VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 13, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- VR Resources Ltd. (TSX.V: VRR, FSE: 5VR; OTCBB: VRRCF), the "Company", or “VR”, is underway on the fourth hole of the Phase 1, reconnaissance drill program on the 1 x 2 km magnetic anomaly at Westwood, part of the Empire District Project in Northwestern Ontario.

  • The first few core boxes in Hole 004 confirm that the target mafic-ultramafic rock with magmatic sulfide shown in Photo 1 below is present on the opposing side of the complex from the intersection in Hole 002 some 800 m away.

First though, WW24-003, completed to 141m was drilled to target a small chargeability anomaly along the magnetic trend with the highway showing 300m to the southwest, as well as to streamline project logistics for moving the drill to the opposing side of the Westwood magnetic anomaly for Hole 004. Drilling Hole 003 intersected the same leucogabbro that dominated Hole 1 and the top of Hole 2, along with sulfide-bearing mafic magma mixing zones.

Hole 004 now underway is an 800m step out from Hole 2 and has collared into the same coarse mafic-ultramafic rock (Photo 1) with disseminated sulfide. As shown on the plan map in Figure 1, it is on the footwall side of the steeply southeast-dipping polyphase intrusive complex from Hole 002. Magnetic susceptibility readings on drill core are relatively low for the target mafic intrusive, but it occurs near magnetite-rich rocks. Consequently, we are using shallowly inclined holes to successfully target magnetic gradients on 1VD maps around the large magnetic anomaly, in conjunction with EM conductivity and IP chargeability anomalies.

As shown in the lower profile in Figure 1, the mafic intrusion boundaries are inferred from the DCIP resistivity/conductivity on Line 2, labeled as “deeply weathering mafic rock”, and correlates well with the conductivity anomaly from the independent DIGEM airborne survey completed last winter, in December 2023. The same is true on DCIP Line 1, with Hole 002 having cut over 350m of mafic-ultramafic rock with variable magmatic sulfide in a similar coincidence of DCIP conductivity and DIGEM conductivity, with deep IP chargeability below.

From VR's CEO Justin Daley: “The goal for first pass reconnaissance drilling at the Westwood target was to prove the concept for a large and fertile mafic-ultramafic complex, and it is exciting to see in the first few boxes of this hole the same mafic rock with sulfide that we saw in Hole 002 on the other side of the multiphase intrusive complex. We are now working to expand our understanding for geophysical controls on this coarse mafic rock that we see in the highway showing, and now in Holes 2 and 4 some 800m apart.

“The drilling so far at Empire has relied on straightforward logistics afforded by the nearby Trans Canada highway, and despite rapidly changing weather at the onset of winter, we remain on track to finish this program on time and on budget. We look forward to providing further updates as we complete this drill program.”

Photo1

Photo 1. (Upper) drill pad setup at northwest margin of Westwood Complex for Hole 004. (Lower) Megacrystic amphibole with pale interstitial melt segregations and local sulfide has been intersected in the top 30m of WW24-004 on the west margin of the Westwood intrusive complex. The rock is similar in texture to the mineralized highway showing and the mafic-ultramafic interval dominating Hole 002 some 800 m away. The coarse and elongate crystal habits of amphibole are characteristic of this rock unit and suggest a ‘quenching’ process during crystallization of an immiscible fluid, which is commonly targeted in exploration for magmatic sulfide mineralization in Ontario.

Figure1-01

Figure 1. Drill hole locations shown on a total magnetic intensity map for the Westwood target at the Empire Project, with highway exposure sample location, overlain 900Hz airborne DIGEM anomalies, and completed IP section lines. The lower panels highlight the direct correlation of chargeability and near surface conductivity with the magnetic response over the inferred mafic-ultramafic intrusion.

About the Empire Project
The Empire project consists of 313 mineral claims in 1 contiguous block covering 10,254 hectares. The project is located on Federal crown land, with mineral rights administered by the Ontario Ministry of Mines. There is a 2% net smelter royalty on the claims. There are no annual payments, but the Ministry requires certain annual exploration expenditures and reporting (ie. mineral assessment reports) in order to maintain a mineral claim in good standing. The project falls within the Lac de Mille Lacs First Nation traditional territories.

Technical Information
Surface grab samples and drill core samples were submitted for geochemical analysis to the AGAT laboratory in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Drill core was logged, cut and sampled at the Holbik Exploration warehouse in Upsala, Ontario, with sample preparation completed by AGAT in Thunder Bay alongside gold and PGE determination by atomic absorption assay. ICP-MS analyses for base metals, whole rock, and trace elements is performed at AGAT’s laboratory in Calgary, AB. Analytical results are subject to industry-standard and NI 43-101 compliant QAQC sample procedures, including the systematic insertion of sample duplicates, blanks and certified reference material (CRM) done both externally and internally at the laboratory by AGAT, as described by AGAT.

Technical information for this news release has been prepared in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101. The content of this news release has been reviewed on behalf of the Company by Justin Daley, MSc, PGeo, President & CEO at VR, and a non-independent Qualified Person, oversees and/or participates in all aspects of the Company’s mineral exploration projects.

About VR Resources Ltd.
VR is an established junior exploration company based in Vancouver (TSX.V: VRR; Frankfurt: 5VR; OTCQB: VRRCF). VR evaluates, explores and advances opportunities in copper, gold and critical metals in Nevada, USA, and Ontario, Canada. VR applies modern exploration technologies, in-house experience, and expertise in greenfields exploration to large-footprint systems in underexplored areas/districts. The foundation of VR is the proven track record of its Board in early-stage exploration, discovery and M&A. The Company is financed for its mineral exploration and corporate obligations. VR owns its projects outright and evaluates new opportunities on an ongoing basis, whether by staking or acquisition.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

“Justin Daley”

Justin Daley, MSc, P.Geo
President & CEO

For general information please use the following:

Website:www.vrr.ca
Email:info@vrr.ca
Phone:778-731-9292
  

Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements".  Such forward looking statements involve 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 statements. Forward-looking statements are 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.  Forward-looking statements in this document include statements concerning VR’s plans for near-term drilling on the properties this winter, and all other statements that are not statements of historical fact.    

Although the Company believes the forward-looking information contained in this news release is reasonable based on information available on the date hereof, by their nature forward-looking statements involve assumptions, known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, 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 statements.

Examples of such assumptions, risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, assumptions, risks and uncertainties associated with general economic conditions; adverse industry events; 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; and other assumptions, risks and uncertainties.

The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of the Company as of the date of this news 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 the company may elect to, it does not undertake to update this information at any particular time except as required in accordance with applicable laws.

This news release may also contain statements and/or information with respect to mineral properties and/or deposits which are adjacent to and/or potentially similar to the Company’s mineral properties, but which the Company has no interest in nor rights to explore. Readers are cautioned that mineral deposits on similar properties are not necessarily indicative of mineral deposits on the Company’s properties.

Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative. All of the Company’s public disclosure filings may be accessed via www.sedarplus.ca and readers are urged to review them.

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Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: 

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3119efd5-197a-4489-8881-ce9330e685eb

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Photo 1

Upper) drill pad setup at northwest margin of Westwood Complex for Hole 004. (Lower) Megacrystic amphibole with pale interstitial melt segregations and local sulfide has been intersected in the top 30m of WW24-004 on the west margin of the Westwood intrusive complex. The rock is similar in texture to the mineralized highway showing and the mafic-ultramafic interval dominating Hole 002 some 800 m away. The coarse and elongate crystal habits of amphibole are characteristic of this rock unit and suggest a ‘quenching’ process during crystallization of an immiscible fluid, which is commonly targeted in exploration for magmatic sulfide mineralization in Ontario.
Figure 1

Drill hole locations shown on a total magnetic intensity map for the Westwood target at the Empire Project, with highway exposure sample location, overlain 900Hz airborne DIGEM anomalies, and completed IP section lines. The lower panels highlight the direct correlation of chargeability and near surface conductivity with the magnetic response over the inferred mafic-ultramafic intrusion.