Westhaven Drills 28.72 Metres of 2.97 g/t Gold and 13.68 g/t Silver, Including 1.55m of 32.60 g/t Gold and 130.68 g/t Silver at Shovelnose


VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 22, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Westhaven Ventures Inc. (TSX-V:WHN) is pleased to report drill results from its ongoing drill campaign at its 15,542 hectare Shovelnose gold property, located within the prospective Spences Bridge Gold Belt (SBGB), which borders the Coquihalla Highway 30 kilometres south of Merritt, British Columbia.

Highlights:

  • SN19-02 (130.11-148.00m): 17.89 metres(m) of 3.70 g/t gold (Au) and 32.64 g/t silver (Ag)
    incl: 7.85m of 7.00 g/t Au and 59.13 g/t Ag
    (174.94-175.44m): 0.50m of 13.65 g/t Au and 36.50 g/t Ag

  • SN19-03 (44.00-49.00m): 5.00m of 1.60 g/t Au and 6.66 g/t Ag
    (92.00–93.00m): 1.00m of 3.52 g/t Au and 2.90 g/t Ag

  • SN19-04 (246.27-266.52m): 20.25m of 1.02 g/t Au and 9.98 g/t Ag
    incl: 4.00m of 2.52 g/t Au and 31.15 g/t Ag

  • SN19-05 (156.04-184.76m): 28.72m of 2.97 g/t Au and 13.68 g/t Ag
    incl: 15.48m of 4.77 g/t Au and 21.77 g/t Ag
    incl: 6.48m of 8.55 g/t Au and 38.55 g/t Ag
    incl: 1.55m of 32.60 g/t Au and 130.68 g/t Ag
  • The program is ongoing and currently drilling SN19-07, which is a step out ~70m to the southeast of SN18-15.
     
  • SN19-08 will be a ~200 metre step out to the northeast of SN18-19. Although SN18-19 hit anomalous gold values (56m of 0.14 g/t Au), Management believes the high grade Zone 1 vein trend is offset due to faulting in this locality and SN19-08 will target the favourable mineralization horizon.

*Drilling to date is limited so true widths cannot be definitively determined. However, based on the geology of the vein zone with a steep dip to the west, true widths are estimated to be about 80-90% of reported interval lengths. Please see the plan map and cross section below. For a table of assays from SN19-01 please visit: http://westhavenventures.com/projects/shovelnose-gold/details/

Gareth Thomas, President & CEO of Westhaven stated, "Westhaven’s inaugural 2019 drill program at Shovelnose continues to expand on the high-grade gold South Zone discovery. Currently the drill is moving southeast along strike from hole SN18-15 (46.20m of 8.95 g/t Au) with hole SN19-06 (~40m southeast of SN18-15) successfully intersecting Zone 1 veining (assays pending). Westhaven will be expanding from one drill to two drills in the early summer as recent drilling and geophysics have located multiple high-priority targets."

Peter Fischl, Exploration Manager, goes on to add, "Drilling has continued to intersect Zone 1 vein system at South Zone, with the strongest results since SN19-01 coming from hole SN19-05, the northwestern most hole drilled in the current drill campaign. In addition, drilling to the southeast has successfully extended the strike of Zone 1 as well, increasing the strike-length by 40m to 490m. Hole SN19-03 tested for the upward continuation of Zone 2 from Hole SN18-18 but encountered a fault block of andesite, which accounts in part for the magnetic high immediately northeast of Zone 2." 

Qualified Person Statement

Peter Fischl, P.Geo., who is a Qualified Person within the context of National Instrument 43-101, has read and takes responsibility for this release.

QA/QC

Core samples were prepared using the PREP-31 package in ALS’s Kamloops facility. Each core sample is crushed to better than 70 % passing a 2 mm (Tyler 9 mesh, US Std. No.10) screen. A split of 250 g is taken and pulverized to better than 85 % passing a 75 micron (Tyler 200 mesh, US Std. No. 200) screen. 0.75g of this pulverized split is digested by Four Acid and analyzed via ICP-MS (method code ME-MS61m (+Hg)), which reports a 49-element suite of elements. All samples are analyzed by Fire Assay with an AES finish, method code Au-ICP21 (30g sample size). Additional Au screening is performed using ALS’s Au-SCR24 method, select samples are dry screened to 100 micron. A duplicate 50g fire assay is conducted on the undersized fraction as well as an assay on the entire oversize fraction. Total Au content, individual assays and weight fractions are reported. All analytical and assay procedures are conducted in ALS’s North Vancouver facility. A QA/QC program included laboratory and field standards inserted every 25 samples. At least one field blank is inserted in every batch of 25 samples, with additional blanks inserted following samples with visible gold.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. 

The Spences Bridge Gold Belt (SBGB)

Westhaven owns a 100%-interest in 4 properties covering over 35,000 hectares within the prospective SBGB, which is situated within a geological setting like those which host other significant epithermal gold-silver systems. It is close to major transportation routes and infrastructure allowing for cost-effective exploration. The SBGB is a 110-kilometre northwest-trending belt of intermediate to felsic volcanic rocks dominated by the Cretaceous Spences Bridge Group. Sable Resources and Westhaven have a combined control of 86% of the SBGB (225,000ha). Any ground staked by Sable within 5 kilometres of Westhaven's existing projects will be subject to a 2.5% NSR. In addition, Westhaven has a 30 day Right of First Refusal (ROFR) for a three-year period on any of Sable’s properties outside this 5-kilometre radius.

On behalf of the Board of Directors
WESTHAVEN VENTURES INC.

"Gareth Thomas"

Gareth Thomas, President, CEO & Director

Westhaven Ventures Inc. is a Canadian based exploration company focused on the acquisition and exploration of prospective resource properties. Westhaven is focused on advancing its Shovelnose, Prospect Valley, Skoonka and Skoonka North gold projects in British Columbia. Westhaven trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the ticker symbol WHN. For further information, please call 604-681-5521 or visit Westhaven’s website at www.westhavenventures.com  

A map accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/93e12ddd-780e-413b-8146-0d358421807b

Figure 1