Beauce Gold Fields Trial of Horizontal Directional Drilling Samples 2.75 G/M3 of Placer Gold

(via TheNewswire)

January 9, 2025 – TheNewswire - Montreal, Quebec, Canada - Beauce Gold Fields (Champs D’Or en Beauce) (TSX Venture: "BGF"), referred to as "BGF" or the "Company," is pleased to announce the trial results of a modified horizontal directional drilling (HDD) method to drill lengths of the auriferous till units of the paleoplacer channel on the Beauce Gold property located in Saint-Simon-les-Mine, Quebec.  

Patrick Levasseur, President and CEO of Beauce Gold Fields, stated: "HDD drilling has demonstrated to be an efficient future method to support or possibly expand upon the Gold Exploration Target for the entire historical placer channel of our Beauce Gold property, which ranges between 61,000 ounces (2,200,000 m3 @ 0.87g Au/m3) and 366,000 ounces* (2,200,000 m3 @ 5.22 g Au/m3)." *Beauce Gold Fields 43-101 Report - Beauce July 4th 2018, Author B. Violette

Click Image To View Full SizeImage: Cross section of horizontal directional and overburden drill holes

In the summer of 2023 (see press release August 8, 2023), the Company tested the use of Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) as a possible low-cost and efficient method of sampling long lengths of placer deposits. From one location, four fanned-out HDD boreholes were completed, totaling 321 meters in overburden and intersecting portions of the auriferous till (Basal Till) and saprolite layers.

Placer exploration commonly uses vertical overburden drill holes with reverse circulation or sonic drilling. These methods provide shorter-length samples but yield more accurate grades of placer layers. However, they are costlier due to the proportionally longer lengths of sterile overburden that must be drilled through. HDD, on the other hand, is commonly used in construction and civil engineering projects. The technique is utilized to install utility lines (such as pipelines, fiber optic cables, and electrical conduits) without extensive excavation or disruption to existing infrastructure.  Transmitters and a steering mechanism allows operators to adjust the direction of the drill path.

The Company experimented with this technique by combining an HDD rig and a vacuum tanker truck to collect a mix of bentonite mud and drill cuttings. Bentonite, commonly used in HDD, consists chiefly of crystalline clay minerals that help stabilize borehole walls, preventing collapse. As drilling progresses, the bentonite-based mud carries drill cuttings (rock fragments, auriferous till, and saprolite) back to the surface, which are then vacuumed into a tanker truck. The high viscosity of bentonite keeps cuttings suspended in the fluid, ensuring efficient removal from the borehole.

The bentonite mud and cuttings bulk material were emptied into geotechnical-lined pits for decanting. A mobile placer plant on-site processed the bulk samples to concentrate the material.

From one location, four fanned-out HDD boreholes were completed, totaling 321 meters in overburden and intersecting portions of the auriferous till (Basal Till) and saprolite layers.

Drill Hole Summary

Only drill hole SSD-4 had sufficient bulk material to process. HDD drill hole SSD-4 drilled 78 meters and successfully bored horizontally through 38 meters of auriferous till and saprolite. From the 78 meters, a consolidated mix of 5m3 of bentonite mud and cuttings material, comprising both sterile overburden and auriferous till and saprolite, was collected. This was reduced to 24 kilograms of concentrate. Visible gold and pyrite were observed in the concentrate.

In the fall of 2024, six random samples of the concentrate, ranging from 140 grams to 260 grams, were sent to MSALABS in Val d'Or, Quebec, for fire assay analysis. A 250-gram sample returned 2.75 g/m3 of gold (1.1 g/t). The other five samples returned no gold values (MSALABS test certificate YVO2411283).

Observations for Future Use of HDD in Placer Gold Exploration

• Cost-effective to identify areas and potential extents of placer deposits. 

• Allows for targeted follow-up exploration by vertical overburden drilling of specific areas of interest within the paleoplacer channel. 

• Larger borehole diameters are needed to limit the drag-or effect (loss of nuggets into the borehole walls of bentonite due to centrifugal forces). 

• Use of more robust drill head pilot bits to pierce through boulders. 

Jean Bernard, BSc, Geo, a qualified independent person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this release. QA/QC procedures for the reported samples include the use of Certified Reference Materials from MSALABS (Test Certificate YVO 24011283). The FAS-425 analytical method was applied.

About Beauce Gold Fields

Beauce Gold Fields is focused on exploring and developing the largest placer gold district in eastern North America. The Company’s objective is the trace old placer gold workings back to a bedrock source to uncover economic lode gold deposits.  The Company’s flagship property is the Saint-Simon-les-Mines Gold project, site of Canada’s first gold rush that pre-dates the Yukon Klondike.  The Beauce region hosted some of the largest historical placer gold mines in Eastern North America that were active from 1860s to the 1960s It produced some of the largest gold nuggets in Canadian mining history (50oz to 71oz). (Source Sedar: 43-101 Report - Beauce July 4th 2018, Author B. Violette)

Beauce Gold Fields is currently exploring recently discovered antiform systems that could have contributed to the development of extensive auriferous placer deposits in Beauce.  The Company’s geological model suggests that placer gold within the Beauce Gold paleochannel, including the renowned large nuggets from the 19th century, formed in stressed quartz pockets within layered domed Axis of Antiforms, exemplified by Saddle Reef formations. Notable global Saddle Reef formations include the Bendigo gold fields in Australia (over 60 million ounces) and the high-grade Dufferin deposit in Nova Scotia.

Beauce Gold Fields website www.beaucegold.com

Disclaimers:

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements containing the words "may", "plan", "will", "estimate", "continue", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "in the process" and other similar expressions which constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements reflect the Company's current expectation and assumptions, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, our expectations regarding mineral exploration. Such statements reflect the current views of the Company with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and other risks detailed from time-to-time in the Company's on-going filings with the securities regulatory authorities, which filings can be found at www.sedar.com. Actual results, events, and performance may differ materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements either as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws.

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.

For further information contact

Patrick Levasseur, President and CEO Tel: (514) 262-9239

www.beaucegold.com

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