Fortuna Mining Corp. (NYSE: FSM | TSX: FVI) is pleased to provide an update on its exploration programs at the Séguéla Mine in Côte d’Ivoire.
Séguéla Mine exploration highlights
Paul Weedon, Senior Vice President of Exploration at Fortuna, commented, “Kingfisher is rapidly shaping up as a substantial prospect for Séguéla, with a drill defined strike now over 2 kilometers in length and it remains open at depth. Recent drilling highlights include 14.2 g/t Au over an estimated true width of 16.8 meters from 100 meters from drill hole SGRC1865 with mineralization remaining open at depth.” Mr. Weedon continued, “In addition to exploration success at Kingfisher, infill and depth extension drilling at the Sunbird deposit continues to support underground mining potential, with results including 8.8 g/t Au over an estimated true width of 6.3 meters from 301 meters from drill hole SGDD140.”
Kingfisher prospect drilling highlights include:
SGRC1865: | 14.2 g/t Au 31.0 g/t Au 29.6 g/t Au 64.6 g/t Au |
over an estimated true width of 16.8 meters from 100 meters, including over an estimated true width of 1.4 meters from 105 meters, and over an estimated true width of 1.4 meters from 115 meters, and over an estimated true width of 1.4 meters from 120 meters |
SGRC1866: | 3.0 g/t Au | over an estimated true width of 18.2 meters from 21 meters |
SGRC1869: | 2.7 g/t Au | over an estimated true width of 30.1 meters from 68 meters |
SGRD1874: | 5.5 g/t Au | over an estimated true width of 9.1 meters from 89 meters |
SGRD1879: | 3.7 g/t Au | over an estimated true width of 15.4 meters from 129 meters |
A further 58 holes for 6,966 meters was completed at the Kingfisher prospect (refer to Figure 1), defining continuous mineralization over more than 2 kilometers of strike and merging the previous three separate lodes into a single zone of continuous mineralization (refer to Figure 2). Drilling is continuing, testing the depth potential along this zone with additional exploratory drilling planned to the south where only minimal surface geochemistry is available. Kingfisher was a “blind” discovery with 1 to 2 meters of transported cover giving rise to very muted or no geochemical signature. Kingfisher remains open at depth for most of the drilled 2-kilometer strike, with the deepest drilling only testing to approximately 200 meters below surface (refer to Figure 3).
Additional drilling at Kingfisher has further refined the understanding of the mineralization controls, with a clear association identified along the strongly deformed contact zone between a series of felsic intrusives, quartz veining, and host basaltic units. The change in strike orientation along the structure from north-south to north-east coincides with the higher grade, broader mineralization intervals. Mineralization is characterized by silica-biotite-sericite-carbonate alteration and pyrite development within and adjacent to the quartz veining, similar to the Boulder and Agouti deposits, 1 to 3 kilometers further north in the same sequence and in similar structural positions. This structure has been identified from regional aeromagnetic surveys as extending the 32-kilometer length of the Seguela permit, highlighting the regional prospectivity of the project.
Drilling is scheduled with two drilling rigs to continue throughout the remainder of 2024 with the aim of expanding the strike and depth potential of Kingfisher and supporting a maiden Inferred resource early in 2025.
Figure 1: Location of the Kingfisher prospect
Figure 2: Kingfisher prospect long-section – looking west
Figure 3: Kingfisher prospect cross section line 892550 – looking north
Sunbird Deposit drilling highlights include:
SGDD139: | 8.5 g/t Au | over an estimated true width of 5.6 meters from 375 meters |
SGDD140: | 4.2 g/t Au 8.8 g/t Au 4.6 g/t Au |
over an estimated true width of 7.7 meters from 268 meters, and over an estimated true width of 6.3 meters from 301 meters, and over an estimated true width of 8.4 meters from 324 meters |
SGRD2082: | 8.0 g/t Au | over an estimated true width of 4.9 meters from 264 meters |
SGRD2083: | 6.6 g/t Au | over an estimated true width of 6.3 meters from 359 meters |
At Sunbird, results from the first 5 holes, totaling 2,010 meters of a planned 12,000-meter drilling program have been received, including 8.8 g/t Au over an estimated true width of 6.3 meters from 301 meters in drill hole SGDD140 (refer to Figure 4). The program is designed to infill and extend the current mineralized footprint as part of a program to evaluate underground mining potential, with mineralization remaining open 600 meters below surface, or more than 800 meters down plunge from the margin of the planned open pit.
This work will continue for the remainder of 2024, supported by preliminary underground mining studies.
Figure 4: Sunbird long section – looking west
Refer to Appendix 1 for full details of the drill holes and assay results for this drill program at the Séguéla Gold Mine.
Quality Assurance & Quality Control
All drilling data completed by the Company utilized the following procedures and methodologies. All drilling was carried out under the supervision of the Company’s personnel.
All reverse circulation drilling used a 5.25-inch face sampling pneumatic hammer with samples collected into 60-liter plastic bags. Samples were kept dry by maintaining enough air pressure to exclude groundwater inflow. If water ingress exceeded the air pressure, RC drilling was stopped, and drilling converted to diamond core tails. Once collected, RC samples were riffle split through a three-tier splitter to yield a 12.5% representative sample for submission to the analytical laboratory. The residual 87.5% samples were stored at the drill site until assay results were received and validated. Coarse reject samples for all mineralized samples corresponding to significant intervals are retained and stored on-site at the Company-controlled core yard.
All diamond drilling drill holes started with HQ sized diameter, before reducing to NQ diameter diamond drill bits on intersecting fresh rock. The core was logged, marked up for sampling using standard lengths of one meter or to a geological boundary. Samples were then cut into equal halves using a diamond saw. One half of the core was left in the original core box and stored in a secure location at the Company core yard at the project site. The other half was sampled, catalogued, and placed into sealed bags and securely stored at the site until shipment.
All RC and DD samples were transported to ALS’s preparation laboratory in Yamoussoukro, Cote d’Ivoire before also being transported via commercial courier, to ALS’s facility in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Routine gold analysis using a 50-gram charge and fire assay with an atomic absorption finish was completed for all samples. Quality control procedures included the systematic insertion of blanks, duplicates and sample standards into the sample stream. In addition, the ALS laboratory inserted its own quality control samples.
Qualified Person
Paul Weedon, Senior Vice President of Exploration for Fortuna Mining Corp., is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 being a member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists (Membership #6001). Mr. Weedon has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release. Mr. Weedon has verified the data disclosed, including the sampling, analytical and test data underlying the information or opinions contained herein by reviewing geochemical and geological databases and reviewing diamond drill core. There were no limitations to the verification process.
About Fortuna Mining Corp.
Fortuna Mining Corp. is a Canadian precious metals mining company with five operating mines in Argentina, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Mexico, and Peru, as well as the preliminary economic assessment stage Diamba Sud Gold Project located in Senegal. Sustainability is integral to all our operations and relationships. We produce gold and silver and generate shared value over the long-term for our stakeholders through efficient production, environmental protection, and social responsibility
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