Hole IC-18-75 returns 583 meters of 0.59
gpt gold and 0.41% copperIron Cap’s enhanced size
and higher grade likely to change KSM mine plan
The first two holes completed in this summer’s drilling on the Iron
Cap deposit at Seabridge Gold’s (TSX:SEA) (NYSE:SA) 100%-owned KSM
project in north western British Columbia, Canada have intersected
some exceptional widths of gold and copper mineralization with
grades exceeding the KSM resource average (see map and
cross-sections). Results from another 12 holes are expected in the
next several weeks.
This year’s principal exploration objectives
were to test the down plunge projection of the high-grade core zone
of the Iron Cap Deposit to the west of the current resource and
evaluate the relative positioning between Iron Cap and the
currently planned alignment of the Mitchell-Treaty Tunnel (MTT).
Due to its proximity to the MTT and its higher grade, Iron Cap
could potentially improve KSM’s economics by mining it before the
Kerr deposit. The 2018 program successfully tested the down plunge
projection of the Iron Cap core zone, assessed the distribution of
post-mineral intrusions on the south end of the Iron Cap deposit
and obtained data for the re-alignment of the proposed MTT to avoid
conflicts with mining operations.
Seabridge Chairman and CEO Rudi Fronk commented:
“Site conditions were challenging for this program, but we have
still been able to realise the progress we anticipated. Our
expectation is to extend and improve our resource model for Iron
Cap, which is on course to becoming one of the best deposits in the
KSM complex. A new resource estimate should be completed in the
first quarter of the new year.”
Results from two holes on the Iron Cap target
are:
2018 Iron Cap Drill Results
Hole ID |
Hole Length (meters) |
From (meters) |
To (meters) |
Thickness (meters) |
Gold Grade (g/T) |
Copper Grade (%) |
Silver Grade (g/T) |
IC-18-74 |
855.4 |
802.5 |
855.4 |
52.9 |
0.70 |
0.34 |
3.7 |
IC-18-74B |
1687.8 |
837.5 |
872.0 |
34.6 |
0.46 |
0.43 |
11.2 |
967.1 |
1199.3 |
232.2 |
0.30 |
0.25 |
1.0 |
1270.3 |
1354.1 |
83.8 |
0.42 |
0.29 |
1.1 |
1412.2 |
1508.1 |
95.9 |
0.38 |
0.35 |
1.2 |
IC-18-75 |
1662.1
includingincluding |
878.3 |
914.3 |
36.1 |
0.54 |
0.39 |
1.3 |
991.6 |
1574.3 |
582.7 |
0.59 |
0.41 |
1.4 |
1063.3 |
1158.3 |
95.0 |
0.84 |
0.62 |
1.1 |
1192.3 |
1250.2 |
57.9 |
1.00 |
0.44 |
1.5 |
The drill holes reported above were designed to
test down plunge and across the Iron Cap deposit. Intervals
reported are approximately normal to the strike of the mineralized
zone, however hole orientations vary as collar locations are
restricted due to topography. Additional drilling is required to
confirm this thickness, which is anticipated as development
progresses.Hole IC-18-74 was collared northwest of the existing
resource to test the plunge projection of the resource toward the
MTT. The Sulphurets Thrust Fault (STF) was intersected at 768
meters for a distance of 61.6 meters. Below the STF was an
intensely sheared interval of intrusive rocks that continued to 855
meters. Drilling through this 89 meters of sheared, broken
gouge zone presented numerous technical problem and after several
days the hole was abandoned in favor of a wedged deviation hole
IC-18-74B.
Diamond drill hole IC-18-74B was collared
northwest of the existing resource to test the plunge projection of
the deposit 300 meters east of the proposed intersection of the
MTT. In this hole the STF was encountered at 768 meters and
continued for about 80 meters in thickness. This abnormally thick
intersection of the STF is thought to be caused by a strike change
on the fault toward the north. Below the thrust fault, the hole
encountered variably mineralized mixed intrusive rock and thermally
metamorphosed sedimentary or hornfelsed rocks, indicative of the
margin of the Iron Cap zone. From 815 to 1525 meters, the hole
passed through the down dip projection of the Iron Cap zone, which
returned mineralization similar to results obtained in 2017.
Drill hole IC-18-75 was collared in the central
part the resource and drilled steeply into the plunge projection of
Iron Cap. The STF was intersected between 835 and 856 meters, and
below it a zone of mixed, altered sedimentary and brecciated rocks
was found characteristic of the margins of the Iron Cap zone. At
920 meters the hole passed out of the mixed marginal rocks into the
main Iron Cap zone with results as predicted.
Mineral reserves and resources at KSM are as
follows (see the Company's website
athttp://www.seabridgegold.net/resources.php for more details):
Proven and Probable Mineral
Reserves
ReserveCategory |
Tonnes (millions) |
Average Grades |
Contained Metal |
Gold (gpt) |
Copper(%) |
Silver(gpt) |
Moly(ppm) |
Gold(millionounces) |
Copper(millionpounds) |
Silver(millionounces) |
Moly(millionpounds) |
Proven |
460 |
0.68 |
0.17 |
3.1 |
59.2 |
10.1 |
1,767 |
45 |
60 |
Probable |
1,738 |
0.51 |
0.22 |
2.5 |
38.2 |
28.7 |
8,388 |
138 |
147 |
Total |
2,198 |
0.55 |
0.21 |
2.6 |
42.6 |
38.8 |
10,155 |
183 |
207 |
Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources
(inclusive of Proven and Probable Reserves)
Resource Category |
Tonnes (000) |
Gold |
Copper |
Silver |
Molybdenum |
Grade (g/t) |
Ounces (000) |
Grade (%) |
Pounds (millions) |
Grade (g/t) |
Ounces (000) |
Grade (ppm) |
Pounds (millions) |
Measured |
750,100 |
0.63 |
15,127 |
0.17 |
2,844 |
3.2 |
77,399 |
58 |
96 |
Indicated |
2,174,400 |
0.49 |
34,103 |
0.23 |
10,879 |
2.5 |
175,309 |
53 |
217 |
Total |
2,924,500 |
0.52 |
49,230 |
0.21 |
13,723 |
2.7 |
252,708 |
55 |
313 |
Inferred Mineral Resources
Deposit |
Tonnes (000) |
Gold |
Copper |
Silver |
Molybdenum |
Grade (g/t) |
Ounces (000) |
Grade (%) |
Pounds (millions) |
Grade (g/t) |
Ounces (000) |
Grade (ppm) |
Pounds (millions) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mitchell |
478,400 |
0.38 |
6,414 |
0.10 |
1,232 |
3.0 |
48,723 |
55 |
55 |
Sulphurets |
182,300 |
0.46 |
2,696 |
0.14 |
563 |
1.3 |
7,619 |
28 |
11 |
Kerr |
2,001,500 |
0.31 |
19,746 |
0.41 |
17,672 |
2.1 |
133,689 |
23 |
103 |
Iron Cap |
1,297,400 |
0.48 |
20,023 |
0.30 |
8,579 |
2.9 |
120,970 |
34 |
97 |
Totals |
3,959,600 |
0.38 |
48,879 |
0.32 |
28,046 |
2.4 |
311,001 |
34 |
266 |
Note: Mineral Resources which are not
Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.
Seabridge believes it is reasonable to expect that the majority of
Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral
Resources with continued exploration.
Exploration activities by Seabridge at the KSM
Project are being conducted under the supervision of William E.
Threlkeld, Registered Professional Geologist, a Senior Vice
President of the Company and a Qualified Person as defined by
National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Threlkeld has reviewed and approved
this news release. An ongoing and rigorous quality control/quality
assurance protocol is employed in all Seabridge drilling campaigns.
The sampling program includes blank, duplicates and reference
standards, with all copper assays that exceed 0.25% Cu re-analyzed
using ore grade analytical techniques. Cross-check analyses are
conducted at a second external laboratory on at least 10% of the
drill samples. Samples are assayed at ALS Chemex Laboratory,
Vancouver, B.C., using fire assay atomic adsorption methods for
gold and ICP methods for other elements.
Seabridge holds a 100% interest in several North
American gold projects. The Company's principal assets are the KSM
Project and Iskut Project located near Stewart, British Columbia,
Canada and the Courageous Lake gold project located in Canada's
Northwest Territories. For a full breakdown of Seabridge's mineral
reserves and mineral resources by category please visit the
Company's website at
http://www.seabridgegold.net/resources.php.
Neither the Toronto Stock Exchange, New York
Stock Exchange, nor their Regulation Services Providers accepts
responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
All reserve and resource estimates
reported by the Company were calculated in accordance with the
Canadian National Instrument 43-101 and the Canadian Institute of
Mining and Metallurgy Classification system. These standards differ
significantly from the requirements of the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission. Mineral resources which are not mineral
reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.
This document contains "forward-looking
information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation
and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United
States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This
information and these statements, referred to herein as
"forward-looking statements" are made as of the date of this
document. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or
future performance and reflect current estimates, predictions,
expectations or beliefs regarding future events and include, but
are not limited to, statements with respect to: (i) the timing of
receipt and announcement of further drilling results and of
completion of an updated resource estimate; (ii) the expectation of
extending and improving the Iron Cap resource model and that Iron
Cap is on course to becoming one of the best deposits in the KSM
complex; (iii) the potential for the economics of mining a larger
and higher grade Iron Cap Deposit being better than the economics
of mining the Kerr Deposit such that it warrants warrant moving it
Iron Cap ahead of the Kerr Deposit in the KSM mine plan, thereby
potentially improving overall project economics; (iv) abnormally
thick intersection of the STF being caused by a strike change on
the fault toward the north; and (v) the estimated amount and grade
of mineral reserves and resources at KSM. Any statements that
express or involve discussions with respect to predictions,
expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives or future
events or performance (often, but not always, using words or
phrases such as "expects", "anticipates", "plans", "projects",
"estimates", "envisages", "assumes", "intends", "strategy",
"goals", "objectives" or variations thereof or stating that certain
actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or
"will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of
these terms and similar expressions) are not statements of
historical fact and may be forward-looking statements.
All forward-looking statements are based
on Seabridge's or its consultants' current beliefs as well as
various assumptions made by them and information currently
available to them. The principle assumptions are listed above, but
others include: (i) the ability to grow resources at the Iron Cap
deposit at grades more valuable than the Kerr deposit; (ii) the
presence of and continuity of metals at the Project between drill
holes, including at modeled grades; (ii) the capacities of various
machinery and equipment; (iii) the availability of personnel,
machinery and equipment at estimated prices; (iv) exchange rates;
(v) metals sales prices; (vi) block net smelter return values;
(vii) conceptual cave footprints, draw points and heights; (viii)
appropriate discount rates; (ix) tax rates and royalty rates
applicable to the proposed mining operation; (x) financing
structure and costs; (xi) anticipated mining losses and dilution;
(xii) metallurgical performance; (xiii) reasonable contingency
requirements; (xiv) success in realizing proposed operations; (xv)
receipt of regulatory approvals on acceptable terms; and (xvi) the
negotiation of satisfactory terms with impacted Treaty and First
Nations groups. Although management considers these assumptions to
be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they
may prove to be incorrect. Many forward-looking statements are made
assuming the correctness of other forward looking statements, such
as statements of net present value and internal rates of return,
which are based on most of the other forward-looking statements and
assumptions herein. The cost information is also prepared using
current values, but the time for incurring the costs will be in the
future and it is assumed costs will remain stable over the relevant
period.
By their very nature, forward-looking
statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general
and specific, and risks exist that estimates, forecasts,
projections and other forward-looking statements will not be
achieved or that assumptions do not reflect future experience. We
caution readers not to place undue reliance on these
forward-looking statements as a number of important factors could
cause the actual outcomes to differ materially from the beliefs,
plans, objectives, expectations, anticipations, estimates
assumptions and intentions expressed in such forward-looking
statements. These risk factors may be generally stated as the risk
that the assumptions and estimates expressed above do not occur,
but specifically include, without limitation: risks relating to
variations in the mineral content within the material identified as
mineral reserves or mineral resources from that predicted;
variations in rates of recovery and extraction; developments in
world metals markets; risks relating to fluctuations in the
Canadian dollar relative to the US dollar; increases in the
estimated capital and operating costs or unanticipated costs;
difficulties attracting the necessary work force; increases in
financing costs or adverse changes to the terms of available
financing, if any; tax rates or royalties being greater than
assumed; changes in development or mining plans due to changes in
logistical, technical or other factors; changes in project
parameters as plans continue to be refined; risks relating to
receipt of regulatory approvals or settlement of an agreement with
impacted First Nations groups; the effects of competition in the
markets in which Seabridge operates; operational and infrastructure
risks and the additional risks described in Seabridge's Annual
Information Form filed with SEDAR in Canada (available at
www.sedar.com) for the year ended December
31, 2017 and in the Company's Annual Report Form 40-F filed with
the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on EDGAR (available
at www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml).
Seabridge cautions that the foregoing list of factors that may
affect future results is not exhaustive.
When relying on our forward-looking statements to make
decisions with respect to Seabridge, investors and others should
carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties
and potential events. Seabridge does not undertake to update any
forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be
made from time to time by Seabridge or on our behalf, except as
required by law.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD"Rudi Fronk"Chairman and
CEO
For additional information please contact:Rudi
Fronk, Chairman and CEOTel: (416) 367-9292
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