TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Jun 3, 2014) - Desert Gold Ventures Inc. (TSX VENTURE:DAU) (the "Company" or "Desert Gold") is pleased to announce results from soil geochemical surveys on the Segala Ouest tenement, which has now been completely covered by soil geochemistry. The results delineate a very large anomalous zone covering an area approximately 24 km2 (Fig. 1) in extent, with high assay values noted.

The Segala Ouest prospect is situated in the middle of the gold mining district of Kenieba about 20 km NW of the town of Kenieba. Endeavour's Segala mine abuts the eastern boundary of the exploration permit and their Tabakoto mine is approximately 5 km away to the southeast. Some 15 km to the northwest are Randgold's Loulo-Gounkoto mine complex.

To view Figure 1 please click on the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/DAU0603.pdf

The recently conducted soil geochemical survey, in which 2342 soil samples were collected by GeoActiv Pty Ltd (a South African geological contracting and consulting company) and analysed by the ALS Chemex SA PTY Ltd laboratory in South Africa, completes a blanket geochemical analysis of the exploration permit . The results delineate an 8 km long and 3 km wide corridor traversing the tenement in a northwesterly direction. The soil sample database comprises 6032 lognormally distributed Au Values with thresholds of 669 ppb, 204 ppb and 20 ppb, for the respective 1, 5 and 50 percentiles.

There are significant artisanal mining activities focused in two areas: (1) on the NW strike extension of Endeavour's Segala mine, (the "Segala pit") and, (2) in the southeastern part of the tenement nearby the village of Baroya, (the "Baroya pit"). These mining sites target mineralised vein systems within the metasediment host rocks. Grab samples of the material being mined within the property were collected and assayed. Results are tabulated below (Table 1) and demonstrate high grades in the mineralised vein systems.

Sample sourceSample IDdepth (m) Au g/t
BAROYA PIT B534205 35.00 0.58
BAROYA PIT B534206 35.00 15.65
BAROYA PIT B534207 40.00 3.82
BAROYA PIT B534208 25.00 0.09
BAROYA PIT B534209 25.00 76.30
BAROYA PIT B534210 30.00 0.84
BAROYA PIT B534211 30.00 1.60
BAROYA PIT B534225 40.00 39.80
BAROYA PIT B534226 40.00 2.38
BAROYA PIT B534227 40.00 1.31
SEGALA PIT B534215 20.00 8.82
SEGALA PIT B534216 20.00 5.53
SEGALA PIT B534217 50.00 1.05
SEGALA PIT B534218 30.00 1.14
SEGALA PIT B534221 25.00 26.60
SEGALA PIT B534222 7.00 0.37
SEGALA PIT B534223 10.00 0.58
Table 1. Table of assay results of selected grab samples collected from the artisanal mining operations. Approximate in situ depths from which the samples were collected are given.

Given the mineralisation in the district is hosted by geological structures, the company recently completed an analysis of structure both from remote sensing data as well as from previous drill core data. The results point to a coherent set of fractures congruent with the mineralised systems noted both at Tabakoto mine and at the Segala mine. Both the Segala and Baroya artisanal mining sites follow these structural orientations.

The company will drill both sites shortly to confirm the continuity of the mineralisation and will selectively trench some of the other significant soil geochemical anomalies to determine the source of these anomalies.

Permit Strategy

It is the company's intention to define a sizable economic 43-101 compliant resource on the permit and engage nearby mining operations to discuss possible ore offtake agreements.

About Desert Gold

Desert Gold Ventures Inc. is an advanced exploration and development company which holds mining assets in Mali and Rwanda.

The geological results stated in this report have been reviewed by Mr Neil Andersen, registered as a Fellow of the Geological Society of South Africa (FGSSA) No 5520 and is registered with the South African Council for Natural Scientists (Pr. Sci. Nat., 401458/83). BSc. (Geology, Chemistry, UCT), BSc (Special Hons. Exploration Geology, UR), MSc (Structural Geology, UP). He has sufficient experience which is relevant to the style of mineralisation and metallurgical processes under consideration and to the activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101.

This news release has been prepared on behalf of the board of directors of Desert Gold, which accepts full responsibility for its contents.

For further information concerning Desert Gold Ventures Inc. and the TransAfrika material properties, please refer to Desert Gold's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com or visit our website at www.desertgold.ca.