Projects

Overview – Adumbi growth looks to continue as underground potential suggests world class deposit developing

The Company acquired control of the Imbo project, as well as a number of other gold exploitation concessions, in the east of the Ngayu greenstone belt in the DRC in September 2019. The Company initially obtained a 71.25% interest in these projects, which subsequently increased to 84.68% in September 2020.The Imbo area already has a Mining Permit and the DRC Government has it’s pre requisite 10% holding. The Imbo project contains numerous targets of significant growing interest including the three resource bearing deposits of Adumbi, Kitenge and Manzako, the deposits occurring within a 5-kilometre radius of each other.

In 2021, Loncor finalized a +-7000 metre drill program that increased the size of the Adumbi resource to 3.66M ozs. This was followed by a PEA in December 2021 that assigned a valuation of the resources within the proposed pit many multiples of the prevailing market capitalisation of Loncor Gold. Details can be found on the Adumbi PEA page.

A number of holes were drilled below the pit shell at Adumbi in order to test the potential of underground resources. Between 2020 and November 2021 the relatively high-grade resource at Loncor’s Adumbi deposit surged from 1.36 million ounces to 3.66 million ounces of gold, with 1.88 million ounces being converted from inferred into indicated at a conversion rate of 95%. An assessment of the area below these resources suggests there’s the potential to continue the significant growth given the outlined underground exploration target. A news release in December 2023 highlighted the underground potential with the exploration target of Adumbi underground estimated to be in the range of 8.9 million tonnes to 9.6 million tonnes grading from 4.7 g/t Au to 4.9 g/t Au below USD1,600/oz pit shell. Refer to announcement: Loncor Gold Forecasts Continued Growth For Adumbi Through Positive Underground Exploration Estimates .

Details on the progress of the drilling at Adumbi can be seen below under the section - Exploration Upside Around Imbo.

Historically the Imbo area was mined on a relatively small scale in the 1930s by Belgian operators, with the majority of output originating from our main target, Adumbi.

Figure 1: Location of Imbo Project Area in Ngayu Belt

Figure 2: Loncor's Imbo Mining Permit (including Adumbi Project)

Photo 1 - The Adumbi BIF deposit forms a clear topographic ridge

After assessing exploration results undertaken between 2014 to 2018, including re-logging of all previous boreholes and undertaking additional drilling at depth, Loncor announced on April 17 2020 the gold content of the inferred resource of the three deposits (Adumbi, Manzako and Kitenge) had increased by 49% to 2.503 million ounces (30.65 million tonnes @ 2.54 g/t Au), compared to the previous resource determination undertaken in 2014. Loncor has an attributable interest of 84.68% in this resource. On June 10 2020, a NI 43-101 technical report on the Imbo Project was filed on SEDAR and confirmed the inferred resource increase at the Imbo Project, having been prepared by Minecon Resources and Services Limited with an effective date of April 17 2020. A copy of the said report can be obtained from SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

On April 27 2021, Loncor announced a 44% increase in mineral resources at its Adumbi deposit in the Imbo Project (Loncor 84.68%). Compared to the inferred mineral resource of 2.19 million ounces of gold (28.97 million tonnes grading 2.35 g/t Au) outlined in April 2020 the inclusion of six holes from the 7000 metre 2020/21 program increased the Adumbi inferred mineral resource to 3.153 million ounces of gold (41.32 million tonnes grading 2.37 g/t Au), constrained within a US$1,500 open pit shell. 84.68% of this Inferred mineral resource is attributable to Loncor via its 84.68% interest in the Imbo Project (see Figure 2). On June 11 2021, a NI 43-101 technical report on the Imbo Project was filed on SEDAR and confirmed the inferred resource increase to 3.153 million ounces at Adumbi within the Imbo Project, having been prepared by Minecon Resources and Services Limited with an effective date of April 27 2021. A copy of the said report can be obtained from SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Further detail on the resource upgrade can be found on the resources page.

On November 11 2021, Loncor announced a further increase in total resources at Adumbi to 3,66 million ozs. Due to significant near surface infill drilling, 1,88 million ozs (28,18 million tonnes at 2,08 g/t) were reclassified as indicated resources. The remaining 1,78 million ozs (20,83 million tonnes at 2,65 g/t) remained inferred resources.

Here follows the November 17, 2021 press release detailing the resource upgrade, various geological plans and sections, plus tables that detail the upgrade, and the underlying drilling and assumptions that led tot he resource increase.

Toronto, Canada –November 17, 2021 – Loncor Gold Inc. ("Loncor" or the "Company") (TSX: "LN"; OTCQX: "LONCF”; FSE: "LO51") is pleased to announce an increase and upgrade in mineral resources at its Adumbi deposit in the Imbo Project (Loncor 84.68%) in the D.R. Congo.

Compared to the inferred mineral resource of 3.15 million ounces of gold (41.316 million tonnes grading 2.37 g/t Au) outlined in April 2021 (see Company press release dated April 27, 2021), the additional drilling information and the increased gold price used, have contributed significantly to the increased mineral resources of the Adumbi deposit with improved confidence to 1.88 million ounces of gold in the indicated category and 1.78 million ounces of gold in the inferred category. 84.68% of these mineral resources are attributable to Loncor via its 84.68% interest in the Imbo Project.

Table I below summarises the Adumbi indicated and inferred mineral resources based on in-situ block cut-off grade at a 0.52 g/t Au for Oxide, 0.57 g/t Au for Transition and 0.63 g/t Au for Fresh material, and constrained within a US$1,600 per ounce optimized pit shell.

Table I: Adumbi Deposit Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources
(effective date: November 17, 2021)

Note: Numbers may not add up due to rounding.

Tables II below summarise the indicated and inferred category mineral resources in terms of material type.

Table II: Adumbi Mineral Resources by Material Type
(effective date: November 17, 2021)

Note: Numbers may not add up due to rounding.

Commenting on the mineral resource increase and upgrade at Adumbi, Loncor’s President Peter Cowley said: “This increase in mineral resources within a US$1,600 pit shell to 3.66 million ounces of gold includes an indicated mineral resource of 1.88 million ounces of gold and was achieved by infill drilling the shallower part of the Adumbi deposit. Compared to the previous resource estimate in April 2021, the indicated and inferred tonnages, grades and ounces for this resource update, are expected and relate to drilling density and increasing gold grades with depth at Adumbi (see Company press release dated April 27, 2021 -Table III). Gold mineralization is still open at depth below the pit shell where the favourable banded ironstone formation host (“BIF”) is thickening and demonstrates potential for additional underground mineral resources. The mineral resources within the pit shell will be incorporated into the Preliminary Economic Assessment (“PEA”) which the Company is undertaking to determine the economic viability of Adumbi and which is due for completion in December this year.” 

This mineral resource assessment was undertaken by the Company’s independent geological consultants Minecon Resources and Services Limited (“Minecon”). The updated estimate for Adumbi was based on the additional drilling and a review of the Adumbi deposit including remodelling and grade estimation and considering the CIM requirement for mineral resources to have “reasonable prospects for economic extraction”.

Drilling Results included in Mineral Resource Update

An additional fourteen core holes totaling 6,362.59 metres were drilled with the focus in areas within the pit shell where insufficient drilling had been undertaken to outline mineral resources. The upper part of the open pit shell was drilled at closer spacing in order to upgrade mineral resources from the inferred to indicated category.

Table III below summarises the significant intercepts of the additional drillholes that were included in this November 2021 mineral resource:

Table III: Core Hole Results from 2021 Drilling Program

Note: 1. It is estimated that the true widths of the mineralised sections for core holes LADD009, LADD012, LADD013, LADD014, LADD015, LDD016, LADD017, LADD018, LADD019, LADD021, LADD022, LADD023, LADD024 and LADD025 are, respectively, 82%, 86%, 85%, 78%, 65%, 69%, 71%, 75%, 65%, 73% 58%, 76%, 77% and 78% of the intercepted widths in the above table.

Core Logging & Geological Controls

Gold mineralization at Adumbi is found within a BIF (Banded Iron Formation) unit with a strike length of 850 metres and up to 130 metres in thickness (see Figures 1, 3, 5 below: Geologic Plan and Geologic Cross Sections of the Adumbi Deposit). Four main zones of gold mineralization are present within the BIF and are located in:

• the upper part of the Upper BIF Sequence,
• the lower part of the Upper BIF Sequence separated by the Carbonaceous Marker, which is essentially unmineralized, and
• within the Lower BIF Sequence.

There is a higher-grade zone of gold mineralization termed the Replaced Rock Zone (“RP Zone”) associated with alteration and structural deformation that has destroyed the primary host BIF fabric. The RP Zone occurs in the lower part of the Upper BIF and in the Lower BIF, and transgresses the Carbonaceous Marker, located between the Upper and Lower BIF zones, both along strike and down dip.

Geological Modelling and Grade Estimation

The Adumbi 3-dimensional model was constructed by Minecon in collaboration with on site geologists using cross sectional and horizontal flysch plans of the geology and mineralization and was used to assist in the constraining of the 3-D geological model. The mineralization model was constrained within a wireframe at 0.5 g/t Au cut-off grade. Grade interpolation was undertaken using:

• 2 metre sample composites capped at 18 g/t Au to improve the reliability of the block grade estimates.
• Ordinary Kriging to interpolate grades into the block model.
• Relative densities of 2.45 for oxide, 2.82 for transitional and 3.05 for fresh rock were applied to the block model for tonnage estimation.

Pit Optimisation Parameters

To constrain the depth extent of the geological model and any mineral resources, an open pit for the Adumbi deposit was constructed based on the following pit optimisation parameters:

• A gold price of US$1,600 per ounce.
• Block size: 16 metres x 16 metres x 8 metres.
• A thirty-two metres minimum mining width and a maximum of four metres of internal waste was applied.
• Mining dilution of 100% of the tonnes at 95% of the grade.
• Ultimate slope angle of minus 45 degrees.
• Metallurgical recoveries of 91% for oxide, 88% for transitional and 90% for sulphide (based on diagnostic metallurgical testwork as part of PEA).
• Average mining cost of US$3.29/tonne mined.
• Average processing cost of US$17.81/tonne for oxides, US$18.92/tonne for transitional and US$22.13/tonne for sulphide.
• Average general and administration cost of US$4.20/tonne.
• Mineral resources were estimated at a block cut-off grade of 52 g/t Au for oxide, 0.57 g/t Au for transition materials and 0.63 g/t Au for fresh material constrained by a US$1,600 per ounce optimized pit shell (see Figures 4, 6 and 7 below).
• Transport of gold and refining costs equivalent to 4.5% of the gold price.
• No additional studies on depletion by artisanal activity was undertaken since the RPA study of 2014 and the same total amount of material was used by Minecon.

Tonnage/Grade Curve

Grade/tonnage curves for the Adumbi mineral resources at various gold cut-offs are summarised in Table IV and the graph below:

Table IV: Adumbi Mineral Resources at various gold cut-offs

The Adumbi deposit is found within Loncor’s Imbo Project, which contains two other deposits, Kitenge and Manzako. As a result of the increased mineral resources at Adumbi, the total inferred mineral resource of the Imbo Project is now 2.09 million ounces of gold (22.508 million tonnes grading 2.89 g/t Au) and is summarised in Table V below. 84.68% of this inferred mineral resource is attributable to Loncor via its 84.68% interest in the Imbo Project.

Table V: Inferred Mineral Resource for the Imbo Project (effective date: November 17, 2021)

Note: Numbers may not add up due to rounding.

Quality Control and Quality Assurance

Drill cores for assaying were taken at a maximum of one-metre intervals and were cut with a diamond saw, with one-half of the core placed in sealed bags by Company geologists and sent to the Company’s on-site sample preparation facility. The core samples were then crushed down to 80% passing minus 2 mm and split with one half of the sample up to 1.5 kg pulverized down to 90% passing 75 microns. Approximately 150 grams of the pulverized sample was then sent to the SGS Laboratory in Mwanza, Tanzania (independent of the Company). Gold analyses were carried out on 50g aliquots by fire assay. In addition, check assays were also carried out by the screen fire assay method to verify high-grade sample assays obtained initially by fire assay. As part of the Company’s QA/QC procedures, internationally recognized standards, blanks and duplicates were inserted into the sample batches prior to submitting to SGS Laboratory.

Qualified Person

Mr. Daniel Bansah, Chairman and Managing Director of Minecon, is the "qualified person" (as such term is defined in National Instrument 43-101) who is responsible for the mineral resource estimates and other technical information disclosed in this press release. Mr. Bansah has reviewed and approved the contents of this press release.

Figure 1: Geologic Plan of the Adumbi Deposit

Figure 2: Adumbi Longitudinal Section Looking Northeast with Drill Hole (Grade x Metre)

Figure 3: Geological Cross Section A-B

Figure 4: Grade Block Model Cross Section A-B

Figure 5: Geological Cross Section C-D

Figure 6: Grade Block Model Cross Section C-D

Figure 7: 3-D mineralised model showing the April 2021 and the November 2021 pit shells

Technical Reports

Additional information with respect to the Company’s Imbo Project (which includes the Adumbi deposit) is contained in the technical report of Minecon Resources and Services Limited dated April 27, 2021 and entitled "Updated Resource Statement and Independent National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report, Imbo Project, Ituri Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo". A copy of the said report can be obtained from SEDAR at www.sedar.com and EDGAR at www.sec.gov. 

About Loncor Gold Inc.

Loncor is a Canadian gold exploration company focussed on the Ngayu Greenstone Gold Belt in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (the "DRC"). The Loncor team has over two decades of experience of operating in the DRC. Loncor’s growing resource base in the Ngayu Belt currently comprises the Imbo and Makapela Projects. At the Imbo Project, the Adumbi deposit holds an indicated mineral resource of 1.88 million ounces of gold (28.185 million tonnes grading 2.08 g/t gold), and the Adumbi deposit and two neighbouring deposits hold an inferred mineral resource of 2.090 million ounces of gold (22.508 million tonnes grading 2.89 g/t Au), with 84.68% of these resources being attributable to Loncor. Loncor has been carrying out a drilling program at the Adumbi deposit with the objective of outlining additional mineral resources.

Additional information with respect to Loncor and its projects can be found on Loncor's website at www.loncor.com

Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors

National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") is a rule of the Canadian Securities Administrators which establishes standards for all public disclosure an issuer makes of scientific and technical information concerning mineral projects. Unless otherwise indicated, all resource estimates contained in this press release has been prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum Classification System. These standards differ from the requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and resource information contained in this press release may not be comparable to similar information disclosed by U.S. companies.

Cautionary Note Concerning Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains forward-looking information. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future (including, without limitation, statements regarding mineral resource estimates, drill results at the Adumbi deposit, potential underground mineral resources, undertaking the Adumbi Preliminary Economic Assessment to determine the economic viability of Adumbi, potential mineralization, potential gold discoveries, drill targets, exploration results, and future exploration and development) are forward-looking information. This forward-looking information reflects the current expectations or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company. Forward-looking information is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking information, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on the Company. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, the possibility that future exploration (including drilling) or development (including the Adumbi Preliminary Economic Assessment) results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations, the possibility that drilling programs will be delayed, activities of the Company may be adversely impacted by the continued spread of the widespread outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel strain of the coronavirus (“COVID-19”), including the ability of the Company to secure additional financing, risks related to the exploration stage of the Company's properties, uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, failure to establish estimated mineral resources (the Company’s mineral resource figures are estimates and no assurances can be given that the indicated levels of gold will be produced), changes in world gold markets or equity markets, political developments in the DRC, gold recoveries being less than those indicated by the metallurgical testwork carried out to date (there can be no assurance that gold recoveries in small scale laboratory tests will be duplicated in large tests under on-site conditions or during production), fluctuations in currency exchange rates, inflation, changes to regulations affecting the Company's activities, delays in obtaining or failure to obtain required project approvals, the uncertainties involved in interpreting drilling results and other geological data and the other risks disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in the Company's annual report on Form 20-F dated March 31, 2021 filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and EDGAR at www.sec.gov. Forward-looking information speaks only as of the date on which it is provided and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking information are reasonable, forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such information due to the inherent uncertainty therein.

Cautionary Note Concerning Mineral Resource Estimates

The mineral resource figures referred to in this press release are estimates and no assurances can be given that the indicated levels of gold will be produced. Such estimates are expressions of judgment based on knowledge, mining experience, analysis of drilling results and industry practices. Valid estimates made at a given time may significantly change when new information becomes available. While the Company believes that the mineral resource estimates included in this press release are well established, by their nature mineral resource estimates are imprecise and depend, to a certain extent, upon statistical inferences which may ultimately prove unreliable. If such estimates are inaccurate or are reduced in the future, this could have a material adverse impact on the Company.

Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. There is no certainty that mineral resources can be upgraded to mineral reserves through continued exploration.

Due to the uncertainty that may be attached to inferred mineral resources, it cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource will be upgraded to an indicated or measured mineral resource as a result of continued exploration. Confidence in the estimate is insufficient to allow meaningful application of the technical and economic parameters to enable an evaluation of economic viability worthy of public disclosure (except in certain limited circumstances). Inferred mineral resources are excluded from estimates forming the basis of a feasibility study.

Additional Targets of Interest in Close proximity to Adumbi

At the Kitenge and Manzako deposits (Inferred resources of 1.68 million tonnes grading 5.8 g/t Au, equivalent to 313,000 ounces of gold), additional drilling may also be undertaken to further define and increase the inferred mineral resources at these deposits.

In addition, two undrilled targets have been outlined close to the Adumbi deposit. Both these target areas were identified from the compilation and interpretation of previous, historical exploration data including soil geochemistry, rock chip and channel sampling. At Mambo Bado, 1.5 kilometres northwest of the Adumbi deposit, a prominent geochemical gold in soil anomaly is located on an extensional, E-W structural jog along the 14-kilometre northwest trending mineralized shear. Two kilometres south of the Adumbi deposit, at Lisala, altered and brecciated BIF with anomalous rock sampling requires further follow up with gridding, soil sampling and additional channel sampling.

Loncor owns or controls a contiguous block of 46 exploration permits or PRs covering an area of approximately 13,000 square kilometers to the northwest of Lake Edward in North Kivu province.

These exploration permits are located between the two major gold belt terrains of the DRC - the Proterozoic/ Archean Twangiza-Namoya gold belt and the Archean greenstone belts of Kilo Moto and Ngayu to the north. The main provincial centres within the North Kivu project area are Butembo and Lubero. Although Loncor has conducted some exploration for gold and other minerals in the past in North Kivu, no exploration has been conducted over the last 8 years with the Company’s focus being at Ngayu.

Qualified Person

Peter N. Cowley, who is President of Loncor and a "qualified person" as such term is defined in National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the above technical information.

Technical Reports

Certain additional information with respect to the Company’s project is contained in the technical report of Venmyn Rand (Pty) Ltd dated May 29 2012 and entitled "Updated National Instrument 43-101 Independent Technical Report on the Ngayu Gold Project, Orientale Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo". Certain additional information with respect to the Company’s North Kivu project is contained in the technical report of Venmyn Rand (Pty) Ltd dated February 29, 2012 and entitled "National Instrument 43-101 Independent Technical Report on the Manguredjipa Gold Project, North Kivu Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo". A copy of each of the said reports can be obtained from SEDAR at www.sedar.com and EDGAR at www.sec.gov.