Valkea Resources updates Paana Project, Finland

Valkea Resources Corp. [TSXV: OZ; OTC: OZBKF] reported drill results from its inaugural exploration drill program at its 100%-owned Paana project in Lapland, Finland. The 1,997-metre, six-hole drill program targeted both high-grade (Kittila-style) and bulk-tonnage (Ikkari-style), disseminated gold mineralization at the Aarnivalkea West discovery.

Highlights: Koivu Zone: Holes AW-24-005 and AW-24-004 tested the up-dip and down-dip extent of disseminated gold mineralization discovered in historical hole FAVD-64 (55.48 metres of 1.63 g/t gold, including 8.50 metres of 8.57 g/t gold).

Drill hole AW-24-005 intersected 36.45 metres of 1.50 g/t gold, including 15.35 meters of 3.43 g/t gold and including 2.75 metres of 12.92 g/t gold from 150.15 metres down hole.

AW-24-004 intersected 37.95 metres of 0.61 g/t gold, including 12.65 metres of 1.25 g/t gold and including 1.50 metres of 4.99 g/t gold from 220.10 metres down hole.

Results demonstrate strong continuity of Ikkari-style, bulk-tonnage gold mineralization over a 100-metre dip extent where it remains open down-dip. Further step-out drilling down-dip and along strike is warranted.

“Results from our inaugural drill program at the Aarnivalkea West target have verified the significant potential of the target area,” stated Chris Donaldson, CEO. “Every hole drilled hit gold mineralization. Based on new data from these holes, as well as from a concurrent core relogging program, we now have the technical data required to create a structural model and target the extents of both the high-grade (Kittila-style) mineralization and the newly established disseminated gold (Ikkari-style) mineralization.

“The Central Lapland Greenstone Belt is a prospective district with numerous significant gold occurrences, yet it has been historically under explored. Valkea is strategically positioned with a dominant land position next to Kittila, Europe’s largest gold producer (Agnico Eagle Mines) and proximal to the development stage Ikkari project of Rupert Resources. The region has become globally significant for gold exploration and discovery and is experiencing a surge in recent exploration, including neighbouring projects controlled by B2Gold and Kinross Gold.

“We look forward to updating our shareholders with plans for our next phase of exploration.”

The Aarnivalkea West target, located approximately 24 km northwest of Agnico Eagle’s Kittilä mine and 65 km northwest of Rupert Resource’s Ikkari deposit, is underlain by highly prospective rocks of the Central Lapland Greenstone belt. Based on previous exploration programs, the broad and open 1.3 km long target is considered prospective for both Kittila-style, high-grade mineralization and Ikkari-style disseminated mineralization.

A total of 1,997 metres of core drilling in six holes were completed across the Aarnivalkea West target. New drilling has outlined and expanded two zones of strong gold mineralization, the northern Koivu zone and the southern Honka Zone.

Koivu Zone: Holes AW-24-004 and AW-24-005 targeted the up- and down-dip extent of disseminated bulk-tonnage style mineralization near historical hole FAVD64. Hole FAVD64 was the only deep hole previously drilled on section 772400N.

AW-24-005 intersected 36.45 metres of 1.50 g/t gold, including 15.35 metres of 3.43 g/t gold from 150.15 metres down hole. This interval is approximately 30 metres up-dip from FAVD-64. A high-grade interval of 0.5 metres of 62.4 g/t gold cored the broad zone of mineralization.

Similarly, AW-24-004, a 25-metre step-out, down-dip from mineralization in FAVD64, intersected 37.95 metres of 0.61 g/t gold, including 12.65 metres of 1.25 g/t gold and including 1.5 metres of 4.99 g/t gold. This hole bottomed in 20.25 metres of 0.37 g/t gold, including 4.45 metres of 1.10 g/t gold at 285.35 metres down hole. This lower intercept is down-dip from a deeper interval in AW-24-005 and demonstrates the presence of a parallel east-dipping zone of disseminated mineralization. Mineralization at Koivu consists of quartz-carbonate-pyrite veins and veinlets hosted in deformed and silicified intermediate volcanic rocks and diorite porphyries.

Honka Zone: Holes AW-24-001, 002, 003 and 006 targeted the extent of and structural control on vein-hosted gold mineralization through a series of systematic step-outs on ~25 to 50-metre centres between and offset from historical holes FAV62 and FAVD71.

All four holes intersected vein-hosted gold mineralization highlighted by AW-24-003; 2.77 g/t gold over 4.75 metres within 1.45 g/t gold over 10.25 metres. Hole AW-24-001, collared 55 meters south of AW-24-003, intersected 4.53 g/t gold over 0.5 metres within 1.03 g/t gold over 8.6 metres in AW-24-001.

Similar to the northern Koivu zone, a deeper zone of potentially parallel mineralization was intersected in AW-24-006, which bottomed in 5.03 g/t gold over 1.55 metres within 0.99 g/t gold over 9.2 metres.

The drill program at Aarnivalkea West successfully accomplished its three main objectives: confirm the presence of high-grade and disseminated gold mineralization in two key areas, expand the footprint of known areas of mineralization, and refine the geological and structural model incorporating results from new drilling and relogging of historical drill core.

Follow-up drilling is warranted to test the lateral and vertical extent of gold mineralization at the Koivu and Honka zones. The lightly tested, 500-metre gap between the two zones also warrants systematic drill testing (Figure 5). The Company is also planning project-wide infill BoT (bottom of till) drilling and exploration diamond drilling at the Aarnivalkea East target. Additional targets in neighboring exploration application licences that form part of the greater Paana Project will also be evaluated.

The company has retained Bluehand Consulting AG to provide ongoing digital media marketing services. It is budgeted that Bluehand will be paid up to €250,000 to develop required content, for a term ending December 31, 2025. The agreement remains subject to the approval of the TSX-V.

Valkea Resources at the forefront of gold exploration in Finland’s highly prospective Central Lapland Greenstone Belt (CLGB). The company an extensive portfolio of high-potential projects, including the flagship Paana project.