New Discovery: Stratabound Confirms Reduced Intrusion-Related Gold System (RIRGS) up to 8.53 g/t Gold, Southern Tombstone Belt, Yukon Territory
New Discovery: Stratabound Confirms
Reduced Intrusion-Related Gold System
(RIRGS) up to 8.53 g/t Gold, Southern
Tombstone Belt, Yukon Territory
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - December 13, 2023) - Stratabound Minerals Corp.
(TSXV: SB)
(OTCQB: SBMIF)
("
Stratabound
" or the "
Company
") is pleased to announce it has confirmed a new
Reduced Intrusion-Related Gold System ("RIRGS") discovery on its Win Gold Project in the southern
Tombstone Gold Belt, Yukon Territory.
The Win Gold project is located 11-km south of our other Golden
Culvert Tombstone Gold Belt project.
Highlights include:
Outcrop of sheeted gold-bearing quartz veins discovered in hornfels altered contact
aureole between two mineralized quartz monzonite intrusives (Figures 2-4)
Distinctive assemblage and zonation patterns in surface rock geochemistry:
Boundary (Outer) Discovery Zone: Ag-Bi-Pb-Te-As-Sb-Co-Au:
Gold values up to 8.53 g/t
Silver values up to 155 g/t
Bismuth values up to 516 ppm
Lead values up to 1.6%
Tellurium values up to 2.6 ppm
Cobalt values up to 0.49 ppm
Inner Zone B:
Au-As-Te- Bi:
Gold values up to 0.72 g/t Au
Bismuth values up to 98.6 ppm
Tellurium values up to 2.5 ppm
Interpreted to be a ~3-km wide carapace overlying the unroofed link between both the
adjacent Hyland and Boundary Intrusives
All surrounded by a larger 8-km ring of molybdenum-tungsten-indium assemblage
Exposed gold-bearing quartz veins have a periodicity of 1-10 per metre (Figures 4-6)
Excellent infrastructure, located within 5-km of all-season highway and 12.8 km south of
Cantung Mine, a skarn-type tungsten deposit consistent with RIRGS regional systems
Site of a modern-day exploration gold rush with heightened staking and acquisition
activities by
Snowline Gold, Rackla Metals and Seabridge Gold
adjacent to Stratabound
properties
Stratabound is located at the centre of a new 12km x 55km orogenic RIRGS district in the
overlooked Southern Tombstone Belt. This Tombstone Belt is the host of world class discoveries
and deposits such as Snowline's Rogue, Rackla's Rak, Victoria Gold's Eagle, Banyan's AurMac,
and Fort Knox.
Win's vertically dipping sheeted quartz vein array trends directly onto Stratabound's Golden Culvert
Main Discovery Zone, (see previous Dec. 7, 2023 press release) - and may be genetically related
Follow-up work includes surface channel sampling and detailed mapping of the new discovery site
locally expanding outwards regionally with airborne geophysical surveys to
define known, and
identify new, intrusives for ground-truth follow up in anticipation of drilling programs on 2024
R. Kim Tyler, President and CEO, commented: "
We are very pleased today to report this new RIRGS
discovery.
Vectoring in on historic signature soil, stream and float rock geochemistry has led us back
to this solid outcrop exposure of RIRGS-type gold-bearing sheeted quartz veins.
As noted in our
previous December 7, 2023 press release, our
focus to date has been on the orogenic-type gold
deposit model, however given the recent spectacular results by Snowline Gold's RIRGS deposit-type
target at its Rogue Property, we have been compiling and reviewing compelling evidence for similar
RIRGS potential on our own Tombstone Gold Belt properties including recorded and unrecorded new
intrusions discovered on our claims that may be related to the other high-grade gold discoveries
made on our properties to date.
"Moreover, we are greatly encouraged to discover that the strike and trend of the new sheeted veins
project directly back in a near-perfect line 14 km to our Golden Culvert corridor of six parallel gold-
bearing quartz vein, breccia and wall-rock mineralized structures featuring drill hole intersections up to
60.1 g/t Au over 0.9 m within 2.53 g/t Au over 33 m reported in our previous press release.
Further
follow up work will examine the possible genetic link between both discoveries, deposit-types and
remaining unexplored intrusives within our ground."
Hashim Ahmed, Chairman of Stratabound states, "This recent finding by Stratabound reaffirms our
enduring geological model, indicating that the Win project has analogous mineralization roots with
significant discoveries at Snowline and Rackla. In November 2020, our market capitalization stood at
$30 million, driven solely by the Yukon and New Brunswick exploration assets. Now, with the
incorporation of a US$200 million NPV project in Fremont, Stratabound has become a more
compelling option for investors keen on gold discovery and development."
Figure 1.
Location map of the Golden Culvert and Win Projects Relative to Other Tombstone Gold Belt
RIRGS Deposits
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4064/190819_acf2291fc4567ae1_002full.jpg
He further stated,
"We invite our new neighbours Rackla Metals, Seabridge Gold, and Snowline Gold
to take note of this new discovery with respect to their newly staked and acquired claims adjacent to
both our Golden Culvert and Win Projects." (Figure 2)
The Company is pleased to report it has now collected, received and processed results confirming a
new RIRGS discovery on its Win Property in the southern Tombstone Gold Belt.
Three rock chip samples
collected from a sheeted quartz vein outcrop on the last day of the 2022 reconnaissance program
yielded 8.53 g/t Au, 0.64 g/t Au and 0.18 g/t Au with associated antimony, arsenic, tellurium, tungsten
and bismuth mineralization hosted in what are currently interpreted to be hornfels altered sediment host
rock in a 3-km wide contact aureole between two molybdenum and tungsten mineralized Tungsten Suite
intrusives of the same Hyland Group that hosts the other known regional gold deposits.
Figure 2. Recent Staking and Acquisition Activities by Seabridge Gold, Rackla Metals and Snowline
Gold Adjacent to Stratabound's Properties
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4064/190819_acf2291fc4567ae1_003full.jpg
A recent follow-up examination of the discovery collected a further six outcrop chip samples at an
average 13 m interval over a total 90m section along a single 5cm-15cm wide quartz vein confirming the
2022 Results (Samples S124805-S124810 in Table 1).
Past exploration work on the property between
1992 to 2012* had investigated regional geochemical stream, soil and surface rock survey results that
indicated intrusive-related geochemical signatures resembling the large Fort Knox, (Alaska), Dublin
Gulch Eagle Deposit (Yukon) RIRGS deposits and the new Snowline Gold Rogue discovery.
(*Hulstein (1992), Van Randen & Dougherty (1993), Gruenwald (2012))
POINT-ID
year
UTM
NAD81
E
UTM
NAD81
N
AU_PPM
SB_PPM
MO_PPM
CO_PPM
TE_PPM
W_PPM
ZN_PPM
PB_PPM
AG-
PPM
BI_PPM
SAMPLE
TYPE
Lithology
SRC286127
2022
541680
6857740
0.18
6.54
2.84
2.6
0.07
0.12
131
8370
11
15.7
outcrop
chip
sediments
SRC286128
2022
541680
6857740
8.53
18.35
3.22
13.8
0.11
0.42
99
863
1.55
2.38
outcrop
chip
SRC286191
2022
541713
6857696
0.64
17.50
1.59
16.1
0.36
0.1
37
124
0.43
1.51
outcrop
chip
sediments
S124805
2023
541708
6857711
0.08
1.24
0.30
9.8
0.05
38.8
131
937
1.86
3.38
outcrop
chip
S124806
2023
541702
6857717
0.67
0.83
0.29
7.3
0.07
0.86
92
346
1.55
2.75
outcrop
chip
S124807
2023
541692
6857726
1.52
0.66
0.13
6.9
0.01
23.1
143
598
1.13
0.55
outcrop
chip
S124808
2023
541680
6857732
0.49
2.49
0.68
19.0
0.09
0.21
414
3100
5.38
7.63
outcrop
chip
S124809
2023
541666
6857736
0.15
2.76
0.35
3.3
0.02
0.26
223
1180
1.18
1.39
outcrop
chip
S124810
2023
541658
6857742
0.04
1.00
0.21
4.5
0.01
0.31
104
1610
3.21
4.64
outcrop
chip
Table 1. 2022-2023 Boundary Zone Discovery and Confirmation Rock Sample Geochemistry.
(*Selected rock grab samples are selective by nature and may not represent the true grade or style of
mineralization across the property.)
Although the geoscientific work to date includes stream and sediment geochemical surveys that support
the conclusions, the data reported in this press release is a compilation of rock samples only collected in
past and recent programs for brevity.
Figure 3. Surface Rock Geochemistry Compilation 1992-2023
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4064/190819_acf2291fc4567ae1_005full.jpg
The new Boundary Zone RIRGS Discovery is still at a very early stage with much more definitive work
and sampling still to be done, yet the early evidence is very compelling. The compiled geochemical data
of the Boundary Zone to date indicates an inner zonation pattern proximal to the nearby Boundary
Intrusive, (Subzone B, Figure 3), of very strong element affiliation of gold-silver-arsenic-tellurium-
antimony-lead-bismuth-barium-copper with lesser indium, cobalt and molybdenum affiliation.
It is noted
that 7 outcrop and subcrop samples (6 quartz vein + 1 hornfels sediment host rock) used in the analyses
are a statistically low sample population nevertheless correlation coefficients in Subzone B relative to
gold are tabled below:
Very Strong Correlation
Weak Correlation
AU_PPM
AG-PPM
AS_PPM
TE_PPM
SB_PPM
PB_PPM
BI_PPM
BA_PPM
CU_PPM
IN_PPM
CO_PPM
MO_PPM
Cor. Coeff.
1
0.996999
0.999646
0.998592
0.997157
0.99406
0.961987
0.878342
0.826965
0.323016
0.310637
0.284799
Table 2: Correlation Coefficients of Inner Subzone B Gold to Other Elements.
* Correlation values are stronger towards a value of 1. (i.e. perfect correlation=1)
The outer Discovery site outcrop zone is less proximal to the Boundary Intrusive.
It is comprised of 54
rock outcrop, subcrop and float samples within the hornfels alteration zone and features a strikingly
different geochemical element strong zonation assemblage of silver-bismuth-lead-tellurium and
moderate antimony- cobalt-arsenic affiliation with a very weak gold correlation. This zone hosts the most
consistent and higher-grade gold values yet has a lower elemental correlation (Table 3).
Very Strong
Correlation
Strong
Correlation
Moderate
Correlation
Very Weak
Correlation
AG-PPM
BI_PPM
PB_PPM
TE_PPM
SB_PPM
FE%
CO_PPM
AS_PPM
MO_PPM
ZN_PPM
AU_PPM
Cor. Coeff.
1
0.98099
0.668805
0.616007
0.575044
0.498148
0.491124
0.481526
0.098277
0.048959
0.042674
Table 3: Correlation Coefficients of outer Subzone A Gold to Other Elements.
* Correlation values are stronger towards a value of 1. (i.e. perfect correlation=1)
Outbound across an 8-km diameter ring beyond both these inner zones is a molybdenum-tungsten-
indium zonation pattern (Figure 3).
Quartz vein density is a key control to gold grade in RIRGS-type deposits.
At the Win Boundary
Discovery site outcrop exposure, the veins have a density of 1-10 veins per metre, (Figures 4-6 below).
This compares to Dublin Gulch where there are 3-5 veins per metre and an overall deposit grade of ~1
g/t gold, (Hart, (2006) and cited below).
Figure
4. Boundary Zone Discovery Site: Gold-bearing Sheeted Quartz Veins in Hornfels Altered Host
Rock
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4064/190819_acf2291fc4567ae1_008full.jpg
Figure 5. Boundary Zone Vertically-dipping Sheeted Quartz Veins View East
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4064/190819_acf2291fc4567ae1_009full.jpg
Figure 6. Boundary Zone View North Showing 306º Azimuth Strike Direction towards Golden Culvert
Main Zone
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4064/190819_acf2291fc4567ae1_010full.jpg
The Stratabound technical team now postulates that the mineralized hornfels hosting the sheeted gold-
bearing quartz veins are potentially a ~3-km wide carapace overlying the unroofed link between both the
Hyland and Boundary Intrusives.
Projection to Golden Culvert Orogenic-Type Mineralization and Regional Implications
It is an important observation that the 306º azimuth of the Win Boundary Zone sheeted gold-bearing
quartz veins project along regional trend in a direct line to the Company's neighbouring Golden Culvert
Discovery Zone 14-km to the north which likewise feature vertically dipping quartz veins with a 320º -306º
azimuth, are strongly gold-mineralized and comprised of a corridor of a minimum 6 parallel high-grade
gold bearing veins along a regional axial hinge on trend with the Win Boundary Zone.
Future plans for the Win Project include further reconnaissance and detailed ground geochemical
sampling, geological mapping, UAV geophysical and LiDar surveys, and surface channel sampling
across the known exposure, all towards targeting an initial diamond drilling program.
About the Win Gold Property
:
Stratabound's Win Property is located 11 kilometres south along strike of its Golden Culvert Discovery
Site, ~20 km north of Aben Resources' Justin RIRGS project and ~220 km south along strike of Snowline
Gold's Rogue RIRGS project in the Tombstone gold Belt. The Win Property covers an area of 15.7 and
features two mineralized quartz monzonite intrusives of the Tungsten Suite within hornfels altered country
rock.
Earliest exploration began in 1982 ostensibly following up on anomalous tungsten, molybdenum,
copper and silver mineralization.
Subsequently during the 1990's the Reduced Intrusion-Related Gold
Systems or "RIRGS"-type was recognized to explain such large, low-grade gold deposits as Fort Knox,
(Alaska) and Dublin Gulch, (Yukon). Thereafter exploration between 1991-2012 focussed on exploring
this deposit type based on the above RIRGS geochemical indicators in the earlier work through stream,
soil and rock geochemistry. One historic grab sample yielding 0.52 g/t gold,100 g/t silver and 0.63%
lead has been confirmed by the Company's recent follow-up work leading to the new Boundary Zone
discovery site described in this press release.
About RIRGS Deposits
(Source: Dr. Craig Hart, Yukon Geological Survey Bulletin, 2006)
"
The RIRGS model is characterized by a wide range of mineralization styles that vary in a predictable
manner in concentric rings outward from a central mineralization intrusion.
IRGS deposits and
occurrences are either intrusion-hosted, proximal in contact with the pluton (intrusive),within the
thermal aureole, or in distal settings beyond the hornfels zone.
The most characteristic type of
mineralization associated with IRGS deposits are intrusion-hosted sheeted quartz vein arrays such as
those that comprise the Eagle Zone at Dublin Gulch, and at the Fort Knox Mine, Alaska.
The quartz
+/- K-feldspar-mica veins host sparse pyrite (or pyrrhotite) scheelite and bismuthinite.
Rock containing
the veins have values up to 30 g/t Au and a gold-bismuth-tellurium-tungsten signature. Overall grade
depends on the vein density.
For example, at Dublin Gulch there are 3-5 veins per metre and an
overall grade of ~1 g/t Au
."
Quality Assurance/Quality Control
The samples referenced in this press release were collected and hand-delivered by Stratabound
personnel to the ALS Canada laboratory in Whitehorse, YT where they were crushed to 70% less than
2mm. A riffle split of 250 grams was then taken and pulverized to an 85% passing 75 microns pulp sub-
sample. The pulps were then shipped by ALS Canada to its Vancouver laboratory for gold and multi-
element analyses. The ME-AA26 gold assaying procedure used is a standard fire assay with AA finish
technique on a 50- gram sub-sample taken from the 250-gram pulp split. Samples that exceeded the
100 g/t Au upper detection limit of this method were re-assayed by a by the Au-GRA22 Ore Grade
procedure on a 50-gram pulp fire assayed and gravimetric finish analyses.
The samples were also tested for 51 other elements using the ME-MS41 Ultra Trace Aqua Regia ICP-
MS method. ALS uses a procedure of standards, blanks and duplicates inserted into the sample stream
results for which all fell within satisfactory confidence limits. ALS is an independent internationally
recognized and ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accredited chemical analysis company.
About Stratabound Minerals Corp.
Stratabound Minerals Corp. is a Canadian exploration and development company with grassroots and
advanced exploration properties in highly prospective and safe mining jurisdictions.
Its Golden Culvert and Win Projects, Yukon, covering 99.5 km
2
across a 27-km strike length,
are situated in a district-scale, high-grade-gold-mineralized trend within the southern portion of
the
Tombstone Gold Belt
. Gold deposits and occurrences within the Belt include Fort Knox, Pogo,
Brewery Creek and Dublin Gulch, and Snowline Gold's Valley target on its Rogue property in the Selwyn
Basin.
Its
McIntyre Brook Project, New Brunswick, covering 120 km
2
and a 17-km strike length in the
emerging Triple Fault Gold Belt
, is surrounded by Puma Exploration's Williams Brook Project (5.55
g/t Au over 50m) and is hosted by orogenic rocks of similar age and structure as New Found Gold's
Queensway Project.
The Company is also advancing its
Fremont Gold development project in the historic Mother Lode
Gold Belt of California where 50,000,000 oz of gold has been produced.
Fremont, located 500km
north of Equinox Gold's Castle Mountain and Mesquite mines, has a PEA with an after-tax NPV of USD
$217MM, a 21% IRR, 11-year LOM, averaging 118k ounces per annum at USD $1,750 gold. The project