RENO, NV--(Marketwire - March 11, 2010) - American Sierra Gold Corp. (OTCBB: AMNP), an independent gold exploration company headquartered in Reno, Nevada, is pleased to report the first results of its on-going sampling, survey and mapping program at the Discovery Day Gold Property. Geological and survey crews performed extensive work at the site during February 2010 with follow up assays, recordation of data and mapping.
Sampling Program
A total of 15 samples were taken from various locations of significance at the historical Gilta mine located on the north side of Bowerman Mountain. The purpose of the sampling program was to validate historical data on ore grades previously mined and provide information on potential un-mined ore shoots. The average assay value for the 15 samples was 21.97 g/t Au. The samples were collected from muck piles, caved stopes and mine dumps left from previous operations and contained a mix of wallrock and vein material. One third of the samples contained an abundance of quartz vein material and were identified as ore. Assays on these five ore samples averaged 53.19 g/t Au (1.71 opt), significantly higher than the expected mining cutoff grade of 3/4 opt Au. The samples were assayed by ALS Chemex in Reno, Nevada.
The full results of the sampling program are as follows:
The assay results validate the previous historical reports that early operators located and mined several high-grade ore shoots in multiple veins with ore values ranging from 1-4 ounces of gold per ton. All veins are open along strike (horizontally) to the southeast side of Bowerman Mountain and there are indications that additional veining may be discovered to the southeast, as seen by exposures in the present Discovery Day workings.
Survey and Mapping Program
During this recent phase of the exploration program a survey crew performed extensive surface and underground survey work at both the Discovery Day and Gilta workings. A surface survey was completed encompassing the three Discovery Day portals on the south side of Bowerman and the Gilta levels 2 through 6 on the north side. The survey determined among other things that the Gilta level 6 portal is 10' higher in elevation than the Discovery Day main haulage portal. Tolerances for the survey points for this data were reported by the surveyor to be within one inch of vertical error.
In addition to the surface survey, an underground survey was performed on both the Gilta 6 level and the previously un-surveyed workings in the Discovery Day main haulage level. While the accessibility to all of the workings in the Gilta 6 was limited, the crew was able to take dip and strike readings on one of the major veins accessed by the workings. This survey data is currently being mapped and will be supplemented with historical reports to determine accurate projections of the Gold Run and Hunter veins throughout the mountain. These projections will facilitate and improve the accuracy of the planned upcoming development work focused on accessing the extensions of these high-grade structures at the Discovery Day mine. The mapping is expected to be completed by March 15.
Based on these encouraging results American Sierra plans to accelerate an aggressive exploration program with additional underground and surface sampling, trenching and core drilling to rapidly advance this project. "This recent work effort has greatly increased our knowledge of the relative positions of the existing workings and mineralization on Bowerman Mountain. The high-grade assay results and vein projections confirm our expectations as to the vast extent of mineable ore remaining in the mountain," said Wayne Gruden, American Sierra's CEO. "We plan to use this sample and survey work to construct a new, accurate set of maps that tie together all of the present and historical data on the numerous high-grade veins. This mapping work, will assist the company in fine tuning our scheduled exploration and mining programs and enable us to significantly expand our resource base at the Discovery Day property," added Mr. Gruden.
Forward-Looking Statements
The statements by our officers, and other statements regarding optimism related to the business, expanding exploration and development activities and other statements in this press release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the Company's business. Words such as expects, anticipates, intends, plans, believes, sees, estimates and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Actual results could vary materially from the description contained herein due to many risk factors that affect the industry the Company operates in and other risk factors listed from time to time in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings under "risk factors" and elsewhere. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they are made, and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release.