Orford Provides Update on 2019 Qiqavik Exploration Program, Including the Drilling Discovery of Gold in Two New Structures

TORONTO, Oct. 16, 2019 - Orford Mining Corp. ("Orford") (TSX-V: ORM) is pleased to announce the results of the summer 2019 Exploration program on its 100% controlled Qiqavik gold project in the Cape Smith Belt in northern Quebec. Orford completed a 1,368 metre drilling program in six holes at Interlake, IP lake and the Focused Intrusive (Figure 1). Orford was successful in intersecting gold mineralization in all six drill holes. Three of these holes tested two previously untested geological structures and three tested various locations along a 2.5 km strike length of the 5 km long Interlake Shear zone discovered in 2018.  

David Christie, President and CEO of Orford, commented, "We are excited to have discovered gold mineralization in all of the widely spaced holes we drilled in 2019, with some significant intersections along three different structural and geological targets. We have also defined a number of high-grade gold in boulders and glacial till dispersion trains that point to potential cross structures along the >7 km long IP Lake Shear which have yet to be tested. The Qiqavik property results continue to demonstrate an ever-increasing gold potential across the large property. This points to the significant potential for the discovery of economic gold mineralization in this new gold belt".

All assays for drilling and grab samples for the 2019 program have been received with the following significant results^1,2:

• Intersected gold mineralization in all holes drilled in 2019 targeting three different geological structures on the property separated by up to 18 km (see Figure 1, Table 1);
  
  
• Extended the thick gold mineralized trend in drilling to 2.5km of the 5 km structural package along the Interlake Shear Structure (Up to 0.51 g/t Au over 53 m in 19-QK-004) (see Table 1);
  
  
• Confirmed gold mineralization in drilling results associated with multiple quartz veins in the multiphase Focused Intrusion (2.8 g/t Au over 1.84 m including 8.57 g/t over 0.58 m in QK-19-06) (see Table 1);
  
  
• Confirmed Au in drilling (QK-19-002) on the newly discovered 7 km long IP Lake Shear (0.58 g/t Au over 10 m) (see Table 1);
  
  
• Confirmed multiple gold mineralized boulder trains (Including 5 grab samples ranging from 14.9 g/t Au to 648.8 g/t Au, see Table 3) associated with untested cross structures along the newly discovered, 7-km long IP lake shear corridor
  
  
• Reported high grade gold on a newly discovered contact-shear trend south of Esperance (Up to 20.62 g/t Au in grab sample, Figure 2, Table 2).

1) All drilling intervals are down-hole lengths. True thicknesses cannot be estimated with available information.

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

Diamond Drilling Highlights

Summaries of observations for each drill hole are given below. All drilling intervals are down-hole lengths. True thicknesses cannot be estimated with available information.

Diamond drill hole QK-19-001 targeted a high chargeability anomaly in a high resistivity zone outlined by the 2019 IP survey, approximately 2 km to the east of drill hole QK-18-008, that was also coincident with the Interlake East Showing comprised of a sheared basalt with pyrite, chalcopyrite, malachite and quartz-carbonate veining and a glacial dispersion train of gold in till samples. From 45.0 to 68.8 m the hole intersected weakly to moderately deformed andesites with quartz-carbonate alteration and 2 to 5% pyrite. A second mineralized section was intersected from 84.2 m to 95.0 m, Intersecting seriticitized mafic volcanics with 5 to 10% pyrite and trace sphalerite and chalcopyrite. Highlights from this section include 0.59 g/t over 7.0 m from 85.0 to 92.0 m including 2.45 g/t gold over 1 m from 88 to 89 m and 1.20 g/t gold over 1 m from 91.0 to 92.0 m (see Table 1).  This hole now has extended the gold mineralization in the Interlake Structural zone by over 2 km to the east from hole QK-18-002. hole ended at 111 metres.

Diamond drill hole QK-19-002 targeted the possible source of a visible gold (VG) boulder train in the IP Lake Shear chargeability anomaly. From 79.9 to 92.8 m, the drill hole intersected basalts cut by 5 to 8% quartz-carbonate veins with vuggy pyrite (trace to 5%). This included a section from 88 to 91 m which was strongly deformed and brecciated with strong carbonization and 5 to 15% pyrite. Assays reported 0.58 g/t over 10.0 m from 84.0 m to 94.0 m including 1.7 g/t over 3.0 m from 88.0 to 91.0 m (see Table 1).

Diamond drill hole QK-19-003 targeted the possible source of a visible gold (VG) boulder train in the IP Lake Shear chargeability anomaly 600 metres west of QK-19-002. From 196.0 to 278.0 m, the hole intersected highly foliated and bleached basalts (sericite and quartz-carbonate alteration) up to 5% pyrite stringers.  This hole was not found to be the sources of a VG boulder train (now evident with gold in till results (see Figure 3). However, this hole was slightly anomalous reporting 0.23 g/t over 1.0 m from 230.0 to 231.0 m.

Diamond drill hole QK-19-004 targeted the Interlake shear trend and a thick VTEM anomaly coincident with 2 adjacent IP chargeability anomalies within the Interlake structural package. This hole is located 300 metres east of holes QK-18-007/008 and 400 metres east of hole QK-18-002 which intersected thick intervals (up to 0.48 g/t Au over 24.6 m, including 3.55 g/t over 1.0 m, see Table 1, Orford news release dated October 16, 2018). From 156.0 to 206.0 m, hole QK-19-004 intersected a sulphide mineralized shear zone hosting frequent quartz veins with silica flooding along with up to 40% pyrrhotite with 15-20% pyrite with trace arsenopyrite and sphalerite including a quartz vein from 198.73 to 200.2 m with 5 to 10% arsenopyrite and 1% to 10% pyrite-pyrrhotite (see Figure 4). Highlights from this hole include 0.51 g/t Au over 53.0 m from 156.0 to 209.0 m, including 0.59 g/t over 3.0 m from 156.0 to 159.0 m and 0.72 g/t over 32.0 m from 177.0 m to 209.0 m, and 3.12 g/t over 2.8 m from 200.2 m to 203.0 m.

Diamond drill hole QK-19-005 also targeted the Interlake structural trend and a thinner VTEM anomaly with two adjacent chargeability anomalies. It was drilled approximately 100 metres west of hole QK-18-002. From 278.0 to 300.0 m, the hole intersected a shear zone with silica flooding and pyrite, pyrrhotite, sphalerite and arsenopyrite mineralization. Assays reported several gold bearing intervals (see Table 1) including 0.59 g/t Au over 3.45 m from 281.0 to 284.45 m including 1.38g/t over 1.0m and 0.63 g/t over 2.89m from 292.37 to 295.26 m.

Diamond drill hole QK-19-006 targeted the multiphase Focused Intrusive and local felsic intrusive boulder grab samples with reported gold up to 189 g/t associated with a coincident chargeability anomaly in a very resistive body. The hole intersected altered and bleached granodiorite with disseminated pyrite, pyrrhotite (0.5 to 1%) and infrequent quartz veins hosting arsenopyrite and sphalerite. Assays reported gold through the hole (see Table 1) associated with occurrences of quartz veining yielding up to 8.57 g/t over 0.58 m from 173.42 to 174.0 m.

Table 1: 2019 Significant Gold Intercepts

Table 2: 2019 Drill Hole Information

Grab sample results at Interlake, Esperance South and the extension of the IP Lake Shear (see Figure 2) continue to show the potential of the Qiqavik property for new discoveries associated with large structures. Seventy-eight percent (14 of 18) gold grab samples reporting over 2 g/t (see Table 3), are located within or proximal to the IP Lake shear corridor (boulder trains). The IP Lake Shear corridor is up to 100m wide at surface and has been traced for approximately 7km along strike. Grab sample results have shown several boulder trains which appear to be associated with the shear and several potential cross structures (see Figure 3). Preliminary gold grain analysis in till also show a down ice anomaly. Additional till samples will be analysed this fall to aide in confirming or identifying additional potential gold bearing zones alone the 7 km shear corridor. This area remains a high priority target for follow up in 2020.

Table 3: Grab Sample Results for Samples >2g/t Au

About the Qiqavik Property

The Qiqavik Property covers the 40-km long Qiqavik Break, 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. The Cape Smith Belt is also home to Glencore's world class Raglan Mine.

Early-stage exploration work completed to date on the Qiqavik Property shows that high-grade gold and copper occurrences are structurally controlled and 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.

About Orford Mining Corporation
Orford Mining is a mineral explorer focused on highly prospective and underexplored areas of Northern Quebec. Orford's principal assets are the Qiqavik and West Raglan projects comprising of a land package totaling over 70,000 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. Orford's common shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol ORM.

To view further details about the Qiqavik and West Raglan Projects please visit Orford's website, www.orfordmining.com.

Qualified Person
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 Orford, a Qualified Person under NI 43-101.

The work program at Qiqavik was supervised by Alger St-Jean, P.Geo., 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 SGS Canada Inc. in Val-d'Or, Québec. All gold assays reported were obtained by either 500-g screen fire assay (method GO FA$30K) or standard 50-gram fire-assaying-AA finish or gravimetric finish (method GE FAA515 and GO FAG505). The 500-g screen assay method is selected by the site geologist 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-AES at SGS Canada Inc. in Lakefield, Ontario. Overlimits were analyzed by peroxide fusion with ICP-AES finish (method GE ICP90A). 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% for core and 5% for 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. SGS Canda Inc. is accredited by the Standards Council of Canada and found to comply with the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025:2005.

The information regarding work disclosed herein in respect of the Qiqavik Property is based on the independent report of Clement Dombrowski, P.Geo of IOS Services Geoscientifiques Inc. titled "NI 43-101 Technical Report on Qiqavik Project, Northern Quebec, Canada" effective September 14, 2017, and on Orford's news releases available on Orford's website and on SEDAR.

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 Corp.