 - Lvl 49 | 7.00% | 1.1 | 2.44 | 1.55 | 5.12 | 0.16 | 1.14 | 0.088 | 0.056 | 0.185 | 3.8 | 28.2 | |||||||||||||
Lvl 49 - Bottom | 92.90% | 11.5 | 3.14 | 2.15 | 28.34 | 0.23 | 0.51 | 1.165 | 0.798 | 10.515 | 57.7 | 129.8 | ||||||||||||||
Density Model
A specific gravity model was based on 34,337 iron assays and 3,191 density measurements. The method for density calculation from iron assays was developed by Noranda. The high density portion of ENV_A shows an average density of 3.68 t/m3. The low density portion ENV_A shows an average density of 3.23 t/m3. Limited density data was available for zones ENV_B to D and a fixed density of 2.88 t/m3 was assumed for these zones which represent the median of the available data.
Low Mining Dilution
As it advances towards the release of the initial PEA, the Company has conducted extensive work in regards to the mining methods, backfill type and consequent resource dilution. The Company expects to use transverse longhole as the primary mining method and will favor the minimization of dilution to resource recovery. The Company believes the resource dilution will be below 4%.
Qualified Person
Carl Pelletier (P.Geo. Géo., B.Sc.) and Vincent Jourdain (P. Eng., Ph.D.) are the qualified persons as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects for the mineral resource estimate Data in this release as it relates to the technical information related to the 2014 Horne 5 Project Resource Estimate and they have reviewed and verified the technical information contained herein. Messrs. Pelletier and Jourdain are consulting geologists with InnovExplo Inc. and fulfill the requirements to be "qualified person" for the purposes of NI 43-101.
Claude Bernier, Exploration Manager, (P.Geo. Eng.) is the qualified person for this release as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and has reviewed and verified the technical information contained herein. Mr. Bernier is an employee of Falco and is non-independent.
The scientific and technical information regarding the dilution evaluation and engineering set out in this news release has been approved by Francois Vezina, Director - Mining Development of Osisko Mining Group. Mr. Vezina is a Eng. with the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec and P.Eng. with the Professional Engineers of Ontario, and is a "qualified person" as defined by NI 43-101.
The scientific and technical information regarding the Cut-off evaluation set out in this news release has been approved by Francois Girard, Director - InnovExplo Inc. Mr. Girard is a Eng. with the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec, and is a "qualified person" as defined by NI 43-101.
QA/QC
Falco has implemented a strict quality-control program to comply with best practices in the sampling and analysis of drill core. As part of its QA/QC program, Falco inserts certified external mineralized standards. In the mineralized zones, each shipment is comprised of 27 samples. Every shipment is composed of 23 samples, a standard, a blank, a pulp duplicate and a reject duplicate placed randomly every 15th sample to test the laboratory analysis methods and precision for each shipment of samples. Blanks and standards are inserted within the normal sample number sequence. Assay results and certificates of analysis are interpreted and reported on a regular basis. If anomalies are detected, the laboratory is advised and the entire batch of samples is re-assayed. In non-mineralized zones, every shipment is composed of 27 samples, which includes a standard and a blank. In non-mineralized zones, if anomalies are detected, the laboratory is advised, but the batch of samples is not necessarily re-assayed.
About Falco
Falco Resources Ltd. is one of the largest mineral claim holders in the Province of Québec, with extensive land holdings in the Abitibi Greenstone Belt. Falco owns 74,000 hectares of land in the Rouyn-Noranda mining camp, which represents 70% of the entire camp and includes 13 former gold and base metal mine sites. Falco's principal property is the Horne Mine, which was operated by Noranda from 1927 to 1976 and produced 11.6 million ounces of gold and 2.5 billion pounds of copper. A maiden 43-101 mineral resource estimate for the Horne 5 deposit delineated an initial inferred resource of 2.8 million oz AuEq at 3.41 g/t AuEq (25.3 million tonnes grading 2.64 g/t Au, 0.23% Cu and 0.7% Zn, for 2.2 million oz Au -- see March 4, 2014 press release for details).
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 press release.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (together, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws and the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking statements. Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of terminology such as "plans", "expects', "estimates", "intends", "anticipates", "believes" or variations of such words, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" and includes, without limitation, completion of a Preliminary Econimic Assessment by the end of the second quarter of 2016, the scope of future feasibility work and the final determination of the mining method to be used. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements include the reliability of the historical data referenced in this press release and those risks set out in Falco's public documents, including in each management discussion and analysis, filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although Falco believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements, which only apply as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed times frames or at all. Except where required by applicable law, Falco disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Cautionary Note Concerning Mineral Resources
This press release uses the term "inferred" resources and "indicated resources", we advise investors that while this term is recognized and required by Canadian regulations, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission does not recognize it. "Inferred" resources and "indicated resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or other economic studies. United States investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of measured or indicated mineral resources will ever be converted into mineral reserves. United States investors are also cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource exists, or is economically or legally mineable.9
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For further information contact:
Vincent Metcalfe
Chief Financial Officer
514.905.3162
vmetcalfe@falcores.com