Orford Mobilizes Exploration Teams to its Nunavik Lithium, Qiqavik Gold and West Raglan Nickel projects

TORONTO, June 28, 2023 /CNW/ - Orford Mining Corporation (TSXV: ORM) (Orford) is pleased to report that its exploration teams have been mobilized to Camp Chukotat in the Nunavik Region of Northern Quebec to commence exploration on its Nunavik Lithium, Qiqavik Gold and West Raglan Nickel Projects (Figure 1).  Camp Chukotat will be Orford's base camp for all its exploration efforts in the Nunavik Region in 2023. Exploration in 2023 on these projects is multi-faceted ranging from prospecting to drilling to airborne geophysics. 

Figure 1: Orford Mining Corp. Nunavik Properties Location Map. Information from neighbouring properties is not necessarily indicative of the mineralization on Orford Mining’s properties. (CNW Group/Orford Mining Corporation)

David Christie, President and CEO of Orford, commented, "Orford is geared up for a busy multi commodity and multidiscipline exploration program across its Nunavik properties.  We are especially eager to get boots on the ground for the first time exploring our Nunavik Lithium properties as well as applying the new structural targeting approach for drilling on our Qiqavik Gold project."

Nunavik Lithium Project (100% Orford)

The inaugural exploration program on the 455 square kilometers of land in Nunavik at the margins of the Cape Smith belt will use the recently completed remote sensing work (news release June 16, 2023), along with historic Quebec Government mapping data and lake sediment sampling data.  Government work includes mapping and sampling of pegmatites which, combined with the remote sensing work, has helped to define high priority targets across the properties. Work to be completed by Orford will include:

• Prospecting using portable analyzers (LIBS and XRF) for real time analysis on the 50+ high priority targets areas referred to in Orford's June 16, 2023 news release.
• Orford exploration teams will take grab samples, chip and channel samples where appropriate.
• When warranted, based on visual and LIBS results, Orford may use the RAB drill that will be on its Qiqavik Gold project to drill test prospective pegmatites that have been identified by field teams on surface.

Qiqavik Gold Project (100% Orford)

The geological understanding of the Qiqavik property geology has evolved to a level that has improved the targeting approaches for the 2023 exploration program.  This program is truly a multi-faceted program including airborne and ground geophysics, prospecting, mapping and drilling including:

• 660 line-km of airborne magnetic and EM surveying. The survey will be flown on East-West lines over the known Annick Trend and its northward extension (up to 9 km total strike length (previous surveys were flown subparallel to this trend which is perpendicular to regional geology).
• IP ground geophysics on the north part of the Annick trend over the area with the highest-grade boulders which reported up to 648 g/t gold. This IP survey together with a recently completed structural interpretation will be used to help target the drilling.
• Prospecting and mapping focused on newly identified late-stage deformation D3 structures oriented Northwest-Southeast, and possible Northeast trending structures that may correspond to be the Annick trend.
• The final phase of work on the Qiqavik property will include RAB (Rotary Air Blast) drilling, targeting 25 to 60 Targets, focused principally on the Annick trend.

Note that grab samples are selective by nature and values reported may not be representative of mineralized zones.

West Raglan Nickel-Copper-PGE Project (51% Wyloo Metals/49% Orford)

The West Raglan Project is a joint venture with Wyloo Metals Pty. Ltd.("Wyloo").  Wyloo earned a 51% interest level in the joint venture in early 2023 and notified Orford of its intent to increase Wyloo's interest to 70% as stated in Orford's February 14, 2023 press release. 

• This year's program funded by Wyloo and operated by Orford is a target-building program and includes 1,981 line-km of airborne magnetic and EM surveying over the South Trend (also referred to as the Canadian Royalties Nunavik Nickel Mine trend).

About Orford Mining Corporation

Orford Mining is a gold and critical mineral explorer focused on highly prospective and underexplored areas of Northern Quebec. Orford's principal assets are the Qiqavik, West Raglan and lithium exploration projects comprising a land package totaling over 111,000 hectares in the Cape Smith Belt of Northern Quebec. The Qiqavik Project hosts several new high-grade gold discoveries along a mineralized trend in excess of 40 km. The West Raglan Project hosts a number of high-grade Raglan-style nickel/copper/platinum group metal discoveries along a 55 km mineralized trend. In early 2023 Orford acquired large claim blocks targeting lithium in the Nunavik Region. These lithium claim blocks have been carefully selected as having promising lithium potential after an exhaustive compilation of available data. Orford also has four property positions in the Joutel region of the Abitibi District of Northern Quebec, which hosts historical deposits such as the Eagle/Telbel, Joutel Copper, Poirier Copper, and Vezza deposits. Orford continually seeks new gold exploration opportunities in North America. Orford's common shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol ORM. This information from neighbouring properties is not necessarily indicative of the mineralization on Orford Mining's properties.

Qualified Person

The disclosure of scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been approved by Alger St-Jean, P.Geo., Chief Geoscientist of Orford, a Qualified Person under NI 43-101. The historical assays referred to in this release and shown in this figure were obtained from historical work reports filed with the Quebec Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources and has not been independently verified by a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43- 101.

Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

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

This news release contains "forward-looking information" including without limitation statements relating to the liquidity and capital resources of Orford and potential of one or more of the Qiqavik, and West Raglan, properties. 

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Orford to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could affect the outcome include, among others: future prices and the supply of metals; the results of drilling; inability to raise the money necessary to incur the expenditures required to retain and advance the properties; environmental liabilities (known and unknown); general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; political instability, terrorism, insurrection or war; or delays in obtaining governmental approvals, failure to obtain regulatory or shareholder approvals. For a more detailed discussion of such risks and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, refer to Orford's filings with Canadian securities regulators available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Although Orford has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and Orford disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws.

The TSXV has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release.

SOURCE Orford Mining Corporation

David Christie, President and CEO, 2 St. Clair Avenue West, 18th Floor, Toronto, ON M4V 1L5, T: 647-255-8037, www.orfordmining.com