Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 5, 2024) - Sun Summit Minerals Corp. (TSXV: SMN) (OTCQB: SMREF) is pleased to announce the successful completion of its 2024 exploration program at the JD Project, located in the highly prospective Toodoggone mining district in north-central British Columbia.
Highlights:
Over 2,500 metres of diamond drilling completed: A total of 12 holes were drilled, focusing on targeting the extensions of known zones of high-grade, near-surface mineralization at the Creek Zone, as well as testing new exploration targets within the 4.5-kilometre Finn to Creek Corridor.
Comprehensive surface sampling: The field program included the collection of 1,220 soil samples and 51 rock samples across the Creek and Belle Zones.
Focused geophysical survey: A tightly-spaced 20-line kilometre Induced Polarization (IP) geophysical survey was conducted, resulting in the delineation of several high-priority drill targets.
Project-wide LiDAR survey: A LiDAR survey was completed across the entire project area, providing high-resolution topographical data crucial for geological interpretation and project planning.
Assay and multi-element geochemical analyses underway: Core samples from recently completed drill holes are being sent to the lab for assay and geochemical analyses and will be reported once received and reviewed. Assay results will provide important information for follow up drill planning and targeting.
Sharyn Alexander, President of Sun Summit Minerals, stated: "We are pleased with the progress made during this year's exploration program at the JD Project. The JD Project represents a significant opportunity for Sun Summit, given its location in a prolific and under-explored district. Our team has done an outstanding job of executing a robust field program that has not only expanded our understanding of the existing mineralization but has also identified new targets with exceptional discovery potential. We eagerly anticipate the assay results, which will guide our next steps in advancing this promising project."
The 2024 exploration program at the JD Project was designed to build on historical high-grade results, where previous drilling intersected significant gold mineralization (Figure 1). Drilling this year focused on both confirmation and step-out drilling to enhance geological understanding and to test new targets identified through geophysical and geochemical surveys.
Drill Program
Sun Summit completed 2,537 metres of diamond drilling across 12 strategically planned drill holes (Figure 1). The program focused on two main objectives:
Extension of known mineralized zones: Drilling at the Creek Zone was aimed at targeting high-grade, near-surface gold mineralization. The drill program consisted of both confirmation and step-out holes designed to test the continuity of mineralization along strike and at depth.
Testing new targets: Drilling also investigated several new target areas identified through geophysical and geochemical surveys. These areas, within the Finn to Creek Corridor, have seen limited historical drilling but are interpreted to have significant potential for new discoveries. Targets that exhibited similar geological characteristics to the known mineralized zones, with the potential to host epithermal-related gold-silver and porphyry-related copper-gold mineralization, were prioritized.
Field Exploration
The 2024 field season also included an extensive surface sample program, with 1,220 soil samples and 51 rock samples collected (Figure 1). The primary focus was on the Creek and Belle Zones, where sampling was designed to fill gaps in historical data and provide a more detailed geochemical understanding of these areas.
Detailed geological, alteration, and structural mapping was also carried out, particularly along the Finn to Creek Corridor, to better understand the controls on mineralization and to refine future drill targets.
Ground Geophysics
A 20-line kilometre IP geophysical survey was also conducted at the Creek Zone (Figure 1) to enhance the understanding of subsurface geology and to identify geophysical anomalies that could indicate zones of sulphide-related mineralization. The tightly-spaced IP lines were designed to map the extent of epithermal-related alteration and mineralization and to identify new drill targets proximal to the zone. Preliminary results suggest the presence of multiple new drill targets.
LiDAR and Aerial Photography
Sun Summit completed a property-wide LiDAR survey to complement ground-based exploration efforts. This high-resolution survey, which included aerial photography, provided detailed topographic data and terrain models with sub-metre accuracy. This data will assist in geological interpretation and structure delineation, essential for project planning and drill target refinement.
Upcoming Sun Summit Events
September 6, 2024 - Capital Tides Investor Cruise, Vancouver, B.C.
September 20 to 21, 2024 - Metals Investor Forum, Vancouver, B.C.
National Instrument 43-101 Disclosure
This news release has been reviewed and approved by Sun Summit's Vice President Exploration, Ken MacDonald, P. Geo., a "Qualified Person" as defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects of the Canadian Securities Administrators. He has not been able to verify the historical exploration data disclosed, including sampling, analytical and test data, underlying the technical information in this news release since such data is historical and the original drill core is not readily available. Technical information contained in this release is historical in nature and has been compiled from public sources believed to be accurate. The technical information has not been verified by Sun Summit and may in some instances be unverifiable dependent on the existence of historical drill core and grab samples.
Community Engagement
Sun Summit is engaging with First Nations on whose territory our projects are located and is discussing their interests and identifying contract and work opportunities, as well as opportunities to support community initiatives. The Company looks forward to continuing to work with local and regional First Nations with ongoing exploration.
About the JD Project
The JD Project is located in the Toodoggone mining district in north-central British Columbia, a highly prospective deposit-rich mineral trend. The project covers an area of over 15,000 hectares and is in close proximity to active exploration and development projects, such as Thesis Gold's Lawyers and Ranch projects, TDG Gold's Baker-Shasta projects, Centerra's Gold's Kemess East and Underground projects, as well as the past-producing Kemess open pit copper-gold mine.
The project is 450 kilometres northwest of the city of Prince George, and 25 kilometres north of the Sturdee airstrip. It is proximal to existing infrastructure in place to support the past-producing Kemess mine, including roads and a hydroelectric power line.
The JD Project is in a favourable geological environment characterized by both high-grade epithermal gold and silver mineralization, as well as porphyry-related copper and gold mineralization. Some historical exploration, including drilling, geochemistry and geophysics, has been carried out on the property, however the project area is largely underexplored.
About Sun Summit
Sun Summit Minerals (TSXV: SMN) (OTCQB: SMREF) is a mineral exploration company focused on expansion and discovery of district scale gold and copper assets in British Columbia. The Company's diverse portfolio includes the JD Project in the Toodoggone region of north-central B.C., and the Buck Project in central B.C.
Statements contained in this news release that are not historical facts may be forward-looking statements, which involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In addition, the forward-looking statements require management to make assumptions and are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties. There is significant risk that the forward-looking statements will not prove to be accurate, that the management's assumptions may not be correct and that actual results may differ materially from such forward-looking statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Generally forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of terminology such as "anticipate", "will", "expect", "may", "continue", "could", "estimate", "forecast", "plan", "potential" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release may include, but are not limited to, potential mineralization, exploration plans, and engagement with First Nations communities. These forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions which may prove to be incorrect which, without limiting the generality of the following, include: risks inherent in exploration activities; the impact of exploration competition; unexpected geological or hydrological conditions; changes in government regulations and policies, including trade laws and policies; failure to obtain necessary permits and approvals from government authorities; volatility and sensitivity to market prices; volatility and sensitivity to capital market fluctuations; the ability to raise funds through private or public equity financings; environmental and safety risks including increased regulatory burdens; weather and other natural phenomena; and other exploration, development, operating, financial market and regulatory risks. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof or the dates specifically referenced in this press release, where applicable. Except as required by applicable securities laws and regulation, Sun Summit disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
