The two Nordeau blocks, now separated by four claims owned by another titleholder, used to form a single entity of contiguous claims.

In 1946-47, Oneonta Pershing Mines Ltd. completed geological and geophysical (Mag) surveys. As a follow up, 8 holes were drilled on Nordeau West under option, at that point, to Inspiration mining and Development Co. (first gold indications in the immediate area).

In 1948-49, Oneonta Pershing drilled an additional 27 holes for 3400 m on Nordeau West.

In 1957-58, Nordeau Mining Co. Ltd. completed a 24 hole program totaling 4530 m which led to the discovery of gold bearing lenses no.1, 2 and 3 on Nordeau East block.

In 1962, Mines de Fer Vauquelin Ltée was incorporated, acquired the Nordeau claims, and drilled 14 holes for 1150 m to block some iron ore in the sedimentary iron formations.

From 1963 to 1965, Mines de Fer Vauquelin Ltée did some sporadic work including a geophysical survey (EM) and the drilling of 5 holes for 700 m.

In 1979, SOQUEM (Société Québécoise d’exploration minière) optioned the properties and until 1982 completed geophysical (Mag & EM) and geochemical surveys that led to the drilling on Nordeau West and East of 41 holes for a total of 6640 m of core. By this time, the information gathered on the gold zones delineated on the properties was such that a first “reserve” estimation was produced on both the West and East Nordeau lenses (Gagnon & al., 1982).

In 1983, the option was transferred to Société minière Louvem Inc. who completed an induced polarization survey before drilling 12 holes totaling 2608 m and refreshing the “reserve” estimate on the Nordeau West gold zones (Blanchet, 1984).

In 1984, Louvem completed 21 holes for 4867 m on the Nordeau East group.

In 1987, after reorganizing the company, Mines Vauquelin Ltée took the property back and, following recommendations by Roche Ltée – Groupe conseil, completed 24 holes for 4721 m on Nordeau West and 30 holes for 5889 m on Nordeau East. This latest drill campaign led to the estimation of historical “mineral reserves” by Roche on both the West and East Nordeau blocks.

In their 1988 report on Nordeau East, Roche recommended an underground program with the objective of upgrading the “reserves” and defining the characteristics of the body. The proposal was to drive a decline to access the zones and extract a bulk sample for testing.

In 1988, Mines Vauquelin Ltée drilled 4 holes for 1279 m on Nordeau West in an attempt to test the structure below the “reserve” blocks (no significant results, Champagne, M.J., 1985).

In 1990, Mines Vauquelin Ltée resumed drilling to test the Nordeau West structure at depth, far below any existing intersection. Of the 7 holes drilled for a total of 3471 m, 5 intersected the targeted gold bearing structure with most significant results as follows : hole W-90-06 returned 5.4 g/t Au over 17.8 m and hole W-90-07 carried 3.6 g/t Au over 6.6 m, respectively at ±490 and ±675 m of vertical depth.

After reviewing the Nordeau West database, Gestion Minière Explomine Ltée (“Explomine” – see Jean, 1990) in his report on the 1990 drill campaign came to the conclusion that the previous “reserve” estimate was based on erroneous assumptions, particularly in connecting laterally and vertically selected assays (or groups of assays). The “ore grade intersections” were found to be randomly distributed within a sheared and altered mineralized structure that could be more than 20 m in thickness. The longitudinal section produced in 1988 should therefore be considered a composite longitudinal section.

Consequently, Explomine came up with a new geological “reserve” estimate for the Nordeau West zones that was to be built on the concept of an easily traceable mineralized shear zone carrying discontinuous “en échelon” smaller gold bearing lenses.

In late 1990, Mines Vauquelin Ltée and Louvem completed the last reported exploration program on Nordeau West by surveying some of the previous holes and drilling 4 new ones for 1942 m around the intersections of W-90-06/-07 (2 were wedged from existing holes). The targeted sheared and mineralized structure was cut by all four holes with assay results said to be disappointing (Bouliane, 1991).

Finally, in 1994, Mines Vauquelin Ltée completed a 6 short hole drilling campaign totalling 619 m on an eastern claim of the Nordeau East group with the best intersection reported from hole N94-5 yielding 4.85 g/t Au over 1.3 m (Blanchet, 1994).

Mineralization on Nordeau West

Gold mineralization on the Nordeau West block is found in 4 distinct lenses (labeled #1, 2, 3 and North) in corridors of shearing and deformation within mafic volcanics of the Trivio formation. Wall rocks are made up of massive to pillowed or brecciated basalts or andesites with sporadic tuffaceous horizons and minor graphitic schists. Common alteration processes of the sheared rocks include silicification, amphibolitisation, carbonatization and biotitisation.

Gold is found in brecciated zones cemented with grey smoky quartz lodes, veins or veinlets with brown tourmaline, carbonates and sulfides in an “en échelon” pattern within the wider deformation corridors (Jean, 1990). Arsenopyrite is the major sulfide constituent (3-15%) with some amounts of pyrite, pyrrhotite and traces of chalcopyrite. Gold is essentially found as free grains included into or coated to the arsenopyrite grains.

All reported structures are more or less imbedded into the regional schistosity striking N280-290° and dipping 55-70° to the north. Structures #1 and #2 from which historical “reserves” were estimated can be traced on most of the Nordeau West claim group (some 600 m laterally) and to a depth locally approaching 600 m vertically. As pointed out by André Jean, in 1990, the “enéchelon” pattern of the lenses puts a doubt on geological or assay continuity as “ore grade” intersections are found often randomly located within the wider deformation corridors. Nevertheless, it is reported that structures #1 and #2 (further south) are located some 25 m apart in the eastern portion of the property (separated by a pyroclastic unit 10-15 m thick) and seem to merge into structure #2 in the western part of the property.

The other reported structures are poorly defined with doubtful continuity and erratic gold mineralization. Structure #3 which is south of #1 and #2, some 30 m south of a graphitic marker horizon, has been traced in two stretches each about 100 m long. The North structure is found only locally at a position some 30 m north of structures #1 and #2.

Mineralization on Nordeau East

The most significant mineralization on Nordeau East group of claims is found in 3 structures related to what is being described as the upper iron formation of the Trivio sediments made up of interbedded mudstones, siltstones graywackes and folded iron formations. The 3 sub-parallel structures are made up of gold bearing sulfides rich quartz veinlets or veins which are generally running along stratigraphic units and regional schistosity in a general E-W direction with dips from 50 to 75° to the north.

The mineralization consists in 1-5% disseminated sulfides or semi-massive sulfide veinlets (pyrite, pyrrhotite, arsenopyrite and traces of chalcopyrite) in association with quartz and chlorite, garnet and gold as the other vein constituents. Gold is found as free grains in quartz or as inclusions in the sulfide minerals (Tremblay, 1988). Common alteration of wall rocks include amphibolitisation, chloritisation, silicification and biotitisation.

Structure #1 was traced for 450 m laterally (sections 10+80 W to 6+30 W) while structure #2, south of the former, stretches for 220 m (7+60 W to 5+40 W), both to a depth of some 200 m vertically. They parallel each other for some 130 m (7+60 W to 6+30 W) and are stratigraphically less than 30 m apart. Structure #3 which is further east (5+40 W to 3+00 W) and possibly on a stratigraphic position similar to #1 has been traced for some 240 m to a depth of 150 m. As reported in a previous section, historical mineral “reserve” were estimated from qualifying portions of each of these 3 structures of Nordeau East which are less the 2 m in thickness on average.

A fourth mineralized structure on Nordeau East carrying low grade erratic gold values is reported from a sheared zone in the mafic volcanics south of the iron formation. The structures carries 1-5% disseminated sulfides in carbonatized and chloritised rocks with well developed garnets.

Update

In the fall of 2008, the Company successfully completed its 8 hole, 5200 metre drill program at the Nordeau West site. All eight holes intersected gold mineralization at levels predicted by the geological model from the previous drill program.

The results will advance the Company’s understanding of the geological structure at the Nordeau West site and we anticipate reporting an NI 43-101 compliant resource by year end 2008, or early in 2009.

The Company has successfully hit gold mineralization in all 14 holes in the last two drill campaigns.

Highlights from the recent 5200 metre campaign announced on November 18, 2008 include:

Hole NW-08-07: 4.28 g/t Au over 8.05 m (from 567m – 575.05m)

Hole NW-08-08: 1.90 g/t Au over 5.85 m (from 452.05m – 457.9m)

Hole NW-08-09: 0.70 g/t Au over 1.5m (from 418.35m – 419.85m)

Hole NW-08-10: 5.54 g/t Au over 3.0 m (from 589.95m – 592.95m)

Hole NW-08-11: 1.23 g/t Au over 4.0 m (from 660.4m – 664.4m)

Hole NW-08-12: 2.38 g/t Au over 0.55 m (from 445.9m – 446.45m)

Hole NW-08-13: 3.90 g/t Au over 4.25 m (from 649.55m – 653.8m)

Hole NW-08-14: 4.3 g/t Au over 0.75 m (from 438.95m – 439.7m)

In March 2008 the Company completed a successful 6 hole drill program focusing on the Nordeau West site. The results were reported on April 10, 2008 and April 29, 2008. The highlights included hole NW-08-06 which intersected 5.66 g/t Au over 8.5 metres. All six drill holes encountered gold mineralization.

Past drilling results by Plato announced in April 2008, identified the following mineralized intercepts in the vicinity of the current drilling program

Highlights Include:

Hole NW-08-01: 1.30 g/t Au over 1.95m (from 332m – 333.95m)

5.28 g/t Au over 2.85m (from 404m – 406.85m)

4.80 g/t Au over 2.15m (from 427.40m – 429.55m)

Hole NW-08-02: 1.46 g/t Au over 2.80m (from 318.30m – 321.10m)

Hole NW-08-03: 3.71g/t Au over 4.25m (from 547.15m – 551.40m)

Hole NW-08-06: 5.66 g/t Au over 8.5m (from 553.80m – 562.30m)

In addition, past drilling by Plato in 2006 and 2007, identified a number of mineralized intercepts in the vicinity of the current 2008 drilling program:

Highlights Include:

Hole PG06-01: 4.76 g/t Au over 2.4m (from 492.15m – 494.55m)

Hole PG06-04A: 1.61 g/t Au over 4.35m (from 366m – 370.35m)

Hole PG06-05: 13.47 g/t Au over 1.2m (from 394.2m – 395.4m)

Hole PG06-07: 7.85 g/t Au over 10m (from 458.5m – 468.5m)

Plato has retained A.S.Horvath Engineering Incorporated, of Ottawa, to work on a 3D model of how the Nordeau West gold deposit is developing. This modeling work helped bring about the 2008 successful drilling results. Based on the model and recommendations by our geologists, Plato continues to advance our goal of further expanding the size of the Nordeau West gold deposit, and with the goal of bringing the deposit to NI 43-101 compliance targeted.

Plato Gold Reports High-Grade Gold Intersection at Nordeau East Property

Toronto, December 8, 2009 – Plato Gold Corp. (TSX-V: PGC) (“Plato”) an exploration company with a portfolio of properties in the prolific gold mining camps of Northern Ontario, Northern Quebec, and Santa Cruz, Argentina, is pleased to announce significant drill-core assay results from Holes NE09-01 and NE09-02, on its Nordeau East property 40 km east of Val-d’Or, Quebec. To date, 12 holes totaling 5,019 metres of the ongoing 6,000 metre, 14-hole exploration program (the “Project”) have been completed on the contiguous Nordeau East and Bateman East properties. 

Plato has received assays from the first two holes of the drilling campaign: Hole NE-09-01 successfully intersected the targeted mineralized zone from 294.00 m to 299.50 m. The mineralized intersection yielded a grade of 14.35 g/t Au over the 5.50 metre interval. Hole NE-09-02 intersected the targeted mineralized zone from 223.30 m to 230.00 m, and yielded an average grade of 8.01 g/t Au over the 6.70 metre interval.  

"I am extremely pleased and encouraged by our drill results.  These very impressive gold intersections at Nordeau East indicate that Plato Gold Corp. likely has a significant new gold resource in Val-d'Or, Quebec that is open at strike-length, depth and in all directions.  Plato's technical team has done a first-rate job.  I’m optimistic about our future given our existing gold resource at Nordeau West, our exciting Santa Cruz property in Argentina, and our Timmins properties.,” said Anthony Cohen, President and CEO.  “We have a good partnership with Globex Mining Enterprises Inc. and Quebec is the best mining jurisdiction in the world in which to operate." 

The following table presents the analytical results from the mineralized intersections from holes NE09-01 and NE09-02. Gold (Au) values are in grams per tonne (g/t).

¹ Initial fire assay

² Check fire assay

³ Total metallic sieve fire assay of coarse crush reject

⁴ Au Final is the average of the two fire assays or the metallic sieve result, when available

^* Visible gold noted within sample interval during drill core logging 

Holes NE09-01 and NE09-02 were collared 150 metres apart along the same northing, on the western part of the Nordeau East Property. Both holes were designed to target the projected down-dip extension of a possible zone of mineralization that was intersected by holes PG-06-11 and PG-06-15, drilled in 2006. Hole PG-06-11, located at half the distance between holes NE09-01 and NE09-02 but further south, intersected a zone of mineralization grading 5.97 g/t Au over 4.5 metres at a vertical depth of approximately 40.00 metres, whereas hole PG-06-15 located 50m east of PG-06-11 intersected gold mineralization grading 6.50 g/t Au over 1.00 metre at a corresponding vertical depth. The reported intersections from hole NE09-01 (272 metres vertical) and hole NE09-02 (204 metres vertical) align well with the extension of the 340º/70º orientation projected from the 2006 intersections. It remains to be conclusively determined whether the intersections from these four holes correspond to a single continuous zone or a series of en-echelon lenses. 

Results of the detailed metallic sieve assays for the 3 samples that initially assayed greater than 10 g/t Au by fire assay methods (two of which contained visible gold), show that on average, 59% of the gold content is hosted by the -150 mesh fraction indicating that the reported high gold values are not the result of a “nugget effect”.   

Following the receipt of preliminary assay results, the technical team made the decision to halt drilling on the Bateman East Property after the second of five proposed holes was completed, and the drill rig was moved back to Nordeau East. On Dec 2^nd, a new hole (NE09-07) was collared half way between NE09-01 and NE09-02. This hole intersected a mineralized zone between 300.00 and 310.00 metres down hole. Assay results are pending. Another hole, NE09-10, was drilled on Dec 4^th and Dec 5^th, at the same location as NE09-07, but at a shallower angle (-50º rather than -70º). A zone of alteration and sulphide mineralization was intersected and sampled – assay results are pending. The third new hole (NE09-11) is a 100 metre step-back hole that will undercut the new zone in order to test down dip continuity. Hole NE09-11 was collared on Dec 6^th and is expected to intersect the mineralized target zone at the 400 metre mark. 

The Nordeau East Property lies within a highly sheared sequence of altered greywacke, iron formation and mafic volcanic rocks along the eastern extension of the prolific “Larder Lake - Cadillac Break”, in the Abitibi Greenstone Belt. The gold mineralization typically occurs within quartz veins containing disseminated to locally semi-massive sulphides. Gold is found as free grains within quartz veins and with associated sulphide mineralization that consists of arsenopyrite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, and minor chalcopyrite.  

The Nordeau East drilling program is being supervised by Martin Bourgoin P.Geo. and John Langton M.Sc. P.Geo., who are the Project’s Qualified Persons under the guidelines of National Instrument 43-101.  The Project’s Qualified Persons have verified the data disclosed in the press release, including the analytical and test data disclosed herein. 

Complete assay results, location maps and drill sections are available on Plato’s website at: www.platogold.com 
 

QA/QC Procedures 

The Company has implemented a quality control program to ensure best practices in sampling and analysis of the core samples. The core is logged and then split. Half of the core is sent for assay, and half retained for verification and reference purposes. Duplicates, standards and blanks are inserted randomly into the sample stream. The samples are delivered, in security bags, directly to ALS-Chemex Laboratories Ltd. in Val-d’Or, Quebec for analysis. Samples with visible gold are analyzed by total metallic sieve fire assay methods, whereas the remaining samples undergo conventional fire assaying. For the reported intersections, total metallic screen check assays were completed on the remaining coarse crush reject for all samples reporting greater than 10 g/t Au from the initial fire assay. Other samples within the intersection below 10 g/t Au were check fire assayed from original pulps. The final reported gold grade for a sample is the metallic screen result, when available, otherwise, it is the average of the two fire assays. 

The accredited ALS-Chemex Laboratories Ltd. of Val-d’Or, Quebec is the only assay laboratory being used for lithogeochemical analyses. ALS Chemex has attained ISO 9001:2000 registration, which requires evidence of a quality management system covering all aspects of the assaying process. To ensure compliance with this system regular internal audits are undertaken by staff members specially trained in auditing techniques.