Northern Superior Details Philibert Exploration Strategy Including Connecting Mineralization 1.5 KM Southeast of Current Resource
Press Release
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, June 13 – Northern Superior Resources Inc. (“Northern Superior” or the “Company”) (TSXV: SUP) (OTCQX: NSUPF) is pleased to unveil its exploration plan for the next 9 months on the Philibert gold property, located 60 kilometres southwest of Chibougamau, Québec, Canada (the “Philibert Project”; Northern Superior: 75%, SOQUEM: 25%[1]). The exploration activities are set to commence in the coming weeks.
In 2023, the Company filed a transformational Mineral Resource Estimate (“MRE”) for the Philibert deposit of 48.46 million tonnes of inferred mineral resource averaging 1.10 grams of gold per tonne for 1,708,800 ounces of gold, and 7.88 million tonnes of indicated mineral resource averaging 1.10 grams of gold per tonne for 278,920 ounces of gold. The Philibert Project is located only 9 km away from IAMGOLD Corporation (“IAMGOLD”)’s Nelligan project. IAMGOLD recently shared an operational update on its activities in the Chibougamau Gold Camp (see IAMGOLD’s MD&A filed on Sedar on May 9, 2024, page 18).
The Company will continue to advance its assets in the Chibougamau Gold Camp with an immediate focus on the Philibert Project. The recent $8 million equity financing (see press release dated May 28, 2024) is sufficient to execute the entirety of the program detailed herein.
Program Highlights:
- Impactful Program: Over 20,000 metres of expansion drilling planned for next 9 months, i) along strike to the east and west and, ii) along the hanging wall trend north and down dip of the open pit resource and defined pit;
- Great Potential: Work conducted to date on the Philibert Project is based on 3 km of mineralization while geophysics is indicative of an additional 4 km of mineralization spreading east and west of the resource (see Figure 1);
- Expansion Drilling with Demonstrated Mineralization: Notable historic drill holes over 300 metres east of the current resource returned 2.17 g/t Au over 17.9 metres, and 1.66 g/t Au over 8.27 metres with both requiring further sampling (see Figure 1,2 and 3);
- Plan to Connect Mineralization: Historic drilling located over 1,500 metres southeast of the current resource (see Figure 1,2 and 3) returned 1.55 g/t Au over 26.0 metres starting at 72.5 metres, and 1.09 g/t Au over 13.7 metres with both drill holes requiring further sampling above and below the intersections;
- Great potential to the west: Approximately 300 metres west of the defined pit along the hanging wall trend returned 1.76 g/t Au over 7.0 metres, including 10.8 g/t Au over 1.0 metre starting at 162.5 metres from historical drilling. Other anomalous gold values were returned but requiring further sampling above and below the intersection. The western trend is defined by a linear magnetic anomaly interpreted to correspond to the gabbro host of Philibert extendingon the property for over 2 km. The Company is planning some geochemical and geophysical surveys to help define the targeted zone (see Figure 1,2 and 3);
- Strike extensions: Expansion drilling southeast of the Corsac Fox zone part of the interpreted hanging wall with an additional potential of 700 metres of strike extension (see Figure 1,2 and 3);
- Building on great metallurgy: Further metallurgical testing is being planned for the eastern end of the pit to build on initial testing with flotation concentrate returning recoveries up to 95.6% (see press release dated July 6, 2023); and,
- Underground Potential: While the MRE published in 2023 did not include any of the underground potential, a previous study of the economic potential of the Philibert Project,[2] focused exclusively on underground resources from the western domains, with approximately 239,000 ounces at 5.68 g/t gold (see Figure 2). Such underground potential will be further explored, evaluated, and potentially included in a subsequent mineral resource estimate (see Figure 3).
“The Philibert Project has already demonstrated significant potential with its initial NI 43-101 resource estimate published in 2023, showcasing a relatively high-grade profile for a bulk tonnage operation. Additionally, the project benefits from a low nugget effect, minimal overburden cover, and promising initial metallurgical recovery results. These attributes firmly position the Philibert Project as a cornerstone of the Chibougamau Gold Camp, which is rapidly gaining recognition as it nears the 10-million-ounce mark, with key deposits located within 10 km of one another. We are very excited to continue developing this cornerstone asset,” commented Simon Marcotte, President and Chief Executive Officer of Northern Superior.
Figure 1: Plan view showing the resource classification over High Resolution Total Magnetic Intensity Map with arrows identifying possible structures to test for mineralization.
Figure 2: Plan view showing the conceptual open pit and the pit-constrained block model; color coded Au g/t.
Figure 3: Longitudinal view showing the conceptual open pit with block model filtered to 1.5 g/t Au, arrows identifying potential areas under the conceptual pit.
The current pit is defined along a 3 km strike and up to a vertical depth of 450 metres in the west and up to 150 metres in the south. In the western end, the hanging wall zone widens the mineralization corridor up to 500 metres compared to 200 metres near the middle of the pit. The Company plans to complete drilling along the 700-metre corridor to define the hanging wall mineralization aimed at widening the pit northward. This work will also define mineralization down dip and plunge in the eastern end of the pit from Fennec Fox to Grey Fox.
Drilling will also focus on expansion to the east, southeast and west following the additional 4 km linear magnetic trend interpreted to define the Obatogamau formation fractionated gabbro, host to the Philibert deposit. In the southeast area, two separate trends are identified from limited historic drilling with significant mineralization intersected including 1.55 g/t Au over 26.0 metres, 2.17 g/t Au over 17.9 metres, and 1.96 g/t Au over 10.0 metres. All mineralization is recorded as being associated with disseminated pyrite mineralization within a quartz rich gabbro host.
Less drilling has been completed along the western trend, but the host gabbro is interpreted to coincide to a well-defined northwest trending linear magnetic anomaly. One drill hole completed 300 metres west of the defined pit returned 1.76 g/t Au over 7.0 metres, including 10.8 g/t Au over 1.0 metre.
A number of high priority exploration targets are planned to be tested including the magnetic fold feature to the south of the east end of the defined pit with a historic hole returning 0.73 g/t Au over 15.1 metres, including 1.52 g/t Au over 6.2 metres starting at 43.6 metres.
The Patino showing is located to the northwest of the defined pit constrained resources includes historic intersections of 0.66 g/t Au over 5.18 metres, 1.45 g/t Au over 2.8 metres and 0.94 g/t Au over 3.05 metres. Mineralization is recorded as hosted within a graphitic sediment horizon with quartz-carbonate veins and semi-massive to massive pyrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite and pyrrhotite. The Patino showing is associated with an additional structure that appears to be oriented in a more east-west direction.
Other groundwork is being planned to follow up on historic mapping and channel sampling which identified mineralization within a similar looking gabbro host to Philibert but located between 1 km and 1.2 km north of the resource. The Company is also planning to complete 10,000 metres of sampling from selectively sampled historic core within and outside the currently defined pit in order to improve the ore to waste ratio in pit and help define mineralized trends outside the current resource.
[1] Northern Superior has the option to acquire from Soquem the remaining 25% (in order to own 100%) of the Philibert Project for a cash payment of CAD$3.5 million.
[2] Historical information : Roche Ltée., (1991) Économique, Propriété Philibert. Projet: 11044-001.
Corporate Matters
Furthermore, the Company wishes to announce the granting of 2,250,000 incentive stock options under its 2022 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”), including 1,630,000 options which were granted to certain directors and senior officers of the Company. Each option is exercisable at a price of $0.65 per common share, for a period of five years, subject to regulatory approval. In addition, the Company has also granted 50,000 Restricted Share Units (“RSU”) under the Plan to an officer and a consultant of the Company, which RSU shall vest on June 11, 2025, subject to regulatory approval.
About Northern Superior Resources Inc.
Northern Superior is a gold exploration company focused on the Chibougamau Camp in Québec, Canada. The Company has consolidated the largest land package in the region, with total land holdings currently exceeding 62,000 hectares. The main properties include Philibert, Lac Surprise, Chevrier and Croteau. Northern Superior also owns 72% of ONGold Resources Ltd. (TSXV: ONAU) which is advancing promising exploration assets in Northern Ontario, including the district scale TPK Project.
The Philibert Project is located 9 km from IAMGOLD Corporation’s Nelligan Gold project which was awarded the “Discovery of the Year” by the Québec Mineral Exploration Association (AEMQ) in 2019. Philibert hosts a new maiden 43-101 inferred resource of 1,708,800 ounces Au and an indicated resource of 278,900 ounces of Au.[1] Northern Superior holds a majority stake of 75% in the Philibert Project, with the remaining 25% owned by SOQUEM, and retains an option to acquire the full 100% ownership of the project. Chevrier hosts an inferred mineral resource of 652,000 ounces Au (underground and open pit) and an indicated mineral resource of 260,000 ounces Au.[2] Croteau hosts an inferred mineral resource of 640,000 ounces Au.[3] Lac Surprise hosts the Falcon Zone Discovery, interpreted to be the western strike extension of IAMGOLD Corporation’s Nelligan Gold project.
Northern Superior is a reporting issuer in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Québec, and trades on the TSX-V under the symbol SUP and the OTCQB Venture Market under the symbol NSUPF. For further information, please refer to the Company’s website at www.nsuperior.com or the Company’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.
About SOQUEM
SOQUEM, a subsidiary of Investissement Québec, is dedicated to promoting the exploration, discovery, and development of mining properties in Québec. SOQUEM also contributes to maintaining strong local economies. Proud partner and ambassador for the development of Québec’s mineral wealth, SOQUEM relies on innovation, research, and strategic minerals to be well-positioned for the future.
Qualified Person
The technical content and scientific aspects of this press release have been prepared by Ms. DeLazzer Vice-President Exploration of Northern Superior.
The content of the disclosure has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Claude Duplessis, P. Eng. of the Order of Engineers of Quebec, an independent Qualified Person as defined by the National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”).
Northern Superior Resources Inc. on Behalf of the Board of Directors
Simon Marcotte, CFA, President and Chief Executive Officer
Contact Information
Simon Marcotte, CFA
President and Chief Executive Officer
Tel: (647) 801-7273
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