Big Ridge Gold Corp. announced additional diamond drill results from its Phase I exploration drill program at the past-producing Hope Brook Gold Project, located in southwestern Newfoundland and Labrador. The drill holes reported in this press release are from drill holes that targeted the shallow southwestern extension of the Hope Brook Deposit.

Drill hole HB-22-178 intersected 0.95 g/t Au over 11.7 m including 8.86 g/t Au over 1.0 m, Drill hole HB-22-179 intersected 0.95 g/t Au over 32.6 m including 2.83 g/t Au over 8.7m and Drill hole HB-22-182 intersected 0.86 g/t Au over 31.3 m including 5.38 g/t Au over 1.0 m and 1.28 g/t Au over 11.8 m. Drilling continues to intersect gold and extend mineralization outside and along the projected trend of the current resource envelope that is based on a gold price of US$1,200 per ounce and 3.0 g/t Au cut-off grade. The company has released 45 drill holes to date and 41 of those results have intersected gold mineralization. These initial drill results have primarily focused on near-surface mineralization to the southwest of the current resource estimate.

The Phase 1 drill program results continue to demonstrate that Hope Brook remains open for resource expansion and there are a series of assays pending from additional drill holes testing the 240 Zone and Main Zone. Results from the Phase I drill program continue to extend gold and copper mineralization to the southwest of the former producing Hope Brook open pit. The holes reported in the press release confirm near-surface mineralization in an untested gap in the current resource envelope, southwest of the resource envelope and also show the deposit remains open to the southwest.

Copper mineralization which was recovered by past mine operators as a by-product credit and is known to be associated with gold mineralization at Hope Brook, has not been included in the historic resource estimates. Big Ridge's initial drill results have generated copper assays ranging from 0.05% Cu to 0.90% Cu in the majority of holes reported to date.