Round three under way at Marlin

Vancouver — Armed with new trench results, junior Francisco Gold (FGX-V) has launched a third round of drilling over the promising Marlin gold-silver prospect in Western Guatemala.

The drilling is testing the southern extension of the main zone. A total of 11 holes have been completed during the 3,000-metre program. Eight holes cut silicified and argillized zones, successfully extending the mineralization 150 metres to the south. Assay results are expected in early June.

Francisco completed 15 holes (1,429 metres) on the Marlin Main zone during the first bout of drilling. The holes were drilled beneath a portion of high-grade mineralization outlined by previous trenching, and under post-mineral volcanic ash cover on the zone’s eastern extension.

Drilling and surface trenching have identified a near-surface, oxidized horizon of mineralization over a 400-by-200-metre area with an average true thickness of 25-30 metres. The horizon dips gently to the south at 20-30.

Marlin is underlain by a series of Tertiary-aged felsic volcanic, sub-volcanic and dyke rocks exposed within an erosional window of a Quaternary-aged ash-flow blanket. The area of interest extends eastward from the Los Cochis zone, past the Main zone, to the Don Tello showing.

Recent trench results have further enhanced the bulk-minable potential of the property. Testing the west and south extensions of the Main zone, one trench returned 76 metres grading 7.1 grams gold and 144.1 grams silver per tonne, while another hit 24 metres averaging 4.7 grams gold and 2.7 grams silver.

Another recent trench covered a 600-metre area between the Main zone and Los Cochis. It returned 26 metres grading 4.3 grams gold and 7.7 grams silver. The Los Cochis target will be drill-tested during the ongoing program.

Some 200 metres south of the Main zone, trenching has identified the DonTello-Los Tomates corridor trench, a mineralized structure that ranges up to 15 metres in width and 1.2 km in length. Results include:

• 5 metres grading 13.2 grams gold and 114 grams silver;
• 10.2 metres grading 8.2 grams gold and 78 grams silver; and
• 4 metres grading 30.3 grams gold and 297 grams silver.

Marlin is part of a package of properties originally held by Montana Gold, a privately owned Canadian company. Since Montana began exploration work in Guatemala in 1996, it has staked more than 6,000 sq. km of mineral concessions along a major structural trend in the country’s western region. Francisco has agreed to acquire Montana by issuing an initial 650,000 shares upon closing. If 1.5 million oz. gold-equivalent are defined (proven and probable), Francisco will issue up to 1.4 million more shares.