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Eaglecrest Explorations Ltd.: Bulk Sampling Gold Grades Significantly Higher Than Diamond Drilling Core Grades

Posted on: Monday, 27 February 2006, 21:00 CST

Eaglecrest Explorations Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:EEL)(FWB:EAT) is pleased to report the intersection of a single diamond drill hole (DDH) in the recently completed raise in the TD-1 decline adit. The results of bulk sampling show that the DDH core samples significantly understate the true in-situ gold grade as represented by the calculated feed grade from bulk samples in the raise. The average result from the DDH intersected by the raise was 0.86 grams per tonne (g/t) compared to an average gold grades of 4.2 g/t for the bulk samples. The underground contractor has still not reached the primary targets in the TD-1 decline adit. The TD-1 decline adit is located in the Trinidad area of the Dona Amelia zone that covers an area of 40 square kilometers (km) within the Company's approximately 300 square km San Simon project in northeast Bolivia.

The recently completed 26.4 metres (m) TD-1-057 raise intersected DDH TRD96-025 in the face of raise round 17 at 24.7 m thus enabling the Company to do a direct comparison of the DDH gold assays versus the bulk sampling calculated feed gold grade. TRD96-025 was drilled by the Company in 1996 and intersected 3.7 m of the main structure/quartz vein (MQV) from 44.7 to 48.4 m with gold grades ranging from 0.24 g/t to 1.48 g/t with an average of 0.60 g/t over the 3.7m of MQV. The TD-1-057 raise was developed along the MQV footwall contact and intersected TRD96-025, 45 cm from the upper right corner of the face of advance 17. The raise had a dimension of 0 by 2.0 m and intersected only the MQV part of TRD96-025 along the footwall contact or 1.8 m of the total 3.7 m of MQV in the DDH. Raise advances 15/16/17 were processed as one bulk sample in the gold recovery plant and had a calculated feed grade of 5.0 g/t gold. Raise round 18 was processed separately and had a calculated feed grade of 3.4 g/t gold. The average calculated feed grade for the two bulk samples that intersected TDR96-025 was 4.2 g/t compared to an average TRD96-025 intersection of 0.86 g/t gold over the 1.8 m of MQV adjacent to the footwall contact.

The results from the intersection of this single diamond drill hole and bulk sampling of the area around it are consistent with results from other deposits with erratic and inhomogeneous gold mineralization; generally in these deposits, the DDH core samples significantly understate the true in-situ gold grade as represented by the calculated feed grades of the bulk samples.

The table below lists the gold grades for TRD96-025 and the bulk samples calculated feed grades:

-------------------------------------------------------------------- LENGTH LENGTH AVERAGE OF DDH ADVANCE OF CALC. CALC. MQV IN AVERAGE BULK ADVANCE BULK FEED FEED DDH DDH IN GOLD SAMPLE IN SAMPLE GOLD GOLD No. METRES GRADE No. METRES TONNES GRADE GRADE -------------------------------------------------------------------- TRD96-025 3.70 0.60 g/t -------------------------------------------------------------------- TRD96-025, FW part 1.80 0.86 g/t -------------------------------------------------------------------- TD-1-057- 4.90 45.26 5.0 Raise g/t 15/16/17 -------------------------------------------------------------------- TD-1-057- 1.65 19.68 3.4 4.2 Raise 18 g/t g/t --------------------------------------------------------------------

Diamond drilling of the erratic and inhomogeneous gold mineralization is effective in demonstrating the geological continuity of the MQV, but collection and processing of bulk samples in the gold recovery plant and calculation of feed grades are necessary to establish the true in-situ grade of the gold mineralization in the MQV. Through the end of December 2005, diamond drilling in 168 holes has demonstrated the geological continuity along the 4.2 kilometres (km) MQV strike length. In the Trinidad area the MQV has been traced along 1.4 km of strike length and up to 560 m down dip, in the Las Rosas area limited drilling has traced the MQV along 400 m of strike length and up to 140 m down dip and in the Manganeso area the MQV has been traced along 1.0 km of strike length and up to 470 m down dip. A complete listing of the MQV DDH intersections by areas can be reviewed at the Sedar website, www.sedar.com.

The Company's primary focus in 2006 is to continue the development of the TD-1 decline adit towards the DDH targets to establish the true in-situ grade of the gold mineralization and continue the diamond drilling program to establish additional geological continuity and dimension of the MQV along strike and down dip. Processing of the bulk samples in the gold recovery plant produces a floatation concentrate, and the Company is negotiating with an international smelter for the sale of the flotation concentrate.

BULK SAMPLE HANDLING AND PREPARATION

The individual raise advances were trucked to the gold recovery plant in the Manganeso area, and a sample of the MQV material collected prior to crushing (muck sample). The advances were processed individually in the crushing circuit where the jaw and cone crusher reduces the MQV material to less than 1/4 inch before it is sampled again (crushed sample). Additional samples are collected in the milling circuits at the ball mill feed conveyor (ball mill feed sample) cyclone (both over and underflow), flotation cell concentrate and tailings discharge point. The overall supervision and metallurgical balance calculations are done by Mineral Processing Engineer Gary Hawthorn, P.Eng. (B.C.) who is the Independent Qualified Person for the gold recovery plant.

ANALYTICAL SAMPLE HANDLING AND PREPARATION

A summary of sample preparation and method of gold analysis is herewith presented. The face, muck and plant samples are placed in individual double, heavy-duty (200 g) plastic sample bags. The sample tag (a unique six-digit sample number) assigned to the sample is included in the bag and both bags are individually sealed with plastic cinch straps.

The samples are delivered daily direct to the on-site independent laboratory adjacent to The Company's camp, which is located 8 kilometers from the TD-1 portal and 14 kilometres from the gold recovery plant, The laboratory is independently operated by Peruvian Analab S.R.L. (Analab) under the overall supervision Mr. Hawthorn.

Analab S.R.L. has prepared 4 standards of varying grades using samples from the Trinidad MQV, for insertion by the on-site geological staff at the rate of 5 standards per 100 samples. The reported assays results from these standards are recorded daily in a summary file, and are reviewed weekly by Mr. Hawthorn. Results have been satisfactory to date.

For additional Quality Control, Analab S.R.L. analyzes and report results on two internationally-recognized generic standards (GS-1 and GS-5) supplied by CDN Resource Ltd of Vancouver. This is generally done at the rate of 1 per assay report, most assay reports being limited to 20 samples.

All submitted samples are initially crushed to a nominal minus 6 mesh (3.35 millimetres), split using a standard Jones riffle splitter to a nominal 250 grams sample and pulverized to a nominal minus 150 mesh (0.1 millimetres). From this material 30 grams is submitted for standard gold Fire Assay with gravimetric finishing.

All samples that initially report grades of more than 2 g/t Au, are assayed a second time using a new pulp sample.

Three sampling trees have also been performed to compare standard fire assaying with various sample sizes by metallic screen fire assaying, determining that in almost all cases, initial assays can be effectively reported using a 30 grams fire assay.

Fifty three sample pulps from the Analab laboratory have been duplicate assayed by ALS-Chemex reporting general agreement between the Analab and ALS-Chemex results.

The Analab site is gated and the stored sample pulps and rejects are stored in locked cargo containers within this compound. Access is limited to Analab staff and the three Qualified Persons (Bruland, Allen, and Hawthorn). In the context of the underground bulk sampling program, the individual rounds are sampled as they progress through the system, so that each is sampled at 5 stages.

The underground exploration development and bulk sampling program is being supervised by Tor Bruland, P. Geo. and Don Allen, P. Eng. while the gold recovery plant and on-site independent laboratory is supervised by Gary Hawthorn. P. Eng, all of whom are Qualified Persons under the Canadian National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Carl A. Erickson, President, Eaglecrest Exploration Ltd.

Additional information on the company's project is available on our website www.eaglecrestexplorations.com, the SEDAR website (securities related information electronic filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities) www.sedar.com or by contacting Paul Zdebiak at 604-687-7272 or by E-Mail: eel.tsxv@telus.net.

The TSX Venture Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the information contained herein.

Eaglecrest Explorations Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:EEL) (FRANKFURT:EAT)

Source: Business Wire

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