Vancouver, B.C. – January 9, 2013 – Westhaven Ventures Inc. (TSX-V:WHN) is pleased to report drill results from its Shovelnose gold property, located within the prospective Spences Bridge Gold Belt (SBGB), approximately 30 km south of Merritt, British Columbia. The drill program consisted of 5 holes, totaling 778 metres (2,552 feet) of diamond drilling. Subsequently, the Company has staked an additional 1,272 hectares, bringing the total Shovelnose land package to 17,684 hectares (176.84 km²).
Highlights from the program include:
- The 2012 drilling program has expanded low sulphidation gold mineralization at the Tower showing over a 220 metre east-west extent, including drill hole SN12-04 which intersected 50.4 metres grading 0.54 g/t Au (Gold) and 4.77 g/t Ag (Silver), which includes 13.7 metres grading 0.91 g/t Au and 6.65 g/t Ag. These gold values are within or peripheral to a zone of strong silicification which appears to be at least 120 metres wide. It occurs alongside a zone of brecciation and faulting, which lies beneath Tower Creek.
- Strong silicification and quartz veining was encountered in the Tower Zone, tested by holes SN12-02, 03 and 04. Silicification, typical of epithermal-style gold deposits, was most extensive in hole SN12-04 close to a major structural trend.
- The silver/gold ratios observed in drill hole SN12-04 increase with depth and, coupled with the consistently elevated arsenic, antimony and mercury diagnostic epithermal pathfinder suite identified in all four Tower Zone drill holes, suggests the presence of a high level, low sulphidation epithermal gold system.
The results from the 2012 drilling are summarized below in Table 1.
|
Drill Hole
|
Zone
|
From (m)
|
To (m)
|
Length (m)
|
Au (g/t)
|
Ag (g/t)
|
|
SN12-01
|
Tower Creek
|
No Significant Results
|
||||
|
SN12-02
|
Tower Zone
|
4.69
|
60.96
|
56.3
|
0.22
|
0.86
|
|
SN12-03
|
Tower Zone
|
7.62
|
10.66
|
3
|
0.26
|
0.51
|
|
and
|
23.44
|
34.49
|
11.05
|
0.23
|
0.65
|
|
|
and
|
39.62
|
59.51
|
19.9
|
0.11
|
0.39
|
|
|
SN12-04
|
Tower Creek
|
20.9
|
71.32
|
50.42
|
0.54
|
4.77
|
|
incl.
|
27.12
|
40.84
|
13.72
|
0.91
|
6.65
|
|
|
also incl.
|
53.03
|
56.08
|
3.05
|
1.27
|
18.61
|
|
|
SN12-05
|
Cell Tower Soil Anomaly
|
No Significant Results
|
||||
* Please refer to the Shovelnose Project page on our website for further information and drill hole locations.www.westhavenventures.com/
Gren Thomas, Westhaven’s President & CEO, stated, “The discovery of a wide zone of auriferous silicification in the Spences Bridge Gold Belt, which contains numerous small, high grade epithermal showings, is very encouraging. Management feels that the zone tested is high in the system and that we are close to finding higher grade sections within the area. We look forward to a very active exploration season on this very well located project just off the Coquihalla Highway.”
2013 Field Program
The main focus of the 2013 exploration program will be to follow up on the Tower Zone mineralization and determine the size and grade potential of the precious metal horizon. This will include geological mapping, geochemistry, geophysics and diamond drilling. Other targets on the property will be examined to determine the extents of the alteration and gold mineralization.
Shovelnose Gold Property Overview
To date, 12 drill holes have been diamond drilled for a cumulative total of 1,384 metres, in three separate target areas. Gold and silver mineralization, associated with quartz veining and silicification, has been encountered in all 12 holes. In addition, there is evidence of a significant mineralized alteration system within the property.
The 17,684 ha Shovelnose gold property is a gold-silver epithermal-style exploration target that covers prospective stratigraphy in the southern Spences Bridge Gold Belt (SBGB), a 110 km northwest-trending belt of intermediate to felsic volcanic rocks of the Cretaceous Spences Bridge group. Westhaven is currently working to earn up to a 70% interest in the property from Strongbow Exploration Inc., a TSX-V listed company.
On behalf of the Board of Directors
WESTHAVEN VENTURES INC.
“Gareth Thomas”
Gareth Thomas, Director
About Westhaven Ventures Inc.
Westhaven Ventures Inc. is a Canadian based exploration company focused on the acquisition and exploration of prospective resource properties. Westhaven is focused on advancing its Shovelnose gold and BEN projects in British Columbia. Westhaven trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the ticker symbol WHN. For further information, please contact Gareth Thomas at 604-681-5558 or Shaun Pollard at604-681-5521 or visit Westhaven’s website at www.westhavenventures.com
Qualified Person Statement
L. John Peters, P.Geo., who is a Qualified Person within the context of National Instrument 43-101 has read and takes responsibility for this release. Core samples were analyzed for a 36-element suite using aqua regia digestion followed by ICP-MS analyses. Preparation at Acme Analytical Laboratories Ltd. involves crushing each sample to 80% passing a 10 mesh (2 mm) screen. A 250 g split is then pulverized to 85% passing a 200 mesh (74 μm) screen and a 15g sample split from the prepared pulp was used for the analysis. All results greater than 100 ppb gold were reanalysed by Acme using their (G601) Fire Assay with an AAS finish. A QA/QC program included the lab and field standards.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.