VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / December 14, 2023 / Relevant Gold Corp. (TSXV:RGC)(OTCQB:RGCCF) ("Relevant Gold" or the "Company") reports multiple high-grade gold-bearing orogenic shear zones cutting newly recognized mafic greenstones within its 100% owned, 1,557 hectare (3,847 acre) Shield-Carissa project, part of the Company's 14,223 hectare land position in the South Pass Gold Field, Wyoming, USA. The Company completed its 2023 detailed mapping and rock chip sampling program in August and successfully identified five new mineralized shears within a NE-trending structural corridor at least 2.7km x 1km (Figure 1) returning numerous gold and silver bearing samples highlighted by 18.9 g/t Au and 486 g/t Ag (Table 1). The corridor includes three principal target zones hosting multiple historic gold mines and prospects. The most well-defined is the Palmetto Zonewhere 2023 mapping identified over 1 km of interlacing shears linking the historic Carrie Shields and B&H mines (Figure 1).
Highlights of the 2023 Shield-Carissa program
Newly identified 2.7km x 1km NE-trending structural corridor cutting favorable mafic greenstone host rocks similar to those that host mineralization elsewhere in the district.
59 grab and rock chip samples were taken along this corridor, of which 35% of samples reported anomalous gold (greater than 0.1 g/t Au).
High-grade rock chip sample results include:
A0843932 - 18.9 g/t Au - quartz vein.
A0843826 - 13.4 g/t Au - altered wall rock.
A0843806 - 9.39 g/t Au - quartz vein.
A0843824 - 5.87 g/t Au - altered wall rock.
A0843933 - 5.56 g/t Au - altered wall rock.
A0843813 - 0.45 g/t Au and 486 g/t Ag - actinolite/chlorite/sulfide vein.
The corridor includes three target zones: 1) Palmetto, 2) Hornet, and 3) Gold Nugget.
Overall results continue to show Abitibi Gold Belt-style geology and scalable, high-grade orogenic mineralization, reaffirming the Company's thesis connecting Wyoming gold to the prolific Abitibi gold belts.
"Camp-scale potential continues to unfold in the South Pass Gold Field with another high-grade district-scale orogenic gold system at Shield-Carissa emerging from our 2023 systematic exploration work," said Relevant Gold CEO, Rob Bergmann. "We are delighted to see this pioneering exploration validate our Abitibi-gold thesis for Wyoming and continue to open up the rest of our large property portfolio where recon work shows numerous additional, and potentially well mineralized, shears that remain to be drilled. The thesis works, and we are stacking up high-grade, district-scale targets for continued discovery drilling campaigns in the future."
Summary of 2023 Shield-Carissa Work
Previous (2019) reconnaissance work by the Company along the shear structures that host the historic B & H and Carrie Shields mines identified alteration and quartz veining typical of Abitibi-type orogenic-style gold systems. Grab sampling along the shears included highlight samples reporting 6.5 g/t Au. Several samples reporting high gold grades (>5 g/t Au), with the best two returning 18.9 g/t Au and 486 g/t Ag (Table 1), have emerged from the Company's more detailed 2023 work program that focused on the corridor between and along strike of these two historic mines. 2023 geological mapping and sampling identified five new mineralized shear zones, two of which appear to connect these historic mines (Figure 1). In addition to the 5 new shear zones, the 2023 mapping program identified multiple wedges of Abitibi-style mafic greenstone rocks including amphibolite and mafic metavolcanics where historical mapping indicated only metagraywacke rocks. These greenstone wedges are bounded by secondary shear structures and are hydrothermally altered to chlorite-actinolite-carbonate ± quartz-oxidized sulfide schists cut by mineralized quartz veins reporting highlights results of 5.56 g/t Au.
The 2023 work program defined three new target zones along the 2.7 km Shield-Carissa trend: 1) Palmetto, 2) Gold Nugget and 3) Hornet (Figure 1). Each zone is characterized by high-grade gold hosted in shear zones cutting favorable greenstone host rocks and are further described below.
Figure 1: Plan map highlighting 2023 rock chip sampling results and newly expanded target zones. Click the image above to access a high-resolution version.
Palmetto Zone
The Palmetto zone lies at the southwestern end of the trend and incorporates at least three anastomosing shear zones that lie between, and host, the historical Carrie Shields and B & H mines. The shears are developed along the contacts between mafic rocks and Miner's Delight metagreywacke and show multiple generations of quartz veining. The highest gold grades occur in gray quartz veinlets carrying pyrite and arsenopyrite. Depending on host lithology, alteration selvages are dominated by chlorite-amphibole-carbonate or quartz-sericite-pyrite- both with minor tourmaline. The alteration selvages are commonly gossanous and is highlighted by samples returning 9.39 g/t Au and 13.4 g/t Au, locally with significant silver mineralization highlighted by a sample returning 486.9 g/t Ag. The surrounding limonite-stained, fractured country rock commonly hosts lower-grade gold mineralization.
The central shear appears to be the most continuous-traceable through outcrops for over 1 km from the Carrie Shields mine to northwest of the B&H mine. 2023 sampling along this shear is highlighted by samples returning 13.4 g/t Au, which corroborates earlier samples taken on this shear 150 meters to the NW of the B&H that returned highlighted samples of 6.72 g/t Au. The B&H mine shear runs about 150m to the southeast of the central shear and is traceable for approximately 600 metres. Prior sampling along the interpreted surface projection of the B&H shear found gold mineralization highlighted by samples returning 4.85 g/t Au in outcrops and waste piles, with 2023 sampling ranging from below detection limit - to 5.87 g/t Au. The third shear runs parallel to, and about 250m northwest of, the central shear and is the least well defined. Sampling along it reports highlighted values of 9.32 g/t Au.
Gold Nugget Zone
This mineralized structure lies north of the Palmetto Zone and is intermittently exposed through cover. It is traceable through historic exploration diggings including a series of backfilled shafts and small prospects. Dumps here show mylonitized, hydrothermally altered amphibolite and gray, quartz-carbonate veins which reported from below detection limit to 2.9 g/t Au.
Hornet Zone
This mineralized area lies more or less on strike with and to the northeast of the Palmetto Zone. It appears to be a splay off the regionally important Anderson Ridge Fault and includes at least two mineralized strands. Mineralization is similar to that seen elsewhere in the South Pass Greenstone Belt and has yielded the highest-grade sample collected to date from the entire Shield-Carissa project area from a 1-2m wide shear zone developed along the limb of an anticline. Here, the contact between amphibolite and metagraywacke is cut by quartz veining with a broad alteration selvage from which separate selected grab samples returned 18.96 g/t Au and 5.56 g/t Au, respectively.
Summary
The Shield-Carissa project fits the Abitibi gold model and continues to show a strong correlation to the directly adjacent +180,000oz historic Carissa mine. Further exploration and definition of the wedges of mafic rocks and mineralized shear structures throughout the property will be an important next step to refine drill targets. The 2.7km footprint of mineralized shear structures and alteration indicates a very large mineralizing system that has never been drilled. Additionally, this project continues to illustrate its connection to the Abitibi gold belt during the time of gold mineralization, further supporting district-scale orogenic potential at Shield-Carissa and throughout the rest of the Company's Wyoming portfolio.
Shield-Carissa Project - Assay Highlights
Sample ID
Au (ppm)
Ag
(ppm)
As
(ppm)
Sb (ppm)
W
(ppm)
Rock Type
A0843932
18.96
1.86
186
0.9
2.3
Gray quartz veins with pyrite ± arsenopyrite.
A0843826
13.39
5.02
>10,000
183
14.4
Quartz vein selvage with arsenopyrite.
A0843806
9.39
0.2
401
1
2.5
Shear zone with gray quartz veins.
A0843824
5.87
2.69
>10,000
74.3
48.7
Altered wallrock.
A0843933
5.56
2.75
826.5
1.5
2.6
Altered mafic rock with quartz veins.
A0843827
2.89
0.2
449.5
2.5
1.4
Amphibolite with grey quartz veins.
A0843808
1.77
0.5
194
1
1.5
2m shear zone with massive quartz veins.
A0843829
1.27
0.2
184
1.2
232
Mylonitic actinolite schist with quartz veins.
A0843828
1.25
0.43
457
1.5
2.1
Mylonitic actinolite schist with quartz veins.
A0843941
0.83
1.41
2,086
4.4
3.2
Quartz vein.
A0843936
0.69
0.28
150
1.8
1.8
Gray quartz vein.
A0843819
0.68
0.52
219
2.9
2
1m wide quartz vein in 3m wide shear zone.
A0843820
0.64
0.41
268
1.9
1.1
Quartz vein and breccia in 2m shear zone.
A0843935
0.59
0.43
103
2.1
5.3
Quartz-carbonate-sulfide vein.
A0843813
0.45
486.9
4,430
37
14.8
Actinolite-chlorite-sulfide vein.
A0843816
0.42
0.19
266
1.4
3.9
1m quartz vein zone.
A0843818
0.41
1.16
247
4.4
3.9
Altered cataclastic breccia.
A0843822
0.23
0.3
379
2.8
1.3
Quartz veins and cataclastic breccia in a 2m shear zone.
A0843809
0.17
0.12
90.6
1.1
0.8
Inclined shaft 15m deep. Sample of quartz vein with oxidized sulfide.
A0843846
0.13
0.05
31.9
0.9
1
Pin-stripped amphibolite with quartz veins.
A0843821
0.11
0.55
445
2.4
8.5
Quartz veins and cataclastic breccia within a 2m wide shear zone.
A0843830
0.10
0.26
48.8
1.9
3.5
Metagabbro with oxidized quartz veins.
Table 1: Highlight assay results from the 2023 mapping and sampling program. Anomalous gold (>0.1 g/t Au) is displayed along with highly anomalous vector element geochemistry displayed in bold.
QAQC
Samples were submitted to MSALabs laboratory (ISO XYZZ) for preparation and analysis at their Val-d'Or, Quebec and Langley, B.C. facilities in Canada. Samples were prepared and analyzed for gold using PhotonAssayTM at the Val-d'Or location and multi-element geochemistry at the Langley, B.C. location. All samples were assayed for gold using the CPA-Au1 method with a >250g sample, and also analyzed for multi-element ICP-MS geochemistry using method IMS-230 with a 4-acid digestion. Overlimit results for silver (>100ppm Ag) were further analyzed with the CPA-Ag method with a >250g sample.
MSALabs employs an internal QA/QC to ensure proper sample preparation and equipment calibration. Additionally, Relevant Gold's QA/QC program includes regular insertion of CRM standards, duplicates, and blanks in the sample batches to further monitor lab accuracy, precision and equipment calibration. All results and QA/QC have been reviewed by Mr. Brian Lentz, CPG, who is the Chief Exploration Officer and Qualified Person for the Company.
Qualified Person
The scientific and technical contents of this release have been approved by Mr. Brian C. Lentz, CPG #11999, Chief Exploration Officer of the Company, who is a "Qualified Person" as defined by Canadian National Instrument 43-101 (Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects). Mr. Lentz is not independent of the Company.
About Relevant Gold Corp.
Relevant Gold Corp. is a North American gold exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration, discovery, and development of district-scale gold projects in the state of Wyoming - one of the most mining-friendly jurisdictions in the United States and globally. Founded by experienced exploration geologists, Relevant Gold is managed by a highly respected team with a proven record of significant value creation for shareholders.
On behalf of Relevant Gold Corp.,
Rob Bergmann, Chief Executive Officer
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For further information about Relevant Gold Corp. or this news release, please visit our website at www.relevantgoldcorp.com or contact Rob Bergmann, President and CEO, or Kristopher Jensen, Manager of Investor Relations, at 763-760-4886 or by email at [email protected].
This news release contains certain statements that constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. These statements relate to future events of Relevant Gold Corp. ("Relevant" or "Relevant Gold" or "the Company"). Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "seek", "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "forecast", "may", "will", "project", "predict", "potential", "targeting", "intend", "could", "might", "should", "believe", "outlook" and similar expressions) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking information. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such risks include, among others, the inherent risk of the mining industry; adverse economic and market developments; the risk that the Company will not be successful in completing additional acquisitions; risks relating to the estimation of mineral resources; the possibility that the Company's estimated burn rate may be higher than anticipated; risks of unexpected cost increases; risks of labour shortages; risks relating to exploration and development activities; risks relating to future prices of mineral resources; risks related to work site accidents, risks related to geological uncertainties and variations; risks related to government and community support of the company's projects; risks related to global pandemics and other risks related to the mining industry. The Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward‐looking information should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update any forward‐looking information except as required by law.
The scientific and technical contents of this release have been approved by Mr. Brian C. Lentz, CPG #11999, Chief Exploration Officer of the Company, who is a "Qualified Person" as defined by Canadian National Instrument 43-101 (Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects). Mr. Lentz is not independent of the Company.