High Desert Gold Corporation (TSX VENTURE:HDG)(PINK SHEETS:HDGCF) is initiating a Phase I drill program at the Company's 100%-owned San Antonio gold property in Sonora state, Mexico, and anticipates having the drill rig onsite by February 15.
The 1,500-metre reverse-circulation drill program is planned to test both high-grade structural targets and bulk targets associated with stratigraphically controlled gold mineralization.
The drill program will test approximately 2,000 metres of strike on the main structural zone, in addition to several stratigraphic units thought to represent bulk gold targets. For a summary of the strong initial exploration results achieved by Company geologists at the 4,230-hectare San Antonio property, please see the Company's news release dated May 19, 2010. In addition, newly discovered areas demonstrate much more extensive mineralization than had been previously identified and will be tested in the upcoming drill program as well.
Ralph Fitch, President and CEO, stated, "We are very excited about this drilling campaign. The exploration work-ups leading to drill target definition have been very extensive. This little-known project area holds very significant potential. The developing evidence that gold mineralization is disseminated through sandstone and carbonate units rather than just within structures significantly increases the potential of the property and this drilling program."
Recent mapping and sampling have expanded the drill targets at San Antonio. This work has shown that there are both structural and stratigraphic controls on the gold mineralization within the area of historic mining and in newly identified areas located 600 metres to the northeast where gold values up to 7.74 gpt gold have been obtained within chip samples and 1,000 metres to the northwest where samples of up to 2.45 gpt gold have been obtained.
Gold mineralization has now been identified in several sandstone and carbonate units as well as within both high- and low-angle structures.
The San Antonio property was the focus of both historic small-scale underground mining at the turn of the century and a small surface excavation which was completed within the past 20 years. The most recent surface excavation consists of a cut approximately 110 metres long, 5-10 metres wide and 10-30 metres deep that has been sampled by the Company. Sampling within the excavation has produced excellent results previously reported in HDG PR10-10, May 19, 2010.
Historically, the material from the excavation was placed on heaps for leaching with the higher grade material trucked offsite for processing. Bulk sampling by HDG of the material on one of the old leach pads (which appears to have been subjected to leaching) returned average values of 1.8 gpt gold and 35.3 gpt silver. Bulk sampling of a smaller pad, which does not appear to have been subjected to leaching, returned average values of 3.1 gpt gold and 40.4 gpt silver.
Assays were performed by ALS Chemex ("ALS") which is an ISO 9001:2000 certified laboratory. Gold was analyzed by the Au-AA23 method, with values >10 gpt re-assayed using Au- GRA21. All other elements were analyzed by the ME-MS41 method. Assays on the most recent chip samples mentioned in the first paragraph from San Antonio were performed by Inspectorate Laboratories, an ISO 9001:2000 Certified laboratory located in Reno, Nevada. Gold is analyzed by the Au-1AT-AA method that includes 1 assay tonne fire assay with an AA finish. Gold values greater than 2 gpt were re-assayed using the Au-1AT-GV method that includes a 1 assay tonne fire assay with a gravimetric finish.
The San Antonio property consists of 4 concessions acquired through location and purchase by HDG which cover a total of 4,230 hectares.
The Qualified Person on the San Antonio project is Randall Moore, EVP Exploration and a certified professional geologist. He has reviewed the content of this press release.
Source: High Desert Gold Corporation