Trillium Gold to begin 8,000 metre Drill Program on Gold Centre Property adjacent to Evolution Mining's Red Lake Operation

Targeting the down-plunge continuation of Red Lake Mine mineralization and untested near-surface geophysical targets

VANCOUVER, BC, May 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Trillium Gold Mines Inc. (TSXV: TGM) (OTCQX: TGLDF) (FRA: 0702) ("Trillium Gold" or the "Company" announces that an 8,000 metre drill program will commence shortly on the 80%-owned Gold Centre property immediately adjacent to Evolution Mining's Red Lake Operation ("EVN-RLO"). Trillium Gold operates the Gold Centre property as an 80%/20% Joint Venture with Rupert Resources Ltd. (RUP:CVE).

The most recent drilling program on the property was conducted from 2004 to 2008 by Rupert Resources, focused on ultra-deep targets under the south end of the property, intersecting Red Lake Mine mineralization at depths below 3,400 metres. Until recently, hole RUP-07-01C was a record-breaking, deep hard rock diamond drill hole at 3,411 metres in depth. Trillium received the permit for Gold Centre exploration in early February 2021 and planned to undertake the drill program after the spring thaw. All available historical data on the property has been compiled and drill targets defined for Phase 1 drilling. Trillium Gold has engaged the former Project Manager for Rupert Resources' drill programs in 2004 to 2008 who will supervise the drilling. 

From Rupert's induced polarization (IP) survey in 2013, a total of 9 anomalous trends have been interpreted on the Gold Centre property, three of which are identified on the North Grid as strong to very strong.

Two are indicative of a sulphide mineralization source, potentially associated with a complexly folded/faulted contact between the Huston conglomerate and Balmer mafic metavolcanic rocks. This appears to be coincident with the southeasterly extension of a regional scale fault mapped on the EVN-RLO property. An additional strong, very anomalous trend has been identified on the South Grid. The proximity of the Far East Zone at the EVN-RLO provides further support that the southwest-dipping Red Lake Mine trend potentially extends onto the Gold Centre property at depth.

Russell Starr, CEO of Trillium Gold commented, "The Gold Centre property lies just 350 metres from Evolution Mining's underground development at the Red Lake Mine where 100,000 metre program is underway to explore extensions of the Cochenour and Red Lake deposits. The favorable Balmer volcanics that host several gold deposits at the adjacent Red Lake Mine have been identified in drill core and on surface at Gold Centre from the 2013 geological mapping program.  If we are successful in demonstrating that this prolific gold structure continues onto the Gold Centre property, it will validate our strategic focus on acquiring one of the largest district scale positions in North America's most important gold camp."

"We are looking forward to drilling on Gold Centre. We know there are Balmer volcanics below our feet and we need to start systematically drilling to intersect gold. The program we have laid out provides the optimal opportunity in that it tests a range of targets with a higher density at more manageable depths. Once we have established intersections, we can then begin to expand on them and follow them deeper", stated Bill Paterson, Trillium Gold's Vice President of Exploration. 

Trillium Gold's proposed 2021 drill program comprises approximately 8,000 metres in 8 holes on the north of the property. These holes have been laid out to target:

• near-surface geophysical anomalies identified in the 2013 ground magnetic and IP surveys but never tested, and;
  
  
• the prospective corridor of Balmer stratigraphy and structures hosting the EVN-RLO mineralization.

Proposed holes range from 750m to 1,400m in length, to test up to 500 metre intercepts of Balmer stratigraphy on a 200m grid pattern. While drilling progresses, ground-truthing of historical data will be undertaken. This will include downhole directional surveys to assess the viability of using these historical holes as pilot holes for future wedge cuts to depth.

Geological Survey of Canada mapping (Sanborn-Barrie, 2004) indicated the northern portion of the Gold Centre property is underlain by volcanic rocks of the Balmer assemblage, unconformably overlain by metasediments of the Huston assemblage in the central portion of the property and metavolcanics of the Confederation assemblage in the south.

Exploration on the Gold Centre property began in 1945 with limited grassroots exploration programs, including geological mapping, ground geophysical surveys and trenching. Between 1957 and 1980, the property saw intermittent exploration, including the completion of 1,875m of diamond drilling in 14 shallow diamond drill holes (<400m) and 1 deep hole (1,080m) which intersected prospective stratigraphy.

Rupert Resources acquired the Gold Centre property in 1996 and exploration focused on targeting the down-plunge continuation of the high-grade mineralization occurring on the EVN-RLO property. In 1996 and 1998, 2 drill holes for 3,500m were completed along the western property boundary. Between 2004 and 2008, RUP completed approximately 12,600m of drilling in a series of 2 mother holes and 10 daughter wedge holes collared in the southeast corner of the property, reaching a maximum depth of 3,411m. Although only weakly mineralized intercepts were encountered, the deep drilling programs confirmed the presence of the prospective Balmer stratigraphy at depth on the Gold Centre property.

All drilling work will be supervised by Richard Kowalski, formerly the Project Manager for Rupert Resources' drill programs in 2004 to 2008. The drilling will be conducted by Rodren Drilling Ltd., of West St. Paul, Manitoba. Drill core will be logged and sampled in a secure core facility and core samples will be cut in half, using a diamond cutting saw, and half cores sent for analysis to Activation Laboratories Ltd. in Dryden, an accredited mineral analysis laboratory. All samples will be analysed for gold using standard Fire Assay-AA techniques. Samples returning over 10.0 g/t gold will be analyzed utilizing standard Fire Assay-Gravimetric methods. Selected samples with results greater than one ounce per ton gold will also be analyzed with a standard 1kg metallic screen fire assay. Certified gold reference standards, blanks and duplicates will be routinely inserted into the sample stream, as part of Trillium Gold's quality control/quality assurance program (QAQC) to monitor accuracy and precision.

The technical information presented in this news release has been reviewed and approved by William Paterson QP, PGeo, VP of Exploration of Trillium Gold Mines, as defined by NI 43-101. The qualified person has not verified the data disclosed from previous reports, including sampling, analytical, and test data underlying the information or opinions contained in the written disclosure.

Visit our website at www.trilliumgold.com.  

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Trillium Gold Mines Inc.

"Russell Starr"

Russell Starr
President, CEO and Director

About Trillium Gold Mines Inc.
Trillium Gold Mines Inc. is a growth focused company engaged in the business of acquisition, exploration and development of mineral properties located in the Red Lake Mining District of Northern Ontario. The Company recently extended its holdings in the Confederation Lake and Birch-Uchi greenstone belts, as well as in highly prospective properties in Larder Lake, Ontario and the Matagami and Chibougamou areas of Quebec.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains forward-looking information, which involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual events to differ materially from current expectation. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation, except to the extent required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE Trillium Gold Mines Inc.