First Mining Expansion Target Drilling Identifies Two New Gold Discoveries at the Duparquet Gold Project
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NEWS RELEASE
First Mining Expansion Target Drilling Identifies Two New
Gold Discoveries at the Duparquet Gold Project
• Miroir Discovery – 3.12 g/t Au over 19.35 m occurring 225 m north of the Valentre target
• Aiguille Discovery – 8.99 g/t Au over 3.1 m occurring 150 m south of the Valentre target
• Valentre – 142 Au mineralized intercepts identified, supporting zone continuity between Central
Duparquet and Dumico target areas that demonstrates a robust resource expansion opportunity
January 20, 2025 – Vancouver, Canada – First Mining Gold Corp. (“First Mining” or the “Company”) (TSX:
FF) (OTCQX: FFMGF) (FRANKFURT: FMG) is pleased to announce new drilling results from the 2024 Phase
3 diamond drilling program at its Duparquet Gold Project (“Duparquet Project” or the “Project”) located
in Quebec, Canada.
First Mining has identified two new discovery gold zones during the expansion drilling at the Valentre
target. Assay results for the newly discovered “Miroir Zone ”, located north of the Valentre target,
returned 3.12 g/t Au over 19.35 m, including 5.47 g/t Au over 9.6 m. Further drill results from the program
identified a second discovery, the “Aiguille Zone”, occurring south of the Valentre target, returning 8.99
g/t Au over 3.1 m. In total, 142* unique mineralized intercepts in 16 drill holes have been encountered in
the Valentre expansion area, including the new discoveries at Miroir and Aiguille. These new drill results
support a strong continuity in mineralization within the Central Duparquet, Valentre and Dumico (“CVD”)
area, while highlighting an affinity for additional discovery zones with increasing exploration at the
Duparquet Project.
“The discovery of these two new gold zones at our Duparquet Gold Project demonstrates the continued
success of our exploration program at the Project,” stated Dan Wilton, CEO of First Mining. “With more
than two full exploration seasons now under our belt at Duparquet, our team is producing exceptional
drill results with a degree of predictability supported by a robust geoscience foundation. On top of the
existing mineral resource base of 3.44 Moz of Measured & Indicated resource and 2.64 Moz of Inferred
resource, these results demonstrate that Duparquet is well positioned to achieve significant resource
growth, demonstrating that Duparquet is one of the strongest gold -endowed assets in Canada,
strategically located in the heart of the Abitibi gold belt in Quebec.”
A map highlighting the target locations in the CVD area, including Miroir and Aiguille, as well as locations
of recent drill holes is presented in Figure 1, and corresponding assay highlights are presented in Table 1,
with full assay results listed in Table 2 and drill hole locations in Table 3.
*Represents all intercepts reporting above 0.4 g/t Au over 3 m in the CVD area, supporting mineralization continuity
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Figure 1: Regional Duparquet map (plan view) of the “CVD” area showing select drill holes from the Phase 3 program at the
Central Duparquet, Valentre, Dumico, Aiguille, and Miroir targets.
Table 1: Selected Significant Drill Intercepts, 2024 Phase 3 Drill Program – CVD Target Area
Hole ID From
(m) To (m) Length (m) Grade (Au g/t) Target
DUP24-035 93.0 100.0 7.0 2.07 Valentre
DUP24-035 inc. 95.0 96.0 1.0 8.88 Valentre
DUP24-035 157.3 160.5 3.2 4.14 Valentre
DUP24-035 inc. 159.4 160.0 0.6 9.42 Valentre
DUP24-036 215.2 225.4 10.2 3.27 Valentre
DUP24-036 inc. 220.5 225.4 4.9 5.23 Valentre
DUP24-037 72.75 82.9 10.15 2.11 Valentre
DUP24-038 83.0 85.2 2.2 12.46 Valentre
DUP24-038 inc. 84.45 85.2 0.75 27.40 Valentre
DUP24-041 169.90 185.0 15.1 3.54 Central
Duparquet
DUP24-041 inc. 177.35 184.0 6.65 5.53 Central
Duparquet
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Hole ID From
(m) To (m) Length (m) Grade (Au g/t) Target
DUP24-041 353.1 364.15 11.05 1.87 Aiguille
DUP24-041 inc. 359.1 359.8 0.7 8.35 Aiguille
DUP24-043 308.84 326.32 17.48 2.16 Valentre
DUP24-043 inc. 314.56 318.52 3.96 4.55 Valentre
DUP24-043 and inc. 325.79 326.32 0.53 11.80 Valentre
DUP24-044 545.9 549.0 3.1 8.99 Aiguille
DUP24-044 inc. 548.0 549.0 1.0 15.50 Aiguille
DUP24-048 6.75 26.1 19.35 3.12 Miroir
DUP24-048 inc. 15.5 25.1 9.6 5.47 Miroir
DUP24-048 inc. 22.1 25.1 3.0 11.26 Miroir
*Reported intervals are drilled core lengths (true widths are estimated at 75-85% of the core length interval , assay
values are uncut)
Upcoming Duparquet Exploration Programs
A portion of the upcoming drill programs will be focused at the newly discovered Miroir and Aiguille
discovery zones, where the aim is to continue advancing and drill testing the exploration potential along
strike and at depth (Figure 2). The CVD area has returned significant upside and value to the Duparquet
project to date and it will remain a focus area for exploration optimization and potential extension of the
mineral resource. Further drilling will also provide advancement at the highly prospective Buzz target and
North Zone with a focus on growth as well as the top regional targets delineated in 2024, further
supporting opportunity for new discoveries.
Figure 2: Representative long section through the Central Duparquet, Valentre, and Dumico t argets, highlighting the multiple
significant intercepts returned in 2023 and in the 2024 Phase 3 program, as well as upcoming drill hole targets aimed at unlocking
exploration opportunities.
“For 2025, our team is planning for increased drilling programs that will capitalize on our momentum
through a continued opening of the exploration space at Duparquet,” stated James Maxwell, VP
Exploration and Project Operations of First Mining. “We anticipate expanded outcomes with each
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additional drill met re by leveraging our foundational geoscience platforms to establish the Duparquet
Project as a top-tier gold endowment in the Abitibi Greenstone Belt.”
Central Duparquet, Valentre and Dumico (“CVD”)
The 2024 drilling program at the CVD area totalled 16 holes and 4,644 m. The CVD drilling campaign was
aimed at testing approximately 200 m of strike length at the targeted area , which has demonstrated
significant potential for resource expansion through on-strike extension drilling and north and south step-
outs within the CVD area (Figure 2). Expanding the exploration search space is a core aspect of the growth
strategy for the Project, including the evaluation of areas that have never been drill tested. Recent results
in the CVD area have demonstrated a high degree of mineralization continuity, along with two new gold
discoveries (Miroir and Aiguille), located to the north and south of the Valentre target. These results have
expanded the CVD target area, which now boasts a gold mineralization footprint extending 1,700 m east-
west in a corridor approximately 500 m wide. The d epth potential remains largely underexplored,
presenting significant opportunities for further evaluation.
Additional Details on CVD, Aiguille, and Miroir Drilling
CVD
The Valentre portion of the CVD drilling strategy has been focused on targeting the mineralization
continuity of multiple gold zones that occur within an underexplored area east of the main Duparquet
resource centre where the opportunity for significant strike extension has been identified. The Valentre
target area spans approximately 200 m along strike between two established centres of mineral resource
wireframes (Central Duparquet and Dumico) , where drilling aims to support continuity and ultimately
provide a new cent re for resource growth . First Mining completed an initial drill test to derisk this
opportunity during their Phase 1 drill program conducted in 2023 (see press release date September 5,
2023) that returned a total of six discrete gold intercepts central to the area, which prompted additional
drilling.
Recent results from the 2024 drilling programs have returned further supporting intercepts which include
3.27 g/t Au over 10.2 m from 215.2 m to 225.4 m in drill hole DUP24-036, 2.11 g/t Au over 10.15 m from
72.75 m to 82.9 m in drill hole DUP24-037, and 2.16 g/t Au over 17.48 m including 3.96 g/t Au over 4 m
from 314.56 m to 318.52 m, and including 11.80 g/t Au over 0.53 m from 325.79 m to 326.32 m in drill
hole DUP24 -043 (Figure 3) . The d rill data collected to date is now being i ntegrated into update d
geoscience models, aimed at developing new and refined wireframes within the trend. These updates will
support potential resource additions while targeting higher-grade zones for exploration at depth where
the target remains open.
The Central Duparquet and Dumico portion of the CVD drilling strategy was focused on potential resource
expansion at depth an d increasing the geoscience confidence of the controls on mineralization along
strike between the Central Duparquet, Valentre, and D umico areas. In 2024, the Central Duparquet drill
program comprised three holes - DUP24-027 (see press release date August 2 8, 2024), DUP24-041, and
DUP24-044, with DUP24-041 returning 3.54 g/t Au over 15.1 m from 169.9 m to 185.0 m. This program
was successful in testing the secondary plunge to the higher-grade zones in the Central Duparquet area.
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The higher-grade zones are theorized to plunge steeply to the west or near-vertical along the main
mineralization trend , and in this area they remain open at depth. The 2024 Dumico drill program
comprised one drillhole (DUP24-047) which returned 1.56 g/t Au over 10.80 m from 235.2 m to 246.0 m,
including 1 m at 6.84 g/t Au from 238.0 m to 239 m. This program was successful in further expanding and
confirming the resource potential at depth in the Dumico area.
Gold mineralization at the CVD area is hosted within mineralized silica- and sericite-altered syenite units
with very fine-grained disseminated pyrite ranging from 0.5 - 3%. Gold mineralization is also coincident
with dark smokey quartz veins and veinlets, with up to 3% fine-grained disseminated pyrite mineralization.
The gold-mineralized quartz veins are hosted within syenite units, and intervals of alternating syenite and
mafic and ultramafic volcanic units.
Figure 32: Valentre Target – DUP24-026, DUP24-034, DUP24-035, DUP24-036, DUP24-037, DUP24-038, DUP24-043 are holes
targeting the potential mineralization continuity between Central Duparquet and Dumico. Significant intercepts are highlighte d
downhole, with higher -grade zones identified along altered mineralized syenite units. These drill holes are also a t est of
mineralization continuity up and down-dip of previously drilled hole DUP23-006.The cross section is looking west.
Miroir
The new gold discovery, Miroir, was identified during the recent Valentre expansion drilling. Drill hole
DUP24-048 was collared 250 metres to the north of Valentre in an effort to step back and drill under areas
of previous drilling success at Valentre (see press release dated August 28, 2024 ), and to intersect the
underexplored northern contact of the mafic volcanic -syenite contact area which has demonstrated a
stronger affinity for higher-grade mineralization in the North Zone target area of the Project. The Miroir
zone is located 225 m to the north of the Valentre target and is initially intercepted at bedrock level,
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making it an extremely encouraging shallow exploration opportunity for further advancement (Figure 5).
Assays from drill hole DUP24 -048 in the Miroir zone returned 3.12 g/t Au over 19.35 m from 6.75 m to
26.10 m, including 5.47 g/t Au over 9.60 m from 15.5 m to 25.1 m (Figure 4).
Miroir mineralization is hosted within a silica-altered basalt unit with up to 5% very fine-grained fracture-
controlled pyrite mineralization and fine -grained disseminated pyrite mineralization that occurs
immediately adjacent to the contact with the CVD syenite. Rheologic contrast between the geochemically
favourable volcanic host rock units a nd the syenite are interpreted as favo urable settings for gold
mineralization and are being prioritized as high-value exploration drilling targets at the Duparquet Project.
Strong grade and width accompanied by these factors are similar to that seen at the North Zone t arget
and are thought to “mirror” recent success in drilling at the North Zone where results included 5.97 g/t
Au over 33.0 m in hole DUP24-024 (see press release dated June 18, 2024 ) and which is located
approximately 1,500 m to the northwest of the Miroir Discovery.
Figure 4: Valentre, Dumico Target and Miroir – Holes DUP24-039, DUP24-040, DUP24-047 and DUP24-048 are holes designed to
target the potential mineralization continuity between Valentre and Dumico as well as at depth. Significant intercepts are
highlighted downhole, with higher-grade zones identified along altered mineralized syenite units. These drill holes are also a test
of mineralization continuity up and down-dip of previously reported DUP24-025.The cross section is looking west.
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Figure 5: Representative long section through Miroir target, highlighting the significant intercepts returned in 2023 and 2024,
and the 2025 upcoming drill hole targets aimed at defining and unlocking the exploration opportunity.
Aiguille
The second new gold discovery, Aiguille, was also identified during the 2024 follow-up drilling at Valentre.
Drill hole DUP24-041 was extended beyond the target depth by site geologists, owing to a change in the
expected geology surrounding Valentre identified during the drilling. Lithologies intersected were syenite
units with favourable sericite alteration and fine -grained disseminated pyrite sulphide mineralization,
which were fairly continuous in an area where volcanic lithologies are typically intruded by lesser syenite
units and bounded by gabbro. A geoscience-driven extension of this drill hole resulted in the discovery of
the Aiguille zone, with hole DUP24-041 returning 1.87 g/t Au over 11.05 m from 353.1 m to 364.15 m,
including 8.35 g/t Au over 0.7 m from 359.1 m to 359.8 m. An adjustment in the next CVD hole delivered
even more favourable results, with hole DUP24-044 returning 8.99 g/t Au over 3.10 m from 545.9 m to
549.0 m, including 15.5 g/t Au over 1.0 m from 548 m to 549 m (Figure 6).
The discovery zone is located 150 m south of the main Va lentre area and remains significantly
underexplored, promoting positive opportunities for further drilling at Aiguille with a focus on delineating
additional zones and an area for further expansion, at relatively higher grades for the Project . Aiguille
mineralization is hosted within silica- and sericite-altered syenite units and graphitic argillite, with fine-
grained disseminated pyrite mineralization up to 5% and dark smokey quartz veining . Increased volume
and scale in combination with the mineralization styles including sulphides and veins is interpreted as
being attributable to the returned higher Au grades, in comparison to the conventional CVD mineralization
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overall. First Mining will follow up with additional drilling at this target area in 2025, with an opportunity
to expand and extend the mineralization up-dip and along strike.
Figure 6: Central Duparquet Target and Aiguille – drill holes DUP24-041 and DUP24-044 are targeting the potential
mineralization continuity between Central Duparquet and Valentre, and testing the mineralization along the southern contact of
the syenite (Aiguille). These drill holes also test the higher-grade zone continuity at depth. Significant intercepts are highlighted
downhole, with higher-grade zones identified along altered mineralized syenite units. The cross section is looking west.
Table 2: Phase 3 Valentre, Central Duparquet, Dumico, Aiguille, and Miroir Drilling - Assay Results
Hole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Grade (Au g/t) Target
DUP24-034 18.75 19.50 0.75 0.79
Valentre
DUP24-034 24.75 25.55 0.80 0.53
DUP24-034 32.40 41.00 8.60 0.55
DUP24-034 46.85 48.25 1.40 0.77
DUP24-034 52.00 53.00 1.00 0.46
DUP24-035 34.85 35.60 0.75 0.65
Valentre
DUP24-035 82.70 83.55 0.85 0.44
DUP24-035 88.50 89.30 0.80 0.41
DUP24-035 93.00 100.00 7.00 2.07
DUP24-035 inc. 95.00 96.00 1.00 8.88
DUP24-035 115.10 116.80 1.70 0.44
DUP24-035 133.10 140.25 7.15 1.34
DUP24-035 157.30 160.50 3.20 4.14