Argonaut Gold : Intersects 10.0 Metres at 19.0 g/t Gold at Magino, Including 6.3 Metres at 30.2 g/t Gold in South Zone

South Zone Strike Length Identified as 1.5 Kilometres and Remains Open to the West and at Depth

TORONTO, Jan. 20, 2021 /CNW/ - Argonaut Gold Inc. (TSX: AR) (the "Company", "Argonaut Gold" or "Argonaut") is pleased to announce that it has intersected 10.0m at 19.0 g/t Au, including 6.3m at 30.2 g/t Au and 3.1m at 47.1 g/t Au, including 1.3m at 112.0 g/t Au in the South Zone at its 100% owned Magino property in Ontario, Canada.  The South Zone has now been intersected in numerous drill holes extending from the border between the Island Gold mine and the Magino project westward over a strike length of 1.5 kilometres and remains open at depth and to the west.

Figure 1 – Plan Map of Magino showing the locations of drill holes in this news release and South Zone 1.5km strike length

The South Zone follows the contact of the Webb Lake Stock (granodiorite rocks) and volcanic rocks.  Drill hole MA20-057 was designed to test the South Zone at depth and below the western end of the planned Magino open pit in an area not previously drill tested.  The hole intersected two zones of very high-grade gold mineralization of 3.1m at 47.1 g/t Au and 10.0m at 19.0 g/t Au.  The best intercept, 6.3m at 30.2 g/t Au (included within 10.0m at 19.0 g/t Au), follows a series of aplite dykes (structures) along the contact of the granodiorite/volcanic rocks and shows the potential to connect to a previously drilled high-grade intercept in hole MA12-424, which intersected 7.6m at 29.4 g/t Au approximately 275m above hole MA20-057.

Figure 2 – Long section looking north showing 1.5km South Zone strike length in relation to the planned open pit and the Elbow and Central Zones, which are below the east end of the pit.  Drill hole MA20-057 high-grade gold intercepts are shown in relation to the aplite dyke and historical drill hole MA12-424

Figure 3 - View looking east showing Elbow, Central and South Zones in relation to the planned open pit

Pete Dougherty, President and CEO stated: "Our geology team at Magino has done remarkable work over the last two years in identifying the structural controls on the high-grade mineralization at Magino and has demonstrated this through an extremely high success rate of encountering high-grade gold at depth nearly everywhere we have targeted.  With intercepts now known over a strike length of 1.5 kilometres and the fact that this remains wide open to the west and at depth, the South Zone is another exciting zone that warrants much more follow up drilling." 

Table 1 below highlights select drill results from the on-going drill program.  A three-dimensional model of the Magino deposit and these drill results in relation to the planned open pit and property boundary is available on the Company's website at https://www.argonautgold.com/English/assets/drill-results/default.aspx

Table 1: Select Drill Results

Hole	Zone	Azimuth	Dip	From (metres)	To (metres)	Length (metres)	Grade* (Au g/t)	Estimated True Width (meters)
MA20-054	#42	165.3	-81.9	732.0	735.0	3.0	8.3	2.1
including	#42			733.0	735.0	2.0	12.3	1.4
MA20-055	Elbow	175.1	-81.6	705.0	707.0	2.0	4.4	1.3
including	Elbow			705.0	706.0	1.0	8.2	0.7
MA20-056	Sandy	166.3	-72.5	782.0	787.0	5.0	4.1	3.5
including	Sandy			785.9	787.0	1.1	16.6	0.8
MA20-057	Sandy	166.6	-72.0	178.8	186.0	7.2	3.2	5.4
including	Sandy			178.8	182.0	3.2	6.5	2.4
and	South			633.9	637.0	3.1	47.1	2.0
including	South			633.9	635.0	1.3	112.0	0.8
and	South			713.0	723.0	10.0	19.0	6.5
including	South			715.0	721.3	6.3	30.2	4.1
and	South			730.0	733.3	3.3	5.0	2.1
and	South			860.0	866.0	6.0	4.5	2.9
including	South			860.0	861.0	1.0	17.8	11.6
MA20-058	New target area	162.8	-66.6	403.0	405.0	2.0	8.2	1.6
including	New target area			404.0	405.0	1.0	14.8	0.8

*Grade uncut

All table of all drill results as well as maps are available on the Company's website at https://www.argonautgold.com/English/assets/drill-results/default.aspx

Brian Arkell, Vice President of Exploration commented: "We continue to encounter high-grade gold mineralization in several structural zones identified to date.  We are now recognizing the potential for the mineralized system to not only extend at depth, but also to the west of the main Magino ore body.  Evidence of this is drill hole MA20-058 that was a completely blind westward step-out some 200 metres from the main Magino deposit.  Also, in our high-grade intercepts at depth, as we encountered in drill hole MA20-057, we continue to see a lot of visible gold, which is frequent in this style of mineralized system."

Visible gold in drill core from MA20-057 at Magino's South Zone

Qualified Person Comments / Quality Control Procedures 

The preparation of this press release was supervised and approved by Brian Arkell, Argonaut Gold's Vice President Exploration and a Qualified Person under NI 43-101.  Mr. Arkell also reviewed the diamond drilling, sampling, and on-site sample preparation procedures at Magino.

For sample analysis, the Company utilizes a system of Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) that includes insertion and verification of standards, blanks, and duplicates consistent with industry standards.

The Company has implemented a QA/QC program to ensure sampling and analysis of all exploration work is conducted in accordance with the CIM Exploration Best Practices Guidelines.  The entire drill hole is sampled and tagged by geologic personnel.  Cores are then photographed and sawn in half by experienced geotechnicians, placed in numbered plastic bags, and gathered in rice bags which are sealed with tamper-proof security tags under the supervision of the project geologists.  The other half of the core is retained for future assay verification and/or metallurgical testing.  Other QA/QC procedures include the insertion of coarse blanks and Canadian Reference Standards for every tenth sample in the sample stream. Samples are bagged, sealed with numbered security tags and shipped to the Activation Laboratories facility, Thunder Bay, Ontario, for sample preparation and assaying.  The laboratory has its own QA/QC protocols, running standards, blanks, and duplicate samples in each batch stream.  Gold analysis is conducted by lead collection, fire assay with a gravimetric finish on a 50-gram sample. Metallic screen fire assaying is now completed using a 1.0 kg sample and two 50 gm fire assays of the pass (-100 mesh) pulverized material on all samples containing visible gold.  Check assays are conducted at a secondary ISO certified laboratory.

Please see below under the heading "Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements" for further details regarding risks.

Creating Value Beyond Gold

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements
This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" under applicable Canadian securities laws concerning the business, operations and financial performance and condition of Argonaut Gold Inc. ("Argonaut" or "Argonaut Gold"). Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information include, but are not limited to statements with respect to permitting and legal processes in relation to mining permitting and approvals; estimated production and mine life of the various mineral projects of Argonaut; the ability to obtain permits for operations; synergies; the realization of mineral reserve estimates; the timing and amount of estimated future production; costs of production; and financial impact of completed acquisitions; the benefits of the development potential of the properties of Argonaut; the future price of gold, copper, and silver; the estimation of mineral reserves and resources; success of exploration activities; and currency exchange rate fluctuations. Except for statements of historical fact relating to Argonaut, certain information contained herein constitutes forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan," "expect," "project," "intend," "believe," "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may", "should" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made, and are based on a number of assumptions and subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Many of these assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of Argonaut and there is no assurance they will prove to be correct.

Factors that could cause actual results to vary materially from results anticipated by such forward-looking statements include variations in ore grade or recovery rates, changes in market conditions, risks relating to the availability and timeliness of permitting and governmental approvals; risks relating to international operations, fluctuating metal prices and currency exchange rates, changes in project parameters, the possibility of project cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry, failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated.

These factors are discussed in greater detail in Argonaut's most recent Annual Information Form and in the most recent Management's Discussion and Analysis filed on SEDAR, which also provide additional general assumptions in connection with these statements. Argonaut cautions that the foregoing list of important factors is not exhaustive. Investors and others who base themselves on forward-looking statements should carefully consider the above factors as well as the uncertainties they represent and the risk they entail. Argonaut believes that the expectations reflected in those forward-looking statements are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included in this press release should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date of this press release.

Although Argonaut has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Argonaut undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by applicable securities laws. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Statements concerning mineral reserve and resource estimates may also be deemed to constitute forward-looking statements to the extent they involve estimates of the mineralization that will be encountered if the property is developed. Comparative market information is as of a date prior to the date of this document.

For further information on the Magino project, please see the report as listed below on the Company's website or on www.sedar.com:

Magino Gold Project

Feasibility Study Technical Report on the Magino Project, Ontario, Canada dated December 21, 2017 (effective date November 8, 2017)

About Argonaut Gold

Argonaut Gold is a Canadian gold company engaged in exploration, mine development and production.  Its primary assets are the El Castillo mine and San Agustin mine, which together form the El Castillo Complex in Durango, Mexico, the La Colorada mine in Sonora, Mexico and the Florida Canyon mine in Nevada, USA.  Advanced exploration projects include the Magino project in Ontario, Canada and the Cerro del Gallo project in Guanajuato, Mexico.  The Company continues to hold several other exploration stage projects, all of which are located in North America.

Argonaut Gold Inc.
Dan Symons
Vice President, Corporate Development & Investor Relations
Phone:  [phone]
Email: [e-mail] 

SOURCE Argonaut Gold Inc.

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