First Class Metals (LSE:FCM), the Ontario-focused gold explorer listed on the London Stock Exchange, has confirmed bonanza-grade gold at its Roy prospect on the Sunbeam property, with double fire assay results validating a previously reported photon assay of 45 g/t gold in hole SUN26-05.
Averaging across all three assay methods, hole SUN26-05 returned 40.2 g/t gold, and the same hole also delivered a broader intercept of 16.95 metres at 0.45 g/t gold from 5 metres depth, pointing to both high-grade and bulk-tonnage potential within the structure.
Eleven of the twelve holes in the approximately 1,000-metre drill programme intersected the target structure, confirming gold mineralisation over roughly 300 metres of strike, which remains open along strike and at depth.
FCM's geological work now interprets the Roy, Pettigrew and Sunbeam trends as part of a district-scale structure called the Nahanni Shear Zone, which the company's consulting geologist considers comparable in setting to the Marmion Shear Zone, host to the 3.3 million ounce Hammond Reef gold deposit.
The 300 metres tested to date represents approximately 1% of the interpreted Nahanni Shear Zone.
"The visible gold presence is supported by both photon and fire assay analysis, giving us further confidence in the high-grade nature of the mineralisation," said CEO Marc J. Sale.
An exploration permit application for winter drilling on the frozen lake adjacent to Roy has been submitted, and a quote for detailed airborne geophysics over the core area of the property has been sought.
