TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Feb. 14, 2012) - Castillian Resources Corp. ("Castillian" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:CT) is
pleased to announce its first National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101")
compliant mineral resource estimate for its Hope Brook Gold Project in
southwestern Newfoundland. The mineral resource estimate presented in
Table 1 below is based on 631 diamond drill holes totaling 124,801
metres of historic and recent drilling, including 77 surface diamond
drill holes totaling 24,857 metres completed by Castillian in 2010 and
2011. Mineral resources have been estimated within a constraining pit
shell at a cutoff grade of 0.50 grams gold per tonne (g Au/t) and below
this shell at a cutoff grade of 2.0 g Au/t.
Highlights are as follows:
- Total indicated mineral resources are estimated
at 290,000 ounces of gold and total inferred mineral resources are
estimated at 740,000 ounces of gold
- Within constraining shell at 0.50 g Au/t cutoff grade:
- Indicated mineral resource of 4.0 million tonnes grading 1.11 g Au/t containing 140,000 ounces of gold
- Inferred mineral resource of 11.2 million tonnes grading 1.57 g Au/t containing 570,000 ounces of gold
- Below constraining shell at 2.0 g Au/t cutoff grade:
- Indicated mineral resource of 1.5 million tonnes grading 3.04 g Au/t containing 150,000 ounces of gold
- Inferred mineral resource of 2.0 million tonnes grading 2.65 g Au/t containing 170,000 ounces of gold
- Constraining shell incorporates essentially all
of the remaining historic resources in the former Hope Brook mine in
addition to new areas of resource defined by Castillian including the
Pit Zone, Hanging Wall Zone and Mine Zone Extension
Dr. Bill Pearson, P.Geo., President & CEO of Castillian,
stated: "We are delighted with the results of this resource estimate,
which establishes Hope Brook as a major gold deposit. This has been
achieved by our exploration team in only 16 months of diamond drilling
at an overall cost of approximately $10 per resource ounce. The deposit
is open along strike in both directions and downdip. There is
considerable potential to upgrade and expand these mineral resources
within the current model, which extends some 2.7 kilometres along
strike. In addition there is excellent potential to outline new zones
along the more than eight kilometres of underexplored mineralized
structure that has been identified to date.
Dr. Pearson continued: "We will recommence exploration
drilling at Hope Brook during the third week of February, initially
targeting the potential northeast extension area and the 240 Zone.
Geophysical surveys have already been completed to aid in identifying
potential drill hole locations. The mineral resource estimate will be
used as the basis for a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA), which we
plan to commence in the second quarter of 2012."
The Company will be holding a conference call on Wednesday
February 15, 2012 at 8:30 a.m. EST. To participate on this call,
Canadian callers may dial toll-free 1-866-226-1793 and international callers may dial direct +1-416-340-2218. A replay of the call will be available on Castillian's web site.
Notes on Mineral Resource Estimation Methodology:
The mineral resource estimates are presented in Table 2 below
at different cutoff grades to demonstrate the sensitivity of the
mineral resources to change in cutoff grade:
SAMPLING, ASSAYING AND QUALITY CONTROL
All drill core in the Castillian diamond drilling program (NQ
(47.6 mm), BQTK (40.6mm) and BQ (36.4mm)) was logged, photographed and
then sawn in half with one-half sent to the laboratory for analysis and
the other half retained and stored on site. All core samples were
prepared and assayed at ALS Chemex, with sample preparation done in
Sudbury and analytical work done in Vancouver. All locations of ALS
Chemex are ISO 9001:2000 certified. The entire sample received is
weighed and crushed to ≥ 70% passing 2mm (10 mesh). A sample split of up
to 1000g is then pulverized to ≥ 85% passing 75 microns (200 mesh) to
produce a homogenized sample. A 50g aliquot is used for fire assaying
with an atomic absorption (AA) finish to determine gold concentration.
Copper is initially analyzed using a four acid digestion ICP
(inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry) method. Any
results for copper greater than 10,000 ppm are assayed further by a four
acid digestion and "ore grade" ICP method. Internal quality control
includes the use of blanks, duplicates and standards in every batch of
samples. The Company also conducts internal check assaying using
certified external reference standards and blanks. Regular external
check assays are performed at a second certified Canadian commercial
laboratory. Castillian also inserts external reference standards as well
as blank granite drill core in each sample batch as a further external
check.
QUALIFIED PERSONS
Mr. Dan Lee, P.Geo., Chief Geologist and Project Manager for
Hope Brook, and Dr. Bill Pearson, P.Geo., President and CEO of
Castillian, both of whom are qualified persons as defined by NI 43-101,
have reviewed and approved the scientific and technical content of this
press release. Pierre Desautels, P.Eng., Principal Resource Geologist,
and Jay Melnyk, P.Eng., Principal Mining Engineer, both of AGP Mining
Consultants and Qualified Persons under NI 43-101 who are independent of
the Company, have prepared and authorized the release of the mineral
resource estimates presented herein. The Castillian and historical
diamond drill hole databases and geological model developed by
Castillian were reviewed and validated by Michael Cullen, P.Geo., of
Mercator Geological Services, an Qualified Person as defined under NI
43-101 who is independent of the Company.
ABOUT CASTILLIAN
Castillian Resources Corp. is a Canadian mineral
exploration company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol
"CT" which has gold and base metal properties in Canada and South
America. Castillian's flag ship property is the Hope Brook Gold Project
located in southwestern Newfoundland, which has 290,000 ounces of NI
43-101 compliant indicated mineral resources and 740,000 ounces of
inferred mineral resources. Castillian has outlined an extensive new
Gold-in-Soil anomaly trend on its Canadian Creek property in the Yukon
that is adjacent to Kaminak's Sugar Gold-in-Soil trend.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Information
This press release contains "forward-looking information"
within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation.
Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements
with respect to the anticipated timing of the Company's diamond drill
program at its Hope Brook project, anticipating timing with respect to a
Preliminary Economic Evaluation with respect to the Hope Brook project,
and statements regarding exploration prospects and timing of future
exploration. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by
the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or
"does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates",
"forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or
"believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that
certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or
"will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking information
is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors
that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or
achievements of the Company to be materially different from those
expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but
not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, political and
social uncertainties; the actual results of current exploration
activities; future prices of mineral prices; failure of plant, equipment
or processes to operate as anticipated; accidents, labour disputes and
shortages and other risks of the mining industry. Although the Company
has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual
results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking
information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as
anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such
information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future
events could differ materially from those anticipated in such
statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on
forward-looking information. The Company does not undertake to update
any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable
securities laws.
Information Concerning Estimates of Indicated and Inferred Resources
This news release uses the terms "indicated resources" and
"inferred resources". Castillian advises investors that although these
terms are recognized and required by Canadian regulations (under NI
43-101), the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission does not recognize
them. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of the
mineral deposits in these categories will ever be converted into mineral
reserves. In addition, inferred resources have a great amount of
uncertainty as to their existence, and economic and legal feasibility.
It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred mineral
resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian
rules, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of
feasibility or pre-feasibility studies, or economic studies except for
preliminary economic assessments as defined under NI 43-101. Investors
are cautioned not to assume that part or all of an inferred resource
exists, or is economically or legally mineable.
To view the map associated with this release, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/cast_fig.pdf
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