ORM Orford Mining Corporation

TORONTO, March 22, 2021 /CNW/ - Orford Mining Corporation ("Orford") (TSXV: ORM) is pleased to announce that it has completed the reverse circulation ("RC") overburden drilling program on its Joutel South and McClure East properties in the historic Joutel Mining District of Quebec. Twenty-five holes were completed on McClure East and 7 holes on Joutel South which resulted in the collection of 122 till samples and 37 bedrock (chip) samples. Preliminary visual observations of bedrock samples have identified the presence of sulfides and quartz veins on both the McClure East and Joutel South properties (Figure 1 & 2) along with newly defined structures from a recently completed airborne survey.

David Christie, commented "The systematic exploration being employed on our 100% owned Joutel Area properties started with some favourable visual indicators in the bedrock samples taken from the RC drilling campaign just completed. We eagerly await the analytical results from both the glacial till and bedrock samples from the RCs drill holes on these very underexplored properties. Specifically, we are eager to see the results of our efforts on the McClure East project which covers a 4.5 km strike extent of the south splay of the prolific Casa Berardi Deformation Zone."

RC Drilling Program

In November 2020, Orford completed a till sampling program on its Joutel South property in areas of relatively shallow overburden cover.  This program consisted of using an excavator to dig small pits (up to 5m deep) to take samples of till material. Nine samples were collected and sent to IOS Geoscientific for gold grain counting (ARTGold^TM). Gold grain counts (normalized to 10kg of material) and morphology are shown in Figure 1. The best sample reported 65 gold grains (46% of which were pristine), along with several other samples in the eastern part of the property which were anomalous.

In February and March 2021, seven additional locations on Joutel South were drilled and sampled by RC in areas of relatively deep overburden cover. Till was encountered in all holes. The overburden depth on Joutel south is generally less than 15 m, except in the area of JS-21-04(Figure 1), where it is 28.3m deep. Bedrock at this location appears to be the contact between a basalt and a rhyolite. The rapid increase in overburden depth in this area could represent potential alteration and structural complexity both often associated with gold mineralizing events.

Figure 1: Joutel South Property Showing Till Gold Grain Counts and Completed RC Holes (ice direction to the south east).

Figure 2: Historical Gold Assay Results in RC Holes with Completed 2021 RC Drilling for McClure East

Twenty-five RC holes were completed on the McClure East property to follow up on an historical RC drilling gold in till anomaly on the southeastern part of the property which reported up to 30g/t Au in overburden material¹ (Figure 2), and to test the westward down-ice extent of the property (glacial transport direction is to the south). Interesting mineralization and alteration were noted visually in bedrock chips from several holes which included the presence of pyrite, and arsenopyrite mineralization, quartz veining and possible hematite, ankerite and epidote alteration (Holes: ME-21-11, ME-21-10, ME-21-16, ME-21-20, ME-21-19, Figure 2). The historical information shown in this news release was obtained from historical work reports filed with the Quebec Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources and has not been independently verified by a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43 101.

All till samples collected by RC drilling will be sent to IOS Geoscientific for gold grain counting (ARTGold^TM). All bedrock samples will be sent to IOS Geoscientific for petrology work to confirm the preliminary visual observations of rock type and  and alterationwith a split sent concurrently to SGS for multi-element assays including gold.

Geophysical Survey

Orford contracted Prospectair Geosurveys Inc. to perform a 1,118 line-km TDEM and Magnetic survey using the ProspecTEM TDEM system and Geometrics G-822A Airborne Magnetometer systems. The survey was completed at 50metre line spacing and covers the entire Joutel South and McClure East Properties. Final results were received in February 2021. There are several conductors present on both the McClure and Joutel Property, some of which are untested (Figures 1 & 2). The survey has also outlined several previously unidentified structures(Figures 1 & 2).    Results of the airborne EM-survey survey will be used in conjunction with historical and pending results from the recently completed RC drilling program to assist in identifying structures, geology and conductors that may be associated with gold mineralizing events to target future drilling.

About the McClure East and Joutel South Property
The McClure East & Joutel South properties are located within the Joutel Volcanic Complex (JVC) of the Harricana-Turgeon volcano-sedimentary belt, which is the most northwesterly element of the Abitibi Greenstone Belt that includes the prolific Matagami, Brouillan, Joutel and Casa Berardi mining districts. The McClure East property is located on the eastern end of the underexplored extension of the Joutel trend (southern splay of the Casa Berardi deformation zone, "CBDZ") that hosts both Agnico-Eagle Mines Ltd.'s (AEM-T)  founding gold mines (Eagle and Telbel) which produced in excess of 1.1Moz of gold² . All commercial operations in the region had closed by 1993.The information presented here from neighboring properties is not necessarily indicative of the mineralization on Orford Mining's Properties.

About Orford Mining Corporation
Orford Mining is a gold explorer focused on highly prospective and underexplored areas of Northern Quebec.

Orford's assets in the Nunavik region of Northern Quebec include the Qiqavik and West Raglan projects comprising a land package totaling over 105,000 hectares in the Cape Smith Belt of Northern Quebec. The Qiqavik Project hosts several new high-grade gold discoveries along a mineralized trend in excess of 40 km. The West Raglan project hosts a number of high-grade Raglan-style nickel/copper/platinum group metal discoveries along a 55 km mineralized trend.  In January 2021, Orford entered into an earn-in agreement whereby Wyloo Metals can earn up to 80% of the West Raglan Project for total expenditures of $25.0 million over 7 years.

In 2020, Orford acquired three new property positions (Over 20,000ha) in the Joutel region of the Abitibi district of northern Quebec, which hosts historical deposits such as the Eagle/Telbel, Joutel Copper, Poirier Copper, and Vezza deposits. This information from neighbouring properties is not necessarily indicative of the mineralization on Orford Mining's properties.

Orford continually seeks new gold exploration opportunities in North America.

Orford's common shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol ORM. 

To view further details about the Orford's exploration projects please visit Orford's website, www.orfordmining.com.

Qualified Person
The disclosure of scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been approved by Alger St-Jean, P.Geo., Chief Geoscientist of Orford, a Qualified Person under NI 43-101.  The technical information presented in this release was obtained from historical work reports filed with the Quebec Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources and has not been independently verified by a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43 101. 

Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

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

This news release contains "forward-looking information" including without limitation statements relating to the liquidity and capital resources of Orford and potential of one or more of the Qiqavik, and West Raglan, properties.

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Orford to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could affect the outcome include, among others: future prices and the supply of metals; the results of drilling; inability to raise the money necessary to incur the expenditures required to retain and advance the properties; environmental liabilities (known and unknown); general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; political instability, terrorism, insurrection or war; or delays in obtaining governmental approvals, failure to obtain regulatory or shareholder approvals. For a more detailed discussion of such risks and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, refer to Orford's filings with Canadian securities regulators available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Although Orford has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and Orford disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws.

The TSXV has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release.

SOURCE Orford Mining Corporation