The overall strike length of the gold mineralized corridor now extends southward for 1.2 km from the north end of the current Marathon deposit resource pit shell and remains open on-strike to the southwest (Figure 1). Drill core assays are pending.
"The intersection of good visual mineralization in 200 meter step-out drill holes is very exciting as we continue our exploration of target areas identified under now frozen bog covered ground to the southwest of the current Marathon Deposit resource pit shell. The gold mineralized corridor of the Marathon Deposit area now extends southward along strike for 1.2 km with numerous additional and highly perspective geophysical cross structure targets yet to be investigated," said Phillip Walford, President and CEO of Marathon. "Our focus continues to be developing a critical mass of open pit resources at the Valentine Gold Camp and our winter drilling program continues to advance this goal."
The 2016 metallurgical program has started with drill core samples received by Thibault and Associates Inc., the metallurgical laboratory that completed the 2014 metallurgical program. The Marathon Deposit will be tested for gravity, floatation and cyanidation of the concentrates. Preliminary heap leach testing is also underway to determine if this cost effective processing method could be viable for both the Leprechaun and Marathon deposit materials. The company has made an application to the Research and Development Corporation of Newfoundland and Labrador (RDC) for a research grant in support this metallurgical study. The 2014 program received a grant for 75% of costs.
All of the samples were fire assayed at Eastern Analytical Laboratory Ltd., in Springdale, Newfoundland.
Marathon Gold Corporation acknowledges the financial support of the JEA Program, Department of Natural Resources, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Sherry Dunsworth, M.Sc., P. Geo., VP of Exploration, Marathon's Qualified Person, has reviewed the contents for accuracy and has approved this press release on behalf of Marathon.