AU Aurion Resources Ltd

• Drill intersects, including 8.08 g/t Au over 6.75 m and 3.00 g/t Au over 16.25 m, extend gold mineralized system 200 m along strike at the Vanha prospect (Kaaresselkä area)
• Scout holes intersect gold mineralization in the northwestern part of the Risti property
• Elevated gold grain counts, up to 950 gold grains, from heavy mineral sampling in the western part of the Risti property

ST. JOHN'S, NL, Jan. 13, 2025 /CNW/ - Aurion Resources Ltd. (TSXV: AU) (OTCQX: AIRRF) ("Aurion" or the "Company") announces results for five holes and two extensions drilled at the Kaaresselkä area, six scout holes drilled at the western part of the Risti property and a heavy mineral sampling program performed at the western area of the wholly owned Risti property, located in the Central Lapland Greenstone Belt in northern Finland.

Summary

• The mineralized system at the Vanha prospect (Kaaresselkä area) extended approximately 200 m along strike to the east
  • 8.08 g/t Au over 6.75 m from 186.95 m (KS24091)
  • 3.00 g/t Au over 16.25 m from 135.75 m (KS24092)
  • 3.33 g/t Au over 2.70 m from 216.00 m and 3.07 g/t over 1.40 m from 232.00 m (KS24088)
  • Gold mineralized system intersected over 800 m strike length and to 200 m depth at Vanha and remains open in multiple directions
• Scout holes intersect gold mineralization in the northwestern part of the Risti property
  • 3.33 g/t Au over 1.55 m from 235.60 m (HE24015)
  • All three holes drilled in the NW corner of the Risti property intersected gold mineralization
• Elevated gold grain counts, up to 950 gold grains, from heavy mineral sampling in the western part of the Risti property
  • Several samples with elevated gold grain counts in previously untested areas, for example along the interpreted 15 km long structural corridor between the Kaaresselkä area and the Vuoma discovery (B2Gold-Aurion JV)
• Preparations for winter drilling program are ongoing

Comments
"Aurion continues to grow the mineralized system at Kaaresselkä (Vanha prospect) efficiently. All recent holes intersected gold, including 8.08 g/t Au over 6.75 m and 3.00 g/t Au over 16.25 m, extending the mineralized system from 600 m to 800 m along strike." commented Matti Talikka, CEO of Aurion. "In addition, our target generative programs have yielded positive results by intersecting gold mineralized zones in the NW corner of the Risti property as well as identifying areas with high gold grain counts (up to 950) in heavy mineral samples from previously untested areas, for example along the interpreted structural trend that extends 15 km between the Kaaresselkä area and the Vuoma (Aurion-B2Gold JV) discovery."

Figures associated with this release can be viewed at: https://aurionresources.com/site/assets/files/1563/nr2501-figures.pdf.

Kaaresselkä prospect
Aurion drilled five new holes and extended two previous holes, totaling 1,596.50 m, in the Kaaresselkä area (Figures 1, 2 and 3). The holes targeted interpreted structural and geophysical features with an aim to identify and/or extend the gold mineralized system.

All holes drilled at the Vanha prospect and reported in this press release intersected zones of gold mineralization. According to the recent results, the Vanha mineralized system is interpreted to extend 200 m towards east.  All Vanha holes intersected broad zones of strongly deformed and hydrothermally altered rocks associated with gold mineralization.

The gold mineralized system at Vanha is interpreted to extend over 800 m along strike and to at least 200 m depth. The gold mineralization is open along strike and at depth. Scout drill holes, which intersected gold 1.8 km to the west and 600 m to the east of the Vanha prospect (press release Nov 13, 2023), highlight the potential for an extensive gold mineralized system in the Kaaresselkä area.

The Kaaresselkä area is located 15 km east of the recent Vuoma discovery (28.64 g/t Au over 4.90 m) by Aurion-B2Gold JV, along the mainly unexplored, structural corridor that extends over 25 km within Aurion's fully owned Risti property and the JV property with B2Gold.

The gold mineralization at Vanha is mainly hosted by highly deformed and altered (silica, sericite, albite) mafic volcanic and metasedimentary rocks with minor to moderate amounts of fine-grained sulphide minerals including pyrite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, galena, sphalerite and arsenopyrite in varying quantities. The higher-grade intervals are mainly hosted within silicified and brecciated zones with a moderate amount of sulphides. Elevated levels of base metals, including copper, were encountered in several holes.

The geologic setting and the style of mineralization at Kaaresselkä resembles several recent and past discoveries such as Helmi (Aurion-B2Gold JV) and Ikkari (Rupert Resources) as well as the past producing Saattopora mine.

Drill hole descriptions
Drill hole KS24088 is located in the eastern Vanha area, collared 200 m southeast of KS22027, drilled to the north and targeted the interpreted domain boundary and a geophysical anomaly. KS24088 intersected several mineralized intervals including 3.33 g/t Au over 2.70 m from 216.00 m, 3.07 g/t Au over 1.40 m from 232.00 m and 0.36 g/t Au over 6.00 m from 344.80 m. Other samples with elevated gold (≥0.1 g/t) were also encountered. The intercepts of 3.33 g/t Au over 2.70 m from 216.00 m and 3.07 g/t Au over 1.40 m from 232.00 m are interpreted to extend the mineralized system deeper and to the east in the eastern part of the Vanha Main trend.

Drill hole KS24089 is located in the western Vanha area, collared 25 m southeast of KS24079, drilled to the southwest and targeted potential mineralization east of KS24079. KS24089 intersected several mineralized intervals including 0.42 g/t Au over 2.25 m from 176.35 m and 1.20 g/t Au over 0.60 m from 200.85 m. Other samples with elevated gold (≥0.1 g/t) were also encountered. The mineralized intercepts are interpreted to be part of the Vanha Main trend.

Drill hole KS24090 is located in the eastern Vanha area, collared 225 m northwest of KS24088, drilled to the south and targeted the potential extension of mineralization of the Vanha Main trend. KS24090 intersected several mineralized intervals including 0.32 g/t Au over 5.85 m from 129.75 m and 1.13 g/t Au over 1.55 m from 183.80 m. Other samples with elevated gold (≥0.1 g/t) were also encountered. The intercepts are interpreted to extend the mineralized system deeper and to the east in the eastern part of the Vanha Main trend.

Drill hole KS24091 is located in the eastern Vanha area, collared 55 m northeast of KS24090, drilled to the south and targeted the potential extension of mineralization of the Vanha Main trend. KS24091 intersected several mineralized intervals such as 8.08 g/t Au over 6.75 m from 186.95 m including 16.03 g/t Au over 2.85 m from 188.15 m (Figure 4). Other samples with elevated gold (≥0.1 g/t) were also encountered. The intercept of 8.08 g/t Au over 6.75 m from 186.95 m is interpreted to extend the mineralized system deeper and to the east in the eastern part of the Vanha Main trend.

Drill hole KS24092 is located in the eastern Vanha area, collared 62 m north of KS20003, drilled to the south and targeted the potential depth extension of mineralization intersected in KS20003 (1.47 g/t Au over 4.00 m from 45.75 m). KS24092 intersected several mineralized intervals such as 3.00 g/t Au over 16.25 m from 135.75 m including 7.51 g/t Au over 4.90 m from 144.95 m. This intercept is interpreted to extend the mineralized system deeper and to the east in the eastern part of the Vanha Main trend as well as extending the mineralization in KS20003 approximately 75 m deeper.

Previous drill holes, KS23062 and KS24080, located in the western Vanha area, were extended to further test geological features and potential mineralization. Each hole intersected one mineralized interval and one other sample with elevated gold (≥0.1 g/t).

Scout drill program
A total of six scout drill holes, totaling 1,340.50 m, were drilled in the western part ("Heinä area") of the Risti property (Figure 1). The holes tested interpreted geological, geochemical and geophysical features with an aim to provide information on the geological setting in selected areas.

Scout hole HE24014 is located in the northwest corner of the Risti property and drilled to the north-northwest. HE24014 intersected a mineralized interval of 0.26 g/t Au over 2.45 m from 84.35 m along with several other samples with elevated gold (≥0.1 g/t). The mineralization is mainly hosted within altered sandstone.

Scout hole HE24015 is located in the northwest corner of the Risti property, collared 220 m west of HE24014, and drilled to the north-northwest. HE24015 intersected several mineralized intervals including 3.33 g/t Au over 1.55 m from 235.60 m. One other sample with elevated gold (≥0.1 g/t) was also encountered. The mineralization is hosted within altered sandstone.

Scout hole HE24016 is located in the northwest corner of the Risti property, collared on section with HE24014, and drilled to the north-northwest. HE24016 intersected a mineralized interval of 0.44 g/t Au over 8.00 m from 115.00 m hosted within altered sandstone.

Scout holes HE24017, HE24018 and HE24019 are located in the southwest corner of the Risti property. HE24019 intersected one sample with elevated gold (≥0.1 g/t).

Heavy mineral sampling
During 2024 a total of 37 test pits were excavated in the western part of the Risti property (Figure 1). The pits were dug with an excavator and reached a maximum depth of 6 m. One or more samples, comprising either till, boulders or bedrock were collected from each pit at the geologist's discretion depending on the material encountered. Till samples (+/- weathered bedrock) from the base of each pit were dry screened at -10 mm and a 5-litre (10-12 kg) sieved till sample was bagged at each site. The till samples were later submitted to a contractor, Palsatech Oy, for processing and observation.

Upon receipt of the samples, each sample was wet-sieved to produce a -2 mm fraction. A pressure washer was used to clean sieves between samples. The -2 mm fraction was passed through a Knelson concentrator or hand-panned to create a -2 mm heavy mineral fraction. The -2 mm heavy mineral fraction was wet-sieved and the -­0.5 mm fraction was micro-panned. The final -0.5 mm heavy mineral concentrate (HMC) was observed using a binocular microscope and gold grains, sulphides, and accessory minerals were picked out. A total of 38 HMC samples were processed during 2024, two of which were QAQC duplicates.

Knelson gold grain counts ranged between 10 and 950 grains with three samples having ≥100 gold grains and 16 samples having ≥50 gold grains. The shape of the observed gold grains is mostly angular or subangular indicating local or nearby sources for the gold grains.

Many of the samples with elevated gold grain count values occur along or in the vicinity of interpreted structural features. This indicates the potential existence for structurally controlled gold mineralization in previously untested areas, for example between the Kaaresselkä area (Aurion 100%) and the Vuoma discovery (Aurion-B2Gold JV) along the interpreted structural corridor in the southern part of the Risti property.

Quality Assurance and Quality Control
All drill core samples were delivered to the ALS preparation facility in Sodankylä, Finland where sample preparation work was completed. All analytical work was completed at ALS facilities in Loughrea, Ireland and Rosia Montana, Romania. ALS is an internationally accredited lab and is ISO compliant (ISO 9001:2008, ISO/IEC 17025:2005). Samples were analyzed for gold using either the Au-AA26 procedure (50 g fire assay with AAS finish: Lower Detection Limit ("LDL") 0.01 g/t gold; Upper Detection Limit ("UDL") 100 g/t gold) or they were analyzed for gold, platinum and palladium using the PGM-ICP24 procedure (50 g fire assay with ICP-AES finish: LDL 0.001 g/t gold, 0.005 g/t platinum, 0.001 g/t palladium; UDL 10 g/t gold, 10 g/t platinum, 10 g/t palladium) or the PGM-ICP23 procedure (30 g fire assay with ICP-AES finish: LDL 0.001 g/t gold, 0.005 g/t platinum, 0.001 g/t palladium; UDL 10 g/t gold, 10 g/t platinum, 10 g/t palladium). Select samples were analyzed by Au-SCR24 1kg, Screen Fire Assay Au (0.05-1,000 ppm) by 1kg screen fire assay (50 g nominal sample weight). The sample pulp (1kg) is passed through a 100-micron stainless steel screen. Any material remaining on the screen (>100 micron) is retained and analyzed in its entirety by fire assay with gravimetric finish and reported as the Au (+) fraction. The material passing through the screen (<100 micron) is homogenized and two sub-samples are analyzed by fire assay with AAS finish. The average of the two AAS results is taken and reported as the Au (-) fraction result. All three values are used in calculating the combined gold content of the plus and minus fractions. The gold values for both the (+) 100 and (-) 100 micron fractions are reported together with the weight of each fraction as well as the calculated total gold content of the sample. Multi-element analysis (ME-ICP61, four-acid digestion, 35 element ICP-AES) was completed on all samples. Certified standards and blanks were inserted every 10 samples. ALS has its own QA/QC protocol using standards, blanks and duplicates.

This news release has been reviewed by Andrew Hussey, P.Geo., GIS Geologist and Database Manager for Aurion Resources, a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. For more information on these projects please visit our website at www.aurionresources.com.

About Aurion Resources Ltd.
Aurion Resources Ltd. (Aurion) is a well-funded, Canadian exploration company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSX-V: AU) and the OTCQX Best Market (OTCQX: AIRRF). Aurion's strategy is to generate or acquire early-stage precious metals exploration opportunities and advance them through direct exploration by our experienced team or by business partnerships and joint venture arrangements. Aurion's current focus is exploring on its Risti project, as well as advancing its joint venture properties with B2Gold Corp. and Kinross Gold in Finland.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,
Matti Talikka, CEO

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. 

SOURCE Aurion Resources Ltd.