FireFox Gold Tests New Drill Orientation and Hits More High-Grade, including 13.09 g/t Gold over 15.5m, at Mustajärvi Project, Finland
FireFox Gold Tests New Drill Orientation and Hits More High-Grade, including 13.09 g/t
Gold over 15.5m, at Mustajärvi Project, Finland
SODANKYLA , FINLAND – (January 18, 2023) – FireFox Gold Corp. (TSX.V: FFOX)(OTCQB: FFOXF)(“FireFox”
or the “Company”) is pleased to report results from the first three drill holes of the fall 2022 core drilling
campaign at the Company’s 100%-held Mustaja rvi Gold Project in Lapland, Finland. These three holes were
part of a six -hole program (977.1 metres) that tested a new near -surface high-grade gold zone at the East
Target (see Figure 1 ). All three of the holes returned high -grade gold assays, including some of the richest
intercepts yet reported from the project.
Drillholes 22MJ021 and 22MJ022 both encountered significant high -grade gold at depths of less than 20
metres below surface. The best intercept in this round of results was 15.5m of 13.09 g/t gold in 22MJ021,
which began just below the covering glacial sediments at 11m downhole depth. Importantly, these holes were
drilled perpendicular to the drilling orientation favoured in the previous campaigns and appear to have
successfully confirmed that the observed cross-structures host significant mineralization.
FireFox’s CEO, Carl Lo fberg, commented, “Our drilling at Mustajärvi East is yielding consistent improvement in
grade and thickness of the gold mineralization. In addition to the continued presence of narrow bonanza veins,
our most recent drillholes have encountered replacement style mineralization over greater widths than
previously seen on the project. It also happens that these new robust intercepts lie at very shallow depths in the
East Target. By drilling these new holes towards the northeast, we have expanded the footprint of the high-grade
system to the west, to the north, and to depth. We anticipate results from two more holes in the East Target in a
few weeks.”
Highlights of selected intervals are shown below, while Table 1 includes all significant intercepts:
• 22MJ021: 15.5m at 13.09 g/t Au from 11.0m depth*, including
▪ 3.6m at 16.45 g/t Au from 14.4 metres depth, and
▪ 6.5m at 19.18 g/t Au from 20.0 metres depth, including
• 3.5m at 24.35 g/t Au from 23.0 metres depth
• 22MJ022: 7.2m at 16.43 g/t Au from 22.8 metres depth, including
▪ 3.0m at 37.9 g/t Au from 26.2 metres depth; and
o 1.7m at 31.6 g/t Au from 86.0 metres depth
• 22MJ023: 1.0m at 26.4 g/t Au from 53.0 metres depth
o 4.0 metres at 4.22 g/t Au from 89.0 metres depth, including
▪ 2.0 metres at 6.36 g/t Au
This drilling was prompted by the extraordinary results from drill hole 22MJ006 , which returned 13.85m
averaging 28.74 g/t gold from only 24 metres downhole (s ee Company news release dated September 6,
2022). Drill holes 22MJ021 and 22MJ022 were drilled perpendicular to 22MJ006 to test for lateral and
downdip extension of the 22MJ006 mineralization. The third drill hole in this phase of work, 22MJ023, tested
the expansion of the mineralized trend farther to the north. All three drill holes returned multiple significant
intercepts including high-grade gold mineralization that are expected to expand the East Target laterally and
at depth.
Figure 1 - Mustajärvi East Target Oct 2022 Drilling (Click here to enlarge)
Mustajärvi Project and Drill Program Details
The Mustaja rvi Project lies along the highway between the cities of Kittila and Sodankyla , approximately 17
kilometres east of Kittila . The property straddles the Mustaja rvi Shear Zone (MSZ), a major right-lateral shear
zone that has associated second and third -order structures which further dissect the project into separate
structural zones. The Sodankyla Group rocks, which are primarily to the north of the shear zone in the
footwall, include metamorphosed sedimentary and volcaniclastic rocks. Geophysics and drilling have
identified an extensive corridor of albite – sericite alteration in the footwall along more than two kilometres
of the structure. The project remains at an early stage as FireFox and predecessor companies have drilled
approximately 12,594 metres to date.
FireFox’s structural model identified repetitive dilatant zones along the MSZ where vein swarms and higher-
grade gold are concentrated. Three main areas of gold mineralization have been identified along a 2.1 -
kilometre segment of the MSZ, namely the Central Zone, the Northeast Target, and the East Target.
During the year 2022, FireFox completed a total of 25 diamond drill holes for 3,904 metres at Mustaja rvi,
testing the Northeast Target, the East Target, the Gabbro Target and the Central Zone. The final program of
the year included six holes totalling 977 metres, three of those holes are reported herein.
The East Target mineralization exhibits extensive albite – sericite alteration, as is typical along the MSZ, but
iron oxide and iron carbonate veining are more common in this eastern part of Mustaja rvi. The drill logs from
the recent drilling also include increased reports of mafic volcanics interbedded with the metasediments and
tuffaceous rocks that host most of the Mustaja rvi mineralization. Gold continues to be closely correlated with
the occurrence of pyrite. Similar to previously reported holes from the East Target, the near-surface gold
mineralization from the most recent holes is associated with fractures and impregnation of (partially
oxidized) pyrite along fractures, forming blebs, nests, disseminated, semi-massive and massive pyrite
mineralization within the host rock. The thicker intervals reported in 22MJ021 and 22MJ022 present strong
evidence of hydrothermal replacement of the host rock with quartz-sericite-pyrite + iron oxide. Pyrite can be
seen to be replacing laminations and other sedimentary textures (See Figures 2 and 3).
Figures 2 and 3 – Albite-quartz (+ tourmaline) alteration with pyrite replacement at East Target
(Click here to enlarge)
The deeper mineralized intervals include the more typical quartz-carbonate-tourmaline-pyrite (QCTP) veins
that are commonly seen at Mustaja rvi . The vein and replacement types of mineralization may be separate
events, but the geochemistry is very similar – dominated by an association with bismuth, tellurium,
molybdenum, cobalt, and nickel and low in arsenic and copper . There are at least two major directions of
controlling structure on the Mustaja rvi mineralization, east -northeast striking (parallel to the MSZ) and
north-northwest striking (perpendicular to the MSZ). There are still results pending for two holes drilled
along the northwest-southeast profile at the East Target , and FireFox geologists continue to study the
relationship between the narrow high-grade veins and thicker replacement style of mineralization.
Hole 22MJ021 was designed to test the east-west extent of the near-surface, high grade gold mineralization
identified in drill hole 22MJ006 . The hole was collared approximately 28 metres west of 22MJ006 in thin
glacial sediments overlying intensely altered intermediate tuffites, interbedded with mafic volcanic rocks.
The 28 mineralized intervals (>1 g/t gold) confirmed by the assays included both vein and replacement styles
of mineralization, starting immediately below glacial till overburden at a depth of 11.0m and continuing to a
depth of 94.65m (Table 1). The best interval reported above (15.5m averaging 13.09 g/t Au*) appears to be
contiguous with the high -grade gold reported previously in 22MJ006 and extend s that mineralization
approximately 15m to the west -southwest. The results from the upper portion of this drillhole (11.0 to
27.5m) have been reported from a 1,000-gram screen fire assay protocol.
Hole 22MJ022 was drilled on the same profile as hole 22MJ021, approximately 40 metres to the southwest,
and nearly 65 metres west of 22MJ006. Its east-plunging configuration was designed to undercut the shallow
high-grade zone. It was collared in thin glacial sediments overlying intensely altered intermediate tuffites and
lesser mafic sequences, and it intersected eleven intervals containing > 1.0 g/t Au , starting at 20.1m
downhole. The best interval started at 24.6m depth and returned 5.4m averaging 21.66 g/t Au, including 3.0
m at 37.39 g/t Au.
More importantly, hole 22MJ022 also intersected deeper high-grade gold mineralization at 86m, such deeper
veins have not been commonly encountered to date at the East Target. This interval returned 1.7m averaging
31.6 g/t Au, including 0.7m at 55.06 g/t Au. The deepest interval from this hole was at a depth of 90.7m and
included 2.0m averaging 6.13 g/t Au.
Hole 22MJ023 was drilled approximately 35 metres northwest of hole 22MJ022. The hole was collared in
thin glacial sediments overlying intensely altered tuffites and metasediments. The hole intersected 8 narrow
intervals that assayed above 1 g/t Au, including a deeper interval of 4.0m averaging 4.22 g/t Au starting at
89m. The highest-grade interval started at 53m and returned 1m at 26.4 g/t Au.
Table 1: Significant Drill Intercepts in Drillholes 22MJ021 - 22MJ023
Cut-off Grade 0.5 g/t Au
Drill Hole From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Au Grade (g/t) Grade Thickness
(gram – metres)
22MJ021 11.0 26.5 15.5 13.09*
266
including 14.4 18.0 3.6 16.45
including 20.0 26.5 6.5 19.18
including 23.0 26.5 3.5 24.35
34.3 35.0 0.7 1.40
36.0 37.0 1.0 0.69
39.0 40.0 1.0 0.70
40.0 42.0 2.0 9.07
44.0 46.0 2.0 10.51
including 45.0 46.0 1.0 19.43
47.0 48.0 1.0 1.27
50.0 51.0 1.0 1.73
60.7 62.7 2.0 0.98
65.55 66.4 0.85 1.49
68.0 69.9 1.9 1.88
75.1 78.0 2.9 1.26
80.0 82.2 2.2 2.87
86.2 87.15 0.95 0.51
88.15 89.0 0.85 1.11
93.65 94.65 1.0 1.00
22MJ022 20.1 21.0 0.9 1.19
191
22.8 30.0 7.2 16.43
including 24.6 30.0 5.4 21.66
including 26.2 29.2 3.0 37.9
63.4 64.4 1.0 2.59
67.5 68.5 1.0 0.63
74.2 76.0 1.8 1.06
86.0 87.7 1.7 31.61
including 86.8 87.7 0.9 55.07
90.7 92.7 2.0 6.13
101.5 102.5 1.0 0.53
22MJ023 34.3 35.2 0.9 0.60
53
40.0 41.0 1.0 0.66
45.0 46.0 1.0 1.03
53.0 54.0 1.0 26.40
57.0 58.0 1.0 5.04
61.0 61.9 0.9 3.16
89.0 93.0 4.0 4.22
including 90.0 92.0 2.0 6.36
Notes: Drilling is believed to be perpendicular to the dip of the mineralization, however interval true
widths are not yet known and will be confirmed with additional drilling and geologic modelling. In this
table, the aggregate grade-thickness of the entire drill hole is provided. For each interval exceeding the
0.5 g/t Au cut-off, the interval thickness is multiplied by its gold grade, and the sum of all those intervals
is reported as total Grade – Thickness in “gram – metres” of gold.
* Intercept includes a total of 1.7m of core loss – one interval of 0.9 and another of 0.8m. Both intervals
were near the top of the hole (above 14.4 metres downhole). These lost intervals were assigned a grade
of 0.0 g/t Au for all calculations.
The table below summarizes the location information for the fall 2022 drill campaign at Mustaja rvi.
Table 2: Collar Details for Drilling at Mustajärvi Q4 2022 (coordinates presented in EPSG:3067).
Drill Hole Easting Northing Azimuth
(°)
Plunge
(°)
Final Depth
(m) Status
22MJ021 429080.6 7501029.7 60 40 103.4 Reported
Here
22MJ022 429046.5 7501009.9 60 35 151.2 Reported
Here
22MJ023 429028.2 7501039.4 60 40 124.9 Reported
Here
22MJ024 429098.9 7500995.5 320 35 160.5 Assays
Pending
22MJ025 429080.0 7501061.0 140 62 266.7 Assays
Pending
22MJ026 428403.0 7500706.0 40 50 170.4 Assays
Pending
Methodology & Quality Assurance
The core was transported from the rig to the Company´s core storage facility in Sodankyla , where FireFox’s
exploration team conducted the geological and geotechnical logging and selected the assay intervals. Assay
intervals were generally 1 metre but in so me circumstances were modified according to lithological
boundaries and other factors. 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
sampling field duplicates and insertion of certified standard and blank samples.
FireFox team members transported the samples to an ALS sample prep lab in Sodankyla . The samples were
sawed then crushed to -2 mm, split and pulverized into 1kg pulps, before being shipped to the ALS facility in
Rosia Montana, Romania for gold by fire assay of 50 gm aliquots with AAS finish (method Au-AA24). Selected
samples were assayed with a 1,000-gram Au-SCR24 method (screen fire assays). Other elements, altogether
48, were measured after four -acid digestion by ICP-AES and ICP-MS (method ME-MS61) at the ALS facility
located in Loughrea, Ireland.
ALS Laboratories is a leading international provider of assay and analytical data to the mining industry. All
ALS geo chemical hub laboratories, including the Irish facility, are accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:2017 for
specific analytical procedures. The Firefox QA/QC program consists of insertion of certificated standard
material and blanks inserted by Firefox into the anal ytical batches did not show deviations from
recommended values.
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
approved the technical information in this news release.
Dr. Sven Ho nig, Certified European Geologist (EFG EurGeol Title # 1789) and General Manager - Exploration
of the Company, is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Dr. Ho nig has supervised the
field work reported herein and has helped to prepare and approves the technical information in this news
release.
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 huge portfolio of prospective ground.
Finland is one of the top mining investm ent 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 2023. Although we believe th e 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.