TSX-V: DAU

TSXV: DAU

Market Price: $0.08
| Gold

: XAU/USD

Market Price: $2,653.52

Delta, British Columbia, September 29, 2017, DESERT GOLD VENTURES INC. (“Desert Gold” or the “Company”) (TSX.V: DAU /FF: QXR2 /OTC: DAUGF) is pleased to announce that it has signed a drilling contract with Geodrill Ltd. The contract is for a total of 5,100 meters of drilling comprised of 1,500 meters of diamond drilling (“DD”) and 3,600 meters of reverse circulation drilling (“RC”). The program is scheduled to commence in the second half of October 2017 and will target The Company’s highly prospective Segala West permit; most notably 4 large artisanal mining operations in the southern area of the permit known as the Baroya area. The Segala West project is located within the Kenieba Inlier of western Mali. The permit is within a 20km radius of several large gold mines, including Randgold’s Loulo Gounkoto mine complex and Endeavour Mining’s Segala, Tabakoto and Kofi mines.

Highlights

- A total of 5,100 meters to be drilled at Segala West; comprised of 1,500 meters of DD drilling and 3,600 meters of RC drilling.

- The drill program will follow up a mapping and grab sampling program that was conducted at Segala West earlier this year at the 4 artisanal mining operations located on the permit (see Company press release dated June 21, 2017). Results from that program yielded excellent results including gold values from grab samples of 41 g/t au at Baroya; 19 g/t au at Baroya north; 11.9 g/t au at Segala; and 39.2 g/t au at Baroya north west. 

Previous Exploration

Axmin Inc. initially targeted interpreted cross cutting structures mostly in the northern area of the permit. Initial review and interpretation of this drilling showed localised shallow high-grade intercepts. In addition, several other soil anomalies remain unexplored within the Segala West permit. Several targets were poorly tested with limited RC and DD done by Axmin and TransAfrika Resources. This drilling focussed mostly on the northern part of the permit. However the southern area appears to be the most prospective with several on-going large artisanal mining operations that coincide with a robust soil anomaly of nearly 24km2.

geodrill1

Figure 1: Proposed drill holes at Baroya north over historic TransAfrika drilling

geodrill2

Figure 2: Segala West permit soil anomaly with Axmin previous drilling with area to consider for detailed mapping

geodrill3

Figure 3: Soil anomaly and artisanal sites along interpreted mineralized corridor with surrounding mine (see Figure 4)

Segala West Drilling Program Overview

The work program will be conducted in two phases starting with 1,500 meters of DD aiming to better define the geology and the structural controls of the mineralisation followed by 3,600 meters of RC to deliver an initial inferred resource base.

geodrill4

Figure 4: Segala West Artisanal Mining sites location with surrounding mines (Randgold resources of 51 Mt at 4.4 g/t for 5.7 million oz au Measured and Indicated, 20 Mt at 3.9 g/t for 2 million oz au inferred and ore reserves of 32 Mt average at 4.6 g.t for 3.7 million oz au in the Proven and Probably category. Endeavour Mining hosts ~3 million oz Au is less than 1 km2 (18.5 Mt at 3.5 g/t for 1.8 million oz au measured and indicated, 9 Mt at 3.6 g/t for 1 million oz au inferred and 6.4 Mt at 3.5 g/t for 0.7 million oz au proven and probable)

Baroya

Located to the northeast and close to the village of Baroya. Baroya has more than 450 meters of strike length and 50 meters of width. The area is active with more than 200 local artisanal miners. Two holes totalling 400 metres of Diamond drilling are planned to better defined the geology and the structural control of the mineralisation. RC drilling consisting of 9 holes for 820 meters on 50 meters grid spacing will be used in order to generate initial inferred resources over the target.

BHID XCOLLAR YCOLLAR ZCOLLAR EOH AZIMUTH DIP BH_TYPE PHASE
BYDD0001 257615 1435574 122 200 230 -55 DD PHASE 1
BYDD0002 257720 1435402 120 200 230 -55 DD PHASE 1
BYRC0001 257522 1435627 124 100 230 -55 RC PHASE 2
BYRC0002 257561 1435594 125 100 230 -55 RC PHASE 2
BYRC0003 257613 1435508 125 100 230 -55 RC PHASE 2
BYRC0004 257657 1435479 120 100 230 -55 RC PHASE 2
BYRC0005 257682 1435436 122 100 230 -55 RC PHASE 2
BYRC0006 257708 1435328 120 80 230 -55 RC PHASE 2
BYRC0007 257668 1435297 120 80 230 -55 RC PHASE 2
BYRC0008 257725 1435279 118 80 230 -55 RC PHASE 2
BYRC0009 257686 1435247 118 80 230 -55 RC PHASE 2

List of planned holes for Baroya prospect

Baroya North

Located 1.7km to the north of Baroya, Baroya North has more than 700m strike length. Encouraging results were reported from the rock sampling that demonstrates the potential for mineralised structure over the target. 2 holes totalling 400 metres of DD are planned to better defined the geology and the structure control of the mineralisation. Follow up RC drilling will contribute to an improvement in data density needed for initial resource estimation.

BHID XCOLLAR YCOLLAR ZCOLLAR EOH AZIMUTH DIP BH_TYPE PHASE
BYNDD0001 257521 1437495 143 200 230 -55 DD PHASE 1
BYNDD0002 257384 1437689 146 200 230 -55 DD PHASE 1
BYNRC0001 257504 1437416 142 80 230 -55 RC PHASE 2
BYNRC0002 257423 1437544 144 80 230 -55 RC PHASE 2
BYNRC0003 257366 1437628 143 80 230 -55 RC PHASE 2
BYNRC0004 257319 1437720 145 80 230 -55 RC PHASE 2
BYNRC0005 257268 1437808 146 80 230 -55 RC PHASE 2
BYNRC0006 257200 1437882 150 80 230 -55 RC PHASE 2

List of planned holes for Baroya North prospect 

Segala

With more than 350 strike length, it is located at 800m to the east of Baroya north and appears to be the extension of the structure of the Segala gold mine corridor currently in production by Endeavour Mining. Encouraging results were reported from the pit mapping and rock-sampling program conducted in April of this year and demonstrate the high potential for a significant target. A drilling program consisting of two diamond holes for 450 meters and 5 RC holes for 550 meters is proposed to rapidly assess the potential endowment of the target.

BHID XCOLLAR YCOLLAR ZCOLLAR EOH AZIMUTH DIP BH_TYPE PHASE
SGDD0001 258032 1438162 157 200 160 -55 DD PHASE 1
SGDD0002 258139 1438162 144 250 160 -55 DD PHASE 1
SGRC0001 257943 1438116 146 120 160 -55 RC PHASE 2
SGRC0002 257983 1438152 144 120 160 -55 RC PHASE 2
SGRC0003 258089 1438153 145 130 160 -55 RC PHASE 2
SGRC0004 258195 1438153 146 120 160 -55 RC PHASE 2
SGRC0005 258266 1438107 145 120 160 -55 RC PHASE 2

List of planned holes for Segala prospect

Baroya Northwest

With more than 400m strike length, this site is located 1km to the west of the Baroya North site. Local artisanal miners recently discovered this site and it has quickly grown over the last 6 months. Promising mineralisation with visible gold was reported from the pit mapping and rock-sampling program completed in June of this year. A drilling program consisting of 1 DD hole for 150 meters and 6 RC holes for 600 meters is proposed to define an initial inferred resource and get a better understanding of the structural controls.

BHID XCOLLAR YCOLLAR ZCOLLAR EOH AZIMUTH DIP BH_TYPE PHASE
BYNWDD0001 256005 1437880 148 150 90 -55 DD PHASE 1
BYNWRC0001 256078 1437780 138 100 90 -55 RC PHASE 2
BYNWRC0002 256050 1437830 141 100 90 -55 RC PHASE 2
BYNWRC0003 256007 1437929 142 100 90 -55 RC PHASE 2
BYNWRC0004 255995 1437979 145 100 90 -55 RC PHASE 2
BYNWRC0005 255991 1438029 148 100 90 -55 RC PHASE 2
BYNWRC0006 255950 1438160 138 100 90 -55 RC PHASE 2

List of planned holes for Baroya Northwest

Conceptual Exploration Drilling

This will focus on extension of the Baroya north target where TransAfrika Resources completed first pass RC drilling. Initial review and interpretation of this drilling has showed relatively shallow, high grade intercepts. However, the drilling azimuth used during the program remains questionable with no mapping and structure support.

Conceptual drilling will consist of:

  • 2 RC holes for 230 meters to be drill toward the west (270⁰) to test the concept of East dipping mineralisation base on the recent mapping and sampling program.
  • 4 RC holes for 480 meters are planned to assess untested significant Au-in-soil anomaly that coincide with interpreted major cross-cutting structures.

3 RC holes for 360 meters will test the along strike north extension 100 meters of the mineralisation intersected by TransAfrika.

geodrill5

Figure 5: Historic and proposed drill holes over soil anomaly at Baroya north target

This note was reviewed by Dr. Luc Antoine who is a director of the Company and is registered as a Member of the Geological Society of South Africa (MGSSA 967397). He approves the scientific and technical disclosure in the news release and has the necessary experience relevant to the style of mineralization and types of deposits under consideration and to the activity that he is undertaking to qualify as a Qualified Person as defined in the National Instrument 43-101.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"Jared Scharf"
Jared Scharf, President

+1 (858) 247-8195

For further information please visit www.SEDAR.com under the company’s profile.

Certain statements contained  in this release  may constitute "forward–looking statements" or "forward-looking information" (collectively "forward-looking information") as those terms are used in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and similar Canadian laws. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words “could”, “intend”, “expect”, “believe”, “will”, “projected”, “estimated”, “anticipates” and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Company’s current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, this release contains forward-looking information relating to the business of the Company, the Property, financing and certain corporate changes. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof and the Company is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein.

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