Orla Intersects 124.5 Metres Grading 0.47 g/t Au and 1.54 % Cu at the Cerro Quema Project, Panama

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 22, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Orla Mining Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:OLA) ("Orla" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on exploration work in the Caballito copper-gold zone at its wholly owned Cerro Quema project in Panama.  Highlights include diamond drill hole CQDH-18-157 which intersected 124.5 metres grading 0.47 g/t Au and 1.54% Cu from 75.0 to 199.5 m depth.

Results from the first three holes drilled in 2018 are reported herein. (A plan map showing the hole locations is attached.)  All were drilled within a chargeability anomaly that was outlined in a recently completed Induced Polarization (IP) survey.  Holes were drilled to better define the geometry of the mineral system and to continue to test the system for high copper-gold, low arsenic mineralization.

In addition to the copper-gold intersection, CQDH-18-157 had an upper intersection of gold that graded 0.73 g/t Au over 30.0 metres from 9.0 to 39.0 m in oxide with an additional 13.5 metres grading 0.59 g/t Au in sulphide.  In the wide copper-gold intersection, gold is relatively consistent throughout.  Copper is elevated throughout the intercept but is relatively more variable in tenor.  There is a higher-grade section from 94.5 to 127.5 metres that averaged 0.49 g/t Au and 2.78% Cu over the 33.0 metres.

Hole CQDH-18-156, drilled from a pad 100 metres to the west of CQDH-18-157, intersected 147.6 metres grading 0.21 g/t Au and 0.33% Cu from 46.2 to 193.8 metres.   Hole CQDH-18-158 which was drilled a further 100 metres to the west did not intersect significant mineralization.  It is in an area of low chargeability and confirms the IP model and that mineralization is associated with higher chargeability.

A recently completed IP survey at Caballito was comprised of 27 line-km with 100 metre spaced lines and 50 metre stations.  The survey shows a zone with two NW-SE trending high chargeability anomalies within an area of anomalous chargeability covering 500 to 700 metres in the NW-SE direction and 200 to 400 metres in the NE-SW direction.   Best grades intersected to date are in areas of moderate chargeability and low resistivity.

The IP results indicate that the mineralized zone is cut on its NW and SE sides, probably by post-mineral faulting.  The zone is also cut on the west side by a fault.   There is some indication this fault may be remobilizing an earlier mineralizing structure.

Mineralization appears to form a shallow west-dipping zone.  (See attached cross-section.)  The orientation and extent of the higher copper-gold grade mineralization within this zone will require further drilling to evaluate as will determining the spatial relationship between the low arsenic copper-gold mineralization and high arsenic mineralization that also occurs within the area of the IP anomaly. 

To the northwest of the Caballito anomaly, the IP shows a steeper dipping chargeability high and resistor low at depth (200 metres) that trends towards the Quemita reserve area located 1.2 km to the northwest of Caballito.  There are no holes that test this part of the anomaly.  This is a high-priority target for additional Cu-Au mineralization to the northwest of Caballito and permitting to allow drilling is in progress.

Table of Drill Holes released on March 22, 2018

Maps showing the location of holes and a cross section are attached to this press release.

Quality Control Protocols

All gold results were obtained by ALS Minerals (Au-AA23) using fire assay fusion and an atomic absorption spectroscopy finish. All samples are also analyzed for multi-elements, including silver and copper, using an Aqua Regia (ME-ICP41) method at ALS Laboratories in Peru. Samples with copper values in excess of 1% by ICP analysis are re-run with Cu AA46 aqua regia and atomic absorption analysis. Drill program design, Quality Assurance/Quality Control and interpretation of results are performed by qualified persons employing a Quality Assurance/Quality Control program consistent with NI 43-101 and industry best practices. Standards, blanks and duplicates are included approximately one every 25 samples for Quality Assurance/Quality Control purposes by the Company as well as the lab. Approximately 5% of sample pulps are sent to a secondary laboratory for check assays. The HQ diameter core is halved with a diamond saw.