VANCOUVER, BC, March 24, 2021 /CNW/ - Lundin Gold Inc. (TSX: LUG) (Nasdaq Stockholm: LUG) ("Lundin Gold" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that its 9,000 metre ("m") regional exploration drill program has begun, with the first drill hole now in progress on the Barbasco target. The Company's regional exploration program will focus on two high priority targets, Barbasco and Puente-Princesa, to test for mineralization in a geological setting very similar to that of Fruta del Norte. Strict COVID-19 protocols have been put in place for these activities. View PDF version.

Barbasco is Lundin Gold's highest priority target and is found on the Company's wholly owned Emperador concession, for which an exploration permit was received in September 2020. The target is located approximately 7 kilometres ("km") south of the Company's Fruta del Norte gold mine, on the eastern edge of the 16 km long Suarez Pull-Apart Basin structure.

The Barbasco target is defined by the epithermal pathfinder elements arsenic and antimony in both soil and rock samples and a ZTEM (resistivity) geophysical survey. The anomaly trends NNW for 3.8km within the basin conglomerates and late andesites of the Suarez basin in an orientation and structural position similar to that of Fruta del Norte. A couple of small (maximum width 20cm) late epithermal veins outcrop within the target area; although it should be noted that the target is being drilled to test for an epithermal gold-silver system buried below the basin conglomerates.

Ron Hochstein, President and CEO commented, "Our objective is to find another Fruta del Norte style deposit. We are very pleased to announce the commencement of drilling at Barbasco, our highest priority exploration target. The target's geochemistry, alteration and geology fits the Suarez basin exploration model that led to the discovery of Fruta del Norte in 2006 and has been refined since then. We look forward to keeping our shareholders updated on the drill program and expect initial assay results in the middle of 2021."

Qualified Persons

The technical information contained in this News Release has been reviewed and approved by Steve Leary, MAusIMM CP(Geo), a consultant to the Company, who is a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101.

About Lundin Gold

Lundin Gold, headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, owns the Fruta del Norte gold mine in southeast Ecuador. Fruta del Norte is among the highest-grade operating gold mines in the world.

The Company's board and management team have extensive expertise in mine operations and are dedicated to operating Fruta del Norte responsibly. The Company operates with transparency and in accordance with international best practices. Lundin Gold is committed to delivering value to its shareholders, while simultaneously providing economic and social benefits to impacted communities, fostering a healthy and safe workplace and minimizing the environmental impact. The Company believes that the value created through the development of Fruta del Norte will benefit its shareholders, the Government and the citizens of Ecuador.

Additional Information

The information in this release is subject to the disclosure requirements of Lundin Gold under the EU Market Abuse Regulation. This information was publicly communicated on March 24, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time through the contact persons set out below.

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information and Statements

Certain of the information and statements in this press release are considered "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" as those terms are defined under Canadian securities laws (collectively referred to as "forward-looking statements"). Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, identified by words or phrases such as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "is expected", "scheduled", "estimates", "pending", "intends", "plans", "forecasts", "targets", or "hopes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "will", "should" "might", "will be taken", or "occur" and similar expressions) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements and information involve assumptions, inherent risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict, and are usually beyond the control of management, that could cause actual results to be materially different from those expressed by these forward-looking statements and information. Lundin Gold believes that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking information should not be unduly relied upon. This information speaks only as of the date of this press release, and the Company will not necessarily update this information, unless required to do so by securities laws.

This press release contains forward-looking information in a number of places, such as in statements relating to the timing and the success of the Company's drill program and other exploration activities and the Company's efforts to protect its workforce from COVID-19. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as Lundin Gold's actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in this forward-looking information as a result of the factors discussed in the "Risk Factors" section in Lundin Gold's Annual Information Form dated March 2, 2021, which is available at www.lundingold.com or on SEDAR.

Lundin Gold's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statement or that could have a material impact on the Company or the trading price of its shares include: risks relating to the impacts of a pandemic virus outbreak, political and economic instability in Ecuador, production estimates, mining operations, the Company's community relationships, ability to maintain obligations or comply with debt, financing requirements, volatility in the price of gold, shortages of critical supplies, compliance with environmental laws and liability for environmental contamination, lack of availability of infrastructure, the Company's reliance on one mine, deficient or vulnerable title to concessions, easements and surface rights, uncertainty with the tax regime in Ecuador, the Company's workforce and its labour relations, inherent safety hazards and risks to the health and safety of the Company's employees and contractors, the Company's ability to obtain, maintain or renew regulatory approvals, permits and licenses, the imprecision of mineral reserve and resource estimates, key talent recruitment and retention of key personnel, volatility in the market price of the shares, the potential influence of the Company's largest shareholders, measures to protect endangered species and critical habitats, the reliance of the Company on its information systems and the risk of cyber-attacks on those systems, the cost of non-compliance and compliance costs, exploration and development risks, risks related to illegal mining, the adequacy of the Company's insurance, uncertainty as to reclamation and decommissioning, the ability of Lundin Gold to ensure compliance with anti-bribery and anti- corruption laws, the uncertainty regarding risks posed by climate change, the potential for litigation, limits of disclosure and internal controls, security risks to the Company, its assets and its personnel, conflicts of interest, risks that the Company will not declare dividends and social media and reputation.

SOURCE Lundin Gold Inc.