Lion One Metals Confirms High-Grade Gold Feeder Zone At Tuvatu


VANCOUVER - Lion One Metals Limited reported on the follow-up drilling to the previously reported high-grade intercept of 75.90m of 20.86 g/t Au in TUG-141 at its Tuvatu Alkaline Gold Project in Fiji. Results for the first two diamond drill holes carried out as follow-up drilling from the significant new feeder zone mineralization in TUG-141 and reported on June 6, 2022 have been received and compiled. TUDDH-601 was drilled from surface at -85° and was designed to further test the high-grade zone encountered in TUG-141, and TUG-145 was drilled from the same underground collar location as TUG-141, collared at 3° steeper, and designed to test directly below the TUG-141 drill trace. TUG-145 drifted to the west and lifted more than expected.

TUDDH-601 drilled from surface, was a near-vertical drill test of the high-grade gold zone encountered by TUG-141. TUDDH-601 is estimated to have drilled to within <2m of TUG-141. This test indicates that high-grade mineralization corresponding to that in TUG-141 is indeed hosted primarily by altered andesite rather than adjacent monzonite. High-grade mineralization, 54.9m of 12.22 g/t Au, was first intersected at a downhole depth of 576.1m continuing virtually uninterrupted to a downhole depth of 631.0m. Only one low-grade interval, hosted by monzonite and measuring 6.3m long was intersected. Above this low-grade interval, 23.02 g/t Au over 20.1m was encountered including 29.24 g/t Au over 15.60m, and below, 8.09 g/t Au over 20.7m, including 15.03 g/t Au over 5.40m and 9.25 g/t Au over 7.80m, respectively.

TUG-145 represented an inclined hole 3° steeper than TUG-141, drilled from the same underground collar location. The hole drifted west and lifted such that the effective distance between TUG-141 and TUG-145 was approximately 21m at the 600m depth mark, with TUG-145 west of TUG-141. While TUG-141 drilled out of the less favorable monzonite and into the favorable andesite at approximately 390m depth, TUG-145 remained in monzonite until a depth of approximately 600m, indicating a southward shift of this lithological contact at this location. It is thought that the monzonite to andesite contact recorded by TUG-141, is shifted south along a N-S structure, likely UR1, and that the high-grade continuous mineralization recorded by TUG-141 is largely focussed on the andesite side (east side) of this contact. Therefore, Lion One believes that the lithological contact between monzonite and andesite forms a primary control on high-grade mineralization at this location, and that the projection of this contact to depth as well as along strike, represents a first-order target for further follow-up drilling.

The next two planned follow up holes to TUG-141: One hole from surface, already underway as TUDDH-608, was collared at a planned azimuth of N089° and dip of -65°, targeting the high-grade intercept in TUG-141, and a second hole will collar from underground, approximately 180m further south along the decline from the TUG-141 and 145 collars, and target the same high-grade intercept at a planned azimuth of N139° and dip of -66°. The combination of these two holes should provide good information on the potential width and possible down plunge extent of the TUG-141/TUDDH-601 high-grade zone, which should allow for a realistic estimate of the volume, and hence contained Au ounces, in this zone. Additional follow-up holes are being planned as well.

Technical Advisor, Quinton Hennigh, stated, "As we drill more, the geologic setting of this important feeder zone is coming into clarity. It occurs at a major structural intersection where the north-south-trending UR1 & 2 lodes meet the northeast-trending UR4 & 5 lodes. Importantly, high-grade mineralization appears to be focussed within andesite host rocks just outboard from the contact with less favorable monzonite. With this understanding, we believe that further high-grade can be pursued along this contact at depth. The team is currently lining up more holes to test this extension."