RNC Minerals Announces Orford Mining has Commenced Trading on the TSX-V Under the Symbol "ORM" & Positive Results from 2017 Exploration Program at Qiqavik

TORONTO, Oct. 30, 2017 /CNW/ - RNC Minerals (TSX: RNX) ("RNC") is pleased to announce that Orford Mining Corporation (TSX-V: ORM) (55% owned by RNC) has commenced trading on the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") under the ticker symbol "ORM".

RNC is also pleased to announce that Orford has reported the results of its Summer 2017 exploration program on the Qiqavik property in northern Quebec, as outlined below.

Figure 1: Drilling and Prospecting Highlights from the 2017 Work Program on the Qiqavik Property (CNW Group/RNC Minerals)

Figure 2: Esperance and Esperance West Areas: Drill Hole Locations and Significant Surface Samples from the 2017 program (CNW Group/RNC Minerals)

Figure 3: Aurora and Aurora West Areas 2017 Drill Hole Locations and Significant Surface Samples (CNW Group/RNC Minerals)

Figure 4: Central Area 2017 Drill Hole Locations and Significant Surface Samples (CNW Group/RNC Minerals)

Figure 5: Gerfaut Area 2017 Significant Surface Samples (CNW Group/RNC Minerals)

Mark Selby, President and CEO of RNC, commented, "I am very excited that this final step in the spin-out of RNC's former exploration assets into Orford Mining Corporation has now been completed and that Orford is now trading on the TSXV under the symbol "ORM". The results from the 2017 exploration season at Qiqavik include three new drill-supported high grade gold discoveries and five new high-grade gold prospecting discoveries at surface that remain untested by drilling. Orford also identified a significant structural break, the Qiqavik break, across the 40 km property, a substantial portion of which is left to be explored."

Highlights:

• Extended 2016 surface discoveries at depth at Aurora, Esperance, and Esperance West with 14 of 19 drill holes intersecting gold mineralization: up to 13.7 g/t gold over 0.3m core length at Aurora, up to 8.8 g/t Au over 0.5 m core length at Esperance, and 5.6 g/t Au over 1.0 m core length at Esperance West with copper assays pending.  (See Table 1 for highlights)
• Gold mineralization was successfully drill tested at Esperance along 300 metres of a 1.3 km structure, and at Esperance West along 650 metres of a 2.0 km structure
• Made 5 new surface discoveries at Aurora Central, Gerfaut South, Central Qiqavik, Horizon, and Focused Intrusive. Selected grab samples from these discoveries include:
• Aurora Central: Sub-outcrop quartz veins yielding 457.4 g/t, Au 114.7 g/t Au and 112.1 g/t Au in grab samples
• Gerfaut South: multiple high-grade boulders with significant amounts of visible gold yielding grades of 122.5 g/t to 285.2 g/t in grab samples
• Central Qiqavik: Multiple sub-outcrop mineralised zones yielding 14 grab samples grading from 5 g/t to 114 g/t in a 2 km by 2 km area
• Horizon: A bedrock channel sample yielding 5.6 g/t over 0.9 m
• Focused Intrusive: Local quartz vein blocks yielding values up to 8.93 g/t Au in grab samples
  
  
  Note that grab samples are selective by nature and values reported may not be representative of mineralized zones. Also note drill intervals reported in this press release are down-hole core lengths as true thicknesses cannot be determined with available information.

Note that grab samples are selective by nature and values reported may not be representative of mineralized zones. Also note drill intervals reported in this press release are down-hole core lengths as true thicknesses cannot be determined with available information.

Qiqavik 2017 Exploration Program and Results

The 2017 summer exploration program at Qiqavik consisted of 2,723 metres of diamond drilling in 23 holes (Table 1), 721 line-kilometres of airborne (drone) magnetic surveying, 105.6 line-kilometres of Abitibi Geophysics ground OreVision^TM IP surveying, prospecting, mapping, surface rock sampling, and till sampling (Figure 1). Details of the work program are available in the 43-101 Technical Report on the Qiqavik Property filed under Orford's profile on SEDAR and on Orford's website. This work has led to the better understanding of the surface occurrences discovered in 2016 and to the identification of many additional mineralized occurrences on the property.

Gold and multi-element assay results have been received for the drilling and surface sampling programs with the exception of multi-element results from holes QK-17-017, -019,  -020, -021, -022, -028 and -029, and 116 grab samples. These assays are pending and are expected to be received and published in early November. A summary of significant assay results from the drilling program and surface sampling program are presented below. A table of complete results can be accessed at Table 3. Note that grab samples are selective by nature and values reported may not be representative of mineralized zones. Also note drill intervals reported in this press release are down-hole core lengths as true thicknesses cannot be determined with available information.

Drilling has supported the subsurface extent of the structures and the Au and Au-Cu-Co mineralization associated with the 2016 surface gold discoveries at Esperance, Esperance West, and Aurora. 

Work completed during the 2017 program demonstrates that gold is associated with secondary splay structures located along the district-scale Qiqavik Break Shear Zone which extends the full 40 km length of the Qiqavik Property. Geological data indicate that gold mineralization at Qiqavik is structurally controlled and associated with porphyry intrusions in places. Typically, in structurally controlled gold deposits, the intensity of mineralization varies along the length of the structures with ore shoots focused in zones of dilation. Orford is currently analyzing airborne magnetic and field mapping data collected during the summer 2017 program to identify and locate sites of dilation along structures that were active at the time of gold mineralization in order to target significant gold mineralization accumulations.

The Qiqavik Break is part of the Cape Smith Belt event which is of Paleoproterozoic age (1.8-1.9 billion years). This geologic era is marked by its significant metal endowment as illustrated by the important gold districts that occur worldwide related to geological events of Paleoproterozoic age. These include the Flin Flon-Snow Lake Belt, the Ashanti Gold Fields of West Africa, the Tapajos-Parima Belt of Brazil, and the Tanami Region in Australia.

Table 1: Highlights from 2017 Qiqavik Exploration Drilling¹ 

Hole		From	To	Core Length (m)	Au g/t	Cu %	Co %	Area
QK-17-007		36.0	37.0	1.00	0.84	0.02		Aurora
	And	51.2	53.0	1.77	3.05	0.01		Aurora
	Including	51.2	52.3	1.00	4.93	0.01		Aurora
	And	54.0	55.0	1.00	0.50	0.01		Aurora
	And	56.0	57.0	1.00	1.60	0.01		Aurora
	And	67.4	68.2	0.79	0.65	0.01		Aurora
	And	69.1	70.3	1.16	0.95	0.01		Aurora
	And	80.0	81.5	1.50	0.62	0.01		Aurora
	And	86.0	86.8	0.75	2.26	0.01		Aurora
	And	88.7	90.0	1.32	0.59	0.01		Aurora
	And	91.8	92.3	0.52	1.01	0.01		Aurora
	And	96.2	97.1	0.89	0.83	0.01		Aurora
	And	122.0	123.0	1.00	0.56	0.00		Aurora
QK-17-008		17.5	20.0	2.50	2.39	0.26	0.02	Esperance
	Including	17.5	18.0	0.50	8.83	0.49	0.03
QK-17-009		7.0	8.0	1.00	0.51	0.01		Aurora
	And	21.0	23.2	2.20	2.55	0.01		Aurora
	Including	21.0	21.3	0.30	13.68	0.01
	And	79.0	79.5	0.50	0.67	0.01		Aurora
	And	81.0	82.0	1.00	0.80	0.00		Aurora
	And	85.9	87.0	1.12	1.43	0.00		Aurora
QK-17-010		32.4	33.2	0.76	2.17	0.18	0.09	Esperance
QK-17-011		30.0	31.5	1.50	1.62	0.34	0.09	Esperance
	Including	30.9	31.5	0.60	3.35	0.57	0.14
QK-17-012		72.8	75.2	2.36	1.17	0.73	0.02	Esperance
QK-17-014		68.0	69.0	1.00	1.03	0.01		Esperance
QK-17-018		36.6	37.2	0.59	0.87	0.18		Esperance West
	And	38.6	39.3	0.70	3.02	0.15		Esperance West
	And	83.4	84.7	1.30	1.90	0.01		Esperance West
QK-17-019		94.0	95.0	1.00	1.05	NA	NA	Esperance West
QK-17-021		32.0	39.1	7.10	1.59	NA	NA	Esperance West
	Including	33	34.1	1.10	3.62	NA	NA
	And	45.0	46.5	1.51	4.65	NA	NA	Esperance West
	And	62.0	63.0	1.00	1.58	NA	NA	Esperance West
QK-17-022		29.0	30.0	1.00	5.21	NA	NA	Esperance West
	And	31.0	35.0	4.00	2.63	NA	NA	Esperance West
	including	33	34	1.00	5.58	NA	NA
	And	39.5	40.0	0.50	4.26	NA	NA	Esperance West
	And	41.0	42.0	1.00	2.31	NA	NA	Esperance West
	And	59.0	60.0	1.00	4.75	NA	NA	Esperance West
	And	62.0	63.0	1.00	0.94	NA	NA	Esperance West
	And	84.0	85.0	1.00	1.07	NA	NA	Esperance West
QK-17-027		54.3	55.5	1.18	0.73	0.54		Esperance West
	And	137.0	138.0	1.00	1.02	0.46		Esperance West

1.	Note that drill intervals reported in this press release are down-hole core lengths as true thicknesses cannot be determined with available information.  NA indicates that results are not available as they have not yet been received from the lab ; blank values are not significant.

Composites were calculated using a Minimum Composite Grade of 0.5 g/t Au, a Minimum Composite length of 0.5m, a Cut Off Grade of 0.5 g/t Au, a Maximum Internal Dilution of 0.5 m, Minimum Internal Dilution grade of 0 g/t Au.]  Indicated lengths are reported as apparent thickness along the core and do not represent true thickness of the mineralized intersections. True thicknesses are unknown.  Drill hole location and orientation details available in the 43-101 Technical Report on the Qiqavik Property filed under Orford's profile on SEDAR and on Orford's website

Esperance

At Esperance, drilling has outlined two Au-Cu-Co sulphide-rich mineralized zones, Esperance and Esperance West, that extend over a known strike length of 300m and 650m respectively (Figure 2). Results include 2.39 g/t Au, 0.26% Cu over 2.5m in QK-17-022 at Esperance and 2.63 g/t Au, (Cu pending) over 4.0m including 5.58 g/t Au, (Cu pending) over 1.0m in QK-17-008 at Esperance West. Multiple porphyry dykes were observed in the core at Esperance which may be related to mineralization.

The polymetallic mineralized trend continues West of Esperance along the Qiqavik Shear Zone where the new Horizon discovery has yielded 5.67 g/t Au over 0.9m in a channel sample at a distance of 1.0 km from the Esperance West drilling.

Table 2: Highlights from 2017 Qiqavik Surface Sampling¹ 

Area	Sample Number	Au (g/t)	Cu (%)	Co (%)	Sample Type	Easting	Northing
Aurora Central	66898	457.36	0.01		Sub-outcrop	465949	6826087
Aurora Central	66900	114.66	0.01		Sub-outcrop	465947	6826089
Aurora Central	66899	112.13			Sub-outcrop	465947	6826089
Aurora Central	66780	31.33	0.01	0.001	Boulder	465937	6826084
Aurora Central	66893	24.93			Sub-outcrop	465943	6826085
Aurora Central	66895	23.49			Sub-outcrop	465945	6826089
Aurora Central	66782	22.7			Boulder	465935	6826083
Aurora Central	66896	19.31	0.01	0.001	Sub-outcrop	465945	6826089
Aurora Central	66894	16.14		0.001	Sub-outcrop	465942	6826084
Aurora Central	66901	15.47			Boulder	465944	6826090
Aurora Central	66781	7.17			Boulder	465941	6826087
Central Qiqavik	66612	113.96			Boulder	476153	6824210
Central Qiqavik	66607	71.96			Boulder	476170	6824246
Central Qiqavik	66593	30.75			Sub-outcrop	477131	6824768
Central Qiqavik	66614	26.59			Boulder	476189	6824217
Central Qiqavik	66927	26.46	0.01	0.007	Boulder	478108	6823899
Central Qiqavik	66613	23.72			Boulder	476185	6824218
Central Qiqavik	66603	20.44			Boulder	477793	6825539
Central Qiqavik	66598	17.86			Boulder	475809	6824873
Central Qiqavik	66621	15.72		0.001	Boulder	476353	6823713
Central Qiqavik	66625	11.02			Boulder	476847	6825363
Central Qiqavik	66571	9.88			Sub-outcrop	477287	6824895
Central Qiqavik	66928	7.71	0.01	0.003	Boulder	478101	6823905
Central Qiqavik	67258	6.97	0.05		Boulder Field	476731	6823743
Central Qiqavik	66643	5.07	NA	NA	Boulder	476249	6824193
Central Qiqavik	66582	3.50		0.267	Sub-outcrop	477523	6825087
Central Qiqavik	66578	0.92	0.06	0.113	Boulder	477533	6825083
Central Qiqavik	66579	0.62	0.15	0.142	Sub-outcrop	477531	6825080
Central Qiqavik	66585	0.60		0.104	Sub-outcrop	477529	6825091
Central Qiqavik	66583	0.59		0.274	Sub-outcrop	477516	6825094
Esperance	67039	15.01	NA	NA	Sub-outcrop	457511	6831923
Esperance West	66385	6.68	0.91	0.007	Outcrop	454672	6832914
Esperance West	66526	6.09	3.01	0.045	Boulder	456040	6832758
Esperance West	66279	4.85	2.44	0.004	Sub-outcrop	456172	6832418
Esperance West	66309	1.88	1.90	0.005	Boulder Field	455536	6832821
Esperance West	66281	1.57	2.51	0.065	Boulder Field	456237	6832508
Esperance West	66400	1.33	1.21	0.028	Sub-outcrop	455931	6832667
Esperance West	66312	1.09	3.04	0.003	Boulder Field	455548	6832822
Esperance West	66311	0.79	1.42	0.002	Boulder Field	455529	6832836
Esperance West	66277	0.70	1.21	0.004	Sub-outcrop	456092	6832326
Esperance West	66399	0.23	1.06	0.008	Sub-outcrop	455915	6832643
Esperance West	66398	0.19	1.82	0.003	Sub-Crop	455927	6832648
Esperance West	66294	0.16	3.56	0.02	Boulder	455707	6832644
Focused Intrusive	66754	8.93			Boulder	465061	6825920
Focused Intrusive	66773	4.25			Boulder	465188	6825835
Gerfaut South	66933	285.24	0.11		Boulder	489613	6825257
Gerfaut South	66936	253.64	0.02		Boulder	489642	6825302
Gerfaut South	66930	177.47	0.08		Boulder	489690	6825259
Gerfaut South	67316	122.52	0.02		Boulder Field	489691	6825255
Gerfaut South	66934	61.97	0.01		Boulder	489603	6825261
Gerfaut South	66933	285.24	0.11		Boulder	489613	6825257
Horizon	67055	5.62	NA	NA	Channel (0.9m)	454870	6833844
Parent Block	66669	6.54	NA	NA	Boulder	447631	6818486
Regional	66534	2.05	3.66	0.005	Boulder	457114	6834498
Regional	66536	3.74	1.45	0.015	Boulder	457125	6834542
Regional	66511	29.52	0.02		Boulder	460011	6833064
	66535	0.29	0.97	0.005	Boulder	457119	6834518

1.	Note that grab samples are selective by nature and values reported may not be representative of mineralized zones. NA indicates that results are not available as they have not yet been received from the lab; blank values are not significant.

Sub-outcrop samples are taken from frost-heaved blocks that have been detached from the bedrock, but are still in place above their bedrock source.  Boulder fields are extensive areas of angular boulders of the same lithology.

Aurora

At Aurora, drilling has intersected two quartz vein hosted gold mineralized zones, Aurora and Aurora West, separated by 1.6 km (Figure 3). Results include 2.55 g/t Au, over 2.2m including 13.68 g/t over 0.30 m in QK-17-009 at Aurora West, and 3.05 g/t Au over 1.8 m including 4.93 g/t Au 1.0m in QK-17-007 at Aurora. Approximately equidistant between these two zones, at Central Aurora, prospecting has yielded a new discovery of quartz veins with galena mineralization occurring along a West-Northwest shear zone. Sub-outcrop samples from this zone containing visible gold include samples grading 457.4 g/t, Au 114.7 g/t Au and 112.1 g/t Au.

Additionally, to the south of the main Aurora trend, many quartz vein boulders of proximal source containing polymetallic sulphide mineralization were discovered at the eastern contact zone of the Focused Intrusive. The mineralization and structures indicate multiple void filling events by mineralized fluids in an extension system. Assay results from grab samples from this area include 8.93 g/t Au and 4.25 g/t Au.  This discovery was made in the last two days of the 2017 program.

Central

Initial drilling on structures at Central Qiqavik have yielded strongly altered shear zones with anomalous gold (up to 0.26 g/t over 3.0 m and 0.34 g/t over 1 m in QK-17-023) (Figure 4). Concurrent prospecting and mapping at Central Qiqavik in 2017 has led to the discovery of multiple new mineralised trends defined by high-grade surface grab samples over a 2.5 km by 2.5 km area including individual zones with samples grading up to 113.96 g/t, 24.46 g/t, 17.86 g/t and 20.44 g/t respectively. Follow-up of these discoveries will focus future targeting on the most prospective areas of Central Qiqavik.

Gerfaut

Prospecting in the Gerfaut Area has led to the discovery of multiple angular boulders containing visible gold in the Gerfaut South Area.  Grab samples from these boulders have yielded high-grade gold values including 285.24 g/t, 253.64 g/t, 177.47 g/t and 122.52 g/t (Figure 5). These boulders occur 1 km southeast of and up-ice from the historical drill intersection of 3.08 g/t Au over 10.5 m in PAR96-01 and therefore likely represent a different source. Glacial transport is toward the NNE, and due to the proximity of the glacial divide field data suggest limited distance (50 to a few hundreds of metres) between the source of gold-bearing mineralization and boulders and related geochemical anomalies detected in till.

Qualified Person and Quality Assurance and Quality Control

The disclosure of scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been approved by Alger St-Jean, P. Geo, Vice President, Exploration of RNC Minerals, a Qualified Person under NI 43-101.

The work program at Qiqavik was supervised by Michelle Sciortino, Senior Project Geologist who is responsible for all aspects of the work, including the quality control/quality assurance program. On-site personnel at the project log and weigh all samples prior to sealing and shipping. Sample shipments are sealed and shipped to Techni-Lab, Sainte-Germaine-Boulé, Québec. All gold assays reported were obtained by either 350-g screen fire assay or standard 50-gram fire-assaying-AA finish or gravimetric finish (method 1A2-5 and 1A3-50) at. The 350-g screen assay method is selected by the site geologist or the lab when samples contain coarse gold or higher percentage of sulfide mineralization that may be associated with gold relative to surrounding intervals. All samples are also analyzed for multi-elements, including copper and silver, using a four-acid method with an ICP-EOS and ICP-MS finish at Techi-labs affiliated Actlabs in Ancaster, Ontario. Overlimits were analyzed by peroxide fusion with ICP-EOS finish. Drill program design, Quality Assurance/Quality Control ("QA/QC") and interpretation of results is performed by qualified persons employing a QA/QC program consistent with NI 43-101 and industry best practices. Standards and blanks are inserted at a minimum of 10% and 5% for core and grab samples respectively for QA/QC purposes in addition to those inserted by the lab. A subset of samples has not yet been sent for a verification assay at another lab.

Techni-Lab Laboratory, is a subsidiary of Act Labs, is accredited (n. 707) by the Standards Council of Canada and found to comply with the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025:2005 (CAN-P-4E) and CAN-P-1579.

Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking information" including without limitation statements relating to the liquidity and capital resources of RNC, production guidance and the potential of the Beta Hunt and Reed mines as well as the and the potential of the Dumont development project and Qiqavik, West Raglan, Jones-Keystone Loflin and Landrum-Faulkner exploration properties.

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of RNC 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, projected cash costs, 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 RNC's filings with Canadian securities regulators, including the most recent Annual Information Form, available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Although RNC 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 RNC 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.

SOURCE RNC Minerals

Rob Buchanan, Director, Investor Relations, T: [phone], www.rncminerals.com

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