Orla Mining drills 0.85 g/t gold over 76 metres at Camino Rojo, Mexico

Orla Mining Ltd. [TSX-OLA; NYSE-ORLA] provided an update on its near-pit exploration activities at Camino Rojo, Mexico, completed in the second half of 2023.

2023 Exploration Highlights: In 2023, Orla completed 6,500 metres of drilling near the Camino Rojo Oxide Mine in Mexico to define additional oxide mineralization near the open pit. This near-pit exploration included 2,500 metres of drilling to confirm oxide gold mineralization on the Fresnillo plc property (the Layback Area), located immediately north of and adjacent to the Camino Rojo Oxide Mine open pit, and 4,000 metres of drilling targeting the extension of oxide gold mineralization hosted by key structures controlling deeper levels of oxide mineralization within and beyond the currently designed oxide open pit. An updated resource is planned for the first half of 2024, incorporating, for the first time, mineral resources in the Layback Area.

“Our 2023 near-mine exploration validated near-surface oxide gold in the Layback Area and uncovered oxide expansion potential near the edge of the Camino Rojo Oxide Mine. The positive results from our near-mine oxide drilling program highlight the opportunity to replace a portion of the depleted ounces at the mine by incorporating incremental near-mine oxide material. These positive results pave the way for the 2024 near-mine drill program,” said Sylvain Guerard, Orla’s Senior Vice President, Exploration.

The Layback Area drilling confirmed and delineated gold mineralization immediately north of and adjacent to the Camino Rojo Oxide Mine open pit. Results from the Layback Area drill program confirmed historical drill results and the continuity of oxide hosted gold mineralization across the property boundary.

Highlights of the Layback Area drill program – Camino Rojo Layback: Hole CRLB23-03 returned 0.85 g/t Au over 76.0 metres, including 1.28 g/t Au over 28.0 metres and 1.27 g/t Au over 10.5 metres. Hole CRLB23-08 returned 0.48 g/t Au over 67.0 m, including 1.00 g/t Au over 5.8 m.

Hole CRLB23-01 returned 0.37 g/t Au over 73.5 m, including 0.65 g/t Au over 21.5 m and 0.59 g/t Au over 10.5 m. Hole CRLB23-14 returned 1.09 g/t Au over 21.0 m,  including 1.60 g/t Au over 10.5 m and 0.76 g/t Au over 6.0 m. Hole CRLB23-05 returned 1.06 g/t Au over 18.7 m, including 4.06 g/t Au over 4.0 m and 0.92 g/t Au over 22.5 m, including 3.08 g/t Au over 3.0 m.

In near-pit oxide extension drilling, Orla’s exploration approach was to test along strike and down dip of key structures controlling oxidation to define additional oxide gold mineralization. Results from this program identified significant structurally controlled oxide mineralization up to 50 metres below (e.g., CROX23-08, 67.1m at 1.16 g/t incl. 58.0m at 1.32 g/t Au) and up to 15 m southeast (e.g., CROX23-17, 23.5m at 0.45 g/t Au) of the current ultimate oxide pit boundaries. Notably, the shallow oxide material intersected southeast of the current pit extents is considered to have the highest potential for driving a pit expansion. Follow-up drilling of the oxide mineralization southeast of the pit wall is planned for 2024.

Highlights of the near-pit extension drill program include:

Camino Rojo Oxide Extension: Hole CROX23-08 returned 1.16 g/t Au over 67.1 m (Ox/Tx/Sx), including 1.32 g/t Au over 58.0 m. Hole CROX23-04 returned 0.86 g/t Au over 65.1m (Tx/Sx), including 1.02 g/t Au over 22.5 m and 1.02 g/t Au over 18.5 m.

Hole CROX23-16 returned 0.63 g/t Au over 63.0 m (Ox/Tx/Sx), including 1.71 g/t Au over 7.9 m. Hole CROX23-05 returned 0.52 g/t Au over 69.7m (Ox/Tx/Sx), including 1.46 g/t Au over 8.0 m and 1.33 g/t Au over 3.1 m.

Hole CROX23-15 returned 0.49 g/t Au over 41.0 m (Ox/Tx/Sx), including 1.29 g/t Au over 6.4 m. Hole CROX23-11 returned 0.87 g/t Au over 21.0m (Tx). Hole CROX23-17 returned 0.45 g/t Au over 23.5 m (Ox). including 3.11 g/t Au over 1.6 m.

Orla is operating the Camino Rojo Oxide Gold Mine, a gold and silver open-pit and heap leach mine, located in Zacatecas State, Mexico. The property is 100%-owned by Orla and covers over 160,000 hectares.

Orla also owns 100% of Cerro Quema located in Panama which includes a gold production scenario and various exploration targets. Cerro Quema is a proposed open pit mine and gold heap leach operation.

Orla also owns 100% of the South Railroad Project, a feasibility-stage, open pit, heap leach project located on the Carlin trend in Nevada.