On December 18, 2023 Harvest Gold Corporation announced that it had entered into an Option Agreement (the “Agreement”) with Vior Inc. (“Vior”) (TSXV: VSR). Pursuant to the Agreement, Harvest Gold can earn up to a 100% interest in the Mosseau Gold Project (“Mosseau” or the “Mosseau Gold Project”), subject to TSX Venture Exchange (the “TSXV”) approval.
Mosseau spans 147 claims totaling 7265.88 hectares (72.66 km2), which includes a 17.7 km long gold-bearing structure running through the length of the property. Mosseau adjoins the Urban Barry Greenstone Belt of the Abitibi Region of Quebec (Figure 1). Vior is a Montreal based, Quebec-focused mineral exploration company and is owned 14.1% by Gold Fields Inc. (“Gold Fields”).
Rick Mark, President and CEO of Harvest Gold stated: “I am very pleased to inform our shareholders that our year-long search for a new, high quality gold exploration project in a mining-friendly jurisdiction is complete and, further, we can earn 100% of this opportunity. Mosseau has only recently been consolidated by Vior, so it has not undergone any extensive, systematic exploration in over 35 years, enhancing our chances for discovery.”
Figure 1: Regional Location of Mosseau and the Urban-Barry Greenstone Belt
Figure 2: Harvest Gold and Gold Fields properties in the Urban-Barry Region
The Mosseau Gold Project
Mosseau lies at the western boundary of the prolific Urban Barry Greenstone Belt, an area renowned for both historic and current mining activities, including the Windfall deposit. Notably, Osisko Mining (recently merged with Gold Fields Inc.) and the well-known prospector, Shawn Ryan, hold neighboring claims. Recent wildfires and logging activities have fortuitously improved access to the property and revealed numerous new outcrop exposures, which further enhance exploration prospects.
Mosseau has been amalgamated under single ownership for the first time by Vior. It is 100% owned by Vior, with the majority of the claims not subject to any underlying royalties or encumbrances.
Mark Fedosiewich, President and CEO of Vior commented: “Vior is pleased to announce the execution of this definitive Agreement with the experienced and proven team at Harvest Gold. Our recently consolidated district-scale Mosseau Gold Project warrants the resources and commitment that Harvest Gold will dedicate to unearth a significant new discovery at Mosseau.”
The Property
Warren Bates, Director of Property Investigation for Harvest Gold states: “We believe that with the distinct geological characteristics defined below, and on a more local property scale, the presence of ultramafic rocks plus Cu-Ni mineralization, we are looking at an area representing deep seated structures. This ground has also undergone significant uplift and movement as indicated by an interpreted sedimentary basin, all features that are common to many of the more important gold camps.”
The Mosseau Gold Project exhibits several geological characteristics common to significant orogenic gold deposits, including:
- Major Greenstone Belt within the Abitibi region with significant known gold deposits (Urban-Barry)
- Regional large scale deformation zone (Toussaint and Kiask River fault zones)
- Geological framework including variable intrusives (felsic to ultramafics), bi-modal volcanism and sedimentary basins
- Demonstrated continuity of property scale mineralized zones (Morono Shear Zone)
- Favourable gold environment with the presence of polymetallic mineral showings (Au, Cu, Ni)
Mosseau hosts numerous gold showings and prospects, as well as copper and nickel occurrences (Sigeom), both explored and underexplored.
Field investigations and drill core review by Harvest Gold have verified the presence of shear-hosted gold mineralization. The property contains multiple, parallel shear zones consisting of quartz-sericite schist, which further underscores its potential for gold discovery.
Exploration work on the Mosseau Project
On February 28, 2024, the Company announced that Novatem, Inc, (“Novatem”), a Quebec based company specializing in the performance of high resolution airborne geophysical surveys, had been selected to perform this type of survey over the Mosseau Project.
On April 18, 2024 the Company announced that it had completed a 1,646 line-km high-resolution helicopter survey, covering 53.6 km2 over the Mosseau Project.
The helicopter-borne system included two laser optically pumped magnetic sensors providing 1,000 measurements per second (1,000 Hz) from a “stinger” mounted at the front of a Guimbal G2 light helicopter. The survey was completed with 50 m lines and 500 m control lines spacing and at a minimum survey drape elevation of 15 m above the ground (Figure 3).
Figure 3: Magnetic coverage of Mosseau Project
Figure 3 also shows the new Total Field Magnetics map overlaid with the known historical gold showings at Mosseau.
A comparison of the Company’s magnetics map with the Quebec government regional magnetics map flown between 1970-1990 using the technology of the day shows much greater resolution in the current survey (Figure 4).
Airborne Magnetic Survey Highlights
- Enhanced Aeromagnetic Resolution: The survey was completed with 50 m line spacing and at a minimum survey drape elevation of 15 m above the ground. The advantage of a single continuous survey is that it does not require the merging of various digital datasets of different scales and resolutions. (Government regional survey included flight lines at 200 m spacing and survey height of 120 m).
- Increased Geological Understanding: The survey provides a much better definition of the important mineralized contact between volcanic and intrusive rocks along with folding on the property.
- Mineralized Structures: The combination of the Mag survey and known gold showings provides better definition and continuity of mineralized horizons when known mineral showings are incorporated. The survey also aids in the identification of significant NE cross cutting features potentially controlling mineralization.
Figure 4: Comparison in resolution between 2024 Harvest Gold magnetic survey and Quebec Government regional magnetic survey completed between 1970 and 1990.
On April 29, 2024 the Company announced that it had made significant progress in completing compilation work on Mosseau which included incorporating the recent high-resolution helicopter-borne magnetic survey data with the LiDAR data (Figure 5) and the Digital Elevation Model (Figure 6). Other data the Company is analyzing in the structural study includes field geological measurements along with topographic data. The compilation of the various datasets allows the Company to trace key shear zones and important cross cutting fault zones across the property (Figure 7). These shear zones and faults are important for focusing gold mineralization within an environment best known for its shear hosted gold deposits.
Figure 5: LiDAR (Shadow) coverage of Mosseau Project
Figure 6: Digital Elevation Model - Mosseau Project
Figure 7: Interpreted Structural Features - Mosseau Project
On May 8, 2024 the Company announced completion of the compilation work that included updating the geology map and identifying key mineralized stratigraphic contacts and structures meshed with historic diamond drilling data from 1949 to present and surface samples to help define lateral extensions of the interpreted mineral horizons, which will provide important information in formulating drilling strategies at Mosseau.
Since the Company can now observe the key shear zones and important cross cutting fault zones at Mosseau, it is able to identify the mineralized shear zones and structural features important for hosting gold mineralization (Figure 3).
Three important styles of mineralization have been identified on the property in relation to the magnetic patterns observed.
Large dilation zones have been identified by the recognition of a change in magnetic domains (Figure 8). Within these dilation zones, several secondary structural features are interpreted, including the historical Morono deposit that has been traced for 1 km along strike.
Intersecting NE and NW trending magnetic features located in the NW corner of the property appear to be important sites in focusing the gold mineralization (Figure 9). Numerous gold showings are located at many of these sites, possibly representing intersections of NW trending stratigraphic shear zones and NE trending fault structures.
Liner NW-SW trending magnetic high features in the central part of the property were observed that corresponded to shear zones identified in the field. Figure 10 illustrates the strong correlation between the known gold mineralization and the magnetic high features. Numerous other targeted shear zones are also identified by similar, parallel magnetic features.
Harvest Gold Senior Technical Consultant Louis Martin states: “The incorporation of the previous gold showings with the recent structural interpretation, and now the high-resolution magnetics has highlighted several structural features and trends important for hosting gold mineralization. This combination provides us with much better clarity on the key elements of the geological stratigraphy, shear zones and intersecting faults which will prove useful in identifying both prospecting and drilling targets.”
Figure 8: Magnetics and Gold Showing – Morono Area
Figure 9: Magnetics and Gold Showing – NW Area
Figure 10: Magnetics and Gold Showing – Central Area
On June 19, 2024 the Company reported that it is in the final preparation stages for an extensive geochemical and prospecting program on its district scale, three property package in the Urban-Barry area of the Abitibi Greenstone Belt, Quebec (see Figure 1).
Harvest Gold Senior Technical Consultant, Louis Martin, stated: “A combination of basic exploration fundamentals for a property package of this size, including interpretation of recent airborne geophysics, detailed regional geochemistry and targeted ‘boots on the ground’ prospecting remain the best tools for finding a new deposit.”
On Mosseau, interpretation of the 2024 high-resolution airborne magnetic survey has identified several magnetic domains, some of which contain the majority of known gold showings (see Figure 11). This favoured geological stratigraphy and associated magnetic features are the focus of a current program of prospecting, geological mapping and soil sampling in the central portion of the Mosseau property (Figure 12). This work is being done by IOS Geo Scientifiques of Chicoutimi, Quebec, a highly respected consulting group with renowned expertise in geochemistry. Harvest Gold will integrate this new data with historical showings and drill results and this spring’s high resolution air magnetic data. The Company is currently awaiting receipt of assay results from the Fall 2024 prospecting, mapping and soil sampling program and, based on the results, may also develop priority 2025 drill targets in the central portion of Mosseau.
Figure 11: Magnetic domains and Gold Showings on the Mosseau property
Figure 12: Current Soil Sampling Program overlain on Magnetic data on Mosseau
Phase I Mosseau drilling is planned for the first half of 2025. High priority targets will be based on the integration and interpretation of the best previously identified gold showings and historical drill results in conjunction with the recently completed high resolution air magnetic data (Figure 13). This work will provide target strike and depth extensions for drilling in the northern and central part of the property.
Rick Mark, President and CEO states: “Harvest is now in the process of determining and defining priority drill targets on the Company’s flagship Mosseau property. This is the first time the recently amalgamated Mosseau property’s disjointed, disparate historic data has been gathered, analyzed and interpreted as a single database. This presents a unique opportunity for our shareholders”.
Figure 13: Phase I focus for drill targeting on Mosseau
Qualified Person Disclosure
The disclosure of technical or scientific information in this summary has been reviewed and approved by Louis Martin, P.Geo. (OGQ 364), Qualified Person for Harvest Gold. Mr. Martin serves as a “Qualified Person” as defined in National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects of the Canadian Securities Administrators.
Option Terms
Pursuant to the Agreement, which is subject to TSX-V approval and completion of a formal Option and Joint Venture Agreement, Harvest can earn a 100%* interest in the Mosseau Gold Project by completing the following:
(1) All dollar amounts referred to are stated in Canadian Dollars.
(2) All work in excess of the yearly minimum amount will be applied to the following year’s Work Commitment.
(3) Subject to varying 0.5 to 2.0% NSR due to underlying vendors of claim located over the historic Morono resource and Soquem claims located in the northwest corner of Mosseau.
(4) Commencing January 1, 2025 the amount increases by $1,000 for each full month that the amount is unpaid.