Japan Gold Corp. announced drilling at the Saroma prospect has encountered multiple intersections of high-grade silver with gold mineralization along a km length of the Saroma vein. The Saroma vein forms part of a larger, 3.5 km long open-ended district-scale mineralized structure which hosts the Saroma, Chitose and Taiho historical workings, collectively called the Saroma prospect.

Saroma is one of several prospects the Company is advancing within its 100% owned Ikutahara Project in Hokkaido, Japan. Drilling Summary & Findings: The 1.2 km long vein at Saroma is located at the northeast end of an open-ended 3.5 km long mineralized structure which includes the Saroma, Chitose and Taiho mine workings. Between July and September this year, 6 diamond drillholes were completed along a 1 km long section of the Saroma vein for a total of 1,309 m. Drilling has advanced the understanding of structural controls, alteration zonation and minerology at Saroma.

Saroma comprises multiple veins within a large continuous structure, which were successfully intercepted in all six drillholes along a 1 km strike length, and to a depth 130m below surface. Importantly, vein widths up to 8 meters (true width) have been intersected with high-grade silver, and gold mineralization. Quartz veining exhibits impressive chalcedony-rich low-sulphidation epithermal vein textures, indicating good preservation of the vein system.

Wide coherent veins intercepted in the southwestern holes: IKDD22-009; 010; 012 and 013 show an average true width of 7.0 m. In the two north-eastern drill holes IKDD22-011 and 014, more dispersed zones of sheeted and stockwork veining up to 21 m in down hole length were encountered with individual veins up to 2 m in down-hole width. This splaying of veins in the northeast is potentially indicative of a step-structure where the host structure is stepping over to coalesce into a more coherent structure further along strike. Silicification at surface to the north may support this potential extension at depth.

Quartz veins at Saroma show a diverse range of low-sulfidation epithermal textures, brecciation and minerology suggesting a dynamic system with multiple fluid phases amenable to gold deposition. High level chalcedony-rich vein textures are observed in the deepest holes IKDD22-10 and IKDD22-13 indicating that the current drill intercepts are within the mineralization window and further drill testing down dip is warranted. Vein textures and the geometry of higher-grade mineralization identified along the Saroma vein trend may be indicative of a southwest plunge to mineralization towards the Chitose and Taiho prospects 500 and 1,500 m to the southwest.

Reconnaissance mapping along the Saroma structure in 2016 by the Company found surface rock samples up to 10.85 g/t gold and 136 g/t silver. Recent detailed mapping has confirmed veining with broad silicification envelopes at Chitose and Taiho and banded chalcedony veins outcrops up to 5 m wide at the latter. The historical Jomon workings are located another 5 km southwest of the Taiho workings on what appears to be the continuation of the Saroma structure.

Information on mining here is limited but sampling of numerous quartz boulders in a small open pit report grades averaging 25 g/t gold and 50 g/t silver1. In 1933 an underground cross-cut was excavated to locate the source of the boulders but results are unknown. Forward Plans: 2023 work programs will aim to delineate high-grade gold and silver shoots along the Saroma structure and towards the Jomon workings.

Staged work programs will include detailed mapping with soil sampling to identify precious and path-finder element anomalies for focussed CSAMT geophysical surveying. Targets developed by this work will be ranked to guide drilling. Saroma Prospect: Located approximately 4 km south of the Kitano-o gold mine, the historic Saroma, Taiho and Chitose gold workings were developed on epithermal veins that step along a northeast trending fault zone which extends for at least 3.5 km along the Saroma valley.

Operated during the 1930's, records show the Saroma mine produced 13,189 tons of ore at an average grade of 9.7 g/t gold between 1933 to 19392. There are no production records from the Taiho and Chitose workings, however, exploration and mining was reported from these latter two areas immediately prior to the 1943 gold mining moratorium.