Miranda Gold Options Five Properties in Colombia
posted on
Jan 20, 2011 01:36PM
4th largest gold producing area in the world
bwire
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Business Wire) -- Miranda Gold Corp. ("Miranda") (TSX-V: MAD) announces the
acquisition of five new properties through its Colombian subsidiary,
Miranda Gold Colombia II Ltd. ("Miranda Gold Colombia"). The Cajamarca,
Ibague, Fresno, Santander and Anori projects are optioned from ExpoGold
Colombia S.A. ("ExpoGold") and are subject to the Association Agreement
between Miranda and ExpoGold.
Miranda has the right to acquire 100% of each of the five concessions by
issuing 10,000 shares of Miranda common stock and making initial
payments of US$10,000 to ExpoGold per property. In total Miranda will
grant, subject to the rules and approval of the TSX Venture Exchange,
50,000 common shares of Miranda and make payments of $50,000 to
ExpoGold. To maintain the options, payments and issuance of shares
increase incrementally each subsequent anniversary year of each
individual option agreement.
Miranda Gold Colombia will seek exploration funding partners for all
five properties. Cajamarca, Ibague and Fresno will be offered as a
single project due to their proximity to one another, while Santander
and Anori will be optioned as two separate projects. The selection of
these five properties concludes Miranda's First Right of Refusal to
option projects from the ExpoGold portfolio, as contained in the
Association Agreement.
Project Details
Cajamarca, Ibague and Fresno
The Cajamarca, Ibague and Fresno projects together cover a total of 45.1
sq. mi. (116.9 sq. km.) and lie within the department of Tolima and
Quindio.
The Cajamarca project is comprised of two applications and one license
totaling 30.5 sq. mi (78.9 sq. km). The geologic setting at Cajamarca
consists of meta-sediments that have been intruded by Tertiary and
Cretaceous-age stocks. Locally, the igneous stocks are both
hydrothermally and tectonically altered. AngloGold Ashanti's La Colosa
gold porphyry discovery (13 million ounces) lies 6.2 mi (10 km) to the
southeast of the main project area. Southwest-trending structures
thought to be important to the mineralization at La Colosa are projected
through the southern Cajamarca concession. Regional-scale public-domain
geochemical data indicates several gold, lead, mercury and copper
anomalies in an around the northern Cajamarca applications.
The Ibague project consists of two applications totaling 7.1 sq. mi
(18.4 sq. km) and the Fresno project consist of one application covering
7.6 sq. mi (19.6 sq. km). Ibague and Fresno both have similar host rocks
and igneous bodies to those found at Cajamarca but only limited regional
investigations have been conducted. Public domain data shows historic
gold workings in and around the application areas.
Plans are currently underway for evaluation of the Ibague and Fresno
applications. Exploration work has thus far focused on the southern half
of the northern Cajamarca applications and has consisted of a regional
stream sediment program, a detailed geophysical airborne magnetic survey
and a rock chip sampling program.
The high-resolution airborne magnetic survey was flown on 50 m line
spacing with 500 m tie lines and is currently under review and
interpretation. Preliminary results show a distinct north-east structure
pattern with several interpreted buried intrusions following the same
northeast trend. Rock chip samples average 0.006 oz Au/t (0.2 g Au/t)
and range from less than detectable to 0.0141 oz Au/t (0.44 g Au/t).
Preliminary mapping has revealed an unmapped multiphase intrusive
breccia with very fine-grained disseminated pyrite. To date, 71 stream
sediment samples and 24 stream pan concentrates have been taken on the
Cajamarca project. Four anomalous drainages have been identified and
will be investigated with a more detailed follow-up sampling program.
Santander
The Santander project consists of two applications covering 23.9 sq. mi
(61.9 sq. km). The geologic setting at Santander consists of
meta-sediments with localized alterations halos dominated by quartz
veinlets, irregular breccias, fine-grained sulfides and magnetite.
The Santander applications are located 5.6 mi (9 km) northeast and 11.2
mi (18 km) southwest of Greystar's Angostura gold deposit (9.8 million
ounce) and 6.2 miles (10 km) northeast and 11.8 miles (19 km) southwest
of Ventana's La Bodega gold deposit (3.9 million ounce). The
applications cover both the northeast and southwest extension of La Baja
Faults and Rio Cucutilla fault systems thought to be the principle
mineralizing structures for the La Bodega and Angostura deposits.
Plans are currently underway for evaluation of the Santander
applications. Exploration work to date consists of a streamsediment
sampling program centered on drainage basins along the La Baja fault
system.
Anori
The Anori project, located in the Department of Antioquia, is comprised
of four applications totaling 22.64 sq. mi (58.65 sq. km). The geologic
setting at Anori consists of meta-sediments and upper Cretaceous marine
sediments that have been intruded by Paleozoic and Upper Cretaceous-age
igneous rocks.
Mineralized zones in the Anori area are dominated by mesothermal quartz
veins, veinlets and shear zones. Although no major gold deposits are
located in the area of Anori, public domain data indicates a high
occurrence of recent artisan mining in the area, as well as numerous
historic workings on the project. Miranda's exploration work has focused
on a stream-sediment sampling program and select rock chip sampling. A
total of 42 rock chip samples have been taken averaging 0.041 oz Au/t
(1.271.4 g Au/t) with a range from less than detectable to 0.097 oz Au/t
(3.01 g Au/t). To date 20 stream-sediment samples have been taken on the
Anori project identifying one anomalous drainage.
The data disclosed in this press release have been reviewed and verified
by President & CEO Ken Cunningham, P.Geo, MSc. Geology and Quualified
Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.
Corporate Profile
Miranda Gold Corp. is a gold exploration company active in Nevada,
Alaska and Colombia and whose emphasis is on generating gold exploration
projects with world-class discovery potential. Miranda performs its own
grass roots exploration and then employs a joint venture business model
on its projects in order to maximize exposure to discovery while
minimizing exploration risk. Miranda has ongoing partnerships with
Agnico-Eagle USA Limited, Montezuma Mines Inc., Navaho Gold Pty Ltd.,
NuLegacy Gold Corporation, Piedmont Mining Company Inc., Ramelius
Resources Ltd. and Red Eagle Mining Corporation.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
"Kenneth Cunningham"
Kenneth Cunningham
President and CEO
For more information visit the Company's web site at http://www.mirandagold.com/">www.mirandagold.com
or contact Fiona Grant, Manager, Investor Relations 1-877-689-4580.