Lion One Metals drills 97.46 g/t gold over 3.3 metres at Tuvatu Gold Mine, Fiji
Lion One Metals Ltd. [TSXV-LIO; OTCQX-LOMLF; ASX-LLO] reported significant new high-grade gold results from Zone 5 infill and grade control drilling at its 100%-owned Tuvatu Alkaline Gold Project in Fiji.
Assay results are presented here for infill and grade control drilling in the Zone 5 area of Tuvatu. Drill results include multiple bonanza grade gold assays such as 750.05 g/t, 315.46 g/t, 167.55 g/t, 134.10 g/t, 132.29 g/t, 126.84 g/t, and 120.8 g/t.
These results are all located proximal to underground development in the near-surface portion of the mine. Drilling was focused on the up-dip, down-dip, and southern areas of the UR2 and URW3 lodes. These areas are targeted for mining within the next 12 months. The headline intercept of 97.46 g/t gold over 3.3 metres is currently under development for extraction.
Top New Drill Results: 97.46 g/t Au over 3.3 m (including 750.05 g/t Au over 0.3 m) (TGC-0208, from 82.8 m depth); 54.70 g/t Au over 1.8 m (including 134.10 g/t Au over 0.3 m) (TGC-0187, from 100.5 m depth); 79.64 g/t Au over 1.2 m (including 315.46 g/t Au over 0.3 m) (TGC-0191, from 75 m depth); 42.11 g/t Au over 1.5 m (including 95.33 g/t Au over 0.3 m) (TGC-0204, from 117.2 m depth); and 167.55 g/t Au over 0.3 m (TGC-0188, from 60.3 m depth).
The Zone 5 area of Tuvatu is located along the main decline and includes the principal north-south oriented lodes (UR1 to UR3), the principal northeast-southwest oriented lodes (UR4 to UR8), and several of the western lodes (URW2, URW2A, URW3).
These lodes are steeply dipping structures that converge at approximately 500 metres depth to form Zone 500, which is the highest-grade part of the deposit and is interpreted to be the feeder zone at Tuvatu. The system remains open at depth with the deepest high-grade intersects occurring below 1,000 metres depth.
The drilling reported in this news release targeted the near-surface portions of the UR2 and URW3 lodes. These areas are scheduled to be mined throughout the next 12 months. Drilling was focused on the up-dip, down-dip, and southern areas of the UR2 and URW3 lodes, and targeted a 280-metre strike length of the UR2 and URW3 lodes. The current total strike length of the UR2 lode is approximately 620 metres, while that of the URW3 lode is approximately 330 metres.
Both lodes remain open along strike and at depth. The southern drillholes reported here are the southernmost underground infill drillholes completed by Lion One and represent a new area of infill and grade control drilling at Tuvatu.
The headline drill intercept for this news release, 3.3 m at 97.46 g/t, has been intersected by an airleg rise. A sub-level is being established in this area to facilitate extraction over the coming months. This intercept includes a very high-grade sub-interval of 0.9 m at 336.39 g/t. The purpose of the current Zone 5 infill and grade control drill program is to enhance the mine model and inform stope design in advance of mining in the target areas.
Lion One Metals has operations established in late 2023 at its Tuvatu Alkaline Gold Project, Fiji. The Tuvatu project comprises the high-grade Tuvatu Alkaline Gold Deposit, the Underground Gold Mine, the Pilot Plant, and the Assay Lab. The company also has an extensive exploration license covering the entire Navilawa Caldera, which is host to multiple mineralized zones and highly prospective exploration targets.