VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Sept. 19, 2012) - Mr. Harvey Keats, Chief Executive Officer of Donner Metals Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:DON)(FRANKFURT:D4M) reports on exploration results for drilling conducted in the vicinity of the Bracemac-McLeod Deposit and within the 4,737 square kilometre Matagami Project as reported to the Company by partner and project operator Xstrata Canada Corporation-Xstrata Zinc Canada Division ("Xstrata Zinc"). Renewed exploration diamond drilling up-dip from the McLeod Zone has discovered new copper mineralization within a laterally extensive chlorite alteration zone, including 2.83% copper over 19.35 metres intersected in hole MCL-12-16, drilled 45 metres up-dip from previous drilling on the McLeod Zone. Two drills are currently active on the project.
Results from each area are described below and assay results are listed in the attached Table 1. To view Table 1 and a longitudinal cross section, please visit the following link:
http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/don919ei.pdf.
McLeod Up-Dip
A broad zone of mineralized chlorite alteration ("Pipe" alteration) with copper-bearing massive and semi-massive sulphides was intersected up-dip from current Mineral Reserves in the McLeod Zone. Eleven diamond drill holes were targeted on the Key Tuffite horizon at an average spacing of approximately 50 metres and covering an area measuring approximately 200 by 200 metres along the up-dip trend of the McLeod alteration system (Figure 1). This system is now known to extend over 1.4 kilometres in length and 400 metres in width. It hosts Proven and Probable Mineral Reserves in the McLeod Zone, Indicated Mineral Resources in the Copper Stringer Zone and Inferred Mineral Resources in both the McLeod Deep and West McLeod zones. Mineralization reported below is new and extends the known mineralization within the up-dip portion of this trend. Significant exploration potential remains to be investigated in the McLeod alteration system and adjacent to its known sulfide deposits.
Diamond drill holes MCL-12-15 and MCL-12-16 intersected sulphide mineralization at the Key Tuffite horizon over appreciable drilled widths along the southeastern margin of the McLeod alteration trend. MCL-12-15 returned 0.16% zinc, 2.06% copper, 7.00 g/t silver and 0.07 g/t gold over 4.00 metres. MCL-12-16, located 47 metres down- dip from MCL-12-15 and 45 metres up-dip from previous McLeod Zone drilling, intersected 0.14% zinc, 2.83% copper, 13.09 g/t silver and 0.13 g/t gold over 19.35 metres. MCL-12-14 was drilled a further 62 metres up-dip from MCL-12-15 and returned stringer mineralization in the hanging wall to the Key Tuffite. Drill hole MCL-12-18, drilled 33 metres southwest and down-dip from MCL-12-16, intersected weak chalcopyrite stringers intermittently over 11.6 metres in the immediate footwall to the Key Tuffite. Mineralization encountered in holes MCL-12-15 and MCL-12-16 remains to be investigated to the southeast.
In the Key Tuffite horizon immediately northwest of the intersections listed above, diamond drill holes MCL-12-08, MCL-12-09, and MCL-12-11 intersected significant copper values over narrow widths, while drill hole MCL-12-12 intersected 0.50% zinc, 2.13% copper, 7.19 g/t silver and 0.17 g/t gold over 7.00 metres. Drill hole MCL-12-09 also intersected a mineralized sequence within the Pipe alteration in the hanging wall above the Key Tuffite. Drill holes MCL-12-13 and MCL-12-14 intersected minor amounts of sulphide mineralization within Pipe alteration zones. Hole MCL-12-17 was drilled laterally across the alteration trend specifically to test a vertically-dipping, north-south trending structure. It intersected a felsic dyke at the Key Tuffite horizon.
Bracemac: Underground Exploration
Three exploration drill holes were completed from underground development that accesses the Bracemac Main Zone. The program was designed to test the Key Tuffite horizon in the vicinity of historical drill hole DDH-33EXT, which intersected well-mineralized Key Tuffite over 3 metres, including massive sulphides that graded 38.09% zinc over 0.15 metres. The location of this intersection is 350 metres northwest of the Bracemac KT Zone in an area where drill spacing is on the order of 100 to 360 metres. Drill hole UBRC-048 and UBRC-048A intersected the Key Tuffite 120 metres southeast of DDH-33EXT where they encountered sulphide mineralization and chlorite alteration at the Key Tuffite. UBRC-048 intersected massive, semi-massive and stringer sulphides (pyrite and lesser sphalerite) from 195.70 to 198.60 metres and similar stringer and laminated sulphides from 207.00 to 213.70 metres. Chlorite alteration with both disseminated and stringer sphalerite occurred in both the hanging wall and footwall to these intervals. UBRC-048A was drilled 6 metres southeast of UBRC-048 and intersected the Key Tuffite, containing stringer and laminated pyrite and sphalerite, from 194.5 to 202.8 metres. Rocks in the footwall to this interval exhibited well-developed chlorite alteration and disseminated sphalerite. Drill hole UBRC-049 intersected disseminated sphalerite mineralization over 0.3 metres. This intersection is located 20 metres northeast of DDH- 33EXT at the Key Tuffite. There is remaining exploration potential in the vicinity of the Bracemac zones at both the Key Tuffite and the Bracemac stratigraphic levels.
Galinee 14 Area
Two diamond drill holes were completed at the Galinee 14 Prospect located 6.5 kilometres southeast of the Bracemac-McLeod mine. Both holes intersected significant widths of Pipe alteration within the Key Tuffite - Watson Lake sequence with one hole returning the first appreciable sign of sulphide mineralization. Drill hole GAL14-12-10 returned 1.00% zinc, 0.15% copper, 0.66 g/t silver and 0.01 g/t gold over 7.50 metres within the alteration package. Drill hole GAL14-12-11 intersected unmineralized Pipe alteration. The Galinee 14 alteration system is one of the largest areas of continuous Pipe alteration in the Matagami Camp and it remains open for further investigation.
Riviere Allard
One drill hole was completed in the Riviere Allard area in the Central Camp Joint Venture area approximately 11 kilometres from the Matagami Lake Mill. Drill hole RA-12-11 intersected mineralized intermediate intrusions within a mineralized andesite pyroclastic unit at the target horizon. Mineralization consists of disseminated and stringer pyrite, pyrrhotite, magnetite, sphalerite and chalcopyrite.
PD2 Area
Two diamond drill holes were completed on the PD2 property in the West Camp JV area. These holes are located 17.5 kilometres west of the Matagami Lake Mill. Drill hole PD2-12-38 intersected granodiorite intruded into a sequence of andesite volcanic rocks. Drill hole PD2-12-39 intersected a rhyolite sequence intruded by felsic and intermediate rocks 1.6 kilometres to the southeast of PD2-12-38. The occurrence of felsic rocks in this area was previously unknown and provides a package of new stratigraphy worth further investigation.
CAV Area
One drill hole was completed as a stratigraphic test in the southern part of the West Camp JV area, 15 kilometres southwest of the Matagami Lake Mill. This drill hole intersected magnetic gabbroic anorthosite typical of the Bell River Complex.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
The Bracemac-McLeod deposit contains Proven and Probable Mineral Reserves of 3.7 million tonnes grading 9.60% zinc, 1.26% copper, 28.25 g/t silver and 0.43 g/t gold. Inferred Mineral Resources of 2.6 million tonnes grading 8.79% zinc, 1.31% copper, 38.84 g/t silver and 1.06 g/t gold are located in proximity to the Mineral Reserves. The Company is a fully vested partner with Xstrata Canada Corporation in the extensive Matagami base metal camp located in the Abitibi region of Quebec. This joint venture partnership covers six joint venture areas ("the Matagami Project") governing 4,737 square kilometres of prime stratigraphy, which has yielded high-grade base metal production since 1963. Xstrata Zinc is the project operator for the Matagami Project, including the Bracemac-McLeod Mine. Additional information is available at
www.donnermetals.com.
Xstrata Zinc is the project operator for the Matagami Project and all of the respective joint ventures. As operator, Xstrata Zinc is responsible for the execution of all development, production and exploration programs on the property. This includes resource evaluation, sampling, submittal of samples for assay, assay verification, metallurgical evaluation and QA/QC. Sample preparation and assaying are conducted by ALS Chemex-Chimitec, of Val-d'Or, Quebec (zinc, copper and silver by atomic absorption, and gold by standard fire assay procedures).
Robin Adair (VP of Exploration) is a Qualified Person for Donner Metals Ltd. and is responsible for the technical information reported in this news release.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DONNER METALS LTD
Harvey Keats, Chief Executive Officer