Lode Gold Identifies New High Priority RIRGS Target ''Steelhead'' at WIN, Tombstone Belt - Yukon

2024-10-15

TSXV - TSX Venture Exchange · Gold · Silver · Bismuth · Tellurium · Antimony · Arsenic · Lead · Copper · Zinc · Cobalt · Nickel · Canada

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 15, 2024) - Lode Gold Resources Inc. (TSXV: LOD) (OTCQB: SBMIF) ("Lode Gold " or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has received and interpreted the data from the previously announced QMAGTsurvey conducted in summer, 2024. This news release focuses on presenting initial findings, including reporting the identification of a new high-priority target named "Steelhead"extending the emerging Reduced Intrusion Related Gold System (RIRGS) targets already identified on its WIN property. A future news release will expand on these new findings northwards to include Lode's flagship Golden Culvert property as our geological team evaluates a potential genetic relationship, highlighted by the new QMAGTdata between the RIRGS mineralization at WIN and the orogenic styles of mineralization present at Golden Culvert.

Highlights include:

Recent QMAGTsystem geophysical results integrated with geology and historic geochemical information has identified a new priority prospect, "Steelhead", a previously unrecognized 4km2area of hornfels on the eastern part of the property. ''Steelhead's"prospectivity is enhanced by the presence of anomalous gold and bismuth results in stream sediment samples collected from the catchment draining the new identified 4km2area of hornfels. The QMAGTsystem has successfully enhanced the detailed geology of the property and importantly mapped the targeted Tombstone-Tungsten Cretaceous aged monzonite intrusions as magnetic lows and related hornfels known to be prospective for RIRGS as magnetic highs or areas with "noisy magnetic gradients". The above adds to the initial 2023 discovery of a RIRGS style sheeted vein system with gold values up to 8.3 g/t coincident with elevated bismuth and tellurium (see news release dated December 13, 2023)hosted in hornfels on the western side of the property and named the "Border Gold Zone". The Border Gold Zone appears to be controlled by the Border Monzonite and manifests as a "roof zone" above this intrusive and the host Cordierite-Biotite bearing hornfels. The magnetic data clearly defines a 3.5km strike extension to this known mineralized hornfels zone for targeted follow up. Furthermore, the magnetic data defines deep structures both parallel and coincident with the known mineralization and are thought to be important controlling structures for gold emplacement.

Buddy Doyle, VP Exploration commented that, "_Lode Gold has leveraged the quality QMAGTdata to integrate the pre-existing geochemical and geological-structural data on hand to design a targeted ground follow-up program to rapidly generate drill targets on the emerging high-potential RIRGS Targets at WIN, adding materially to its established flagship Orogenic Golden Culvert targets within the large, strategic property package controlled by Lode in the Yukon."_

Regional Setting, The RIRGS Model and How Well the WIN Project Fits

The WIN property occurs in the southern portion of the prolific Tombstone gold belt, see Figure 1. The Tombstone Gold Belt is the type locality for RIRGS, with Figure 2 depicting the accepted model for this type of gold mineralization.

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Figure 1:_The Tombstone Gold Belt, yellow shaded zone, gold stars show RIRGS deposits and prospects, orange stars tungsten deposits, The black star depicts the location of our WIN project. All are related to mid-cretaceous Intrusive suites and their associated contact hornfels aureoles. Figure modified from the Yukon geological survey broacher 2006-6._

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4064/226527_f5046f6914111af4_004full.jpg

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Figure 2:_The RIRGS geological model, General plan model of RIRGS (left), note the wide range of mineralization styles and geochemical variations that vary predictably outward from a central pluton. Scale is dependent on the size of the exposed pluton, which is likely to range from 100 m to 5 km in diameter. Hypothetical cross-section (right) of a small (100 m-5 km across) pluton. Of note are the asymmetric hornfels aureole and the early-chilled and more brittle marginal carapace. Preferred sites of intrusion-hosted Au mineralization are above the cupola, where exsolved fluids will accumulate, and mineralized fractures developed in the pluton's apex and shoulders. Modified fromHart, C.J.R., 2007._

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4064/226527_figure2.jpg

The RIRGS geological model in summary makes the following empirical observations:

Mineralization is associated with a reduced intrusion with the mineralization extending beyond the limits of the intrusion, and locally beyond the thermal aureole (caused by the intrusion), yielding a broad mineralizing system (Fig. 2). The size of the system is generally dictated by the limits of the thermal aureole, commonly several kilometres across, but can be dependent on the depth of erosion with the broadest and best-developed mineralization at the top of or above the pluton. The WIN project contains the known mapped intrusives, the northern part of the Hyland intrusive and the eastern part of the Border Intrusive (see Figure 4) both have extensive hornfels aureoles developed. The known sheeted quartz vein mineralization is hosted in hornfels.

A common characteristic is that the RIRGS exhibits multiple styles of mineralization. Particularly in the thermal aureole. Chemically reactive and/or physically brittle sedimentary strata result in a diversity of mineralization styles, whereas the causative pluton is typically dominated by solely sheeted vein sets containing gold. The WIN project Hyland Intrusive has been subject to exploration for Tungsten and Molybdenum in the past with part of the Tuna Tungsten Mineral occurrence within and next to the property's southern border. The sheeted quartz veins with gold have been found in the roof hornfels.

RIRGS often exhibit a predictable zonation of differing deposit styles outward from the central, mineralizing pluton (Fig. 2). Skarns and replacements are generally pluton proximal, with an increase in structural control on more distal mineralization. There is also crustal scale vertical zonation, with epizonal occurrences forming at shallower levels. Predictable metal signatures develop broad-scale zoning surrounding and above a central causative pluton. _The stream, soil and rock samples taken by Lode Gold show metal zonation.

_ Gold, as well as Tungsten (W), may form ore, but Au does not directly correlate with W. Bismuth (Bi) and Tellurium (Te) are enriched in intrusion-hosted Au ores and correlate with Au. Arsenic enrichments characterize hornfels-hosted mineralization and form regional-scale geochemical anomalies. On the WIN project, the sheeted veins have gold correlating strongly with Bi and Te. The WIN and Golden Culvert projects occur in a regional zone of anomalous Arsenic in stream sediments (see Figure 5).

Each plutonic suite has a characteristic metallogenic association. Plutons of the Tombstone plutonic suite have alkalic compositions (syenites) and associated gold, bismuth and copper. Plutons of the Mayo suite have metalluminous compositions (hornblende monzonites) and the strongest gold association. Plutons of the Tungsten suite are slightly peraluminous (biotite granite) and are associated with tungsten ± copper, zinc and molybdenum mineralization_._Mineralized plutons typically have associated pegmatites, aplites, miarolitic cavities and tourmaline veins, which are all indicative of volatile saturation and development of hydrothermal phases. The WIN project covers part of the Hyland and Border intrusive, both are mapped as Hornblende monzonites, the type of intrusion that has the strongest gold association. Tourmaline veins and breccias have been noted in the Tuna mineral occurrences, within and south of the property.

Traditional exploration methods such as mapping, prospecting, and aeromagnetic, regional stream sediment and soil geochemical surveys are all effective. Since mineralization is typically focused in regions at the top of plutons, target areas should include locations where plutons are not exposed. These may be detected by aeromagnetic surveys that may respond to either pyrrhotite-rich hornfels, or low levels of magnetite in the case of the Tombstone suite alkalic intrusions. Summarized and modified from Hart, C.J.R., 2007_._

District Geology

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Figure 3: District Geology: Lode Gold's Golden Culvert and WIN projects depicted on the regional geology provided by the Yukon Geological Survey. Note the WIN Project is dominated by the Proterozoic Vampire formation intruded by Cretaceous monzonites. Mineral occurrences from the Yukon database are also shown. The WIN property contains the Hyland and Border Intrusive bodies, these bodies are depicted in the following figures for visual reference. They are the likely source of the mineralization.

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Figure 4:_Regional Arsenic in stream sediment anomaly encompasses Lode Gold’s Golden Culvert and WIN properties. A characteristic signature of RIRGS. After Hart, C.J.R. and Lewis, L.L., 2006 _ To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4064/226527_figure4.jpg

Figure 1 shows the regional geological setting with a belt of intrusions (the Selwyn Magmatic province) intruding the Proterozoic-aged Selwyn sedimentary basin. Figure 3 illustrates the district geology with both the Golden Culvert property and the WIN property being hosted in the Vampire Formation, the WIN property covers portions of the Hyland and Border monzonite intrusives. Figure 4 demonstrates the projects that occur in a regional arsenic anomaly a common feature of sub-districts with RIRGS within the Tombstone gold belt. Known mineral occurrences are also shown in Figure 4, with the most advanced being the 3 Aces orogenic gold deposit, 15km to the SSW of the WIN project being explored by Seabridge Gold. Aben Minerals have also identified RIRGS style mineralization 18km to the SSW. The nearest historic mineral occurrence to the WIN project is the Tuna prospect, which consists of several zones of veins and breccias with Quartz, Bi, Tungsten, Molybdenum with tourmaline on the south boundary.

Rock Samples Confirmed RIRGS

On December 13, 2023, Lode Gold announced that it had confirmed a RIRGS style mineralization on its WIN property. Rocks samples returned gold values up to 8.53 g/t. with associated bismuth and tellurium at the border gold zone, shown in Figure 5. The mineralization is hosted in sheeted quartz veins, up to 10 veins per metre. The mineralization is hosted in hornfels. Figure 6 shows a photograph of the sheeted quartz veins and a view of the general topography at the border zone sampling area.

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Figure 5:_Rock sampling sites on the WIN Property. Each dot is a separate sample site, dots are coloured and sized based on gold results, Legends are given in the inset. Colour intervals based on natural breaks. Base image is the 2m Digital Elevation Model (DEM). Blue zone are permanent ice sheets. Monzonite intrusions shown as transparent red stipple. The local geology map shown in figure 7 cover the area surrounded by yellow line._

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Figure_6:Photograph of the sheeted vein system left, photograph of the topography in the border area, sheeted veins near photo origin looking SW towards the Hyland Intrusion. Photo on the right from Moynihan, D.P., 2013_

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Geology of the Border Gold-Bearing Sheeted Vein Area

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Figure 7:_Map of parts of the Hyland and Boundary plutons and their contact aureoles, showing mineral assemblages and isograds. Structural measurements are compiled on the equal area, lower hemisphere stereonet (inset). Grid lines spaced at 1 km intervals; UTM coordinates are NAD 83. Lode Gold rock sample results shown. Map is shown in Figure 5 and coincides with the inset box on that figure._

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The Yukon Geological Survey conducted mapping on the eastern side of the WIN project, see covering the Border Gold Zone, Moynihan, D.P., 2013_. _Their mapping has been reproduced in Figure 7 with our rock sample gold results overlain. The Hyland and Boundary plutons are hosted by the Latest Proterozoic-Early Cambrian Vampire Formation. The Vampire Formation is dominated by uniform, steel grey to dark grey phyllite that weathers to a rusty brown. The Vampire formation has been altered to hornfels along the contacts with the Hyland and Border monzonite intrusions.

The dominant foliation in the area (Sn) strikes NW/SE, parallel to the orogenic trend, it generally dips NE at 40-70° in the southwest part of the area and dips steeply towards the SW or NE in the northeast part of the area. The sheeted veins located by our field crew appear to be controlled by this Sn structural direction with a similar strike and dip.

Snis locally overprinted by kink bands that have steeply dipping axial planes. These kink bands post-date development of the contact aureoles and are best developed in low-grade phyllites, which retain a well-defined cleavage. The Hyland pluton-Vampire Fm contact is offset by a number of steeply-dipping, SW-trending normal faults with downthrow to the NW. These faults are sub-parallel to axial planes of the kink bands, and have the same orientation as 1) a number of fine-grained, biotite and amphibole-bearing mafic dikes, and 2) an array of quartz- tourmaline veins that transect the Boundary aureole. Tourmaline is a common accessory mineral to RIRGS sheeted quartz veins and to our knowledge, the NE/SW trending quartz vein array is yet to be sampled.

The Hyland pluton, which was emplaced at 97.1±2.0 Ma (U-Pb monazite age), is elongated in a NW direction and underlies an area of approximately 9×2.5 km. The roof of the pluton is preserved around the topographically highest point near the centre of the intrusion. The southwest boundary of the pluton dips steeply, whereas its northeast and southeast boundaries have gentle to moderately steep outward dips. It is along this moderately dipping NE part of the pluton that our border gold zone is located. The pluton is a multi-phase, biotite quartz monzonite with a megacrystic internal phase and an equigranular outer phase. The contact aureole includes a phyllite outer part and a yellow-weathering, hornfelsic inner part. With increasing proximity to the Hyland pluton, the proportion of chlorite decreases to zero and cordierite, andalusite, and biotite crystals become larger and more abundant. This zonation is approximately 500m wide and parallels the outcropping boundary of the Hyland intrusion. The presence of andalusite suggest a deep emplacement level (circa 9-11 km) for the Hyland intrusion based on geobarometer calculations. Moynihan, D.P., 2013.

An extensive region of Crd+Bt hornfels is also developed in the area to the west of the Boundary pluton. It is notable that here Cordierite (Crd) is dominant and Andalusite is absent. This indicates a shallower emplacement level for the Border pluton which in turn suggests a younger age. The pattern of Crd+Bt hornfels suggests that the Boundary pluton extends underneath this region to the NW paralleling the border. It is here that our Border Zone gold bearing sheeted quartz veins occur. The suggestion is that the Boundary pluton was intruded at a slightly higher level than the Hyland pluton. The absence of andalusite from metapelite in the aureole of the Boundary pluton suggests it was intruded at <~9 km.

It is likely that the Border zone sheeted veins are genetically linked to the Border Pluton in the Cordierite-Biotite-Chlorite-Muscovite-Quartz hornfels that trend paralleling the border, with the higher-grade samples occurring on the edge of the higher temperature Cordierite-Biotite-Muscovite-Quartz hornfels where the Chlorite drops out.

Stream Sediment Sampling

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Figure 8:_Stream Sediment sampling sites on the WIN Property. Each dot is a separate sample site, dots are coloured and sized based on gold results, left image 8 (a), and by bismuth right image 8 (b). Legends given in insets. Colour intervals based on natural breaks. Base image is the 2m Digital Elevation Model (DEM). Blue zone are permanent ice sheets. Monzonite intrusions shown as transparent red stipple. _ To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4064/226527_figure8.jpg

A series of closed space stream sediment samples were taken on the WIN project with the results depicted in Figure 8a for gold and for bismuth in Figure 8b. There are two strong gold anomalies (>45ppb) in separate streams, one stream eventually drains the Border gold zone, and the other highlights an area mainly hosted in the Hyland Intrusive and its contact aureole near its NE edge. This drainage also has high Bismuth and has never been investigated by soil or rock sampling. The area has been given the name of the Steelhead Prospect (using the naming theme started by the Tuna mineral occurrence.).

The entire Hyland Intrusive is elevated in Bi, As, Sb, W, Pb, Zn. Only Bi is shown. The stronger Bi stream sediment anomalies (>8.4ppm red, purple) need further follow-up due to their strong correlation with gold in the RIRGS model.

Soil Sampling

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Figure 9:_Soil Sampling sites on the WIN Property. Each dot is a separate sample site, dots are coloured and sized based on gold results. Legends given in inset. Colour intervals are natural breaks based on entire dataset which includes Golden Culvert, the number of samples in class in brackets. Base image is the 2m Digital Elevation Model (DEM). Blue zones are permanent ice sheets. Monzonite intrusions shown as transparent red stipple._

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Soil sampling on the WIN property have in the past been restricted due to the mountainous topography and the glaciated surfaces that are either rock or transported moraine. A small grid over the border zone contains anomalous samples with a zone of >20ppb gold stretching 300m over 3 lines paralleling the border. The project would be amenable for further sampling.

QMAGTSurvey

The RIRGS model makes the observation that aeromagnetic surveys are an effective exploration tool. The QMAGT survey conducted over the WIN property is a relatively new system which utilizes a Super-conducting Quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer which measures the full tensor response of the earth's magnetic field. The system is flown beneath the Helicopter in a Dewar filled within a liquid helium super cold bath. The WIN property was flown at a one-hundred-meter line spacing with lines trending NE-SW perpendicular to the geological trend. DIAS, the company that operates the QMAGTsystem, have provided the following products derived from this survey: