Opawica Explorations Inc. (TSXV: OPW) (OTCQB: OPWEF) has announced a comprehensive exploration update for its 100%-owned Arrowhead Gold Property, located in the Abitibi Greenstone Belt of Quebec. The company has secured drill permits for 25 drill-pad locations and outlined an approximately 10,000-metre drilling strategy to systematically test high-priority targets. These targets were generated from one of the most comprehensive modern geological datasets assembled over the property, incorporating historical data, geophysics, seismic surveys, artificial-intelligence-assisted targeting, and 3D geological modelling.
The Arrowhead property is situated immediately adjacent to properties held by Agnico Eagle Mines Limited, including the producing LaRonde Complex, which has produced over eight million ounces of gold since 1988. This proximity underscores the property's potential within an established mining district. Opawica believes that Arrowhead's combination of historical high-grade gold occurrences, extensive historical workings, modern drill-confirmed mineralization, and numerous untested targets represents a compelling exploration opportunity.
Exploration of Arrowhead dates back approximately a century, with early work including prospecting, trenching, pitting, underground workings, and diamond drilling. Historical results have reported gold values as high as 45.05 g/t Au, and chip sampling has returned up to 90.75 g/t Au over 1.0 metre. These historical results have not been independently verified by Opawica's Qualified Person, but they provide a strong foundation for modern exploration.
In 2022, Opawica completed its inaugural modern drill program at Arrowhead, consisting of 4,306 metres of drilling across 14 holes, with 1,590 rock samples submitted for assay. The program tested 13 drill targets and successfully confirmed gold mineralization across the property. Notably, 11 drill holes intersected gold zones grading greater than 1.0 g/t Au along an approximately one-kilometre stratigraphic strike length. Selected results included 18.7 g/t Au over 0.35 metres with 0.72% Cu in hole AR-22-01, 1.58 g/t Au over 0.60 metres in AR-22-02, 1.70 g/t Au over 1.00 metre in AR-22-03, and 1.52 g/t Au over 14.8 metres in AR-22-04. Broader anomalous gold zones extended up to approximately 29.5 metres. These intervals represent core lengths, and true widths have not necessarily been determined.
The drilling identified gold mineralization in two principal geological settings: shear zones containing quartz-carbonate-tourmaline veins within mafic volcanic rocks, and mineralized felsic tuffs containing quartz-tourmaline veining. Following the 2022 campaign, nine target zones associated with that program remained untested, and the upcoming drill program aims to address these and other high-priority targets.
Opawica's planned 10,000-metre drill program is designed to test the continuity, extensions, and potential depth of known gold mineralization. The company holds all necessary permits, positioning Arrowhead for its next major phase of exploration. With a combination of historical data, modern drilling, and advanced targeting, Opawica is poised to unlock the property's full potential.
The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Yvan Bussieres, P.Eng., an independent Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101. This forward-looking information involves risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated, including exploration risks, geological interpretations proving incorrect, and permitting and regulatory requirements.
