North Bay Resources Announces 0.5 Oz per Ton Gold Massive Sulphide; Commences Test Mining, Fran Gold Project, British Columbia
BISHOP, Calif., July 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- North Bay Resources, Inc. (the “Company” or “North Bay”) (OTC: NBRI) is pleased to announce assays of 0.5 opt (14 g/t) from a massive sulphide outcrop proximate to Trench B at the Company’s Fran Gold Project, British Columbia. This gold zone is located between Trenches B + C and is 30 meters N-S by 40 meters E-W with a depth of greater than 4 meters (representing 15,000 tons). The 5 lbs. sample (164992) was assayed by fire assay with atomic absorption, conducted at ALS Global, North Vancouver, BC. Previous surface sampling from Summer 2024 are as follows:
| Sample ID | Zone Name | Au Oz/Ton | Ag Oz/ Ton | ||
| 3621 | B Zone | 0.31 | 0.07 | ||
| 3623 | B Zone | 2.27 | 0.31 | ||
| 3624 | B Zone | 0.31 | 0.03 | ||
| 3625 | B Zone | 1.23 | 0.1 | ||
| 3626 | C Zone | 1.84 | 2.45 | ||
| 3628 | C Zone | 1.62 | 0.24 | ||
| 3629 | C Zone | 0.55 | 0.08 | ||
The Company has mobilized for test mining and expects to have crews on site in 5 days with ramp-up, and shipment of gold ore to its Bishop Gold Mill for processing.
Fran Stockpile
Extensive grid assays of the Fran Gold historic stockpile in June 2025, have shown a decrease in grade at depth resulting in a transition from an original surface grade of 0.34 opt (10 g/t) Au to 0.03 opt (1 g/t) Au at depth. This has resulted in lower than expected gold output on a per ton basis at the Bishop Gold Mill but a much higher re-calculated overall recovery of approximately 80% utilizing gravity only. As a result, the Company has targeted the 0.5 opt Au massive sulphide zone between Trenches B + C for immediate test mining, development and as the primary source of feedstock for the Mill. The Company will pre-concentrate the historic stockpile on-site, prior to shipment to the Mill, at a later date. The historic stockpile is now estimated at 4,200 tons with a grade of 0.03 opt. (1 g/t) gold and a value of $420,000 at $3,300 per ounce gold. The Mill is deemed to be operating at a high rate of efficiency and recovery with high amenability to Fran Gold ore and gravity separation utilizing centrifuge with grind to -150 mesh.
Refinery Settlement
The Company has received preliminary settlement from a shipment of 518 lbs. of gold concentrate from the Bishop Gold Mill to the Company’s refinery partner Just Refiners Reno, NV. Recovery rate was approximately 80% based on 28 tons processed with approximate head grade of 0.03 opt (1 g/t) Au.
| Exchange Date | Material | CN | Net Wet Lbs. | Net Wet Short Tons | Sample -80 Wt. Grams | Sample +80 Wt. Grams | |||
| 14-Jul-25 | Concentrate | 6399 | 518 | 0.259 | 226.3 | 0.013 | |||
| Element | Settlement | Weighted Average | |||||||
| Au Oz/Ton | 2.573 | 2.573 | |||||||
| Ag Oz/Ton | 1.228 | 1.228 | |||||||
| H2O% | 3.17 | ||||||||
| Total Au Oz. | 0.646 | ||||||||
| Total Ag Oz. | 0.308 | ||||||||
Hilltop Zone
Recent assays from the largely unexplored Hilltop Zone to the South of the Main Zone have resulted in discovery of a large outcrop with assays of 0.1 opt (2.9 g/t) gold and 0.1 opt (2.6 g/t) gold across 55 feet (18m). This has further expanded the mineralized area at Fran and confirmed historical assays up to 30 g/t. (1 opt) in this zone. This area reflects a further extension of the main N-S fault where the richest area of the deposit is found. The newly re-established Hill Top Zone is a significant distance, approximately 300m, South of the Main Zone. In addition to the deposit being open at depth and in the East Zone, the main gold bearing fault and related cross faults appear to extend to the South.
Fran Gold Project
As a result of the recently discovered bulk tonnage deposit and associated resource estimate the Company has implemented a two-pronged approach to the Fran Gold Project. In addition to providing feedstock to the Company’s Bishop Gold Mill from the high grade surface oxide zone, exploration is now occurring in the infill area between the Main Bullion Alley Zone, East Zone and newly re-established Hilltop (South) Zone.
The Company is proceeding with the development of the bulk tonnage deposit and has begun consultation with a Mine Engineering firm regarding detailed economics, mine plan, and construction. Mining costs at the nearby Blackwater Gold Mine are $9 per tonne processed as compared with the current bulk tonnage resource at Fran (2025, non-NI 43-101) of approximately 20Mt grading 0.5 g/t Au ($54 per tonne) and 44Mt grading 0.3 g/t Au ($32 per tonne).
Past exploration and development, including over 18,000m (55,000ft.) of diamond drilling, has shown large intercepts of mixed vein and disseminated gold. The deposit area has been identified to be in excess of 1,000m x 100m x 300m within a known strike length of 1,700m. The Fran Gold Project is next to Centerra Gold’s Mt. Milligan Project, with Reserves of 264Mt grading 0.3 gram per tonne gold and 0.2% copper and proximate to Artemis Gold’s Blackwater Mine, with Proven and Probable Reserves of 334Mt grading 0.8 grams per tonne gold. Both Mt. Milligan and the Blackwater Mine are two of the largest new copper/gold and gold mines respectively, in North America.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of
NORTH BAY RESOURCES INC.
Jared Lazerson
CEO
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This news release may contain certain “Forward-Looking Statements” within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws.
