TORONTO, Jan. 9, 2023 /CNW/ – Orford Mining Corporation (TSXV: ORM) (Orford) is pleased to announce exploration results from the 2022 summer program on the high-grade Ni-Cu-PGE West Raglan property in Nunavik, Quebec. The program was Wyloo Metals Pty Ltd.’s second year of spending on the project towards their earn in, with Orford operating. In July and August 2022, 2,589m of diamond drilling was completed in 9 holes at three zones (Frontier, Beverly and Boomerang) over a distance of 35 km along the Raglan Trend. The program also included surface work involving the collection of 939 frost boil samples, 102 grab samples and mapping data at over 1,000 stations. Four of the nine drill holes reported nickel (Ni)-copper (Cu) mineralization intercepts up to 1.56% Ni, 0.27% Cu, 0.71 g/t palladium (Pd) and 0.32 g/t platinum (Pt) (WR-22-201, Table 1).  Grab samples reported up to 2.7 % Ni (Table 2, E5839762) and 8% Cu (Table 2, Sample E5839543).

David Christie, President and CEO of Orford, commented, “Orford has successfully intersected a new high-grade nickel copper sulphide lens in drilling at Boomerang with the highest grade outside of the Frontier zone.  Drilling also successfully extended the high-grade Frontier nickel copper sulphide lens 30 metres westward and down dip. We look forward to testing the multitude of other untested targets in the coming field seasons and building on the mineral endowment of this very underexplored property. Grab samples point to the exciting potential with several new high-grade surface samples taken in 2022.”

Historically, much of the drilling on the West Raglan property had been completed at the Frontier Zone which covers 2 kilometres of the Raglan trend, where nickel sulphide intercepts have yielded intersections of up to 28.3 metres grading 3.2% Ni, 1.32% Cu, 2.4 g/t Pd, and 0.7 g/t Pt¹.   The focus of the 2022 drill program was to test geophysical targets defined in 2021 in order to extend the Frontier mineralization westward and to make new discoveries along the 50 kilometre strike of the underexplored Raglan Trend on the West Raglan property.  Drilling was completed at three zones (Frontier, Beverly and Boomerang) over a distance of 35 km along the Raglan Trend.

Table 1: Drill Hole Results of Interest (> then 0.3% Ni) from 2022 Drill Program.

Hole WR-22-195 was drilled in the Boomerang area of the West Raglan Property (Figure 1) and reported 4.2 metres grading 0.60% Ni, 0.16% Cu, 0.44 g/t Pd, 0.18 g/t Pt, Including 2 metres grading 0.95% Ni,  0.25% Cu 0.72 g/t Pd, 0.29 g/t Pd, from 178.8 to 180.8 metres. This is the most significant intercept outside of the Frontier Zone on the West Raglan Property. Limited drill testing has occurred outside the Frontier Zone.  Nickel rich sulfides in this environment typically occur as lens clusters, discovering one, such as the intercept in WR-22-195 may lead to the discovery of additional proximal lenses. In addition to this intercept, several new high grade grab samples which reported up to 1.3% Ni and 0.35% Cu (Table 2) along the Boomerang trend renders this area highly prospective for additional lens clusters. Both the drill hole intercept and grab samples reported Ni:Cu ratios of 4:1 which is extremely encouraging. Future work will focus on reviewing at available geophysical products to look for follow up targets in the Boomerang area.

Hole WR-22-201 and WR-22-202 were drilled at the Western edge of the Frontier Zone where limited exploration had been conducted. The intercepts reported up to 13.5 metres grading 0.53% Ni, 0.19% Cu, 0.29 g/t Pd and 0.06 g/t Pt (WR-22-201, Table 1) including 0.45 metres grading 1.56% Ni, 0.27% Cu, 0.71 g/t Pd and 0.32 g/t Pt (WR-22-201, Table 1) extended the West Pipe Nickel Sulfide lens down-dip and westward by 30m and intercepted higher-grade Ni-Cu than the easterly part of the known lens. The nickel sulfide ratios in these intercepts are approximately 3:1 (S:Ni) consistent with the Nickel rich sulfide minerals encountered at Raglan.

WR-22-203 was drilled at Frontier Central, where there was historically limited drill testing and a large volume of ultramafic is present. Two intervals of interest were intercepted

• 4.35 metres grading 0.45% Ni, 0.04% Cu, 0.39 g/t Pd and 0.11 g/t Pt from 147.25 to 159.85 (Table 1), including 0.5m of 0.83% Ni, 0.06% Cu, 1.67 g/t Pd and 0.46 g/t Pt)
• One anomalous gold value reported 3.21g/t Au over 1m from 178 to 179m.
• 23.75m of nickel sulphides where intercepted, reporting 0.31% Ni, 0.1% Cu from 261.5 to 285.25 (Table 1)

During the 2022 Field Season, field teams focused on the lesser explored southern part of the West Raglan property, the highlight is the discovery of a new high-grade Ni-S outcrop (Big Potato) which reported grades up to 2.71% Ni and 0.24% Cu (Table 2). This type of mineralization on the south trend is extremely encouraging given the Ni:Cu ratios of over 4:1 are much higher than the expected 1:1 ratios observed in the the eastern cape smith belt, south trend deposits.  

Table 2: Grab Sample Result (Samples with >0.2% Ni or Cu)

Table 3: Drill Hole Locations

The recently conducted West Raglan exploration program was funded by Wyloo Metals Pty Ltd (Wyloo) as part of the earn-in agreement announced by Orford on January 19^th 2021 whereby Wyloo can earn up to up to 80% of the West Ragan Project for total expenditures of $25.0 million over 7 years.   

The West Raglan property is a large 713 km2 property situated in the Cape Smith Belt in the Nunavik Region of Northern Quebec. West Raglan Ni, Cu, PGE, Co mineralization is hosted in the ultramafic units of the Lac Esker Suite (1.89-1.87 Ga). These ultramafic units host all known nickel sulphide mineralization in the Cape Smith Belt, including Glencore’s Raglan mine (North Trend) and the Canadian Royalties, Nunavik Nickel mine hosted on the South Trend. The West Raglan property covers a 50-km strike of both the “North” trend, that hosts Raglan- style deposits, and the “South” Trend, that hosts Canadian Royalties-style deposits. Raglan is a first quartile cash cost nickel producer with one of the highest-grade reserves amongst significant global nickel deposits (Proven and Probable Reserves as of December 2021 of 9.32 million tonnes at 2.66% Ni, 0.74% Cu, 0.79 g/t Pt, 1.91 g/t Pd and 0.06% Co². Information from neighbouring properties is not necessarily indicative of the mineralization on Orford Mining’s properties
Historically, six significant discoveries have been made on the West Raglan property with the best results being from the Frontier Zone. The Frontier Zone contains five high grade Nickel-Copper-Platinum Group Metal (Ni-Cu-PGM) mineralized lens clusters over a 2,500 meter strike with grades in the range of 2-3% Nickel, 1% copper and 2+gpt PGM including a drill intersection of 28.3 m grading 3.2% Nickel, 1.32% Copper, 2.4 g/t Palladium, and 0.7 g/t Platinum at the Seahawk Lens². The Beverly and Boomerang areas of the West Raglan property have had very limited historical drill testing, but have surface showing reporting up to 1.34% Ni, 0.35% Cu and 2.3g/t (Pd+Pt)
A review of the geological and geophysical data in the Frontier area suggests that portions of the area remain almost untested and still have the potential for additional Ni-Cu-PGE discoveries. More recent exploration work completed in 2015 has also highlighted surface Ni- Cu-PGE mineralization in other areas such as Red, Boomerang, and Beverly (Figure 1) along the north (Raglan) trend. The West Raglan property also covers the south group of rocks which hosts the Canadian Royalties deposits to the east. This part of the West Raglan property is largely unexplored, however minimal past work has identified high grade nickel and copper mineralization in grab samples.

Orford Mining is a gold explorer focused on highly prospective and underexplored areas of Northern Quebec. Orford’s principal assets are located in two areas the Cape Smith Belt in the Nunavik region and the Joutel region of the Abitibi district. The Qiqavik and West Raglan projects comprise a land package totaling over 105,000 hectares in the Cape Smith Belt of Northern Quebec. The Qiqavik Project hosts several new high-grade gold discoveries along a mineralized trend in excess of 40 km. The West Raglan project hosts a number of high-grade Raglan-style nickel/copper/platinum group metal discoveries along a 50 km mineralized trend. Orford has acquired four property positions(Joutel – Eagle, McClure East, Joutel – South and Joutel – Omega) totaling 26,815 hectares in the Joutel region of the Abitibi district of Northern Quebec, which hosts historical deposits such as the Eagle/Telbel, Joutel Copper, Poirier Copper, and Vezza deposits. Orford continually seeks new gold exploration opportunities in North America. Orford’s common shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol ORM. This information from neighbouring properties is not necessarily indicative of the mineralization on Orford Mining’s properties. To view further details about Orford’s Projects please visit Orford’s website, www.orfordmining.com.

Wyloo Metals is the metals and mining subsidiary of Tattarang, one of Australia’s largest private investment groups. Led by a multidisciplinary team of geology and financial professionals, Wyloo Metals manages a diverse portfolio of exploration and development projects and cornerstone interests in a number of public and private companies. Wyloo Metals seeks to work closely with all stakeholders to accelerate projects through the development cycle while meeting the highest international environmental, social and governance standards. See more at: www.wyloometals.com

The disclosure of scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been approved by Alger St-Jean, P.Geo., Chief Geoscientist of Orford, a Qualified Person under NI 43-101.

2022 Grab & Drill Core samples:

Two laboratories were used during the 2022 exploration program: AGAT Laboratories and SGS Canada. All sample shipments were sealed and shipped to AGAT Laboratories, Val-d’Or, Québec. At the end of the campaign, a subset of 105 samples were transferred to SGS Canada, Val-d’Or, Québec from the AGAT laboratories facility. For AGAT Laboratories, all gold, palladium and platinum assays reported were obtained by standard fire-assaying on 50-gram nominal weight with an ICP-OES finish (methods 202-555) at AGAT Laboratories, Mississauga, Ontario. All samples were also analyzed for multi-elements, including nickel and copper, using a four-acid method with an ICP-OES finish (method 201-070) or using a sodium peroxide fusion method with an ICP-OES finish in the case of overlimit and on request (method 201-079) at AGAT Laboratories, Mississauga, Ontario. For SGS Canada, all gold assays reported were obtained by standard fire-assaying on 50-gram nominal weight with an atomic absorption spectroscopy finish (methods GE_FAA50V5) at SGS Canada, Mississauga, Ontario. All samples were also analyzed for multi-elements, including nickel and copper, using a four-acid method with an ICP finish (methods GE_ICP40Q12 and GO_ICP42Q100 in the case of overlimit for economical elements and method GE_CSA06V for the sulphur) at SGS Canada, Mississauga, Ontario.

Drill program design, Quality Assurance/Quality Control (“QA/QC”) and interpretation of results is performed by qualified persons employing a QA/QC program consistent with NI 43-101 and industry best practices. Standards and blanks are inserted at a minimum rate of 10% for core and 5% for grab samples, respectively, for QA/QC purposes in addition to those inserted by the lab. A subset of samples has not yet been sent for a verification assay at another lab. AGAT Laboratories and SGS Canada are accredited by the Standards Council of Canada and found to comply with the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025:2017.

The historical information disclosed herein in respect of the West Raglan Property is based on the independent report of Clement Dombrowski, P.Geo. titled “NI 43-101 Technical Report on West Raglan Project, Northern Quebec, Canada” effective February 20, 2017.

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies  of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains “forward-looking information” including without limitation statements relating to the liquidity and capital resources of Orford and potential of one or more of the Qiqavik, and West Raglan, properties.

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Orford to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could affect the outcome include, among others: future prices and the supply of metals; the results of drilling; inability to raise the money necessary to incur the expenditures required to retain and advance the properties; environmental liabilities (known and unknown); general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; political instability, terrorism, insurrection or war; or delays in obtaining governmental approvals, failure to obtain regulatory or shareholder approvals. For a more detailed discussion of such risks and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, refer to Orford’s filings with Canadian securities regulators available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Although Orford has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Forward- looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and Orford disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws.

The TSXV has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release.

SOURCE Orford Mining Corporation