Scorpio Gold Commences Leach Pad Drilling at Mineral Ridge
TSX-V: SGN
1462 de la Québécoise
Val-d’Or, QC, J9P 5H4
T: 819- 825-7618
www.scorpiogold.com
News Release No. 235
Scorpio Gold Commences Leach Pad Drilling at Mineral Ridge
Vancouver, March 30, 2017 - Scorpio Gold Corpora tion (“Scorpio Gold” or the “Company”) (TSX-V:
SGN) announces the commencement of a sonic drilling program on the heap leach pad at its 70% owned
Mineral Ridge project, located in Nevada.
On March 14, 2017, the Company received approval from the Nevada Department of Environmental
Protection agency for its previously submitted engin eering design change to potentially exploit material
from the existing heap leach pad us ing a new processing mill. The drill program consists of 34 holes to
provide representative sampling of approximately 6.3 million tonnes of mineralized material contained
within the pad for metallurgical testing. The samples will be analyzed to determine if the leach pad material
is amenable for further gold recovery using milli ng processes. To ensure integrity of the leach pad
containment, the final depth elevation of each drill hol e will be a minimum of 20 vertical feet above the
original heap leach pad liner system.
The Company has contracted Boart Longyear to conduct the drilling campaign utilizing their LS250 sonic
drill rig with 4 inch casing. Drilling commenced on Ma rch 24, 2017 and the duration of the program is
expected to be approximately 3 weeks. Core samples will be shipped to Kappes, Cassiday & Associates of
Reno, Nevada for laboratory analysis and metallurgical testing.
The Company has also contracted Mine Technical Services Ltd. (“MTC”) of Reno, Nevada to provide a NI
43-101 compliant resource estimate of the mineralized material contained within the leach pad. Based on
positive results from the resource estimate and metallurgical testing, MTC will then be engaged to conduct
a feasibility study for milling of the heap leach materi al. The conceptual design of the milling facility was
previously provided by SNC Lavalin in 2014, and incl udes twin circuits for 2000 TPD ball mills, gravity
recovery circuit with high intensity strip, CIL recovery circuit, detox circuit and tailings dry stack circuit.
The feasibility study conducted by MTC would provid e the basis for determining the economics of the
overall recovery project. The finalized resource estimate will also be the basis for reconciliation of grade
and contained ounces placed by the Company since operations commenced.
Based on production head grades and total tonnage of material placed on the pad relative to total gold
recovered, the Company estimates that the leach pad contains approximately 6.3 million tonnes of material
grading 0.61 grams per tonne, for an estimated remaining gold inventory of approximately 120,000 –
130,000 ounces of gold.
Brian Lock, interim CEO comments, “This program w ill provide Scorpio Gold w ith confirmation of the
pad resource and the feasibility of constructing a milling facility for the mine site, providing the avenue to
potentially recover an estimated 120,000 – 130,000 ounces thought to be remaining on the pad as well as
the potential for up to 95 percent recovery of future mineralization mined at Mineral Ridge.”
About Scorpio Gold
Scorpio Gold holds a 70% interest in the Mineral Ridge gold mining operation located in Esmeralda County,
Scorpio Gold Corporation | 2
Nevada with joint venture partner Elevon, LLC (30% ). Mineral Ridge is currently in production as a
conventional open pit mining and heap leach operation. The Mineral Ridge property is host to multiple
gold-bearing structures, veins and lenses at exploration, development and production stages. Scorpio Gold
also holds a 100% interest in the advanced explora tion-stage Goldwedge property in Manhattan, Nevada,
with a fully permitted underground mine and 400 ton per day mill facility. The Goldwedge mill facility has
been placed on a care and maintenance basis and can be restarted on short notice.
Scorpio Gold’s Chairman, Peter J. Hawley, PGeo., is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument
43-101 and has reviewed and approved the content of this release.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
SCORPIO GOLD CORPORATION
Brian Lock,
Interim CEO
For further information contact:
Chris Zerga, President
Tel: (819) 825-7618
Email: [email protected]
Investor Relations
Jag Sandhu, JNS Capital Corp.
Tel: 778-218-9638
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.scorpiogold.com
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regula tion Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture
Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
The Company relies on litigation protection for forward-look ing statements. This news release contains forward-
looking statements that are based on the Company's curren t expectations and estimates. Forward-looking statements
are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate",
"suggest", "indicate" and other similar words or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur,
and include, without restriction, any statements regarding the Company’s current drilling program on the heap leach
pad, completion of a resource estimate for the leach pad and a feasibility study for a milling facility for the Mineral
Ridge operation. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors
that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from estimated or anticipated events or results implied or
expressed in such forward-looking statements, including risks related to open pit mining and heap leach operations,
including unanticipated changes in the mineral content of materials being mined; unanticipated changes in recovery
rates; changes in project parameters; failure of equipmen t or processes to operate as anticipated; the failure of
contracted parties to perform; availability of skilled labour and the impact of labour disputes; delays in obtaining
governmental approvals; the results of exploration and development programs and the timing and cost of such
exploration and development programs; changes in metals prices; the availability of cash flows or financing to meet
the Company's ongoing financial obligations; unanticipated changes in key management personnel; changes in general
economic conditions; other risks of the mining industry; and those risk factors outlined in the Company's Management
Discussion and Analysis as filed on SEDAR. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is
made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to
update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise.
Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be
put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty thereof.