Orford Mining (TSXV:ORM) has reported the discovery of two new quartz vein gold systems—named Gerfaut East and Central Intrusive—and a new copper showing in the Esperance area on its Qiqavik gold property. The drilling was conducted in several project areas across the property, which spans more than 40 kilometres and hosts high-grade gold occurrences at surface. In 2023, Orford’s work focused on drilling, geophysics, and prospecting in various areas of the belt, including Gerfaut East, Central, Annick, and Eric. A total of 34 Rotary Air Blast (RAB) holes were drilled, covering 2,435 meters, and 32 line-km of ground Induced Polarization (IP) surveys were completed. The company is awaiting results for the majority of the 2,620 samples taken from drilling and the 233 surface samples collected.

David Christie, President and CEO of Orford commented in a press release: “The expertise of our field crews has been rewarded with new gold and copper discoveries on the vastly underexplored Qiqavik property. The ability of our team to continue to make new discoveries illustrates the high prospectivity of the Qiqavik property and how underexplored it remains.”

The Gerfaut East vein system has been located within a north-northeast trending structure that can be traced for over 400 meters along strike. It is characterized by sulfide-bearing quartz veins, which outcrop up to 15 meters in length and contain minerals such as galena, chalcopyrite, and pyrite. These veins are found in a felsic intrusive corridor known to host gold-bearing quartz. Six RAB drill holes were completed in this area, intersecting quartz veins within the top 50 meters of drilling. Assay results for these drill holes are still pending, though some surface grab samples have shown gold concentrations up to 32.3 grams per tonne (g/t Au).

The Central Intrusive vein system is defined by a series of subparallel east-west shears with ankerite alteration and sulfide veins up to 2 cm in width. These veins contain minerals like galena, pyrite, and arsenopyrite, and are found in local granodiorite boulders. Three holes were drilled in the Central Intrusive area that intersected altered granodiorite containing minor sulfides. Assay results from grab samples and drilling in this area are also pending. Previously collected grab samples in nearby areas have reported gold concentrations up to 30.8 g/t Au.

In the Esperance area, a new zone of semi-massive sulphide with up to 5% chalcopyrite has been identified, hosted in a sheared basalt. This new mineralization outcrops discontinuously over an area of 10 meters by 25 meters and lies 200 meters south of the main Esperance trend. Four channel samples were collected from the exposed mineralization, which covers a width of 5.0 meters. Airborne EM conductors suggest the mineralization may extend eastward for an additional 250 meters. Assay results for these channel samples are pending.

Highlights from the results are as follows:

• New gold-bearing quartz vein system discovered at Gerfaut East.  Surface grab samples returned up to 32.3 g/t Au (Figure 2).  Drill results pending.
• New style of sulphide rich vein mineralization discovered in the Central Intrusive Zone.  Surface and drill assays pending.
• New mineralized zone discovered south of the Esperance Gold-Copper trend.  Channel sample assay results pending.

Orford Mining Corporation (TSXV:ORM) has announced exciting news for its Joutel Eagle Property, located in Quebec, as the company has potentially discovered a new gold-bearing horizon. The discovery was made 150 meters north of the South Gold Zone, and it is believed to hold a significant amount of gold.

The discovery was made through the recently drilled hole 23-JE-007, which reported 1.3 g/t Au over 16.1 meters from 201.0 meters. The hole also recorded higher-grade intervals of up to 4.5g/t Au over 1.1 meters. The area where the discovery was made had not been previously explored, and it provides a promising opportunity for further exploration in the region.

David Christie, President and CEO of Orford, commented, “The 2023 drill campaign on our Joutel Eagle property has proven that the property has tremendous potential value with the discovery of a new zone 150 metres to the north of the South Gold Zone.  Drilling on the South Gold Zone continues to prove mineralized continuity along strike which was the main purpose of the program.”

In addition to the new discovery, hole 23-JE-015, drilled in the South Gold Zone, reported 1.10g/t Au over 54.7 meters. Higher-grade intervals of up to 9.1g/t over 0.4 meters were also found in this hole. This hole was drilled 25 meters southeast of the previously reported results from hole 23-JE-004, which recorded 14.6 meters of 4.1 g/t.

While the majority of assays from the 2023 drill program are still pending, these early results are very promising for the Joutel Eagle Property. It is important to note that all drilling intervals are down-hole lengths, and true thicknesses cannot be estimated with the information currently available.

The potential new gold-bearing horizon and the positive results from hole 23-JE-015 represent significant progress for Orford Mining Corporation in its efforts to explore the Joutel Eagle Property. These discoveries could lead to the identification of additional gold deposits, which could significantly increase the value of the property.

Located along the Casa-Berardi Structural Zone and the historical Eagle-Telbel Mine Trend in the Abitibi Greenstone belt, the Joutel Eagle Property has proven to be an excellent location for gold mining. Orford Mining Corporation has recently drilled a total of 14 holes and 2,535 meters in 2023 on the property, testing a 400-meter strike of the South Gold Zone.

Both the 20221 and preliminary 20232 drilling results Orford received to date have shown that the South Gold Zone holds higher-grade gold over wider intersections than had been previously reported. Holes 23-JE-007 and 23-JE-006 were drilled to test the possibility of parallel mineralized horizons to the north of the South Gold Zone and possible cross-structural corridors that could contribute to concentrating gold mineralization on the property.

The gold results obtained from these holes (Table 1) have successfully demonstrated the occurrence of additional gold mineralized zones in addition to the thick South Gold Zone results. The remaining assays are pending, and a full structural interpretation will be completed once all data has been received. This interpretation will help identify additional targets in the South Gold Zone, secondary targets associated with structures hosting higher grades oblique to the South Gold Zone, and other targets along strike and parallel to the South Gold Zone to the northwest and southeast along the Eagle mine horizon.

Table 1: Highlight of Joutel Eagle Drill hole assays received to date. All drilling intervals are downhole lengths. True thicknesses cannot be estimated with available information. Composited intervals are reported at a cut-off of 0.5g/t Au.

Table 2: Status of Assay Results Received from the 2023 Joutel Eagle Drilling Program (SGZ=South Gold Zone)

Table 3: Joutel Eagle: South Gold Zone Drill Hole Coordinates (UTM NAD83 Zone 17)

The above references an opinion and is for information purposes only. It is not intended to be investment advice. Seek a licensed professional for investment advice. The author is not an insider or shareholder of any of the companies mentioned above.