Barrick and NOVAGOLD Agree on Next Steps Toward Advancement ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Dec. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Donlin Gold LLC (“Donlin Gold”), owned 50/50 by Barrick Gold Corporation (“Barrick”) (TSX: ABX) (NYSE: GOLD) and NOVAGOLD RESOURCES INC. (“NOVAGOLD”) (TSX, NYSE American: NG), is pleased to report progress made during the executive management workshop and site visit in early September between senior representatives from Barrick and NOVAGOLD, as well as the Donlin Gold management team. Additional assay results for 18 completed drill holes, plus partial results for 22 holes from the 2021 drill program are reported below.
- During the September 2021 executive management meetings in Alaska, the combined team reaffirmed its confidence in the deposit and charted a course toward advancing the project up the value chain
- In addition, senior executives, including Barrick and NOVAGOLD CEOs Mark Bristow and Greg Lang, met with local stakeholders as well as senior Alaska Federal and State government officials who expressed their continued strong support for the project
- Assay results from approximately 65% or 15,700 meters of drilling continue to support the global resource estimate, recent modelling concepts, and strategic mine planning work
- With a progression plan in place, subject to results from the upcoming drill program the partners are well positioned to be able to proceed with a feasibility study update in 2022
2021 Drill Program Delivers Consistent Results
The 2021 drill program was completed in September with 79 holes drilled for a total of 24,264 meters. To date, Donlin Gold has reported assays for 36 complete holes and 22 partial holes, encompassing 15,700 meters of length drilled. The last core was logged in mid-October with final samples sent off site to laboratories for further processing. The camp was closed at the end of October and is expected to reopen in January 2022 for a winter drill program. Final results from the 2021 drill program are expected to be disclosed in 2022.
The primary objective of the 2021 drill program was to complete the work necessary to validate and increase confidence in recent geologic modeling concepts to support future feasibility work.
The logging and assay results will be incorporated into a geologic model update, followed by a shift in focus to feasibility study work, subject to a formal decision by the Donlin Gold Board. Initial assay results from the 2021 drill program were disclosed in a media release on September 2, 2021, five of the top intervals received since this release include:
- DC21-1976 intersected 57.25 m grading 6.87 g/t gold starting at 270.35 m drilled depth, including a sub interval of 4.05 m grading 18.13 g/t gold, starting at 288.95 m drilled depth;
- DC21-1970 intersected 19.15 m grading 12.57 g/t gold starting at 173.19 m drilled depth, including a sub interval of 12.15 m grading 17.28 g/t of gold, starting at 179.19 m drilled depth;
- DC21-1964 intersected 37.85 m grading 6.28 g/t gold starting at 110.65 m drilled depth, including sub intervals of 7.95 m grading 15.99 g/t gold starting at 110.65 m drilled depth and 3.13 m grading 10.21 g/t gold starting at 143.37 m drilled depth;
- DC21-1980 intersected 12.18 m grading 19.02 g/t gold starting at 293.40 drilled depth; including a sub interval of 4.65 m grading 36.53 g/t gold starting at 300.29 m drilled depth;
- DC21-1994 intersected 33.53 m grading 5.89 g/t gold starting at the surface; including a sub interval of 6.06 m grading 15.22 g/t gold starting at 9.24 m drilled depth.
• Drill-hole collar locations and five of the top intervals are shown in Figure 1
• Drill-hole orientations, depths and significant intervals are shown in the Appendix at the end of this release, in Tables 1 and 2, respectively. Those holes, designated as being in the Divide area, are on the eastern side of the ACMA pit area, transitioning into the Lewis pit area, as shown in Figure 2. These new and significant high-grade drill hole intercepts point toward the potential feeder zones of this large system. Part of the objective of the 2022 exploration and drill program will be to confirm mineralization continuity and key geologic controls in representative areas of the deposit.
Statements by the Owners
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/65a0e017-453f-4da0-a555-6bb8fcb5c3c4
Barrick President and Chief Executive Mark Bristow said, “Getting together in Alaska, visiting the Donlin project site and sitting down with stakeholders drove home the significance and importance of Donlin to both partners. We have a unique opportunity to progress a world-class project in both a jurisdiction and with local partners that recognize the contribution such an asset can bring to the lives of future generations of Alaskans. Our priority is to do that responsibly and sustainably and it is an illustration of Barrick’s and NOVAGOLD’s strong partnership that we were able to have such a productive workshop and come away with next steps to move the project forward.”
Greg Lang, NOVAGOLD’s President and CEO, said, “The successfully concluded site visit and the meetings that followed with our Alaskan constituencies provided an excellent lead-in to Barrick’s and NOVAGOLD’s onward progression for the Donlin Gold project. The identification of key work plans represents a most welcome and important achievement in taking Donlin Gold up the value chain and is the natural extension of confirmation work carried out with our partners at Barrick, which includes the recently completed drill campaign. This campaign is not only yielding high-grade intercepts in the future open-pit areas; Donlin Gold’s 2021 drill program is producing some of the best drill results seen lately in the gold mining industry, from juniors to majors. I’m sure I speak for both Barrick and NOVAGOLD when I say we are grateful to our local and state partners, who have worked with us to reach these important milestones.”
Dan Graham, General Manager of Donlin Gold added, “We enjoyed hosting the senior management teams from both Barrick and NOVAGOLD here in person in Alaska. We are also energized with the interest and resources the owners are dedicating to the Donlin Gold project. It is a great economic opportunity for the region and the State.”
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