MacDonald Mines Drills 735.5 g/t Gold over 0.96 Metres and 411 g/t Gold over 0.93 Metres within 19.07 Metres of 59.2 g/t Gold in the North Pit Area

TORONTO, Feb. 27, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MacDonald Mines Exploration Ltd. (TSX-V: BMK) (“MacDonald Mines”, “MacDonald” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce a strong start to its 2020 definition drilling program in the North Pit area. Hole SM-20-026 intersected 59.2 g/t gold over 19.07 metres (m) in the Bristol Structure, 18 metres north-east of the intersection of 52 g/t gold over 12 metres in SM-19-001 (see Sept. 26, 2019 News Release). The on-going 2020 drilling program is well underway with 9 holes drilled so far. Results will be released as they are received.

Quentin Yarie, MacDonald’s President and CEO stated, “The first hole of our 2020 drilling program confirms the presence of significant high-grade gold mineralization in the North Pit area of the Scadding Deposit. Holes SM-19-001 and SM-20-026 indicate continuity for a zone of exceptionally high-grade gold mineralization discovered in the North Pit area. This reinforces the potential for a near-surface high-grade gold resource in the North Pit area as our on-going 2020 drilling program continues to expand the footprint of gold mineralization.”

Table 1. Assay highlights from reported hole

Hole	From (m)	To (m)	Length* (m)	Gold (g/t)	Silver (g/t)	Structure
SM-20-026	58.98	78.05	19.07	59.2		Bristol/Monaco
	including
	71.00	73.96	2.96	376.8	11.2
	Including
	71.00	72.07	1.07	25.1	0.4
	72.07	73.00	0.93	411.0	10.0
	73.00	73.96	0.96	735.5	24.4

* Assay results presented over core length. They are estimated to represent 75-85% true width.

Table 2. Coordinates of reported hole

Hole ID	Easting	Northing	Elevation	Azimuth	Dip	Depth (m)
SM-20-026	529217	5166720	306.1	246	-50	100.00

Hole SM-20-026 was testing the continuity of high-grade mineralization in the Bristol/Monaco structure down-dip of the high-grade intersection of 52 g/t gold over 12 metres in SM-19-001. Hole SM-20-026 successfully intersected the extension of that high-grade zone. Comparable to SM-19-001, the chlorite zone in SM-20-026 is comprised of strong chlorite alteration with low sulfide content and is cut by numerous dark-grey quartz stringers and one larger quartz vein rich in pyrrhotite. MacDonald believes that these quartz stringers, that can be rich in very coarse-gold, contribute to the formation of exceptionally high-grade mineralization in the chlorite zones of the Scadding Deposit.