TSX Venture Exchange: EMR
OTC Bulletin Board: EGMCF.PK
U.S. 20-F Registration: 000-51411
Frankfurt Stock Exchange: EML
VANCOUVER, Feb. 13 /CNW/ - Emgold Mining Corporation (EMR-TSX-V) (the
"Company") is pleased to report that new high-grade gold exploration targets
have been identified from historic mine maps and other geologic data at the
Company's Idaho-Maryland Mine underground gold project located in Grass
Valley, California.
Company geologists are constructing a three-dimensional computer model
from the historic data collected during the time the Idaho-Maryland Mine was
an active mining operation from 1851 to 1956. When completed, this
comprehensive model will include geologic units, faults, veins, underground
workings, assays and gold resources developed from historic data, and geologic
information from Emgold's two surface drilling programs. The data, which
includes 220,000 feet of historic core drilling, 24,800 feet of Emgold core
drilling, 36,000 assays, and 4,000 mine maps, is being digitized and entered
into the MineSight(R) three-dimensional modeling software program.
As part of this modeling Company's geologists have input historical assay
data into the MineSight(R) modeling package. The geologists are now able to
evaluate the historical information using an assay model built from the
historic mine data. The information for this model comes from fire assays from
sampling of underground workings and core drilling, which was a routine part
of mine development during the historic operations. It is anticipated that
additional near surface and deeper underground exploration targets may be
identified as this work process continues. All work is under the supervision
of Mr. Robert Pease, Professional Geologist (California), Chief Geologist for
the Idaho-Maryland Project and a Qualified Person in accordance with National
Instrument 43-101.
The assay modeling using the historic data from the northeast portion of
the Idaho-Maryland Mine property has revealed new high grade gold intercepts
in the vicinity of existing gold resource blocks in workings just 600 to
850 feet below the ground surface. The resource blocks and high-grade
intercepts are in a geologically favourable area in the Idaho Deformation Zone
comprised of faults and veins surrounding diabase rock slabs. The intercepts
are situated within the historically productive Idaho 3 and 13 veins, and
ranges of some of the high grades are shown in the table below. The sample
lengths presented in the table are the product of the historical data
collection methods and do not indicate total vein width. The historical
information indicates that the actual vein widths in the Idaho Maryland are
generally wider than this table would indicate. It is important to note that
this assay data is historical in nature, does not comply with NI 43-101 and
that further exploration is required to verify the accuracy of this data and
the data should not be relied upon for investment purposes. The Company
believes this information is useful as an indication of the exploration
potential of the Idaho-Maryland project and is planning additional surface and
underground exploration to further define its understanding of the historic
ore body as well as other new targets identified from the modeling activities.
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Mine Level Sample Length Gold Assay
(feet) (ounce per ton) Comments
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Id600L 1.50 2.25 Historic drift assay
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Id750L 1.80 16.00 Historic drift assay
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Id750L 1.25 10.45 Historic drift assay
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Id750L 1.33 2.45 Historic drift assay
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Id800L 0.66 1.58 Historic drift assay
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Id800R 0.83 2.40 Historic raise assay
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Id850L-DDH2 8.99 0.71 Historic drill hole
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Historic sampling on the Idaho 750-foot level had a weighted average gold
grade of 4.5 ounces per ton over a sampled distance of 25 feet, which is well
above the historical average production grade from the Idaho-Maryland mine of
0.43 ounce per short ton. These high-grade assays are in areas where stoping
did not occur, and therefore remain available as exploration targets. The
sample results in the above table are raw assays not using the historic mine
call factor of 1.44, and are not cut. It is also important to note that based
on the Company's most recent NI 43-101 Preliminary Assessment Technical Report
on the Idaho-Maryland Mine (dated November 22, 2004), the average true
thickness of veins within the Idaho-Maryland range from 8.1 ft to 70.7 ft and
are in general not narrow veins.
A proposed surface-drilling program is being planned to explore for gold
on several of these identified targets. Nine diamond core drill holes are
being considered, which would total 7,200 feet. These holes would be drilled
from one or two sites, with individual hole depths being less than 1000 feet.
Three holes would test the Idaho 87 resource-block area and six holes would
explore the high-grade intercepts in the Round Hole area. Property leases and
a conditional use permit issued by the City of Grass Valley will be required
in order to start this program. The historic information and views of the
proposed surface drilling program are illustrated on the Company's website at
www.emgold.com.
Since the mine workings are not accessible, Idaho-Maryland geologists
have not verified the sample intercepts, but the historic assay map data is
felt to be reliable. These intercepts would be tested in the future once the
planned underground exploration and development program is begun. The
objective of the underground exploration program will be to confirm and expand
the gold resources primarily through diamond core drilling and sampling. The
proposed decline access ramp will be aligned in an easterly direction that
brings it near to existing gold resource blocks. As the decline is advanced,
muck bays positioned approximately every 500 feet in the decline will be
available to use as underground drilling stations. Resource blocks as defined
in the Company's current Technical Report and other exploration targets will
be drilled, sampled and assayed, and the results entered into the MineSight(R)
model.
For more information about Emgold, its Rozan, Stewart and Jazz Properties
in British Columbia; the Idaho-Maryland Mine project in California and the
Ceramext(TM) technology, please visit www.emgold.com or www.sedar.com.
William J. (Bill) Witte, P.Eng.
President and Chief Executive Officer
The TSX Venture Exchange has reviewed the information contained in this
news release.
This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed
"forward-looking statements." All statements in this release, other than
statements of historical facts, that address future production, reserve
potential, exploration drilling, exploitation activities and events or
developments that the Company expects are forward-looking statements. Although
the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking
statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not
guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ
materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could
cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking
statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, and
continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market
or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are
not guarantees of future performance and those actual results or developments
may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements.
For more information on the Company, investors should review the Company's
filings that are available at www.sedar.com or the Company's website at
www.emgold.com.
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