VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire – Jan. 21, 2010) - Andover Ventures Inc. ("Andover" or the "Company")(TSX VENTURE:AOX)(FRANKFURT:R2X)is pleased to report assay results from the first drill hole completed(C0903) during the Phase 1 drill program on Chief Consolidated MiningCompany's Burgin Mine property located in the East Tintic MiningDistrict, Utah, USA. (See Andover press releases dated October 22,2009; November 3, 2009; November 30, 2009; and January 8, 2009.)
HoleC0903 encountered three new upper ore-grade silver-lead intercepts inquartzite breccia, above the historic Burgin Extension deposit.
- UPPER ZONE I – 167 g/T (4.9 opt) of silver and 7.6% lead over 3.35-meter (11-foot) intercept from 428.5 m (1405 ft.) to 431.6 m (1416 ft.).
- UPPER ZONE II – 115 g/T (3.4 opt) of silver and 4.6% lead over 1.7-meter (5.5-foot) intercept from 438.3 m (1438 ft.) to 440 m (1443.5 ft.).
- UPPER ZONE III – 171 g/T (5.0 opt) of silver and 2.17% lead over 17.2-meter (56.5-foot) intercept from 444.7 m (1459 ft.) to 463.9 m (1522 ft.), including an 9.9-meter (32.5-foot) intercept from 454 m (1489.5 ft) to 463.9 m (1522 ft.) which averaged 219 g/T (6.4 opt) silver and 2.3 % lead per ton.
Threemineralized zones encountered lower in the hole have been interpretedto be mineralization previously identified in the Burgin Extensiondeposit. The Burgin Extension was first intercepted at 470.15 meters(1542.5 feet) and contained 3 mineralized zones of 8.0 meters (26.1feet), 9.75 meters (32 feet) and 14.3 meters (47 feet).
Thehighest zone in the Burgin Extension of 8.0 meters was encountered from470.1 to 478.1 meters of depth contained 130 g/T (3.8 opt) of silver,10.2 % lead and 1.9% zinc.
The 9.75-meter middle zonein the Burgin Extension was encountered from 480.4 to 490.7 meters. Theaverage metal content over this zone was 452 g/T (13.2 opt) of silver,9.2% lead and 4.8% zinc. A 4.25 meter (14-foot) high-grade interceptwithin the middle zone from 485.25 m to 489.5 m averaged 823 g/T (24opt) of silver, 12.5% lead and 6.5% zinc. High grade intercepts over a0.91 meter (3- foot) width, from 1599 feet to 1602 feet includedresults of 1370 g/T (40 opt) of silver, 7.7% lead and 6.5% zinc. Alsoincluded was a 1.22 meter (4-foot) intercept from 1602 feet to 1606feet which contained 654.36 g/T (19.1 opt) silver, 15.3% lead and 11%zinc.
The deepest zone in the Burgin Extension wasencountered from 493.2 to 507.5 meters, representing a 14.3-meter zone.The average grade over this zone was 339 g/T (9.9 opt) of silver, 7%lead and 6.3% zinc. Very high grade mineralization zones within the14.33 meters (47-feet) of pay zone had intercepts of 0.91 meters(3-feet) between 1637.5 feet to 1640.5 feet, of 1240 g/T (36.2 opt) ofsilver, 62.47% lead and 7% zinc, a 1.07 meter, (3.5 foot) interceptbetween 1634 feet to 1637.5 feet, grading 1147.7 g/T (33.5 opt) silver,6.4% lead and 4.3% zinc, a 0.91 meter (3- foot) intercept between1645.5 feet to 1648.5 feet grading 438.5 g/T (12.8 opt) silver, 7.6%lead and 14.5% zinc and a 1.07 meter (3.5- foot) intercept between1648.5 feet and 1652 feet grading 1019.5 g/T (29.5 opt) silver, 4.82%lead and 13.4% zinc.
HQ diamond drill holes C0902 andC0904 have also been completed with samples split and shipped toALS-Chemex. Results from those holes have recently been received fromthe lab and will be released shortly after compilation by Andover. HoleC0901 is planned to be drilled in the spring of 2010. The four holeswere designed to test the historic Burgin Extension deposit previouslydiscovered and delineated by Sunshine Mining, Kennecott and ChiefConsolidated.
The HQ core was split on site with acore splitter. Half of the core was retained on site and half wasplaced in sealed bags and shipped to the ALS-Chemex Labs facility inElko, Nevada. Sample preparation and gold analyses were completed byALS-Chemex in Elko while base metal and silver analyses were done byALS-Chemex in North Vancouver, BC, Canada. A sample qualitycontrol/quality assurance program was implemented.
All analytical data from C0903 is available for review on Andover's web site, www.andoverventures.com, which can be found on the home page titled "Drill assay data for drill core DDH C0903".
Thismineralization at the Burgin Extension zone is consistent with the 105drill holes previously drilled by Sunshine, Kennecott and Chief thatproduced the feasibility study by Mine Development Associates of Reno,Nevada, in 2001 entitled: "UPDATE of 1988 Burgin Mine FeasibilityStudy". The study estimates, based upon the 105 holes drilled into theBurgin Extension deposit, a historic resource estimate (Pre-NI 43-101)of 1,482,000 tons averaging, 550 g/T (16.1 opt) of silver, 19.6% leadand 6.3% zinc for an estimated contained metal content of 23,873,321ounces of silver, 582,537,148 lbs. of lead and 185,926,269 lbs. of zincin the Burgin Extension deposit. This historic resource estimate wasmade prior to implementation of NI 43-101 and should not be relied upon.
Thethree "new" upper zones have not been previously noted by Andovergeologists in review of reports and data from the historic work on theproperty. Core from the earlier drilling is available for examinationand sampling, and the next phase of work at the Burgin will includesuch examination in hopes of confirming that these zones are present inthe earlier drilling and perhaps were not noted or sampled due to afocus at the time on base metal rather than precious metal content.
Mr.Gordon Blankstein; Chairman and CEO of Andover states, "the initialresults of the drill program commenced at the Burgin Extension Depositin 2009 have been consistent with expectations derived from the prioroperators drilling results, and previously completed pre-NI43-101-compliant feasibility studies. We're very excited to havediscovered the new zones of ore-grade material which were previouslynot factored into the feasibility studies nor any previously completedeconomic assessments of the deposit. The drill program was situated inclose proximity to the historical operations of the Burgin Mine andhaul ways used by previous operators to access the ore body."
Technicalinformation in this press release has been reviewed by David A.Hedderly-Smith, Ph.D., P.G. Dr. Hedderly-Smith is an advisor to Andoverand a qualified person under the definitions established by NationalInstrument 43-101.
For further information we invite you to visit us at www.andoverventures.com.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
Signed "Gordon Blankstein"
CEO and Chairman