NEWS RELEASE

Southern Empire Resources Corp. has Received Drill Results – Eastgate Gold Project, Nevada

Southern Empire Resources Corp. (Southern Empire; TSX-V: SMP; Frankfurt: 5RE) has received final results from its six hole, 906 metre (2,972 foot) core drill program at its Eastgate Gold Project located in Churchill County, Nevada. 

Southern Empire’s first-pass core drilling program of the Double Eagle high-grade gold/silver epithermal vein system, one of several vein systems at Eastgate, was designed to accomplish the following specific goals:

  • Test the zone of historical Reverse Circulation (“RC”) drill assay results reported by past operators of the property, including both on section with historical holes and to within 55 metres (180 feet) both northeast and southwest along strike.
  • Collect specific and correlative analytical, structural and lithological information of the vein system while incorporating accurate down hole survey control that only core drilling can provide

The 2020 drill program successfully intercepted the target vein structure in all holes, however failed to confirm historical RC drill results at the Double Eagle vein system. Results ranged to a high of 338 ppb gold, although most samples returned values of less than 50 ppb Au. 

The 2020 core drilling intersected quartz mineralization, including quartz pseudomorphs after calcite, calcite and trace, fine sulphides within broad zones of clay alteration in all six holes. Analytical metallic screening of select samples indicated that the gold occurs primarily in the coarser fraction, however does not provide any explanation for the comparatively low 2020 assay results. Hole EG20-01 was drilled to intersect the vein system within approximately 3 metres (10 feet) of historical RC hole EG-04 intercept that reportedly assayed 4.57 metres of 11.8 g Au/t (15 feet of 0.343 oz Au/ton), although the EG-04 was subject to a lack of both surface and downhole survey control during the 1999 drilling. Recoveries from the 2020 drilling averaged 93%; no recovery data is available from the historical RC holes.

All core was logged in detail and submitted to ALS USA Inc.’s laboratories in Reno, Nevada for sampling under the direction of Southern Empire personnel. Except for hole EG20-02 which was sampled in its entirety, and selective samples were collected and submitted for geochemical analysis, including gold by fire assay with atomic absorption finish (FA-AA; ALS procedure Au-AA23) and induced coupled plasma (ICP; ME-ICP61) spectrometry analyses. This was subsequently followed up with metallic screen analytical testing (analysis of gold relative content of the coarse and fine fractions; Au-SCR21:1kg pulp dry screened to -106 microns, duplicate 30g assay on undersize and gravimetric assay of entire oversize fraction). Samples were typically collected from 1.52 m (5.0 ft) intervals, with a small number of 1.52m (5.0 ft) intervals broken down into shorter sample lengths to reflect vein geology.

QA/QC Standards

An industry standard level program of Quality Control and Quality Assurance (“QA/QC”) was applied to drill, core and sample management throughout the drill program at a rate of roughly 1:20, consisting of duplicates, inserted gold standards, the latter including mid-grade standards (0.511 g Au/t & 1.526 g Au/t) and a low grade standard (0.030 g Au/t) and blanks (<0.002 g Au/t). Analysis of the standards and duplicates shows a good rate of repeatability. All core was in the control of Southern Empire staff and/or ALS laboratory personnel from drill site to the assay lab.

Qualified Person 

The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been prepared, reviewed and approved by David Tupper, P.Geo. (British Columbia), Southern Empire’s VP Exploration and a Qualified Person within the context of Canadian Securities Administrators’ National Instrument 43-101; Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

About Southern Empire Resources Corp.

Southern Empire is focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of gold deposits in the American southwest. Southern Empire holds an option to acquire a 75% interest in the Oro Cruz Gold Project in the Cargo Muchacho Mountains of Imperial County, southeast California, approximately 22.5 km (14 miles) southeast of the Mesquite gold mine of Equinox Gold Corp. The Oro Cruz Gold Project currently comprises a total of 271 unpatented lode mining claims (~2,160 hectares; 5,338 acres), 13 unpatented placer mining claims (~105 hectares; 260 acres) and two State of California mineral prospecting permits (~518 hectares; 1,280 acres).

Extensive historical drilling of the Oro Cruz Property has outlined exploration targets over an existing high-grade gold zone as well as nearby satellite deposits. Based on historical mining, Oro Cruz oxide gold mineralization is amenable to conventional heap leach extractive methods. 

Episodic gold mining between 1877 and 1941 in the Cargo Muchacho gold district, which included in order of importance, the Oro Cruz (Tumco), American Girl, Cargo Muchacho and Padre y Madre mines, produced an estimated 145,000 troy ounces of gold. The most recent gold production from the Oro Cruz Property was during 1995 and 1996 when, over a one-year period, the American Girl Mining Joint Venture produced approximately 61,000 troy ounces from oxide material extracted by both open-pit and underground mining operations. Owned 53% by MK Gold Co., a subsidiary of Morrison Knudsen Corp., and 47% by Hecla Mining Co., the joint venture subsequently ceased operations in 1996 due to low gold prices.

Southern Empire also owns a 85% interest in the Eastgate Gold Project, which is comprised of 101 unpatented lode mining claims covering roughly 817 hectares (2,020 acres) located approximately 81 kilometres (50 miles) southeast of the city of Fallon in Churchill County, Nevada. 

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Dale Wallster, CEO and Director

Southern Empire Resources Corp.

For further information please visit our website www.smp.gold or contact: 

Lubica Keighery , (778) 889-5476, lubica@smp.gold

Cautionary Notice on Forward-Looking Information

Information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that Southern Empire expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements that reflect management’s current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. Southern Empire cautions that all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond Southern Empire’s control.  Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to Southern Empire’s limited operating history and the need to comply with environmental and governmental regulations. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, Southern Empire undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information or statements .

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 news release.

 

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