VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, January 22, 2009 - Millrock Resources Inc. (MRO - TSX:V) ("Millrock" or the "Company") is pleased to announce results from drilling at the Daniel's Creek prospect and surface sampling at the Koyana prospect of the Bluff Project, east of Nome, Alaska. Highlights of the Daniel's Creek prospect drilling program include:
- 5.94 meters 1.397 g/t gold in hole BLF1001
- 1.37 meters 3.819 g/t gold in hole BLF1003
"We are pleased with the outcome of this drilling program. We had encouraging near-surface intersections of gold mineralization in all five short holes drilled, even though it was diminished by poor drill production," commented Gregory Beischer, Millrock President & CEO. "While we were unable to verify the previously reported resource, the 2008 drill program was not a fair test of the property, with only 400 meters of the planned 1,500 meter drill program completed. We hope to accomplish more drilling in 2009 to further test this prospect as well as the other great targets on the property. "
Five holes totaling 403.26 meters were drilled with a goal of substantiating historic drill results reported by BHP and expanding the estimated boundaries of the reported mineralization to previously untested soil anomalies. The following table provides a list of all mineralized intersections using a cutoff grade of 0.5 g/t gold.
Hole ID
From (m)
To (m)
Length (m)
Gold g/t
BLF1001
25.15
31.09
5.94
1.4
including
29.57
31.09
1.52
4.1
BLF1001
49.99
52.73
2.74
0.7
BLF1002
9.75
10.82
1.07
0.9
BLF1002
57.76
59.13
1.37
0.7
BLF1003
61.05
62.42
1.37
3.8
BLF1003
88.03
88.39
0.37
7.7
BLF1004
25.6
27.43
1.83
1.4
BLF1004
29.87
30.48
0.61
1.6
BLF1004
32.61
33.22
0.61
1.1
BLF1005
19.35
20.42
1.07
1.4
The true thicknesses of these intercepts are unknown. Mineralization orientations are unknown due to a lack of outcrop and strongly broken ground.
Reconciling the 2008 drill program with BHP's 1987 to 1990 drill program has proven problematic. Consistent lack of repeatability of all comparisons of past and recent drilling, duplicate samples and re-sampling of past drill core suggest an underlying nugget effect. The challenge of reconciling past and recent drill programs is magnified since both programs experienced very low core recoveries due to strongly broken ground. It is unclear which of the BHP or Millrock 2008 drill programs are more representative of true grade since a nugget effect and low core recoveries can both upgrade and/or downgrade assay values.
Millrock's 2008 drill program was designed to minimize a nugget effect through drilling, sampling, sample preparation and assaying procedures and maximize core recovery through drill techniques. Despite best efforts, ground conditions limited core recovery to 75% - an improvement over drill core recoveries obtained by BHP. Duplicate assays and re-assays of Millrock samples also have the highest correlation of all the programs, but inconsistencies are still exhibited throughout the results. Future drilling will have to more aggressively address low recovery issues and a nugget effect.
The Koyana zone, which is located approximately 2.7 kilometers east of the Daniel's Creek prospect, is known from three prior BHP drill holes. Prospecting and surface sampling carried out by Millrock in 2008 extended this zone 500 meters southeast to what is now known as the Koyana Beach showing. Grab samples of quartz-carbonate-arsenopyrite veins returned strong assay results at this location. The following table provides highlights of these results:
Sample ID
Prospect
Au g/t
654007
Daniels Creek
13.8
654005
Koyana Beach
8.8
656406
Koyana Beach
38.6
656404
Koyana Beach
29.0
656405
Koyana Beach
28.7
656046
Koyana Beach
18.6
656408
Koyana Beach
15.8
656413
Koyana Beach
15.8
656403
Koyana Beach
11.6
The intervening area between the known drill intercepts and the beach showing has not been drill tested and is a target for future drilling programs. Additionally, at the Saddle Zone a drill intersection of 5.4 g/t over 10.9 meters previously reported by BHP warrants follow-up drilling.
Large soil anomalies in the surrounding area remain untested and are potential targets for future drilling programs.
For Millrock's 2008 Bluff exploration program, mineralized intervals were sampled and placed in sealed bags then delivered to Alaska Assay Lab in Fairbanks, Alaska for analysis. Each sample was screened for metallics and a 1000-gram aliquot was used for a fire assay atomic absorption finish. The core was not split because of gold loss problems previously encountered at this property and other nearby properties. All core was carefully logged and photographed with visible depth markers. All unanalyzed drill core and coarse rejects from the core samples have been retained for geological record. A sample quality control/quality assurance program was implemented and results of the program determined to be acceptable.
The Bluff prospect is situated about 100 kilometers east of Nome and 35 kilometers south of the village of Council on one of three land parcels that are the subject of a previously announced agreement between Millrock and the Bering Straits Native Corporation, owner of the prospect's mineral rights. White Mountain Native Corporation is the owner of the prospect's surface rights. The Bluff prospect is on the coast with barge and landing craft-accessible beaches, an airstrip and the Nome-Council seasonal gravel road providing ready access for personnel and equipment. Nome is serviced by three scheduled jet aircraft flights a day from Anchorage, daily air freight service, and has a small port for use for barge delivery of fuel, supplies, and equipment from the Pacific Rim.
The 2008 exploration program at the Bluff Project was supervised by Millrock President and CEO, Gregory Beischer, a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101 who prepared and approved the information contained in this release.
ABOUT MILLROCK RESOURCES INC.
Millrock Resources Inc. is a TSX Venture Exchange listed company intent upon the discovery of high value mineral deposits, with a focus on Alaska and Arizona. Millrock currently has four active exploration projects in Alaska, and three in Arizona.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
“Gregory Beischer”
Gregory Beischer, President & CEO
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT
Patrick De Witt, Manager, Investor Relations
(604) 638-3164
Toll Free: (877) 217-8978
Millrock Resources Inc.
750 World Trade Centre - 999 Canada Place
Vancouver, BC V6C 3E1
Canada
FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
Some statements in this news release contain forward-looking information. These statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the statements. Such factors include without limitation the completion of planned expenditures, the ability to complete exploration programs on schedule and the success of exploration programs.
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