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ECR Minerals plc (LON: ECR), the gold exploration and development company focussed on gold exploration in Australia, is pleased to provide results from hole BH3DD019, drilled into the north end of the Maori Reef within HR3 at Bailieston, Victoria, Australia.

ECR Minerals plc has 100% ownership of the Bailieston Project (EL5433), which is operated under its Australian wholly owned subsidiary Mercator Gold Australia Pty Ltd (“MGA”).

ECR Chairman David Tang commented: “I am delighted to report that our team of geologists headed by Adam Jones are reporting some very encouraging gold grades at hole BH3DD019. Furthermore, the epizonal mineralisation identified through the drilling work and assay results correlates with nearby deposits at Costerfield, Nagambie and Whroo mine and this is assisting with our understanding of the regional gold trend as we work towards identifying a possible ore resource.”

“As outlined below, following COVID-19 delays the assay results are now starting to flow back to us, and I look forward to announcing further results in the coming weeks.” 

SUMMARY:

• Assays from one drill hole (BH3DD019) now received. This is the deepest hole drilled under the north end of the Maori Reef and it has identified four mineralised zones. Best intercepts include 0.5m @ 9.5 g/t Au from 99.9m, 0.8m @ 4.96 g/t Au from 100.4m, 0.3m @ 4.59 g/t Au from 143.4m and 0.6m @ 6.15 g/t Au from 231.5m.
• Geological logging of visible stibnite in holes drilled into the Maori Reef also correlates well with expectations of reportable gold.
• Stibnite, arsenopyrite and gold mineralisation collectively identifies with an ‘epizonal’ style of mineralisation which is typical of the nearby deposits such as Costerfield, Nagambie and Whroo. 

BH3DD019

Hole BH3DD019, drilled into the Maori Reef at the northern limits of the historical gold workings was part of a series of 4 holes (including BH3DD012, BH3DD014, BH3DD020 and BH3DD021), designed to crosscut the HR3 goldfield to aid interpretation and identify the main faults and folding that is associated with gold mineralisation. Staffing issues at the laboratory due to COVID-19 outbreaks have resulted in slower than expected drilling reports and data over the new year period, but we are pleased to report that ECR is now starting to receive assay results from these overdue drillholes. To date BH3DD019 have been received, 3 holes are awaited.

A visual reference to the following geological notes regarding BH3DD019 is provided in figure 1:

https://www.ecrminerals.com/images/2022/Fig1.jpg

BH3DD019 was drilled due east at a dip of -58° from surface. Drilling ended at a depth of 279.5m. Geological logging of bedding has revealed a broad inclined hinge zone located around 120 metres down hole. The hinge correlates well to the inferred anticline zone which hosts the Maori Reef, and our hinge projections back up to the surface will become targeted in follow-up drilling. Two zones featuring an arsenic and antimony high within laminated quartz in faulted ground returned some of the best results including 0.5m @ 9.5 g/t Au from 99.9m followed by 0.8m @ 4.96 g.t Au from 100.4m depth. A similar zone was intersected on the east side of the hinge point where assays returned 0.3m @ 4.59 g/t Au from 143.4m. This last interval also included a visible solid stibnite vein with a drilled thickness of approximately 10cm wide.

A parasitic flexure causing two smaller hinges within the steeply east dipping bedding at 220m hosts perpendicular massive quartz veins ‘PMQ’ with interconnecting quartz stockworks. The PMQ veins form a fan pattern around the first hinge zone. Unfortunately, this hinge only carries low reportable levels of gold. Between the two parasitic hinges, a bedding laminated vein ‘BLQ’ carrying visible stibnite returned 0.6m @ 6.15 g/t Au from 231.5m downhole. The up-dip projection of this vein is not revealed at the surface and will be followed up with future drilling.

EPIZONAL MINERALISATION

Mineralisation formed at temperatures below 300°C often with associated arsenic and antimony sulphides visibly presented in drill core as arsenopyrite and stibnite is defined as ‘Epizonal’. MGA geologists are frequently recording such sulphides below the oxide level within the Maori Reef, a phenomenon that has also prompted the team to investigate how nearby gold deposits are mineralised. This investigation has shown that narrow stibnite veins with arsenopyrite have also been identified by adjacent tenement holders at the Costerfield Mine, the historic Nagambie Mine open pits and more recently at the historic Whroo Mine by ‘Mawson Gold’.

FUTURE PLANS

Geological interpretation of BH3DD019 is now providing an insight into the bigger picture of mineralisation within the HR3 Goldfield. With the assay results now flowing in more regularly, we are anticipating more targets to follow up. Although the drilling work undertaken to date is still very much in its infancy, the Directors note that no drilling campaign of this complexity and detail has ever been undertaken in this area previously. The Company’s objective is to identify the trends of gold mineralisation or ‘shoots’ and once completed, ECR expect to be able to complete an accurate assessment in regard to a possible ore resource.

ECR also recently reported that drilling into the Maori Anticline at the intersection of the Hard-Up Reef was continuing. These holes have been recently completed and assay results are awaited. Again, once completed the Directors anticipate these results will help towards identifying the gold trend.

The Company has also drilled two holes (BH3DD026 and BH3DD027) to investigate the ground underneath soil ‘anomaly A’ that was reported from soil sampling results in December 2021. Assays are also pending for these drillholes. The soil sampling also revealed three other anomalies associated with the central reef known as ‘Scoulers’ that are still to be followed up with drilling once the initial Maori Reef drilling is completed.

Table 1. Summary of drill intercepts containing reportable levels of gold greater than 0.1 g/t Au for BH3DD019 (*highlights in bold). Mineralised ‘Zones’ shown in figure 1.

BH3DD019

REVIEW OF ANNOUNCEMENT BY QUALIFIED PERSON

This announcement has been reviewed by Adam Jones, a director of ECR Minerals plc. Adam Jones is a professional geologist and is a Member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists (MAIG). He is a qualified person as that term is defined by the AIM Note for Mining, Oil and Gas Companies.

MARKET ABUSE REGULATIONS (EU) No. 596/2014

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014 (MAR). Upon the publication of this announcement via Regulatory Information Service (RIS), this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

ABOUT ECR MINERALS PLC

ECR Minerals is a mineral exploration and development company. ECR’s wholly owned Australian subsidiary Mercator Gold Australia Pty Ltd (“MGA”) has 100% ownership of the Bailieston and Creswick gold projects in central Victoria, Australia, has eight licence applications outstanding including two licence applications lodged in eastern Victoria. (Tambo gold project). MGA is currently drilling at both the Bailieston (EL5433) and Creswick (EL6148) projects and has an experienced exploration team with significant local knowledge in the Victoria Goldfields and wider region.

https://mercatorgold.com.au/

ECR also owns 100% of an Australian subsidiary LUX Exploration Pty Ltd (“LUX”) which has three licence applications covering 900 km2 covering a relatively unexplored area in Queensland, Australia.

https://luxexploration.com/

Following the sale of the Avoca, Moormbool and Timor gold projects in Victoria, Australia to Fosterville South Exploration Ltd (TSX-V: FSX) and the subsequent spin-out of the Avoca and Timor projects to Leviathan Gold Ltd (TSX-V: LVX), Mercator Gold Australia Pty Limited has the right to receive up to A$2 million in payments subject to future resource estimation or production from projects sold to Fosterville South Exploration Limited.

ECR holds a 25% interest in the Danglay gold project; an advanced exploration project located in a prolific gold and copper mining district in the north of the Philippines, which has a 43-101 compliant resource. ECR also holds a royalty on the SLM gold project in La Rioja Province, Argentina and can potentially receive up to US$2.7 million in aggregate across all licences.

ECR Minerals plc (LON: ECR), the gold exploration and development company focussed on gold exploration in Australia, is pleased to announce that further to the HR3 drilling update announced on December 22^nd, soil sample results from HR3 have identified further gold anomalies, giving further confidence in our previous geological interpretations for dilational jog zones within the HR3 goldfield at Bailieston, Victoria, Australia.

ECR Minerals plc has 100% ownership of the Bailieston Project (EL5433), which is operated under its Australian wholly owned subsidiary Mercator Gold Australia Pty Ltd (“MGA”).

ECR Chairman David Tang commented: “I said yesterday that our understanding of the Maori Anticline and HR3 had grown exponentially: this understanding has taken a further step forward today with soil sampling results that not only show a growing and extending area of anomalies, but that also support the dilational jog model outlined by our head geologist Adam Jones at holes BH3DD009, BH3DD010 and BH3DD011.”

“Along with our geologists, the board are genuinely excited at the scale and development potential of HR3. I look forward to reporting further assay results to you as they become available.”

SUMMARY:

• Gold assays from further soil sampling reveal four gold anomalies along strike of the Scoulers-Dan Genders Reef lines, with two of the anomalies within an area of limited to no historic gold workings.
• One anomaly in association with the convergent of two Reef lines fits in with the dilational jog mineralisation model recently identified in BH3DD009, BH3DD010 and BH3DD011.

Soil analysis results for an additional 160 soil samples taken across the central portion of the HR3 goldfield have been received, resulting in the identification of four gold anomalies. Samples are spatially related to the strike extents of the NW striking Scoulers and Dan Genders Reefs and the NNE striking Hard Up Reef.

Six of the 160 samples returned gold values above 0.1 g/t Au. The majority of these samples are affiliated with moderate arsenic levels (As) and high antimony levels (Sb)

The locations referred to in the following paragraphs can be found at the following link (figure 1):

https://www.ecrminerals.com/images/2021/XXXXX

Table 1. Best results for 160 soil assays (above 0.1 g/t Au) in descending order. Also showing related levels of arsenic (As) and antimony (Sb).

INTERPRETATION OF SOIL RESULTS

Anomaly A

Gold results have highlighted an anomaly associated with the south projection of the Hard Up Reef and its convergence with the Dan Genders Reef. Recent drilling of BH3DD009, BH3DD010 and BH3DD011 identified high grade gold formed within a dilational jog zone where the Hard Up Reef converges with the Maori Reef. Anomaly A has potential to be related to a similar mineralisation style. Drilling is planned to confirm this.

Anomaly B

This anomaly is situated central to the Scoulers and Dan Genders Reef lines. Ground truthing evidence shows this anomaly to be located within an area of very few historic gold workings. The company will follow up this anomaly with rock chip samples of quartz float on the sub-surface. Outcome of these results will decide on the best plan to test this location by drilling.

Anomaly C

Earlier this year (June 2020), the first soil results were released and revealed a spot anomaly of 3.75 g/t Au. This earlier best result is located at the north-east end of the trail of Anomaly C (refer to figure 1). With the additional results now received, the source of this trail can be traced back to the Scoulers Reef. There are the remains of a backfilled shallow historic shaft at the source area that by judgement of the size of the remnant mullock dump, appears to be less than 4 metres deep. There is potential to drill underneath the historic shaft.

Anomaly D

Anomaly D is located at the north end of the Scoulers Reef line. The Reef dips into deeper soils to the north as it approaches a local watercourse. As with Anomaly C, there are limited shallow historic workings at this location. Some of the highest results have been obtained in ground that has no influence from the historic workings, thereby indicating the possibility of shallow sub-cropping mineralisation. ECR has current drill permits to test this location, and it is our intention to drill Anomaly D as part of the current drilling campaign.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

Planning soil sampling in areas of previous mining will always present challenges in regard to the interpretation of results. To minimise contamination of samples from disturbance at surface by previous mining, ECR geologists take care in offsetting samples to minimise these errors. Although prospecting has taken place in the area for over 100 years by miners during the gold rush era, the technology and methodology at our disposal today can deliver worthwhile anomalous results that in some cases can revive and create value from a previously dormant goldfield.

There is a palpable sense of excitement among our team of geologists as interpretation of the extensive exploration work achieved this year is now slowly revealing the area mineralisation and considerable potential for development.

The supporting Australian team is now on a brief holiday period, returning to full working capacity on the 4^th and 5^th of January 2022. We will still be receiving assay results from recent drilling surrounding BH3DD009, 010 and 011 over the holiday period. On our return to work, the team will prioritise to drill through Anomaly A to reveal if mineralisation is similar to BH3DD009, 010 and 011. Pending results for current drilling, the rig will then finish off testing the upper end of the Maori Reef Anticline before proceeding to test Anomalies B, C and D.

REVIEW OF ANNOUNCEMENT BY QUALIFIED PERSON

This announcement has been reviewed by Adam Jones, a director of ECR Minerals plc. Adam Jones is a professional geologist and is a Member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists (MAIG). He is a qualified person as that term is defined by the AIM Note for Mining, Oil and Gas Companies.

MARKET ABUSE REGULATIONS (EU) No. 596/2014

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014 (MAR). Upon the publication of this announcement via Regulatory Information Service (RIS), this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

ABOUT ECR MINERALS PLC

ECR Minerals is a mineral exploration and development company. ECR’s wholly owned Australian subsidiary Mercator Gold Australia Pty Ltd (“MGA”) has 100% ownership of the Bailieston and Creswick gold projects in central Victoria, Australia, has eight licence applications outstanding including two licence applications lodged in eastern Victoria. (Tambo gold project). MGA is currently drilling at both the Bailieston (EL5433) and Creswick (EL6148) projects and has an experienced exploration team with significant local knowledge in the Victoria Goldfields and wider region.

https://mercatorgold.com.au/

ECR also owns 100% of an Australian subsidiary LUX Exploration Pty Ltd (“LUX”) which has three licence applications covering 900 km2 covering a relatively unexplored area in Queensland, Australia.

https://luxexploration.com/

Following the sale of the Avoca, Moormbool and Timor gold projects in Victoria, Australia to Fosterville South Exploration Ltd (TSX-V: FSX) and the subsequent spin-out of the Avoca and Timor projects to Leviathan Gold Ltd (TSX-V: LVX), Mercator Gold Australia Pty Limited has the right to receive up to A$2 million in payments subject to future resource estimation or production from projects sold to Fosterville South Exploration Limited.

ECR holds a 25% interest in the Danglay gold project; an advanced exploration project located in a prolific gold and copper mining district in the north of the Philippines, which has a 43-101 compliant resource. ECR also holds a royalty on the SLM gold project in La Rioja Province, Argentina and can potentially receive up to US$2.7 million in aggregate across all licences.