First Mining Announces Final 2023 Exploration Drilling Results and Commencement of 2024 Drill Program at the Duparquet Gold Project Highlights include new zone of mineralization extension returning 1.83 g/t Au over 7 m –
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NEWS RELEASE
First Mining Announces Final 2023 Exploration Drilling Results and
Commencement of 2024 Drill Program at the Duparquet Gold Project
Highlights include new zone of mineralization extension returning 1.83 g/t Au over 7 m –
extending mineralization 200 m along strike
February 22, 2024 – Vancouver, Canada – First Mining Gold Corp. (“First Mining” or the “Company”)
(TSX: FF) (OTCQX: FFMGF) (FRANKFURT: FMG) is pleased to announce continued positive results from
the 2023 diamond drilling program a t its Duparquet Gold Project (“Duparquet Project” or the “Project”)
located in Quebec, Canada. In addition, the Company has commenced mobilization activities in support
of its 2024 drilling campaigns.
First Mining’s 2023 exploration strategy and maiden drill program on the Project was focused on derisking,
validating and testing exploration targets that could unlock meaningful expansion opportunities along
strike and down plunge of existing deposits. The Company completed 17 exploration drill holes totalling
6,966 m in its 2023 exploration drilling campaign and all assay results have now been received.
Results from the 2023 e xploration campaign have defined several significant discovery and follow-up
targets, including a new zone immediately to the south of the current mineral resource area (Buzz Zone:
6.52 g/t Au over 4.6 m), confirm ation of mineralization and a higher grade trend in the area of Central
Duparquet (CDHG Zone: 2.73 g/t Au over 6.15 m), extension and connectivity of the mineralization
between Central Duparquet and the Dumico deposit (Valentre Zone: 1.71 g/t Au over 8.9 m) and most
recently, advancing the easterly and down-dip extension of the Donchester South Shear Zone (DCD Zone:
1.83 g/t Au over 7.0 m).
“With our initial drill programs, First Mining has demonstrated an ability to define new gold zones in
addition to significantly extend the known limits of the mineralized structures of the Duparquet Gold
Project,” stated Dan Wilton, CEO of First Mining. “We are excited to continue advanc ing the Duparquet
Gold Project with additional expansion drilling, while also drill testing other significant exploration targets
that exist on this large land package . With a positive PEA released last year, t he success in our drilling
program will continue to enhance and unlock the potential of this district-scale project located in the heart
of the prolific Abitibi gold belt.”
Highlights of the remaining holes from the 2023 drill program are presented in Table 1, with results for
the entire 2023 drill program listed in Table 2. Drill hole locations from the 2023 program are included in
Table 3.
2024 Duparquet Exploration Program Outlook
The aim of the 2024 program at the Duparquet Project is to build on the successes and learnings of the
2023 campaigns, with a continued focus on growth opportunities within the current mineral resource, as
well as targeting additional Abitibi mineralizatio n styles that carry a potential for higher- grade settings
and favour regional processing synergies.
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Drilling is commencing in February 2024 where the objective is to complete the Phase 2 winter drilling
component of the program. A six-hole, 2,500 m drill program is planned, targeting the North Zone as well
as a regional brownfields opportunity from the 2023 field campaign that remains underexplored.
For the second quarter of 2024, the Company is aiming to commence a Phase 3 drilling campaign alongside
regional airborne geophysics and LiDAR survey programs that will further uplift exploration target
development and vectoring ahead of the summer field campaigns.
Table 1: Selected Significant Drill Intercepts from Remainder of 2023 Drill Program
Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Grade (Au
g/t) Target
DUP23-010 91.0 98.0 7.0 1.83
DCD on Donchester South including 91.0 92.2 1.2 2.19
and including 94.0 97.0 3.0 2.99
DUP23-011 94.3 99.1 4.8 2.46 Donchester South
including 94.3 95.9 1.6 5.16 Donchester South
DUP23-012 374.0 384.0 10.0 0.96 Donchester South (Zone 3)
DUP23-013 138.0 139.0 1.0 8.82 Other
and 270.0 286.0 16.0 0.53 Zone 3
and 303.0 309.0 6.0 1.52 RWRS Zone
DUP23-015 69.0 71.0 2.0 1.41 SID
*Reported intervals are drilled core lengths (true widths are estimated at 75 -85% of the core length interval , except
for hole DUP-23-013 which is estimated at 65%; assay values are uncut)
Discussion of Latest Results
Hole DUP23 -010 was drilled along the mineralized shear zone at the southern contact of the Beattie
Syenite body and approximately 200 m to the east of the current resource wireframe and outside of the
PEA pit shell (Figure 1). The hole intersected 1.83 g/t Au over 7.0 m from 91.0 m to 98.0 m, including 2.19
g/t Au over 1.2 m and 2.99 g/t Au over 3.0 m (Table 1). The mineralization intersected is shallow in nature,
at a depth of 80 m below surface, and is associated with intermixed syenite and basalts. Historical drilling
in the area supports the extension of the mineralization 250 m below DUP23- 010 (Figure 2) . This
mineralized intercept is from the most easterly hole along the historically mined Donchester South Zone,
and this mineralized structure and zone remains open to the east and at depth and defines a zone for
further characterization and targeting as it has the potential to add meaningful ounces to the known
mineral resource.
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Figure 1: Plan view of the Donchester South Shear Target ( “DCD Zone”) and its location proximity to the recently
announced Buzz, CDHG and Valentre Targets
Figure 2: Cross section of DUP23-010 looking east, highlighting the additional mineralization potential outside of
the current resource wireframes
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Other significant intersections from the latest drilling include 2.7 g/t Au over 3.4 m and 2.46 g/t Au over
4.8 m, including 5.16 g/t Au over 1.6 m in drill hole DUP23-011, as well as 0.96 g/t Au over 10.0 m and 1.1
g/t Au over 6.0 m in drill hole DUP23-012 (Table 2 and Figure 3). The near-surface results from DUP23-
011 confirm the up-dip extension of the historically mined Donchester South Zone . The assays returned
support further investigation of opportunities to add additional ounces (defining new wireframes) as the
intercepts are beyond the limits of the current PEA pit shell. Drill hole DUP23-012 confirms the continuity
at depth of the Zone 3 wireframe.
Figure 3: Cross-sectional view of drill holes DUP23-011 and DUP23-012
Drill hole DUP23-013 targeted a large, untested area associated with Zone 3 near the junction of the
previous Beattie and Donchester claim blocks. Multiple mineralized intervals were intersected, including
8.82 g/t Au over 1.0 m, 1.21 g/t Au over 6.0 m, 0.53 g/t Au over 16.0 m and 1.52 g/t Au over 6.0 m (Table
2), with the majority of these intersections located below the interpreted PEA pit shell limits (Figure 4).
The mineralization in some areas spans widths thicker than previously projected and overall the
mineralization remains open at depth and to the east for several hundred metres.
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Figure 4: Cross section of DUP23-013 highlighting the untested area around Zone 3 and demonstrat ing thicker than
expected grade intercepts
A new brownfields exploration target, SID , located to the north of Dumico on the boundary of the
Porcupine East property, was drill tested in 2023. The SID target is located in a lithological setting outside
of the traditional Beattie syenite host and is defined by a combination of historical grab samples and a
drilling trend proximal to historical property boundar ies. A sheared, iron carbonate mafic volcanic
historical surface grab sample returned 3.3 g/t Au and was validated in First Mining’s 2023 field campaign,
with assays from grab samples ranging from 0.26 to 1.78g/t Au within sheared ankerite altered basalt.
Historical drill hole G-83-2 was also completed in this target area and returned 2.33 g/t Au over 11. 8 m
at a downhole depth of 22.7 m. First Mining drilled two exploration holes in 2023 (DUP23-014 and DUP23-
015), targeting an opportunity to intersect the historical interval at a further depth than previously tested
(Figure 5). Both drill holes intersected sulphide mineralization and a significant amount of quartz veining
(spanning over 4.5 metres) associated with felsic tuffs and basalts interbedded with local graphitic
argillites. Drill hole DUP23-014 returned 1.0 g/t Au over 1.0 m and drill hole DUP23-015 returned 1.41 g/t
Au over 2.0 m (Table 2). Follow-up field work and modelling of the drill results will be a focus of this area
in 2024 to better define this brownfields target.
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“The ability to demonstrate additional mineralization host setting s and styles is an important factor for
our exploration team seeking to make new discoveries,” stated James Maxwell, VP Exploration and Project
Operations. “As our programs work to open up the exploration space surrounding Duparquet, we are
continually met with positive validation for our efforts and encounter new opportunities supporting and
growing the regional gold endowment.”
Figure 5: Plan view of SID target highlighting results from DUP23 -014 and DUP23 -015 as well as historical results
supporting target development
Drill holes DUP23-016 and DUP23-017 were drilled to test the western extension of the historically mined
West Zone on the Beattie property. Hole DUP23 -016 was abandoned due to thick er than ex pected
overburden, while DUP23 -017 successfully cased through the overburden before collaring into the
favourable sheared basalt and syenite porphyries. S ignificant gold mineralization was not returned in
assay, however drilling of the hole was instrumental in identifying the target shear zone providing an open
vector for exploration to the west.
2023 Duparquet Drilling Program Overview
First Mining commenced an exploration campaign in 2023 that drill tested an array of targets across the
main Project area (Figure 6). The campaign focused on two main strategies; firstly, derisking the resource
through validation whilst expanding on resource growth and optimization opportunities , and secondly,
unlocking the geoscientific understanding of the P roject to define opportunities outside of the known
resource areas.
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Results from the 2023 campaign support the growth potential of the Duparquet Project and the
confirmation of new zones and targets , near the resource as well as more regional brownfields
opportunities, demonstrating a strategy that has potential to deliver further success to First Mining.
Figure 6: Summary plan view and long section of the 2023 drill program at the Duparquet project, demonstrating
the open opportunities around the known mineral resource
Table 2: Drill Highlights (All 2023 Holes)
Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Grade (Au g/t)
DUP23-001 259.5 264.6 5.05 2.28
and 365.2 375 9.8 0.96
DUP23-002 44 47 3 0.96
and 106 112.3 6.3 2.72
and 125.75 146 20.25 0.74
and 354 357.3 3.3 8.70
inc. 354 355 1 18.80
and inc. 356.3 357.3 1 9.20
and 420 432 12 0.94
and 450.8 455.4 4.6 6.52
inc. 452.6 454.4 1.8 12.82
and inc. 453.5 454.4 0.9 18.60
and 582 592.4 10.4 1.19
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Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Grade (Au g/t)
inc. 587.8 588.5 0.7 3.97
DUP23-003 60.5 65.5 5 6.08
inc. 60.5 61.5 1 11.80
and inc. 63.5 64.5 1 15.00
and 136 158.4 22.4 1.09
inc. 137.8 138.3 0.5 13.10
and 266.2 267 0.8 7.07
and 378.85 386.6 7.75 3.47
inc. 380.3 382 1.7 10.79
and 659 660 1 4.94
and 715.5 717 1.5 2.16
DUP23-004 601 601.66 0.66 1.63
DUP23-005 292 296 4 1.78
and 306 312.15 6.15 2.73
inc. 310.3 311 0.7 6.98
and inc. 311.5 312.15 0.65 10.60
DUP23-006 79.5 82 2.5 2.07
inc. 80 80.5 0.5 5.96
and 118 121 3 1.82
and 304.6 313.5 8.9 1.71
inc. 305.5 306.5 1 5.11
and 353.9 355.9 2 2.57
inc. 353.9 354.9 1 4.72
and 363.8 371.4 7.6 1.29
inc. 369.6 371.4 1.8 3.33
DUP23-007 115 119.5 4.5 1.34
and 161.5 165.3 3.8 1.01
and 418.5 423.6 5.1 1.16
DUP23-008 235 238 3 2.04
and 243 254 11 2.83
inc. 250 253 3 4.40
DUP23-009 No significant assay results
DUP23-010 91 98 7 1.83
inc. 91 92.2 1.2 2.19
and inc. 94 97 3 2.99
DUP23-011 42.5 45.9 3.4 2.70
inc. 42.5 44 1.5 5.25
and 94.3 99.1 4.8 2.46
inc. 94.3 95.9 1.6 5.16