Lion One Metals drills high-grade gold at Tuvatu, Fiji
Lion One Metals Limited [TSXV-LIO; OTCQX-LOMLF; ASX-LLO] reported significant new high-grade gold results from ongoing infill and grade control drilling at its 100%-owned Tuvatu Alkaline Gold Project in Fiji and provides an update to mining operations at Tuvatu.
Assay results are presented here for infill and grade control drilling completed in the Zone 2 area of Tuvatu and include multiple bonanza grade gold results such as 448.98 g/t, 202.34 g/t, 108.5 g/t, 92.89 g/t, and 82.35 g/t gold. These drill intercepts are all located in the near surface portion of Tuvatu and are scheduled for mining in the short term. The results included in this news release are from drill holes that targeted the URW1 and Murau lode systems proximal to underground development.
Mining operations are also advancing in Zone 2 and in Zone 5. A total of 2,630 metres of sludge hole drilling has been completed in advance of longhole mining in Zone 2. In Zone 5, airleg stoping on the UR2 lode is ongoing, with two leadings stopes underway and sublevels being driven for a gallery stope. Longhole production drilling is expected to commence in both Zone 2 and Zone 5 in late April, generating production tonnes in mid-May.
Highlights of Zone 2 drill results (3.0 g/t cutoff): 226.55 g/t gold over 0.6 metres (including 448.98 g/t Au over 0.3 m) (TGC-0113, from 84.6 m depth); 18.35 g/t Au over 4.8 m (including 40.99 g/t Au over 0.6 m) (TUDDH-686A, from 128.9 m depth); 9.99 g/t Au over 8.1 m (including 30.34 g/t Au over 0.3 m) (TGC-0121, from 65.0 m depth); 82.35 g/t Au over 0.9 m (including 82.35 g/t Au over 0.9 m) (TGC-0110, from 65.1 m depth); 7.48 g/t Au over 9 m (including 20.78 g/t Au over 0.9 m) (TGC-0118, from 86.3 m depth); 105.86 g/t Au over 0.6 m (including 202.34 g/t Au over 0.3 m) (TGC-0121, from 83.3 m depth); 14.9 g/t Au over 4.2 m (including 21.44 g/t Au over 2.4 m) (TUDDH-698, from 146.3 m depth); 8.27 g/t Au over 7.2 m (including 25.58 g/t Au over 0.3 m) (TGC-0127, from 66.0 m depth); 27.94 g/t Au over 2.1 m (including 54.65 g/t Au over 0.9 m) (TGC-0118, from 66.2 m depth); 16.29 g/t Au over 3.3 m (including 46.63 g/t Au over 0.6 m) (TGC-0130, from 107.8 m depth); 33.92 g/t Au over 1.5 m (including 92.89 g/t Au over 0.3 m) (TGC-0134, from 113.8 m depth) and other encouraging assays.
The Zone 2 area of Tuvatu is located in the northwest part of the deposit, near the main portal. The URW1 and Murau lode systems are the primary mineralized systems in Zone 2, with production mining starting first in URW1 and then in Murau. A total of 38 drill holes are reported in this news release, including 18 targeting the URW1 lodes and 20 targeting the Murau system.
The URW1 drilling reported here was designed to provide grade control results between the 1161 and 1101 levels in Zone 2, and to provide infill and down-dip extension results in the URW1 system below the 1101 level.
The Murau drilling reported here was designed to provide infill and grade control results in the upper portion of the Murau lode system, which will be the first part of the system to be mined and is scheduled for production in Q3 2024. The Murau lode system dips moderately to the SSW and is open down dip and at depth. The upper portion of the system that is targeted for near-term mining has a strike length of 80m and extends down dip for a length of 100 metres.
The URW1 lodes will be the first at Tuvatu to undergo mechanized production mining. Development has been ongoing across the 1101, 1121, 1141, and 1161 levels in advance of production.
In Zone 5, airleg stoping on the UR2 lode is underway on the 1130 North level and on the 1120 South level. Airleg development is ongoing on the URW3 lode with airleg rises planned above the 1126 Sublevel. Mineralization in the UR2 and URW3 lodes is predominantly subvertical high-grade narrow-vein gold with minimal stockwork veining. Longhole mining is scheduled to take place in Zone 5 on the 1120 North UR2 drive, beginning in May.
Two remote-capable loaders required to facilitate the extraction of material from longhole stopes have been acquired. A CAT 1700 loader fitted with remote technology will be commissioned in May for bogging of the 1101 bulk stope at the URW1 lodes, and a CAT 1300 remote loader from Australia is now on site and will also be commissioned in early May. These loaders will enable increased production from the mine.
Lion One Metals has new operations established in late 2023 at its Tuvatu Alkaline Gold Project. 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.