HAYDEN HILL SURFACE PROGRAM MAPPED MULTIPLE EPITHERMAL VEINS, HYDROTHERMAL BRECCIAS WITH GOLD VALUES TO 37.9 G/T

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, December 6, 2023, Four Nines Gold Inc. (“Four Nines” or the “Company”) (CSE: FNAU, OTCIQ: FNAUF) is pleased to announce results for the Company’s initial surface mapping and sampling program for the Hayden Hill Property, located in Lassen County California.  The goal of this phase of the Hayden Hill exploration program is to identify and characterize structural feeders that might host high-grade gold-silver mineralization.

Highlights:

1. The Team collected 326 select grab samples, for which results have been received for 140 samples,
2. Highest surface value is 37.9 grams per metric tonne (g/t),
3. Thirteen (13) samples have values > 10 g/t,
4. Twenty-two (22) samples have values > 5 g/t,
5. Thirty-four (34) samples have values > 3 g/t,
6. Visible gold (very fine-grained) has been identified at multiple locations,
7. Experienced field explorationists conducted 90 personnel-days of surface mapping and sampling during June through August 2023,
8. Structure, lithology, hydrothermal alteration and sulfide mineralization have been assessed,
9. The mapping has verified multiple mineralized structures indicated by historical workers and identified multiple previously unknown structures (Figure 1).  These mineralized structures include banded epithermal veins, hydrothermal breccias, quartz stockworks, zones of pervasive quartz-adularia alteration, and oxidized sulfide veins.

David Flint, VP Exploration of Four Nines Gold said “We are excited with the results of this initial mapping and sampling program at our flagship Hayden Hill project.  Numerous epithermal veins have been mapped and sampled, plus several significant hydrothermal breccia bodies have also been identified.   The gold geochemical results are also highly encouraging.  Further detailed mapping and sampling is clearly justified.  These results verify the concept for which Four Nines signed the exploration agreement with Kinross (April 19, 2023 press release) and are an important step in advancing our understanding of the potential for high-grade gold mineralization to depth at Hayden Hill.  The surface data is being utilized to design holes to be drilled from the Phase 1 approved drill stations” (July 24, 2023 press release). 

Surface Program Technical Results

Summary

The primary goal of this initial field program was to characterize mineralized features that might indicate the presence of epithermal high-grade gold mineralization.  Much of the surface of the project area has been disturbed through open-pit mining and reclamation activities.  Pit highwalls, historical trenches and pits, undisturbed outcrops, and areas of subcrop have been mapped and sampled.

Structure, lithology, hydrothermal alteration and presence of sulfide mineralization have been assessed at numerous sites throughout the Property. The mapping has verified the dominant structural orientation, in three primary zones of the property, as presented in the Independent Technical Report for the Hayden Hill Gold-Silver Project, Lassen County, California, USA (Weiss, 2023 and July 18, 2023 press release), and depicted in the figure below.  Epithermal quartz veins and breccia bodies are located along these high-angle structures, and are the target for future exploration (Figure 2).

The following styles of hydrothermal features (Figure 3), favorable for the presence of epithermal gold-silver mineralization, have been mapped and sampled on the Property:       

• Multiple banded epithermal veins,
• Clast-support hydrothermal breccias (clasts comprise > 50% of the breccia volume),
• Matrix-supported hydrothermal breccias, for which the Hydrothermal matrix comprises > 50% of the breccia volume.  Clasts of previously veined material are common.
• Euhedral adularia and quartz replacement of individual calcite crystals is locally present, 
• Pervasive silicification, that is reported to also include fine-grained adularia, is the most widespread form of hydrothermal alteration present in the Project area.

Figure 1:  Hayden Hill Mineral Zones and Epithermal Vein Orientations 

Figure 2:  Schematic Section of Exploration Targets

Figure 3:  Hayden Hill Styles of Silicification

Upper left: pervasive silicification; upper right: hydrothermal breccia; lower left: epithermal vein viewed along strike; & lower right: crustiform banded vein.

An initial set of 326 surface samples have been collected (Figure 4), for which results have been received for 140 samples.   Most of the samples are select grabs from structures that appeared to have potential for gold mineralization.  The highest sample value is 37.9 g/t.   Thirteen (13) samples have values > 10 g/t, 22 have values > 5 g/t, 34 have values > 1 g/t, 54 have values > 0.5 g/t, and 86 have values < 0.5 g/t.   Follow-up sampling for regions with higher grade initial values is clearly justified.

The surface grab rock chip samples have been analyzed by the ALS Laboratory in Reno Nevada.  The samples have been processed according to the following:

1. Preparation: Prep-31 as default, Prep-31BY for samples where visible gold has been observed,
2. Gold assay: Au-AA23 (fire assay with AAS finish);    defaults to a 2^nd analysis by Au-Grav21 (gravimetric finish) when the concentration from the Au-AA23 assay is > 10 ppm,
3. Certified reference and blank material samples have been inserted into the rock samples submittal at a ratio of 1 standard/10 rock samples,
4. Chain of custody and security maintained from sample collection through submission to the ALS Laboratory.

Figure 4:  Four Nines Gold Surface Sampling Locations

The field program has been conducted under the supervision and direction of David Flint, the Four Nines’ VP of Exploration.  The Company’s Technical Advisors and consulting gold exploration experts have also been engaged in the field program.

The following are highlights of the mapping and sampling results for the Property primary mineral zones.

Lookout Zone

• Majority of the Amax Gold historical gold production was from the Lookout Pit,
• Highest gold value of 13.7 g/t,
• Host rocks include a fine-grained volcaniclastic on higher benches, and a dacite breccia in the lower 2 benches,
• Much of the exposed rock has been pervasively silicified (and assumed be to quartz-adularia) – Phase 1 silicification as described in the Technical Report (Weiss, 2023),
• North-south trending epithermal veins (approximately 6” thick) post-date the pervasive silicification (Figure 5),
• Less common northeast & northwest trending veins are also present (Figure 4),
• Consistently high gold grades for the grab samples collected above and below the pit ramp (at 679,200 Easting),
• Five permitted drill sites (blue stars), for which 3 are displayed on the figure below,
• The northern 2 sites have been designed to target a zone of higher-grade gold mineralization, beneath the current pit bottom, that is indicated by historical drilling. 

Figure 5:  Lookout Zone – Surface Mapping and Sampling Results

Providence Nose

• The Nose is at an approximate elevation of 300 feet (100m) above the Lookout Pit bottom,
• Highest gold grade of 23.3 g/t,
• Primary northeast trending vein set cut by a swarm of northwest trending veins (Figure 6),
• Hydrothermal breccias developed at the intersection of the two 2 vein sets,
• Euhedral adularia and quartz replacement of calcite identified at several locations,
• The Nose can currently be explored, at depth, from a permitted drill station located at the bottom of the Lookout Pit.

Figure 6:  Providence Nose –Surface Mapping and Sampling Results

Providence Pit

• The Providence Pit was a site of modest open-pit historical production by Amax Gold,
• Highest gold value of 37.9 g/t.
• Lithology consists of a fine-grained volcaniclastic, up section, and dacite breccia to depth,
• The Providence veins are primarily oriented to the northeast (Figure 7),
• The northwest trending Golden Eagle veins intersect the northeast trending Providence veins within the current pit location,
• Dacite breccia is pervasively silicified for much of the pit exposures,

Figure 7:  Providence Pit – Surface Mapping and Sampling Results

Golden Eagle Zone

• Most of the Hayden Hill historical underground mine production was from the Golden Eagle northwest trending veins,
• The current surface above the Golden Eagle veins has been extensively reclaimed,
• The Golden Eagle veins as displayed (Figure 8) are from Finn (1987),
• The primary current exposures of the Golden Eagle structural corridor are along the southeast walls of the Providence Pit,
• Amax Gold historical blasthole and exploration drill hole assays provide data to target the Golden Eagle veins to the southeast of the Providence Pit.

Figure 8:  Golden Eagle Zone – Surface Mapping and Sampling Results

David Flint, MSc, AIPG-CPG, a qualified person as defined in NI 43-101 and a director of the company, has reviewed and approved the technical information in this press release.

References

Finn, D. R., 1987, Geology and Ore Deposits of the Hayden Hill District, Lassen County, California, unpublished Master of Science Thesis, University of Nevada Reno, 84p.

Weiss, S.I, 2023, Independent Technical Report for the Hayden Hill Gold - Silver Project,
Lassen County, California, USA, NI 43-101 report prepared for Four Nines Gold Corp., 78p. 

About Four Nines Gold Inc.

Four Nines Gold Inc. has the right to acquire 100% of the Hayden Hill Mine from a Kinross Gold USA Inc subsidiary. The Company is exploring and developing the project in mining-friendly Northern California. Hayden Hill is a former producing mine with 99,862.42 meters of drilling in 742 holes and no systematic property exploration since the mine closed in 1997.   Four Nines Gold Inc. continues to hold an option to acquire 100% interest in the Bonneville gold-silver-copper project in central Quebec.  For more information, please get in touch with the Company at info@fourninesgold.ca or visit our website at www.fourninesgold.ca for project updates and related background information.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

FOUR NINES GOLD INC. 

Charles Ross
President
1000 - 409 Granville Street
Vancouver, BC, V6C 1T2
Tel: 604.602.0001

Forward-looking statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws (collectively, “forward-looking statements”). Statements and information that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as “expects”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “intends”, “estimates”, “potential”, “possible” and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions or results “will”, “may”, “could” or “should” occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements and the assumptions made in respect thereof involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors beyond the Company’s control. Forward-looking statements in this press release include statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations, or intentions of the Company. Mineral exploration is highly speculative and characterized by several significant risks, which even a combination of careful evaluation, experience and knowledge may not eliminate. Forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date herein. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking statements in this press release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information or future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law.

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