Ridgeline Minerals Trenches Bonanza Grade Copper at the Big Blue Project, NV
Includes 0.6 metres grading 15.5% Copper
To view a summary of today’s press release by Ridgeline CEO Chad Peters, click HERE
Vancouver, Canada, June 19, 2023 – Ridgeline Minerals Corp. (“Ridgeline” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: RDG | OTCQB: RDGMF | FRA: 0GC0) is pleased to announce bonanza grade copper samples returning up to 15.5% from surface trenching at the Big Blue Project, (“Big Blue” or the “Project“) a porphyry/skarn copper (“Cu”) – gold (“Au”) – silver (“Ag”) exploration prospect located directly adjacent to Reyna Silver’s Medicine Springs CRD discovery in Elko County, Nevada (Figure 1). Ridgeline geologists collected eighteen continuous trench samples at two trench locations and fourteen surface rock chip samples in May 2023. Trench sampling confirmed historically reported mine grades (see February 9, 2023 press release HERE) at the past producing Delker Mine while wide-spaced reconnaissance rock chip sampling effectively doubled the mineralized footprint of the known system. Highlight results are detailed below.
Chad Peters, Ridgeline’s President & CEO commented, “We knew Big Blue was a high-grade copper skarn when we staked it, however, today’s trenching results have exceeded expectations. What gets us especially excited is that the bonanza grades at the Delker Mine represent the oxidized skarn portion of a potentially much larger porphyry copper system feeding the entire district; and we suspect that this porphyry lies to the southwest under shallow valley cover on Ridgeline’s ground. Our geologists are anxious to begin backpack drilling in June where they will target the projection of high-grade copper mineralization on trend of the Delker Mine, which currently exhibits a mineralized strike of over 1.5 kilometers towards the Skarn Hill adit to the southwest. We are still piecing together the story at Big Blue, and we anticipate additional porphyry and CRD targets to quickly develop as we continue to build out our geologic model and prepare the project for a maiden drill campaign.”
Trench Assay Highlights:
- Trench 1 (Delker Mine): 0.6 metres (“m”) grading 15.5% Cu, 0.18 g/t Ag and 0.1% cobalt (“Co”) within 2.4 m grading 4.6% Cu, 0.52 g/t Ag and 0.06% Co (Picture 1 & Figure 1)
- Note that trench sampling was conducted across the face and roof or “back” of the Delker Mine adit with the core of the mineralized horizon mined out during historical mining activities in 1916-1917
- Trench 1 is the first instance of strongly elevated cobalt mineralization sampled on the project
- Backpack drilling on-strike of the Delker Mine is required to better understand the potential true thickness of the mineralized Cu horizon, which is currently estimated at 5-7 m based on observed mining dimensions at the historical Delker Mine
- Sampling procedures: Trench samples were broken out by primary lithologic contacts followed by sub-samples based on alteration and mineralization to minimize sample bias and ensure consistent sampling across the trench interval. True thickness of sample intervals is estimated at 90%+ as all samples were taken perpendicular to bedding and lithologic contacts whenever possible (Picture 2)
For a full table of Trench sample assays click HERE
Rock Chip Highlights:
- Select rock chip samples returned grades up to 10.8% Cu, 0.10 g/t Au, 4.51 g/t Ag (sample #32) and 5.8% Cu, 0.07 g/t Au, 0.63 g/t Ag (sample #21) (Figure 2)
A total of fourteen rock chip samples were collected in May 2023 ranging from 0.01-10.8% Cu, below detection limit (“BDL”) – 0.10 g/t Au and 0.10 – 4.51 g/t Ag (avg. 2.0% Cu, 0.02 g/t Au, 0.59 g/t Ag)
For a full table of rock chip sample assays click HERE
Figure 1: Plan view map showing high-grade Cu-Ag-Co trench results at the Delker Mine as well as rock chips taken throughout the Delker Mine and Skarn Hill target area
Figure 2: Plan view map of the Delker Mine area showing high-grade trenches and rock chips (Cu%). Mineralization directly associated with NE trending felsic dike swarm, which will be targeted with Ridgeline operated backpack drilling at up to six permitted drill sites in late Q2 2023
Picture 1: Photo of VP Exploration Mike Harp pointing at high-grade sample location taken at the face of the historical Delker Mine adit. Sample #11 returned 0.6m grading 15.5% Cu, 0.18 g/t Ag and 0.1% Co
Picture 2: Delker Mine adit photo showing sample intervals and Cu grades from Trench 1. Note that sample #11 was taken from the roof or “back” located inside of the adit (see inset photo)
Big Blue Project
Big Blue is located in Elko County, Nevada, approximately seventy-five kilometers (“km”) southeast of the city of Elko, NV. The project includes the past producing Delker Mine, which produced a reported 94,434 pounds of copper at an average grade of 6.2% Cu between 1916-1917 1 and shares its southern boundary with Reyna Silver’s Medicine Springs Ag-Pb-Zn Carbonate Replacement (“CRD”) project. Mineralization occurs as high-grade skarn located proximal to northeast trending felsic dikes that are interpreted as bleeding off a potential porphyry source in the valley, which has never been drill-tested. The primary target at Big Blue is porphyry-skarn Cu ± Au-Ag mineralization, which may be the source of distal CRD mineralization at Medicine Springs – analogous to the Butte Valley porphyry Cu-Au system inferred to be a source of CRD mineralization at the Company’s nearby Selena project. A large portion of the Project is covered by shallow, post-mineral gravels covering a roughly five (5) km target area resulting in limited surface expression of the porphyry system. The 100% owned Project is comprised of a total of 29 square kilometers of highly prospective exploration ground that has seen limited exploration since the early 1900’s and will benefit from the Ridgeline teams systematic approach to discovery (view Ridgeline’s Corporate Deck HERE).
QAQC Procedures
Samples are submitted to American Assay Laboratories (AAL) of Sparks, Nevada, which is a certified and accredited laboratory, independent of the Company. Samples are prepared using industry-standard prep methods and analysed using FA-PB30-ICP (Au; 30 g fire assay) and ICP-5AM48 (48 element Suite; 0.5 g 5-acid digestion/ICP-MS) methods. AAL also undertakes its own internal coarse and pulp duplicate analysis to ensure proper sample preparation and equipment calibration. Independent check samples are sent to Paragon Geochemical Labs (PAL) of Sparks, Nevada, which is a certified and accredited laboratory, independent of the Company. Ridgeline’s QA/QC program includes regular insertion of CRM standards, duplicates, and blanks into the sample stream with a stringent review of all results completed by the Company’s Qualified Person, Michael T. Harp, Vice President, Exploration. Technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Michael T. Harp, CPG. the Company’s Vice President, Exploration, who is Ridgeline’s Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 and responsible for technical matters of this release.
About Ridgeline Minerals Corp.
Ridgeline is a discovery focused gold-silver explorer with a proven management team and a 192 km² exploration portfolio across six projects in Nevada and Idaho, USA. More information about Ridgeline can be found at www.RidgelineMinerals.com
On behalf of the Board
“Chad Peters”
President & CEO
Further Information:
Chad Peters, P.Geo.
President & CEO
Ridgeline Minerals Corp.
1-866-RDG-NVAU (734-6828) – toll free | info@ridgelineminerals.com
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.
Cautionary Note regarding Forward Looking Statements
Statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts are “forward-looking information” or “forward-looking statements” (collectively, “Forward-Looking Information”) within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-Looking Information includes, but is not limited to, the anticipated benefits of the Earn-In Agreement and the transaction contemplated thereby. The words “potential”, “anticipate”, “meaningful”, “discovery”, “forecast”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “may”, “will”, “project”, “plan”, “historical”, “historic” and similar expressions are intended to be among the statements that identify Forward-Looking Information. Forward-Looking Information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by the Forward-Looking Information. In preparing the Forward-Looking Information in this news release, Ridgeline has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to, assumptions that TSX Venture Exchange approval will be granted in a timely manner subject only to standard conditions; the current objectives concerning the Project can be achieved and that its other corporate activities will proceed as expected; that general business and economic conditions will not change in a materially adverse manner; and that all requisite information will be available in a timely manner. Forward-Looking Information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of Ridgeline to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the Forward-Looking Information. Such risks and other factors include, among others, risks related to dependence on key personnel; risks related to unforeseen delays; risks related to historical data that has not been verified by the Company; as well as those factors discussed in Ridgeline’s public disclosure record. Although Ridgeline has attempted to identify important factors that could affect Ridgeline and may cause actual actions, events, or results to differ materially from those described in Forward-Looking Information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that Forward-Looking Information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on Forward-Looking Information. Except as required by law, Ridgeline does not assume any obligation to release publicly any revisions to Forward-Looking Information contained in this news release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
Sources
1Delker Mine Historic Production (Page 57): Smith, R.M., 1976, Mineral resources of Elko County, Nevada: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 76-56, 201 p.
2Medicine Springs Results: https://reynasilver.com/system/uploads/RS-PressRelease-20230117.pdf