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Tuesday, July 24, 2007 Diamond Drilling in Tinta Zone Extends Vein System Down Dip 200 m and Returns 0.435 oz/t Gold, 13.00 oz/t Silver and 3.3% Copper
Press Release #07-15
Vancouver, BC: July 24th, 2007. Northern Freegold Resources Ltd. (NFR: TSX-V) is pleased to announce the first drill results from the 2007 Diamond drill program at the Tinta Zone of the Freegold Mountain Project, Yukon. The Tinta Zone is located in the eastern area of the 166 square km project, approximately 20 km from the Nucleus Zone, where initial results were announced last week (72 m of 2.5 g/t Au and 0.14% Cu). The Tinta Zone appears to be an intrusion hosted polymetallic vein deposit, which are often found associated with porphyry style mineralization. Additional results will be released as they are received, compiled and interpreted.
Highlights of Drilling at Tinta Zone:
- Hole TH07-08 returned 1.7 m (5.58 feet) of 14.90 g/t (0.435 oz/t) gold, 446.00 g/t (13.00 oz/t) silver, 3.3% copper, 5.2% lead and 0.66% zinc
- Hole TH07-08 intersected the near vertical Tinta vein at a depth of 225 m (738 feet), extending mineralization 100 m (328 feet) down dip from the deepest pervious intercept
- Hole TH07-07, drilled at a steeper angle from the same set up at TH07-08, intersected a thicker section of the vein at a further 100 m (328 feet) down dip
- Hole TH07-11 stepped out 50 m to the east from the collar of TH07-08 & 07 and intersected the vein at 239 m (785 feet)
- First drilling at the Tinta Zone in 19 years
- Multiple phases of mineral deposition contribute to high precious metal values
Hole TH07-08 was drilled to a depth of 279 m (915 feet) in the central portion of the Tinta Zone. Historical work on the Tinta Zone identified a steeply dipping vein system over a strike length of 3500 m (11,480 feet). Seven hundred metres (2,300 feet) of the system had been trenched and tested by shallow drilling (maximum depth 160 m (525 feet) from surface), as well as 939 m (3,080 feet) of drifting on two levels. Following Northern Freegold's goal of "developing resources, building reserves", the focus of the 2007 drill program at the Tinta Zone, was to test the extension of the Tinta Vein System to depth, in an effort to determine potential for expanding resources in the zone. Hole TH07-08 intersected massive sulphide mineralization including pyrite, chalcopyrite, and galena in the Tinta Vein at a depth of 225 m (738 feet) (refer to attached plan map and section which are also at www.northernfreegold.com)
Hole TH07-07, which was drilled at a steeper angle from the same set up as TH07-08, intersected the vein for 11 m (36 feet) (true width approximately 6.1 m (20 feet)) at a depth of 318 m (1,045 feet). Strong sulphide mineralization included tetrahedrite, chalcopyrite, galena, and sphalerite in vuggy quartz/carbonate veins over the vein width. The known vein depth has been extended to a depth of 300 m (984 feet). Assays are pending for this hole (holes are not numbered in the order they were drilled).
Hole TH07-11, steps out 50 m (164 feet) to the east of the collar of holes TH07-07 & 08, and intersected the Tinta Vein at a depth of 239 m (785 feet), again confirming the extension of the Tinta Vein at depth, and along the structure as well. Assays are also pending for TH07-11.
Slickensides and remnant clasts of ore material in the drill core indicate the Tinta Vein System has experienced more than one phase of mineral deposition. Post Cu-Pb-Zn-Ag ore deposition faulting along the Tinta vein created a brecciated zone within the vein system where later pulses of mineralizing fluids coupled with other tectonic activity are thought to be responsible for the high grade gold values. Whether the mineralizing fluids responsible for this second phase gold deposition are restricted to the Tinta vein is being investigated further, and may have positive implications on overall exploration potential on the Tinta and other zones within the Freegold Mountain Project. A Ph.D. student under the supervision of Dr. David Lentz, Associate Professor in the Department of Geology at the University of New Brunswick is presently on the property and studying the controls on mineralization at the Freegold Mountain Project.
Bill Harris, President & CEO commented "Northern Freegold's exploration team is excited about the strength, continuity and richness of the Tinta Vein System at depth. This discovery reinforces our belief that this system, although different in type and mineralogy to the Nucleus Zone, will enable us to fulfill our purpose of developing resources and building reserves in multiple deposits within the large Freegold Mountain Project Area."
The Freegold Mountain Project covers an area in excess of 64 square miles (166 square km) and several road accessible mineralized zones which include historical and non-43-101 compliant resources. Historical work on the property dating back to 1930 indicates that the property holds significant potential to host an intrusion related gold deposit or bulk-tonnage gold+/-copper porphyry style mineralization (ie Nucleus Zone) such as that seen at Kinross Gold's Fort Knox deposit in Alaska which has produced more than 3 million ounces in the past 10 years and still has a resource of 2 million ounces of gold from proven and probable reserves of 82.1 million tonnes grading 0.74 g/t. The Project also has potential to host other related deposit types such as intrusive hosted polymetallic vein systems (Tinta Hill), epithermal vein systems (Goldy) and skarn deposits (Margarete/Augusta), as well as other porphyry targets (Castle, Com, Nitro, Rage).
Quality Control and Assurance
All core samples from Diamond drilling are split and sent to EcoTech Laboratory in Whitehorse for sample preparation and then to EcoTech Laboratory in Kamloops for analysis. Blanks, commercial standards and duplicate core samples are included in each batch. Gold is analysed on 30 gram pulps by fire assay followed by aqua regia digestion and Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS). Gold values greater than 1000 ppb are reanalysed by gravimetric fire assay. Check assays are carried out by metallic screen fire assay. Other elements are analysed by 28 element ICP analysis after aqua regia digestion. Additional check analyses and assays will be carried out by ALS Chemex in North Vancouver.
The program is under the direct supervision of Mr. Ron Robertson, P. Geol., hereby identified as the "Qualified Person" under the NI 43-101 requirements.
Northern Freegold is a Canadian-based resource exploration and development company which relies on local expertise and strong management to focus on development of economic reserves on the district-scale Freegold Mountain Project in the Yukon and the Burro Creek Project in Arizona.
Northern Freegold Resources Ltd.
On behalf of the Board of Directors
Signed "Bill Harris"
William (Bill) G. Harris
President and Chief Executive Officer
The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral recovery processes, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore, involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements.
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