Ssr Mining Provides Exploration Update
News Release 20-14
SSR Mining Inc. PHONE +1 604.689.3846 Suite 800 - 1055 Dunsmuir Street
www.ssrmining.com TOLL FREE +1 888.338.0046 PO Box 49088
Vancouver, BC, Canada V7X 1G4
May 14, 2020
SSR MINING PROVIDES EXPLORATION UPDATE
VANCOUVER, B.C. – SSR Mining Inc. (NASDAQ: SSRM) (TSX: SSRM) (“SSR Mining”) provides
an update on exploration activities and results at our Marigold mine in Nevada, U.S., Seabee Gold
Operation in Saskatchewan, Canada and Puna Operations in Jujuy, Argentina for the period from
June 1, 2019 to April 30, 2020 (the “Exploration Period”).
Paul Benson, President and CEO said, “We are very pleased to report positive exploration results
from our recent drill programs at Marigold and the Seabee Gold Operation. For 2020, we are
planning significant investment in our exploration and the results reported here justify the
investment.
The exploration drilling on the recently acquired Trenton Canyon property at Marigold has yielded
exciting high-grade gold results from newly discovered sulphide mineralization in a geologic
setting analogous to other high-grade underground gold mines in Nevada. These intercepts are
just north of one of the historic pits at Trenton Canyon, and we are evaluating the impact they
may have on Mineral Resources. Our work to confirm and validate Trenton Canyon’s historic drill
results has progressed according to plan, and we look forward to reporting M ineral Resources
when reported at year-end 2020.
We continue to enjoy exploration success at Seabee with positive drill results from Santoy Gap
Hanging Wall area where we are upgrading and expanding the Mineral Resources to extend
Santoy’s mine life. Finally, we also had encouraging exploration results on early stage targets
with several holes returning high-grade gold results at Batman Lake and on the Fisher property.”
Highlights:
At Marigold our Trenton Canyon exploration drilling has returned better than expected results
from four holes completed 300 meters north of the South Pit in a newly discovered sulphide zone
hosted by carbonaceous mudstone located immediately beneath Valmy Formation quartzite. We
are evaluating the significance and impact of these sulphide intercepts which are listed below on
Mineral Resources.
MRA7178 returned 5.19 g/t gold over 94.5 meters including 44.68 g/t gold over 7.6 meters
and 6.68 g/t gold over 6.1 meters.
MRA7176 returned 1.98 g/t gold over 82.3 meters including 6.11 g/t gold over 13.7 meters.
MRA7148 returned 0.97 g/t gold over 99.1 meters including 4.34 g/t gold over 9.1 meters.
MRA7097 returned 1.57 g/t gold over 77.7 meters including 7.89 g/t gold over 9.1 meters
and 3.85 g/t gold over 9.1 meters.
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Trenton Canyon confirmation drilling for oxide mineralization also returned positive results , as
highlighted below, that may contribute to our Mineral Resources estimate at year-end 2020:
MRA7141 returned 1.94 g/t gold over 50.3 meters from surface and 1.08 g/t gold over 21.3
meters as oxide plus a transitional intercept of 1.38 g/t gold over 15.2 meters.
At West Pit, drillhole MRA7092 returned 7.27 g/t gold over 30.5 meters from 274.3 meters
leading to the discovery of gold mineralization that is transitional oxide.
At Relay Ridge, drillhole MR7084 returned 3.13 g/t gold over 108.2 meters from 27.4
meters including 12.73 g/t gold over 21.3 meters.
At the Seabee Gold Operation, brownfields drill results for the Santoy Gap Hanging Wall (“Gap
HW”) are expected to increase Mineral Resources at year-end 2020. Drill results include:
Drillhole SUG-20-911 intercepted 14.75 g/t gold over 7.64 meters true width.
Drillhole JOY-20-914 intercepted 28.92 g/t gold over 2.62 meters extending mineralization
210 meters beyond the year end 2019 Mineral Resource limits.
Also, at Seabee, greenfields exploration intercepted a new gold mineralized zone at the Batman
Lake area, where we targeted a new gold discovery. Drill results include:
Drillhole BAT-20-013 intercepted 37.95 g/t gold over 3.6 meters.
At the Fisher project, drill results for the Mac North and Yin targets intercepted visible gold
occurrences, where we targeted a new gold discovery. Drill results include:
Drillhole FIS-20-053 intercepted 9.1 g/t gold over 1.92 meters.
Drillhole YIN-20-004 intercepted 13.74 g/t gold over 2.29 meters, including 55.50 g/t gold
over 0.53 meters.
Marigold mine, U.S.
At the Marigold mine, our exploration plan for 2020 focusses on the discovery of additional Mineral
Resources south of the currently producing Mackay Pit, including Trenton Canyon, Valmy, East
Basalt and Crossfire. A limited amount of reverse circulation (“RC”) drilling for additional Mineral
Reserves at Mackay Pit and extensions at Red Dot is underway.
With the acquisition in 2019 of adjacent claims south and west of our mining activities, such as
Trenton Canyon, we nearly doubled our land position. The additional mineral claims provide
latitude to systematically explore for extensions to existing near-surface oxide deposits similar to
those mined at Marigold, and for higher-grade sulphide deposits associated with deep faul t
structures, intrusive rocks and favourable Comus Formation sedimentary rocks similar to those
hosting the deposits at the near -by Turquoise Ridge Mine. Our exploration plan for high-grade,
sulphide gold mineralization in 2020 includes 4,300 meters of cor e drilling supported by seismic
and gravity geophysical surveys.
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A total of 70,304 meters in 210 RC and core drillholes were completed during the Exploration
Period with drill locations shown in Figures 1 and 2. Table 1 highlights mineralized intercepts from
Trenton Canyon, Mackay Pit, Red Dot, East Basalt, Valmy, and Crossfire. Results at Trenton
Canyon were successful on two objectives: i) we have confirmed the position and grade of historic
gold-mineralized intercepts ; and ii) we have discovered a new tabular zone of potentially
continuous sulphide mineralization requiring further investigation. Drill results at Valmy and
Trenton Canyon successfully extended gold mineralization for potential additions to Mineral
Resources estimates from December 31, 2019.
At Trenton Canyon exploration drilling shown in Figure 2 includes a sulphide intercept of 5.19 g/t
gold over 94.5 meters including 44.68 g/t gold over 7.6 meters and 6.68 g/t gold over 6.1 meters
from drillhole MRA7178. Importantly, the drillhole ended in gold mineralization as shown in Figure
3. The mineralized interval in MRA7178 shows continuity to the next section south located 30
meters away where three drillholes all returned positive results including 1.98 g/t gold over 82.3
meters, 1.57 g/t gold over 77.7 meters and 0.97 g/t gold over 99.1 meters shown i n Figure 4 in
drillholes MRA7176, MRA7097, and MRA7148 respectively. The mineralized zone measures 150
meters on dip with an orthogonal thickness of 50 to 70 meters with the potential to expand as gold
mineralization is open down dip to the east, and to the north of MRA7178, and to the south. These
results demonstrate width and grade conditions similar to operating underground gold operations
elsewhere in Nevada. As a result of ongoing pos itive exploration results, we will continue to test
and expand this new zone of gold mineralization.
At Trenton Canyon confirmation drilling at Relay Ridge shown in Figure 2, includes 3.13 g/t gold
over 108.2 meters starting at 27.4 meters from surface including 12.73 g/t gold over 21.3 meters
from drillhole MR7084. In addition, w e encountered 1.94 g/t gold over 50.3 meters from
exploration drillhole MRA7141 with the new zone starting at surface as shown in Figure 5. Both
drillholes returned zones of oxide gold mineralization similar to that mined at Marigold. Drillhole
MRA7092 intercepted 7.27 g/t gold over 30.5 meters starting at 274.3 meters in transitional
material, which is new, high-grade gold sulphide mineralization associated with a fault structure
related to the West Pit fault, as shown in the deeper intercept in Figure 6.
Results from Valmy in the first quarter of 2020 included 0.92 g/t gold over 39.6 meters in drillhole
MR7128 and 0.66 g/t gold over 50.3 meters from MR7129. These results are expected to further
expand Mineral Resources at Valmy when reported at year-end 2020.
During the third and fourth quarter of 2019, we completed detailed field mapping and sampling of
the Trenton Canyon area covering approximately 570 hectares surrounding the historic pits and
exploration areas. We have identified the fault and stratigraphic controls to gold mineralization
exploited in historic pits and have recognized several new-near surface targets. This work
supports the development of targeting concepts as we explore for high- grade sulphide deposits
at Trenton Canyon and Marigold.
During the Exploration Period, one core hole was completed at Trenton Canyon which
encountered Lower Plate Comus Formation lithologies at 300 meters from surface. This is
significant as the favourable Comus Formation sedimentary rocks can be more efficiently
explored for high-grade, sulphide deposits at relatively shallow depths. The Comus Formation is
the sulphide ore-hosting rock unit encountered at the high-grade Turquoise Ridge Mine.
Looking ahead, we have received approvals to build roads and construct drill sites along the
identified mineralized corridors at Trenton Canyon. We anticipate moving the RC drill rigs to
exploration areas in the second quarter of 2020. Core drilling is planned to follow up on sulphide
mineralization intercepted in MRA7178 and MRA7092 and targets anticipated from the upcoming
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seismic geophysical studies. Timing to initiate this exploration activity may be impacted by State
of Nevada COVID-19 quarantine restrictions.
Seabee Gold Operation, Canada
At the Santoy mine complex, drilling throughout the Exploration Period focused on increasing
Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves at the Gap HW, Santoy 8A and Santoy 9A and 9C
zones, and nearby Batman Lake target. Over the Exploration Period a total of 50,114 meters of
core drilling was completed in underground and surface programs in 166 holes. The locations are
shown relative to the year-end 2019 Mineral Resources outlines in Figure 7 together with
highlights from the Exploration Period.
The Gap HW drill program comprises two-thirds of the Seabee drilling for the Exploration Period
and contributed to our Mineral Resource estimate for year-end 2019 announced on February 20,
2020. Infill and step out drilling shown in Figure 8 continued through the first quarter of 2020
leading to positive results as outlined below.
Drilling at Gap HW has identified three stacked zones (A, B and C) that occur between one and
ten meters apart that are associated with quartz veining and visible gold. This mineralization has
comparable processing characteristics to the ore from our Santoy mine currently being mined.
Selected drillhole results include 14.75 g/t gold over 7.64 meters and 28.92 g/t gold over 2.62
meters in underground hole SUG -20-911 and surface hole JOY -20-914, respectively. Notably,
the JOY-20-914 intercept is 210 meters down plunge from the nearest Inferred Mineral Resources
at Gap HW, implying that Mineral Resources may extend to these depths, potentially adding 20%
to the Gap HW plunge length. Table 3 presents the highlights of 47 Gap HW intercepts with gram-
meter products exceeding 9.0. We expect these new first quarter 2020 results to further expand
Mineral Resources at Gap HW when estimated at year-end 2020.
Infill and step-out drilling at Santoy 8A identified extensions to Mineral Resources from higher -
grade intercepts including 20.14 g/t gold over 6.23 meters and 19.81 g/t gold over 5.83 meters in
underground holes SUG -19-307 and SUG -19-928, respectively. These high-grade results were
incorporated in the Santoy 8A Mineral Resources estimate for year -end 2019 reported on
February 20, 2020. Table 3 presents selected highlights of 16 intercepts from the Exploration
Period that achieved resource grade and width conditions.
Infill and step-out drilling was completed during the Exploration Period at Santoy 9A through 9C
with six holes achieving Mineral Resource grade and width conditions. Two selected holes include
21.04 g/t gold over 1.57 meters in SUG -20-302 and 28.67 g/t gold over 0.73 meters in SU G-20-
300. These two narrow width high-grade intercepts were received in January 2020 from Santoy
9A, which, taken together with existing infrastructure and Mineral Resources , are expected to
expand Mineral Resources in the upper reaches of Santoy 9A.
The location of district-scale greenfield drilling conducted in the first quarter of 2020 is shown in
Figure 9. At the Batman Lake area located 650 meters south of Santoy 8 underground workings,
we tested several previously un-drilled targets and have completed 13 drill holes totaling 3,457
meters during the Exploration Period. This drilling, illustrated in Figure 10, tested the Riddler and
Joker zones defined by surface soil and grab sample anomalies from the 2019 summer field
program. Drillhole BAT-20-013 returned 37.95 g/t gold over 3.6 meters, including 117.20 g/t gold
over 1.0 meter, from a shallow diorite-hosted sheeted quartz vein zone with minor sulphides and
visible gold at the Joker target. Drill hole BAT-20-007 was drilled approximately 150 meters down
plunge and intercepted 1.23 g/t gold over 1.5 meters in a 7.5-meter zone of vein quartz and
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diopside-actinolite altered diorite. These intercepts demonstrate the near -surface Mineral
Resource potential of the Santoy mine complex proximal to existing mine infrastructure.
At the Fisher project our 2020 primary exploration objective is to discover a new zone with
potential for Inferred Mineral Resources from targets developed during the 2019 summer field
program. Exploration drilling during the Exploration Period focused on the Mac North, Yin, Abel
Lake, and Aurora targets, where we completed 31 drill holes totaling 9,463 meters.
At Mac North we drilled 5,547 meters in 13 holes following up on drillhole FIS -19-035 that
intersected 3.76 g/t gold over 4.18 meters while exploring a longitudinal section measuring 1,000
meters by 450 meters deep. Four holes explored the area adjacent to FIS -19-035 as shown in
Figure 11 and encountered visible gold with one drill hole providing a resource grade and width
intercept of 9.1 g/t gold over 1.92 meters in FIS -20-053. At Yin we drilled five holes over a 500 -
meter strike length of anomalous soil samples overlying interleaved metavolcanic rocks and
diorite. Drill hole YIN-20-004 intercepted two results of 11.93 g/t gold over 0.5 meters and 13.72
g/t gold over 2.29 meters including 55.5 g/t gold over 0.53 meters requiring follow up during our
summer 2020 drilling program.
Exploration activiti es were complete in late-March 2020 and coincided with our voluntary
suspension of operations at Seabee in response to the COVID -19 pandemic . We expect to
resume our Seabee and Fisher project exploration activities once a safe re-start of operations at
Seabee allows for added exploration personnel on site.
Puna Operations, Argentina
In January we concluded a 3,430-meter core drill program on the Granada target at the Pirquitas
property. The drilling explored the projected intersection of the historically mined, high grade
Potosi vein and the Cortaderas vein breccia, which already contributes to Mineral Resources at
the Pirquitas Underground area. Three holes were completed to depths ranging from 1,010 to
1,220 meters. One drill hole intercepted a near ore-grade intercept containing gold and silver over
4.3 meters at a depth of 1031.15 meters. The occurrence of elevated gold grades requires follow
up as it is not historically present in Mineral Resources estimated at Pirquitas. No further work is
planned on the target for 2020.
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Figure 1. Drillhole location plan map for the exploration drill programs at the Marigold mine,
Nevada, U.S. during the Exploration Period.
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Figure 2. Drillhole location plan map for the exploration drill programs at Trenton Canyon, Nevada,
U.S. during the Exploration Period.
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Figure 3. Drill cross section along B-B’ highlighting drillholes MRA7178 and MRA7177 at Trenton
Canyon, Nevada, U.S. Drillhole MRA7178 ended in mineralization.
Figure 4. Drill cross section along C-C’ highlighting drillholes MRA7097, MRA7148, and MRA7176
at Trenton Canyon, Nevada, U.S. All labelled drillholes ended in mineralization.