Hercules Silver Commences 6,000 Meter Phase II Drill Program
- Commenced core drilling at Hercules Property
- Construction of logging facility completed
- Phase II drill program now underway, focused on the following targets:
- Hercules Adit and Frogpond Zones: Step-out holes aiming to extend mineralization, as well as infill and further verify historical drilling results;
- Hercules Rhyolite: Robust silver targets identified through surface mapping, geophysics and geochemistry, including at the Hinge, Haystack and Belmont Zones;
- New porphyry copper-silver (+/- gold) target: Interpreted as the center of a large zoned system and feeder for the surrounding silver (+/-lead-zinc) hosted in the Hercules Rhyolite;
- Large-scale untested chargeability anomaly at depth, potentially representing a large body of strong sulfide mineralization
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 31, 2023) - Hercules Silver Corp. (TSXV: BIG) (OTCQB: BADEF) (FSE: 8Q7) ("Hercules Silver" or the "Company") is pleased to report that it has mobilized an Atlas Copco CS-14 core drilling rig and commenced drilling the first hole in an extensive 6,000 meter drill program at the Company's wholly-owned Hercules Silver Property in western Idaho ("Hercules" or the "Property"). Timberline Drilling of Hayden, Idaho has been contracted to carry out the program, which will consist of step-out holes designed to test for extensions of historical mineralization, verify previous historical drilling and test a series of new targets generated by greenfields exploration.
Since acquiring the project in 2021, the Company has consolidated what was historically a fragmented land package, with several different companies holding different parts of the system throughout the 1970's-1980's. An 18-month-long greenfields targeting program, consisting of mapping, soil sampling, and rock sampling, has since revealed the presence of a large zoned system, with many portions remaining to be tested, including a potentially large-scale copper-silver-gold porphyry feeder target. The Phase II drill program will not only explore multiple new surface targets but will also test the system with angled holes up to 550 meters long, significantly deeper than the average 92-meter length of historical drill holes. The drilling will be done using triple-tube barrels for enhanced recovery and a core orientation tool for attaining the strike and dip of mineralization. This will not only increase the probability of success but will also improve the efficiency of drilling operations overall. The current Phase II drill plan is illustrated in Figure 1 below.
Figure 1: Phase II Drill Targets
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Management Commentary
Chris Paul, CEO and Director of the Company, noted: "We are excited to be underway on our first core drilling program at Hercules; a long-awaited milestone and the culmination of almost two years of extensive surface exploration. Exploration technology has advanced significantly since the 1980s, when economic studies were last underway following the completion of over 300 historical drill holes. At that time, a crash in the price of silver had forced the previous operators to put small-scale open pit development plans on hold. More than 30 years later, we've significantly increased the Property holdings, carried out modern, systematic exploration on the consolidated land package, and identified the presence of a much larger zoned system. Our 3D geological model suggests that the historical drilling only tapped into the shallow and distal parts of the system. We are now entering potentially the most exciting period in the history of Hercules Silver, and an important step towards delivering significant value for our shareholders."
Phase II Drill Plan Summary
The details of the Phase II drill plan were released on May 8, 2023 and are repeated again below for reference.
Table 1: Phase II Planned Drill Holes
| Zone | Hole ID | Easting | Northing | Azimuth | Dip | Hole Length (m) |
| HERCULES ADIT | ADT-23-01 | 511075 | 4956964 | 80 | 55 | 80 |
| ADT-23-02 | 511129 | 4957008 | 200 | 70 | 120 | |
| ADT-23-03 | 511129 | 4957008 | 195 | 82 | 120 | |
| ADT-23-04 | 511129 | 4957008 | 35 | 87 | 130 | |
| ADT-23-05 | 511129 | 4957008 | 20 | 73 | 160 | |
| ADT-23-06 | 511160 | 4957067 | 340 | 88 | 180 | |
| ADT-23-07 | 511160 | 4957067 | 80 | 76 | 130 | |
| ADT-23-08 | 511132 | 4957111 | 110 | 87 | 210 | |
| ADT-23-09 | 511132 | 4957111 | 110 | 72 | 200 | |
| TOTAL HERC ADIT | 1330 | |||||
| FROGPOND | FRG-23-01 | 511425 | 4956617 | 210 | 78 | 140 |
| FRG-23-02 | 511266 | 4956664 | 31 | 60 | 60 | |
| FRG-23-03 | 511256 | 4956646 | 31 | 60 | 70 | |
| FRG-23-04 | 511231 | 4956637 | 69 | 69 | 375 | |
| FRG-23-05 | 511038 | 4956638 | 0 | 90 | 130 | |
| FRG-23-06 | 511338 | 4956553 | 30 | 45 | 100 | |
| FRG-23-07 | 511287 | 4956587 | 30 | 65 | 150 | |
| FRG-23-08 | 511338 | 4956554 | 50 | 52 | 150 | |
| TOTAL FROGPOND | 1295 | |||||
| HINGE | HNG-23-01 | 510895 | 4956812 | 70 | 45 | 300 |
| HNG-23-02 | 511356 | 4956858 | 100 | 45 | 400 | |
| HNG-23-03 | 511420 | 4956757 | 250 | 45 | 100 | |
| TOTAL HINGE | 800 | |||||
| HAYSTACK | HAY-23-01 | 511579 | 4956352 | 50 | 60 | 400 |
| HAY-23-02 | 511338 | 4956553 | 30 | 45 | 75 | |
| TOTAL HAYSTACK | 475 | |||||
| METHENY | MET-23-01 | 511941 | 4956216 | 50 | 45 | 550 |
| TOTAL METHENY | 550 | |||||
| BELMONT | BEL-23-01 | 511447 | 4955609 | 102 | 45 | 110 |
| BEL-23-02 | 511447 | 4955609 | 70 | 45 | 90 | |
| BEL-23-03 | 511447 | 4955609 | 152 | 45 | 100 | |
| BEL-23-04 | 511447 | 4955609 | 100 | 65 | 125 | |
| BEL-23-05 | 511833 | 4955730 | 35 | 60 | 400 | |
| TOTAL BELMONT | 825 | |||||
| LIGHTNING | LIT-23-01 | 512162 | 4955444 | 22 | 45 | 500 |
| LIT-23-02 | 512162 | 4955444 | 65 | 45 | 500 | |
| TOTAL LIGHTNING | 1000 | |||||
| TOTAL METERS - ALL ZONES | 6,155 | |||||
Silver-Lead-Zinc Targets
Hercules Adit/Frogpond Zones
- Testing extensions of the Hercules Adit and Frogpond Zones along strike and at depth, including vertical structures and high-grade shoots which may have been missed by the vertical historical drilling. Two holes will test for the extension of a mineralized shoot that appears to have been down-dropped at the east end of the Frogpond Zone and partially intersected by historical drillhole 83-5. Hole 83-5 intersected 25.9 meters of 85 g/t Ag,
1.70% Pb and2.09% Zn1 from 86.9 to 112.8 meters and remains open at depth and to the east.
- Verifying and potentially extending silver mineralization intersected at depth on the west end of the Frogpond Zone. Historical drillhole 83-16, one of the deepest holes drilled on the Property, was halted due to caving ground at 420 feet (~128 meters), with the final 7.6 meters grading 214 g/t Ag,
0.13% Pb and0.17% Zn1. Re-entry at the time was unsuccessful, and the deep intercept was not further tested.
Haystack Zone
- Testing mineralization discovered during a 2022 surface rock chip sampling program on the west side of the Haystack Zone, which is associated with a near-surface vertical chargeability anomaly.
- Testing a separate zone of mineralization at the east end of the Haystack Zone, associated with a similar near-surface vertical chargeability anomaly. A single vertical hole in the area, RDH-7, returned 16.8 meters grading 149 g/t Ag,
0.13% Pb and0.1% Zn1. The planned hole depth is 550 meters, to also allow testing of the large-scale chargeability anomaly shown below in Figure 2.
Figure 2: Vertical Section Showing Deep Drill Holes Relative to Large-Scale Chargeability Anomaly, Looking West
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Hinge Zone
- Two holes within the folded hinge area of the Hercules Rhyolite, with strong rock chip sample grades and a near-surface chargeability anomaly. The holes will be drilled in opposite directions, to determine the dip of the mineralization. The eastward hole will be extended to 400 meters, to also test the large-scale chargeability anomaly shown in Figure 2 above.
- A potential third hole will be drilled into the fold hinge, from a quartz-alunite-dickite-pyrophyllite altered breccia zone (Photo 1) located to the west of all historical drilling. This is a unique advanced argillic alteration assemblage which typically forms a cap over epithermal and porphyry type mineralization and is not seen elsewhere on the Property. Drilling underneath this advanced argillic breccia may lead to a discovery of new mineralization.
Photo 1: Quartz-Alunite-Dickite-Pyrophyllite (Advanced Argillic) Breccia
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Belmont Zone
- Up to 4 holes fanned from a single pad at the Belmont Zone, to test various mineralized structures associated with high-grade rock chip samples and a 1970 historical drill hole (DDH-6) which intersected 83 g/t Ag and
0.25% Zn over 20 metersError! Bookmark not defined. from surface and 93 g/t Ag over 8 metersError! Bookmark not defined. deeper in the hole.
Porphyry Copper-Silver-Gold Targets
- A 400-meter hole planned in the eastern part of the Belmont Zone to test the southern end of the large-scale chargeability anomaly shown in Figure 2 above. Certain mineral systems, including porphyry coppers, are often surrounded by high-chargeability clay-sericite-pyrite halos. The hole is designed to test both the high-chargeability zone as well as potentially higher-temperature parts of the system underneath and/or adjacent to it.
Metheny Zone
- A 550-meter hole planned at the Metheny Zone, to test a quartz-feldspar porphyry with dimensions of approximately 850 m x 550 m on surface, associated with strong copper-silver-gold grades and lenses of skarn-type mineralization (Photos 2-7). The Metheny Zone lies east of the limit of the 2022 3D IP survey, however the large-scale chargeability anomaly shown in Figure 2 is centered immediately west of - and likely projects into - the Metheny Zone.
Photo 2: Quartz-Feldspar Porphyry grading
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Photo 3: Hematite altered Quartz-Feldspar Porphyry grading
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Photo 4: Quartz-hematite altered Quartz-Feldspar Porphyry grading
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Photo 5: Specularite altered Quartz-Feldspar Porphyry/Skarn grading
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Photo 6: Massive specularite altered Quartz-Feldspar Porphyry/Skarn grading
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Photo 7: Quartz specularite vein with colloform textured quartz matrix breccia, hosted in Quartz-Feldspar Porphyry grading
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Lightning Zone
- Two 500-meter holes testing a strongly-altered hydrothermal breccia pipe, the Lightning Breccia, which may be a key indicator of a buried porphyry copper system. The Lightning breccia consists of hydrothermal quartz/silica clasts, brought up from depth within a surrounding matrix that's rich in oxidized sulfide mineralization (goethite) (Photos 8-12). The Lightning breccia is associated with a strong copper-gold-silver (+bismuth-tellurium-selenium) geochemical anomaly and has never been drilled. The quartz clasts may represent fragments of a silicified carapace (cap of an intrusion), which were transported upwards during an explosive brecciation event. The pipe may therefore root down into a mineralized porphyry at depth.
Photo 8: Hydrothermal Breccia grading
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Photo 9: Hydrothermal Breccia with high-density quartz veinlet stockwork and strong Bi-Te-Se
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Photo 10: Hydrothermal Breccia with quartz clasts and strong Bi-Te-Se
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Photo 11: Hydrothermal Breccia with quartz clasts and strong Bi-Te-Se
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Qualified Person
The scientific and technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved for disclosure by Christopher Longton BS, CPG, Hercules' Vice President, Exploration. Mr. Longton is a "Qualified Person" for Hercules Silver within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). To the best of his knowledge, the technical information pertaining to the Hercules Silver Property, and discussion of it as disclosed in this news release, is neither inaccurate nor misleading.
Management Update
The Company also announces the resignation of Mr. Antoine Soucy-Fradette as VP Exploration of the Company effective immediately. Mr. Soucy-Fradette is leaving the Company to pursue other opportunities. The Company wishes Mr. Soucy-Fradette every success in his future endeavours and wishes to thank him for his contribution to Hercules over the past few years.
About Hercules Silver Corp.
Hercules Silver Corp. is a junior mining company focused on the exploration and development of the
The Hercules project is a disseminated silver-lead-zinc system with 28,000 meters of historical drilling across 3.5 kilometers of strike. The Company is well positioned for growth through the drill bit in 2023, having completed extensive surface exploration in 2022 consisting of soil & rock sampling, geological mapping, IP geophysics, and a 9-hole drill program.
The Company's management team brings significant exploration experience through the discovery and development of numerous precious metals projects worldwide.
For further information please contact:
Chris Paul
CEO & Director
Telephone +1 (604) 449-6819
Email: cpaul@herculessilver.com
This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. Any securities referred to herein have not and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws of an exemption from such registration is available.
Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information
This news release contains certain information that may be deemed "forward-looking information" with respect to the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in the industry to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward-looking information includes statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could" or "should" occur.
Although the Company believes the forward-looking information contained in this news release is reasonable based on information available on the date hereof, by its nature, forward-looking information involves assumptions and known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information.
Examples of such assumptions, risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, assumptions, risks and uncertainties associated with general economic conditions; the Covid-19 pandemic; adverse industry events; the receipt of required regulatory approvals and the timing of such approvals; that the Company maintains good relationships with the communities in which it operates or proposes to operate, future legislative and regulatory developments in the mining sector; the Company's ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources, and/or inability to access sufficient capital on favorable terms; mining industry and markets in Canada and generally; the ability of the Company to implement its business strategies; competition; the risk that any of the assumptions prove not to be valid or reliable, which could result in delays, or cessation in planned work, risks associated with the interpretation of data, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits, the possibility that results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations, as well as other assumptions risks and uncertainties applicable to mineral exploration and development activities and to the Company, including as set forth in the Company's public disclosure documents filed on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com.
THE FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PRESS RELEASE REPRESENTS THE EXPECTATIONS OF HERCULES SILVER AS OF THE DATE OF THIS PRESS RELEASE AND, ACCORDINGLY, IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AFTER SUCH DATE. READERS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE IMPORTANCE ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND SHOULD NOT RELY UPON THIS INFORMATION AS OF ANY OTHER DATE. WHILE HERCULES SILVER MAY ELECT TO, IT DOES NOT UNDERTAKE TO UPDATE THIS INFORMATION AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME EXCEPT AS REQUIRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS.
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 press release.
1 The historical drilling results are historical in nature and have not been verified by a Qualified Person; therefore, they should not be unduly relied upon.
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