FireFox Gold Identifies New Drill Targets at Utsamo Area, Jeesiö Gold Project, Finland
FireFox Gold Identifies New Drill Targets at
Utsamo Area, Jeesiö Gold Project, Finland
Tuesday, October 26, 2021 5:30 AM
SODANKYLÄ, FINLAND / ACCESSWIRE / October 26, 2021 / FireFox Gold Corp.
(TSXV:FFOX)(OTCQB:FFOXF)("FireFox" or the "Company") today reported the results of
its recently completed base-of-till (BOT) sampling program at the Utsamo Prospect in
the northeast part of the Company's 100% owned Jeesiö Gold Project. The data include
strong gold and multielement anomalies associated with multiple interpreted splays of
the important Sirkka Shear Zone (SSZ).
The most prominent feature emerging from the survey is a multi-line anomaly near the
northwest limits of sampling that is comprised of a spatial association among gold and
several other trace elements. There are at least two other robust anomalies farther
south and east. Each of the major anomalies is associated with major interpreted
structures and magnetic anomalies that could be favorable settings for gold deposits
(see Figure 1: https://bit.ly/3vQzqxR). The core drill will arrive at Utsamo in November,
so the FireFox team is readying drill sites based on these BOT data.
Key takeaways from the Utsamo BOT survey include:
• High contrast gold anomalies against a very low background, the maximum gold
value in the 2021 data is just under 1 ppm (0.919 ppm);
• Well-developed spatially associated anomalies in key pathfinder element such as:
tellurium, bismuth, arsenic, antimony, silver, and molybdenum;
• Statistical and spatial associations in the geochemistry assist in mapping geology,
as well as mineralization, beneath the glacial sediments; and
• The high priority BOT anomalies correlate with important faults and geophysical
anomalies that were already believed to have potential for gold mineralization.
Carl Löfberg, President and CEO of FireFox, commented, "We have recently seen the
value of quality BOT sampling with the Rupert discovery at Area 1, and now the FireFox
team has delivered some great results at Utsamo. We knew that Utsamo occupied a
major structural corridor where the Sirkka Shear Zone bends from dominantly east-west
to dominantly north-south. Now we can see geochemical evidence of a gold system that
heightens the importance of the 2021 drilling that is about to begin. We are excited for
the Utsamo target to become our second prospect tested this fall, as the drill will soon
depart Mustajärvi."
Base of Till Program Summary and Interpretation
Similar to other gold exploration projects in the Central Lapland Gold Belt (CLGB), such
as Rupert Resources' Area 1 Discovery, this part of the Jeesiö Project is covered by
glacial sediments of varying depths. BOT sampling is a very useful tool to prospect
through this cover by capturing samples of the basal till or bedrock. Sometimes the BOT
anomalies may be transported "down-ice" by glacial processes and subsequent
groundwaters, but in other cases the anomalies may be very near their source. This is
partially due to the fact that this part of Lapland is near the origin of the glaciers.
The Utsamo Corridor is a five-kilometre-long zone of complex folds, faults and shears
developed along a flexure in the SSZ. A BOT survey with numerous survey lines and
closely spaced sample sites was planned to test prospective geological, structural, and
geophysical targets within the structural corridor. Between March and August of this
year the FireFox team completed the detailed BOT sampling program with 1,012 sample
points in an area spanning approximately 3.5 by 4 kilometres where bedrock is covered
by an estimated 5 to 30 metres of glacial overburden. This brings the total BOT samples
at Utsamo to 1,233.
ALS Global labs analyzed the BOT samples using an aqua regia digestion and ultra-trace
analysis for gold and a suite of 50 elements. FireFox employed industry standard quality
assurance protocols during the sampling program, including the inclusion of analytical
control samples. The quality of the data was found to be good. There are numerous
gold anomalies across the survey area and they are not confined to a single geologic
unit but appear to be related to faults and major interpreted lithologic contacts. While
the maximum gold values reach as high as 0.919 ppm, the most prospective anomalies
are likely where gold anomalies correlate with other important pathfinder elements such
as arsenic, bismuth, tellurium, and antimony.
The FireFox team and its technical advisors employed principal components and factor
analysis of the large multielement database to identify targets and map geology. The
statistical analysis captured at least two multi-element associations that may be related
to buried gold systems. One statistical factor that is believed to be significant in the
Utsamo targets includes a simple gold (Au) - tellurium (Te) association. There is
another more complex association that maps more extensive anomalous patterns,
including elements such as antimony (Sb), molybdenum (Mo), arsenic (As), mercury
(Hg), bismuth (Bi), lead (Pb), tellurium (Te), and zinc (Zn). By grouping these
multielement responses into one statistical factor, referenced here as the
"Mineralization Factor", more information can be conveyed in a single map, as shown in
Figure 1.
The strongest anomalies for this associated group of elements form an arcuate pattern
in the northwest part of the target area that is coincident with several gold anomalies.
The 2019 drill campaign tested a very small part of this area with three holes, but the
anomaly strengthens considerably over a 500-metre trend farther to the northwest from
the previous drilling. While the 2019 drilling did not intercept significant gold, those
three core holes did intersect a significant fault (see Company news release dated
January 21, 2020), cutting through intermediate to mafic volcanic rocks cut by
ultramafic dikes or sills. Confirming the presence of a fault in this area makes the
continuation of this anomaly to the northwest even more interesting, particularly given
the prevailing ice transport direction - from the northwest. FireFox intends to drill test
this target during November and December.
There are other significant anomalies visible on the map of the Utsamo Corridor. The
southeastern anomaly is very interesting as the multielement association correlates with
several gold anomalies associated with another likely splay of the SSZ. There is also a
prominent northeast trending fault that has been interpreted from the magnetics data
cutting through the area. Here too FireFox has previously drilled in the area. The four
holes shown on the map were drilled in late 2020 and news released on March 5, 2021.
The target at the time was an interpreted structural zone cutting through a
metasedimentary and volcanic rock package. The reconnaissance drilling was helpful in
confirming a fault in the area as well as moderate hydrothermal alteration and
associated anomalous trace element geochemistry. The potential drill targets for the
2021 - 2022 drill program will be shifted back to the southeast, closer to the interpreted
cross fault and anomalous BOT results.
Methodology & Quality Assurance
The basal till and bedrock interface was targeted using a percussion drill mounted on a
tracked vehicle. FireFox geologists maintained chain of custody and sampling
procedures according to best industry practice and with due attention to quality
assurance and quality control, including collection of field duplicates and insertion of
certified reference materials and blank samples into the laboratory submittals. FireFox
team members transported the samples to an ALS sample prep lab in Sodankylä. The
samples were first crushed to -2 mm, split and pulverized into 1kg pulps, before being
shipped to the ALS facility in Loughrea, Ireland to be measure for gold and a package
of 50 other elements to ultra-trace levels after aqua-regia digestion by ICP-MS (method
AuME-TL43). ALS Laboratories is a leading international provider of assay and analytical
data to the mining industry. All ALS geochemical hub laboratories, including the Irish
facility, are accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:2017 for specific analytical procedures.
No QA/QC issues were identified from a review of the analytical data.
Patrick Highsmith, Certified Professional Geologist (AIPG CPG # 11702) and director of
the Company, is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr.
Highsmith has helped prepare, reviewed, and approves, the technical information in this
news release.
About the Jeesiö Project
The 100%-controlled Jeesiö Gold Project covers approximately 142km2 of the
prospective Central Lapland Greenstone Belt, proximal to other exciting recent gold
discoveries in Finland. The Jeesiö properties are positioned along the major regional
structure known as the Sirkka Shear Zone, a trans-crustal structure that controls the
emplacement of most of the orogenic gold deposits in Lapland. The main Jeesiö targets
include the Utsamo and Kataja Belt areas. Utsamo is situated directly between Aurion
Resources' Risti and Launi gold occurrences, while Kataja is only two kilometres
southwest from the gold-bearing quartz-sulfide vein system at Launi.
About FireFox Gold Corp.
FireFox Gold Corp is listed on the TSX Venture stock exchange under the ticker symbol
FFOX. FireFox also trades on the OTCQB Venture Market Exchange in the US under the
ticker symbol FFOXF. The Company has been exploring for gold in Finland since 2017
where it holds a project portfolio that includes over 80,000 hectares of prospective
ground.
Finland is one of the top mining investment jurisdictions in the world as indicated by its
multiple top-10 rankings in recent Fraser Institute Surveys of Mining Companies. Having
a strong mining law and long mining tradition, Finland remains underexplored for gold.
Recent exploration results in the country have highlighted its prospectivity, and FireFox
is proud to have a Finland based CEO and technical team.
For more information, please refer to the Company's website and profile on the SEDAR
website at www.sedar.com.
On behalf of the Board of Directors,
"Carl Löfberg"
Chief Executive Officer
CONTACT:
FireFox Gold Corp.
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: +1-778-938-1994
Forward Looking Statements
The information herein contains forward looking statements that are subject to a
number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause
actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in our forward-looking
statements. Factors that could cause such differences include: changes in world
commodity markets, equity markets, the extent of work stoppage and economic
impacts that may result from the COVID 19 virus, costs and supply of materials relevant
to the mining industry, change in government and changes to regulations affecting the
mining industry.
Forward-looking statements in this release may include statements regarding: the intent
to conduct additional drilling; the belief as to the location of the most prospective gold
targets; the location of targets for future drill programs; and the current and future
work program, including the extent and nature of exploration to be conducted in 2021 -
2022. Although we believe the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements
are reasonable, results may vary.
The forward-looking statements contained herein represent the expectations of FireFox
as of the date of dissemination and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date.
Readers should not place undue importance on forward-looking statements and should
not rely upon this information as of any other date. FireFox does not undertake to
update this information at any particular time except as required in accordance with
applicable laws.
SOURCE: FireFox Gold Corp