Mining News: News Nuggets: Hilltop reconnaissance exceeds expectations

Northern Empire Resources Corp. and Sonoro Metals Corp. Oct. 22 reported that the second phase of 2015 exploration has expanded the area of gold mineralization at the Hilltop project located in Interior Alaska about 45 miles (70 kilometers) southeast of Fairbanks. “The phase 2 exploration program has expanded the known gold footprint at the Hilltop South and Hilltop North areas, highlighted new prospective target areas, demonstrated a clear association between gold values and intrusive-related gold pathfinder elements in both rock/trench samples and soils, and returned higher gold values than this spring’s trenching program,” explained Northern Empire Chairman John Robins. The phase-2 program included the collection of 355 soil samples, 42 rock samples, and the resampling of a newly exposed section of trench 5 from the first phase of 2015 exploration. Following the phase-1 program, erosion exposed a larger portion of an arsenopyrite-bearing quartz vein at trench 5. Resampling of this trench returned 9.71 grams per metric ton gold over four meters. Phase-1 results for this same interval were 2.34 g/t gold. The companies said phase-2 soil sampling returned 2.5-60 parts-per-billion gold and exhibit a positive correlation with intrusive-related gold pathfinder elements. Infill soil samples were collected in the area of the due diligence sampling conducted earlier this year at the Hilltop South prospect. Assay results expand and confirm a strong east- to west-trending gold-in-soils anomaly measuring 1,800 meters long by 500 meters wide. Infill soil samples also were collected at Hilltop North, in an area of anomalous top of bedrock soils which were collected during the 2011 season by a previous exploration group. The companies said this work confirms the previous sampling and better defines this prospective area. Anomalous reconnaissance soil samples and rock float samples collected in the Mosquito Creek drainage area, located about 3.7 miles southwest of Hilltop, highlight this area for potential follow-up work in 2016. The companies also said soil samples collected between sections of anomalous sample lines collected during the phase 1 program at the Birch Hill Conductor, which is located about midway between Mosquito Creek and Hilltop, highlight the anomalous nature of this zone. Sonoro President and CEO Kenneth MacLeod said, “The exploration results from both phase 1 and 2 at Hilltop have exceeded our expectations and support our belief that the Richardson Gold District will emerge as one of the most exciting areas for gold exploration in Alaska as we advance this project.”

- Shane Lasley