Results confirm and expand mineralization beyond Mid-Year 2021 Mineral Resource Estimates
Drilling confirms and identifies new mineralization inside recently updated resource pit shells

Key Saddle Zone intercepts(1): 20.10 gpt(2) over 25.3 m(2), incl(2) 67.02 gpt over 6.0 m and incl 13.82 gpt over 6.3 m; 3.92 gpt over 34.0 m, incl 54.13 gpt over 2.0m; 3.31 gpt over 30.0 m incl 14.50 gpt over 2.0 m and incl 16.18 gpt over 3.0 m; 2.17 gpt over 26.0 m, incl 19.25 gpt over 2.0 m
Key West Pit Zone intercepts(1): 3.23 gpt(2) over 20.0 m; 2.62 gpt over 48.0 m, incl 19.43 gpt over 3.7 m; 1.69 gpt over 36.0 m; 1.48 gpt over 23.7 m incl 10.25 gpt over 2.0 m; 1.38 gpt over 29.0 m; 1.18 gpt over 50.0 m, incl 13.15 gpt over 2.0 m; 1.16 gpt over 22.0 m; 1.14 gpt over 75.0 m, 1.09 gpt over 32.1 m
Drilling outside and adjacent to updated resource pit shells intersects new high-grade mineralization

Key Saddle Zone intercepts(1): 3.95 gpt(2) over 22.0 metres (“m”), incl 12.30 gpt over 4.0 m; 2.85 gpt over 36.0 m, incl 18.71 gpt over 2.1 m; 2.83 gpt over 54.8 m, incl 32.3 gpt over 2.5 m and incl 10.39 gpt over 2.8 m; 1.58 gpt over 41.4 m, incl 6.33 gpt over 8.0 m; 1.58 gpt over 32.0 m; 1.14 gpt over 37.5 m
Key West Pit Zone intercepts(1): 4.77 gpt(2) gpt over 32.0 metres (“m”), incl 44.46 gpt over 3.0 m; 157.77 gpt over 2.0 m; 52.90 gpt over 2.0 m; 8.21 gpt over 10.0 m; 7.99 gpt over 5.0 m; 17.74 gpt over 2.2 m; 17.17 gpt over 2.0 m; 2.07 gpt over 21.0 m; 1.81 gpt over 21.0 m, 1.37 gpt over 25.0 m.
(1) True widths are unknown at this time and intervals are reported using core lengths intersected in the holes.
(2) Grams per tonne (“gpt”); Metres (“m”); Including (“incl.”).

TORONTO, Nov. 02, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd. (“Kirkland Lake Gold” or the “Company”) (TSX:KL) (NYSE:KL) (ASX:KLA) today announced results from 39 holes including six wedge holes and 35,572.6 m of drilling along the Detour Mine Trend (“DMT”) at the Detour Lake property. The new holes being reported are the seventh batch of results from the 2020/2021 exploration program and the first since the October 15, 2021 filing of the updated 43-101 Technical Report which incorporated ongoing drilling at Detour up to July 26, 2021. The program is being completed to collect additional information supporting and potentially expanding the recently released 10.1-million-ounce increase in Measured and Indicated (“M&I”) Mineral Resources (the “Mid-Year 2021 Mineral Resource Estimates”). The Company expects to convert a significant percentage of the increased M&I Mineral Resources into Mineral Reserves as it works to complete a new production plan, expected to be released in early 2022. Most of the new holes announced today are from drilling in the Saddle Zone, located between the existing Main Pit and planned West Pit locations, which has been underexplored and has no Mineral Reserves and from the future West Pit area.

Tony Makuch, President and CEO of Kirkland Lake Gold, commented: “When we acquired Detour Lake we indicated that the potential existed to substantially grow Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves and, with the extensive exploration success we are achieving, we are well down the path to achieving that growth. Today’s drill results include a number of wide, high-grade intersections which highlight the opportunity we have to add significant new Mineral Resources beyond the 10.1-million-ounce increase that we recently reported. The results continue to confirm the existence of a broad and continuous corridor of mineralization extending over 4.0 km from the Main Pit through the Saddle Zone to beyond the planned West Pit location to a depth of at least 800 m below surface with the system remaining open.

“The new holes demonstrate the potential for further growth in Mineral Resources both within and outside of the existing resource pit shells. Also encouraging is that we continue to extend the mineralization to depth. Our 2020/2021 drilling program at Detour Lake is continuing with 12 surface drills in operation, with approximately 300,000 m of total drilling expected to be completed by the end of 2021.”

Saddle Zone

Drilling in the Saddle Zone included eight holes (9,277.7 m), including two wedge holes and targeted areas along the DMT directly to the west of the Main Pit Mineral Reserve shell.

Significant results from the drilling include: 20.10 gpt over 25.3 m, incl 67.03 gpt over 6.0 m and incl 13.82 gpt over 6.3 m, 1.62 gpt over 35.7 m, 1.33 gpt over 87.0 m, incl 18.13 over 2.0 m and 1.30 gpt over 53.0 m, incl 12.84 gpt over 2.1 m from hole DLM-21-295; 2.17 gpt over 26.0 m, incl 19.25 gpt over 2.0 m, 3.49 gpt over 16.0 m, incl 13.09 m over 3.0 m, 1.55 gpt over 54.0 and 1.18 gpt over 40.0 m from hole DLM-21-259; 3.31 gpt over 30.0 m, incl 14.50 gpt over 2.0 m and incl 16.18 gpt over 3.0 m, 1.50 gpt over 20.0 m, 1.36 gpt over 41.0 m, incl 18.77 over 2.0 m from hole DLM-21-259W; 1.22 gpt over 62.0 m, 1.37 gpt over 24.0 m, 1.23 gpt over 31.0 m and 1.89 gpt over 14.0 m from DLM-21-286; 1.36 gpt over 61.8 m, incl 6.05 gpt over 5.0 m, 2.71 over 21.9 m, 1.77 gpt over 30.0 m, 0.90 gpt over 24.2 m and 17.49 gpt over 2.0 m from hole DLM-21-289, 3.92 gpt over 34.0 m, incl 54.13 gpt over 2.0 m, 1.08 gpt over 32.9 m, and 19.70 gpt over 2.0 m from hole DLM-21-296. These holes were drilled to target the DMT between 200 and 550 m below surface and continue to confirm and identify new mineralization within untested gaps inside the recently announced updated Mineral Resource pit shells.

Additional significant intersections within the Saddle Zone which identified mineralization outside and below the October 15, 2021 Mineral Resource pit shell include: 3.95 gpt over 22.0 m, incl 12.30 gpt over 4.0 m from DLM-21-264D; 2.83 gpt over 54.8 m, incl 10.39 gpt over 2.8 m and incl 32.30 gpt over 2.5 m from DLM-21-289, and 2.85 gpt over 36.0 m, incl 18.71 gpt over 2.1 m and 1.58 gpt over 32.0 m from DLM-21-296; 1.58 gpt over 41.4 m, incl 6.33 gpt over 8.0 m, 1.14 gpt over 37.5 m, from DLM-21-259W; and 0.93 gpt over 32.0 m and 0.89 gpt over 29.8 m from DLM-21-286.

Results from all new holes in this area are considered extremely encouraging as they continue to confirm the presence of a broad corridor of mineralization extending between the Main Pit and Mineral Reserve in the planned West Pit (a distance of over 800 m) with the overall style of mineralization and gold tenor being very similar to that found in existing Mineral Reserves. Particularly encouraging is the identification of wide, high-grade mineralization near the lower limits of the current Mineral Resource pit shell, which indicates that a potential exists to expand the pit shell to depth and to add significant new open-pit Mineral Resources as well as to define underground Mineral Resources below the pit.

Future West Pit

Drilling west of the Main Pit and Saddle Zone areas in the future West Pit location included 31 holes (26,294.9 m) and four wedge holes.

Significant results from the drilling include: 3.23 gpt over 20.0 m, 1.09 gpt over 32.1 m, and 1.69 gpt over 16.8 m from hole DLM-21-268B; 2.62 gpt over 48.0 m, incl 19.43 gpt over 3.7 m, 0.93 gpt over 12.0 m from DLM-21-269A; 2.41 gpt over 10.0 m, 16.83 gpt over 2.0 m , 7.48 gpt over 3.0 m, 3.27 gpt over 8.6 m and 0.88 gpt over 21.0 m, from DLM-21-266; 1.69 gpt over 36.0 m, 1.01 gpt over 25.0 m, 26.07 gpt over 2.0 m , and 13.75 gpt over 3.0 m, from DLM-21-273; 1.18 gpt over 50.0 m, inc 13.15 gpt over 2.0 m, 0.97 gpt over 26.0 m from DLM-21-290; 1.14 gpt over 75.0 m, 0.80 gpt over 98.0 m, 1.71 gpt over 18.4 m,0.91 gpt over 19.0 m and 21.85 gpt over 2.0 m from DLM-21-249; 1.16 gpt over 22.0 m and 0.92 gpt over 26.8 m from DLM-21-270; 1.08 gpt over 36.1 m, 0.99 gpt over 53.0 m and 0.86 gpt over 39.0 m from DLM-21-301A; 2.24 gpt over 15.3 m and 0.82 gpt over 25.0 m from DLM-21-279; 2.07 gpt over 14.8 m, 52.90 gpt over 2.0 m and 18.26 gpt over 2.0 m from DLM-21-291A; and 1.00 gpt over 23.6m, 0.82 gpt over 28.0 m from DLM-21-241D. These holes were drilled to target the DMT between 200 and 500 m below surface and continue to confirm and identify new mineralization within untested gaps inside the recently announced updated Mineral Resource Pit shells.

North of the West Pit Resource

Recent drilling targeting mineralization north of the October 15, 2021 updated Mineral Resource in the West Pit area continue to demonstrate potential both near surface and at depth immediately to the north of the West Pit optimized Resource Pit Shell.

Significant intercepts from this area include: 4.77 gpt over 32.0 m, incl 44.46 gpt over 3.0 m, 17.74 gpt over 2.2 m, 17.17 gpt over 2.0 m, 1.07 gpt over 18.6 m and 0.88 gpt over 18.0 m from DLM-21-300; 2.07 gpt over 21.0 m, incl 4.04 gpt over 9.0 m from DLM-283A; 1.36 gpt over 34.0 m,1.18 gpt over 40.2 m, 1.71 gpt over 10.2 m from hole DLM-21-278; 77.27 gpt over 2.0 m from DLM-21-275, 0.87 gpt over 31.0 m,1.16 gpt over 15.5 m, and 1.18 gpt over 10.0 m from DLM-21-271; and 0.90 gpt over 37.0 m, incl 4.13 gpt over 3.0 m, 10.41 gpt over 2.0 m, 0.89 gpt over 15.0 m, and 0.87 gpt over 13.0 m from DLM-21-294A.

Below West Pit Resource
Drilling results below the West Pit area continue to demonstrate the potential for additional resources below the updated Resource Pit Shell.

Significant intercepts from this area, which demonstrate significant grades between 600 and 800 m below surface, include: 8.21 gpt over 10.0 m from DLM-21-279, 157.77 gpt over 2.0 m, 18.06 gpt over 2.0, 2.84 gpt over 12.0 m, incl 14.60 gpt over 2.0 m, and 0.93 gpt over 15.9 m from DLM-21-241D; 7.46 gpt over 5.0 m,1.43 gpt over 16.0 m from DLM-21-265; 7.99 gpt over 5.0 m, 1.25 gpt over 19.0, 1.64 gpt over 13.0 m and 1.04 gpt over 15.0 m from DLM-21-269A; 1.81 gpt over 21.0 m from DLM-21-270; 1.37 gpt over 25.0 m and 0.88 gpt over 18.0 m from DLM-21-282A; 1.08 gpt over 50.5 m and 8.01 gpt over 2.7m from DLM-21-266; 0.98 gpt over 95.5 m from DLM-21-268B, 0.80 gpt over 25.0 m and 0.70 gpt over 38.0 m from DLM-21-280.

Results from the drilling are considered very positive and continue to confirm the continuation of mineralization through the west portion of the Saddle Zone and into the area under the planned West Pit.

Based on assay results and other observations obtained from the program to date, the outlook for the project continues to be encouraging. The evidence of a broad and continuous corridor of mineralization extending from the Main Pit through the Saddle Zone to the planned West Pit is supported by the October 15, 2021 43-101 Technical Report with continued drilling intersecting mineralization to a depth of at least 800 m below surface. The work also suggests that mineralization within the corridor is very similar to that found in existing Mineral Reserves and is hosted within broad zones containing variable amounts of quartz and pyrite, which are controlled mainly by east-west trending, moderately north-dipping folds and shear structures which plunge at a shallow angle to the west. Given results to date, the potential to identify further extensions to mineralization as well as additions to Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves through additional drilling is considered excellent.

The 2020/2021 exploration program is continuing at Detour Lake with twelve drills current working and a total of approximately 300,000 m expected to be completed by the end of 2021.

Qualified Persons

The Company’s exploration programs at Detour Lake are conducted under the supervision of Eric Kallio, P.Geo., Senior Vice President, Exploration. Mr. Kallio, as well as Keith Green, P.Geo., Director, Exploration, Canada, and Steve Gray, P.Geo, Exploration Superintendent, Detour Lake Mine, are ‘qualified persons’ for the purpose of National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, of the Canadian Securities Administrators, and have reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this news release.

QA/QC Controls

The Company has implemented a quality assurance and control (“QA/QC”) program to ensure sampling and analysis of all exploration work is conducted in accordance with best practices. Samples are logged and sampled in a secure facility at the Detour mine site and under supervision of Qualified Geologists. NQ sized core is predominantly sawn in half with one half of the core prepared for shipment, the other half of core retained for future assay verification. Certified reference material (CRM) standards and coarse blank material are inserted every 20 samples. Core samples are shipped directly by courier and tracked via a chain of custody from site to certified off-site analytical laboratories for preparation and assaying.

Kirkland Lake Gold utilizes four accredited external laboratories to manage the significant volume of sample submissions. Each lab is certified by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) which conforms with ASB-RG Mineral Analysis Laboratory for the Accreditation of Mineral Analysis Testing Laboratories and CAN-P-4E ISO/IEC 17025: General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories.

Sample preparation includes crushing drill core up to 80% passing 2 mm, riffle splitting 500 grams and pulverizing to 95% passing 105 µm followed by both scheduled and specifically requested silica sand cleaning. Gold Analysis involves Fire Assay – Atomic Absorption (AA) technique from a 50-gram pulp sample with grade ranges between 5 to 10,000 ppb. Samples greater than 10,000 ppb are analyzed with a gravimetric finish. Selected high grade samples are also analyzed using the screen metallics procedure.


Contracted laboratories for the Kirkland Lake Gold’s Detour Project include: ALS Global (sample preparation completed in Timmins, Ontario with pulps sent to Vancouver, BC for analysis), Activation Laboratories (sample preparation and analysis completed in Timmins, Ontario), SGS Laboratories (sample preparation and analysis completed in Cochrane, Ontario) and AGAT Laboratories (sample preparation in Timmins and analysis in Mississauga).