First Mining Gold confirms mineralization expansion at Springpole Gold Project, Ontario
First Mining Gold Corp. [TSX: FF; OTCQX: FFMGF; FSE: FMG] reported final drilling results from the 2024 East Extension Phase 1 diamond drilling program at its Springpole Gold Project in northwestern Ontario, Canada.
In fall 2024, First Mining completed a five-hole, 2,293-metre exploration drilling campaign targeting resource growth opportunities with continuity towards the east of the main Springpole Project mineral resource.
Highlights from the East Extension Phase 1 drilling campaign include drill holes SP24-011, SP24-009, and previously reported SP24-007, all of which returned favourable gold and silver grades that are representative of the established resource grade profile.
The most northerly hole of the program, SP24-011, returned two broad mineralization intervals including 0.75 g/t gold and 3.30 g/t silver over 134.2 metres, and 0.67 g/t gold and 12.79 g/t silver over 105.4 metres. These results confirm an opportunity for direct mineralization expansion in continuity to the current open pit profile which remains open for further exploration.
The East Extension Phase 1 drilling program was successful in returning significant widths of continuous mineralization in an underexplored area of the Springpole Project located within the current Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) open-pit development footprint.
Highlights from the drill program demonstrate significant upside potential to further extend mineralization with continuity and provide the opportunity to reclassify material that is currently classified as “waste” into “ore” in the proposed run of mine (ROM) pit design. This could potentially reduce the strip ratio and increase processed ore tonnes.
“Our advancements continue to demonstrate the Springpole Project as a robust gold and silver resource development opportunity within an important mining region of Ontario.” stated Dan Wilton, CEO. “The results from the East Extension are especially encouraging as they demonstrate the presence of additional gold and silver mineralization inside the existing mine footprint, potentially converting waste to ore. As we continue to advance through the Environmental Assessment process, we believe that the Springpole Project will be a major economic and sustainable infrastructure driver for Northwestern Ontario communities.”
The focus of upcoming exploration activities will be centred around integrating the latest drill hole results into an updated 3D model and delineating further plans to unlock opportunities for the East Extension target as well as near open pit brownfields exploration targets.
The East Extension target is located at the southeastern boundary of the current mineral resource and proposed open pit wall design.
The East Extension Phase 1 drilling was focused on a 150-metre strike area along the southeastern edge of the current mineral resource. First Mining identified the East Extension target through advanced 3D target modelling, which highlighted a theorized easterly curve to the southern end of the main Portage Zone. Further defining the key stratigraphic units that are parallel with the main Springpole resource will aid in defining follow-up East Extension drill hole targets for additional resource growth potential.
Drill holes SP24-007, SP24-009, and SP24-011 tested the Phase 1 target shape. Drill holes SP24-008 and SP24-010 were designed to test a potential extension of the mineralization and key stratigraphic units towards the northeast of the Phase 1 target shape.
The Springpole East Extension Phase 1 drilling campaign intersected significant widths of continuous mineralization in all holes and validated the exploration target model with further delineation of key stratigraphical units defining forward exploration opportunities.
The East Extension Target remains open along strike towards the south and southeast of the main Portage Zone and has the potential to add meaningful mineralization extension or additional zones within or near the current PFS proposed open pit shell..
A portion of the 2025 Springpole exploration program will be focused on reviewing, integrating and interpreting the results returned from the 2024 Springpole East Extension Phase 1 drilling program. Next steps include incorporating the results into a 3D model update and the proposal of definition drilling that supports a potential for resource conversion. Further work will be completed in advancing future additional brownfield exploration opportunities for the project.
The current mineral resource for the Springpole Project comprises an Indicated Resource of 151 Mt at 0.94 g/t Au and 5.0 g/t Ag, totalling 4.6 million ounces of gold and 24.3 million ounces of silver, and an Inferred Resource of 16 Mt at 0.54 g/t Au and 2.8 g/t Ag, totalling 0.3 million ounces of gold and 1.4 million ounces of silver, including Probable Mineral Reserves of 121.6 Mt at 0.97 g/t Au and 5.23 g/t Ag totalling 3.8 million ounces gold and 20.5 million ounces of silver.
First Mining is a gold developer advancing two of the largest gold projects in Canada, the Springpole Gold Project in northwestern Ontario, where the company has commenced a Feasibility Study and permitting activities are on-going with a final Environmental Impact Statement / Environmental Assessment for the project submitted in November 2024, and the Duparquet Gold Project in Quebec, a PEA-stage development project located on the Destor-Porcupine Fault Zone in the prolific Abitibi region.