VAL D'OR, QUEBEC -- Northern Star Mining Corporation (TSX VENTURE:NSM) (Northern Star Mining or the "Company") is pleased to announce further drill hole results from its wholly owned Malartic-Midway project located 16 km west of Val-d'Or, Quebec.
Drilling was carried out on a number of different areas on the property including the newly discovered L-Zone, the new discovery at the Decline West area (South South Briar extension), as well as in the Chabela West Zone, where underground bulk sampling (mining) is presently underway.
Highlights include 7.29 grams per tonne gold over 11.4 meters in the L-Zone, 6.51 grams per tonne gold over 7.8 meters in Chabela West, and 8.25 grams per tonne gold over 5.2 meters in the Decline West Zone.
"Drilling from surface throughout the Malartic-Midway gold project continues to deliver outstanding results. We expect to see the continuation of these results from both surface and underground drilling. Our exploration drilling efforts will now intensify, especially from underground, as the decline continues to progress well, and with bulk sampling underway in the Chabela West Zone," stated Michel David, CEO.
L-Zone
Following the discovery at the L-Zone area, follow up drilling continues to confirm the continuity and grade of the gold mineralization, both laterally and at depth. Results also show the presence of bonanza type high grade gold mineralization.
The third hole drilled in the L-Zone returned:
HOLE # From (m) To (m) Core length (m) Grade (g/t Au) Rock Type
170 227.6 239.0 11.4 7.29 Gabbro
319.7 331.8 12.1 5.7 Porphyry
Including 328.6 331.5 2.9 22.5
173.1 174.1 1.0 7.5
The initial discovery and the second hole in the L-Zone resulted in (previously announced press releases December 11, 2008 and March 26, 2009):
HOLE # From (m) To (m) Core length (m) Grade (g/t Au) Rock Type
160 113.8 114.9 1.1 8.46 Gabbro
181.0 182.0 1.0 6.2 Gabbro
279.0 280.0 1.1 6.6 Gabbro
160 254.0 258.8 4.8 86.48 Gabbro
Including 256.3 256.8 0.5 802.43 Gabbro
Including 256.3 258.9 2.6 160.69 Gabbro
33.0 37.9 4.9 5.38 Gabbro
173 176.8 181.1 4.3 6.22 Gabbro
230.0 243.0 13.0 5.6 Gabbro
Including 230.0 233.0 3.0 9.42 Gabbro
Including 237.0 243.0 6.0 6.8 Gabbro
317.0 324.5 7.5 11.2 Gabbro
Including 321.0 322.0 1.0 14.7 Gabbro
Including 323.9 324.5 0.6 182.0 Gabbro
Chabela West
Surface drilling in the Chabela West Zone, where bulk sampling (mining) and underground drilling is presently underway returned:
HOLE # From (m) To (m) Core length (m) Grade (g/t Au) Rock Type
151 138.9 146.7 7.8 6.5 Gabbro
Including 138.8 139.8 1.0 50.73
West Decline (South South Briar Extension)
A new discovery was made in the western area of the decline, which may correspond to the extension of the known Briar Zone.
HOLE # From (m) To (m) Core length (m) Grade (g/t Au) Rock Type
153 12.8 18.0 5.2 8.25 Gabbro
Including 12.8 16.7 3.9 10.8
169 134.9 137.9 3.0 14.06 Gabbro
East Decline
A single drill hole carried out in this area east of the decline, discovered previously unknown gold mineralization.
HOLE # From (m) To (m) Core length (m) Grade (g/t Au) Rock Type
167 155.9 159.5 3.6 7.62 Gabbro
Including 155.9 156.2 1.3 59.5
Porphyry
As part of its continuing exploration and development program on its property, Northern Star has also begun targeting lower grade mineralization in porphyry rock types of the Goldex (Agnico-Eagle) and Osisko types, this latter being Northern Star's immediate neighbour to the west.
This program is at an early stage but has resulted in the discovery of porphyry type gold mineralization in numerous areas on the property.
Chabela Porphyry
In addition to holes previously announced in 2008 and 2009, new gold values are reported:
HOLE # From (m) To (m) Core length (m) Grade (g/t Au) Rock Type
146 91.5 96.9 5.4 2.25 Porphyry
Including 91.5 92.9 1.4 6.96
147 181.9 189.8 7.9 1.2 Porphyry
165 140.0 143.0 3.0 4.0 Porphyry
168 158.0 163.0 5.0 2.8 Porphyry
South Porphyry
A single drill hole carried out in this area of the South Porphyry returned the following:
HOLE # From (m) To (m) Core length (m) Grade (g/t Au) Rock Type
161 357.0 374.0 17.0 2.05 Porphyry
Including 367.0 374.0 7.0 3.5 Porphyry
This area of the property, bordering Osisko to the west, demonstrates potential for lower grade porphyry type gold mineralization of the Osisko-Goldex type, as demonstrated from the results of hole 161. Drilling is scheduled to continue on this zone.
Decline
The Decline continues to advance towards the mineralized zone at Briar North, and has now advanced a total of 1,900 meters. The Briar North Zone should be reached in July. A mineralized zone cutting across the decline was recently discovered near the northern boundary of the Cadillac Break and may correspond to the possible extension of the K-Zone which was mined at Shaft #1 during production at Malartic Goldfields. Visually the zone appears to be approximately 10 meters in width with significant pyrite concentrations (greater than 20%).
Chabela Drift
In the Chabela Drift, up drilling for blasting of the bulk sample mining has been completed. However, exploration drill holes carried out below the floor of the drift have discovered the downward continuation of the Chabela West Zone. The core shows significant pyrite mineralization (greater than 20%) with visible gold in millimetre sized particles, in a silica flooded gabbro. Assaying and interpretation is presently underway.
McKenzie Break
Following the press release of April 28th, Northern Star is presently advancing the study of the engineering of decline construction at the McKenzie Break gold project.
Northern Star is scheduling surface pre-installation in August at this project.
Surface exploration
To date, the Company has drilled over 30 holes from surface, and 10 from underground as part of its 2009 exploration program. Further results are expected shortly.
Eugene Gauthier, Geol, Ing (OIQ), acts as the qualified person of the Company and has reviewed the contents of the news release. The diamond drilling and exploration programs are being carried out under the direct supervision of Eugene Gauthier, Ing (OIQ). The Company is maintaining strict standards for QA (quality assurance) and QC (quality control), by keeping under lock all drill cores, rejects and pulps for further testing. Samples were sent to ALS Chemex and Techni-Lab labs in Val d'Or, Quebec. High grade assays intersections were subject to total gold metallic sieve method in addition to the standard fire assay and AA finish.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
Jonathan Awde, Vice-president, Corporate Finance
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Northern Star Mining Corporation
Jonathan Awde
Vice-president, Corporate Finance
TOLL FREE (800) 460-5031 or (819) 825-8088
(819) 825-1199 (FAX)
www.nsmgold.com
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