(Bloomberg) — China’s copper demand growth will fade in coming years before topping out around the end of this decade, according to a state-backed government researcher, offering a potential counterpoint to bullish views on the metal’s prospects.
While Beijing Antaike Information Development Co. forecasts substantial growth in demand from the renewables sector, a key focus of copper optimists, it also sees an impact from a slowing Chinese economy and from buyers switching over to aluminum.
China’s demand growth in the five years up to 2030 will average 1.1%, down from 3.9% in the five years to 2025, Antaike analyst Yang Changhua said at the group’s conference in Wuhan. The copper intensity of renewables investment is falling as industries bid to reduce usage or find alternative materials, he said.
For the past half-decade, there have been a series of eye-watering forecasts for copper, largely resting on the idea that the world’s mines will struggle to keep up with a long demand boom. Prices reached a record earlier this year amid emerging signs of supply tightness.
Key risks to the “peak by 2030” forecast include the future strength of China’s manufacturing exports, or the relocation of factories overseas, Yang said. He didn’t give an outlook for global copper demand.
China’s combined consumption of copper from electric vehicles plus the solar and wind industries will rise to 3.1 million tons by 2030, Yang said. That will be 26% of the nation’s total demand, up from 15% in 2023.
Vancouver, British Columbia–(Newsfile Corp. – October 24, 2024) – Emperor Metals Inc. (CSE: AUOZ) (OTCQB: EMAUF) (FSE: 9NH) (the “Company” or “Emperor“) is pleased to announce that it has arranged a non-brokered private placement (the “Offering“) of 7,500,000 flow-through shares (the “FT Shares” and each an “FT Share“) at a price of $0.11 per FT Share for gross proceeds of $825,000. Each FT Share will qualify as a “flow-through share” within the meaning of subsection 66(15) of the Income Tax Act (Canada).
The gross proceeds from the issuance of the FT Shares will be used to incur eligible “Canadian exploration expenses” that will qualify as “flow-through mining expenditures,” as such terms are defined in the Income Tax Act (Canada), and in addition, with respect to Quebec resident subscribers who purchase FT Shares who are eligible individuals under the Taxation Act (Quebec), the Canadian exploration expenses will also qualify for inclusion in the “exploration base relating to certain Quebec exploration expenses” within the meaning of Section 726.4.10 of the Taxation Act (Quebec) and for inclusion in the “exploration base relating to certain Quebec surface mining expenses or oil and gas exploration expenses” within the meaning of Section 726.4.17.2 of the Taxation Act (Quebec) (the “Qualifying Expenditures“). All Qualifying Expenditures will be renounced in favour of the subscribers of the FT Shares effective December 31, 2024.
All FT Shares issued will be subject to a four-month hold period. The Offering is subject to the acceptance of the Canadian Securities Exchange.
About Emperor Metals Inc.
Emperor Metals Inc. is an innovative Canadian mineral exploration company focused on developing high-quality gold properties situated in the Canadian Shield. For more information, please refer to SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca), under the Company’s profile.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN ARE BASED ON CERTAIN FACTORS AND ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE ESTIMATION OF MINERAL RESOURCES AND RESERVES, THE REALIZATION OF RESOURCE AND RESERVE ESTIMATES, METAL PRICES, TAXATION, THE ESTIMATION, TIMING AND AMOUNT OF FUTURE EXPLORATION AND DEVELOPMENT, CAPITAL AND OPERATING COSTS, THE AVAILABILITY OF FINANCING, THE RECEIPT OF REGULATORY APPROVALS, ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS, TITLE DISPUTES AND OTHER MATTERS. WHILE THE COMPANY CONSIDERS ITS ASSUMPTIONS TO BE REASONABLE AS OF THE DATE HEREOF, FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND INFORMATION ARE NOT GUARANTEES OF FUTURE PERFORMANCE AND READERS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE IMPORTANCE ON SUCH STATEMENTS AS ACTUAL EVENTS AND RESULTS MAY DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM THOSE DESCRIBED HEREIN. THE COMPANY DOES NOT UNDERTAKE TO UPDATE ANY FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS OR INFORMATION EXCEPT AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS.
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International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group 2024 Fall Meeting in Washington · Reuters
David Lawder Thu, October 24, 2024 at 2:06 PM EDT 4 min read:
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva warned on Thursday that the world is in danger of becoming mired in a low-growth, high-debt path that will leave governments with fewer resources to improve opportunities for their people and tackle climate change and other challenges.
The result is increasingly dissatisfied populations, Georgieva said during a press conference during the IMF and World Bank annual meetings in Washington.
The meetings are clouded by the looming Nov. 5 U.S. presidential election, which raises the specter that Americans, stung by high inflation during Democratic President Joe Biden’s administration, could return Republican candidate Donald Trump to the White House, ushering in a new era of protectionist trade policies and trillions of dollars in new U.S. debt.
Dissatisfaction is not unique to the U.S., Georgieva said, despite the global economy showing some resilience in the face of threats from wars, weak demand in China, and the lagged effects of tight monetary policy.
“For most of the world, a ‘soft landing’ is in sight, but people are not feeling good about their economic prospects,” Georgieva said, referring to a scenario in which high inflation is tamed without a painful recession or large job losses. “Everybody I ask here, how is your economy? The answer is good. How is the mood of your people? The answer is not so good. Families are still hurting from high prices and global growth is anemic.”
The IMF on Tuesday released new economic forecasts showing that global GDP growth will decline slightly by 2029 to 3.1% from 3.2% this year, well below its 2000-2019 average of 3.8%, as current U.S. strength fades.
At the same time, the IMF’s Fiscal Monitor showed global government debt is set to top $100 trillion for the first time this year and continue rising as political sentiment increasingly favors more government spending and is resistant to tax increases. It also predicts that government debt as a share of GDP, now 93%, is set to reach 100% by 2030, exceeding its peak during the COVID pandemic.
“So here is the bottom line: the global economy is in danger of getting stuck on a low-growth, high-debt path,” Georgieva said. “That means lower incomes and fewer jobs. It also means lower government revenues, so less resources for families and to fight long-term challenges like climate change. These are anxious times with these problems in mind.”
Finance chiefs from G20 major economies separately expressed optimism for a soft landing, and urged resistance to protectionism.
“We observe good prospects of a soft landing of the global economy, although multiple challenges remain,” the G20 finance ministers and central bank governors said in a joint statement issued after a meeting on the sidelines of the meetings in Washington.
The communique did not mention Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, long a point of division for the G20, or Israel’s military conflicts with the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza and the Iran-backed Hezbollah organization in Lebanon.
A separate statement issued by Brazil, which currently holds the G20 presidency, said members disagreed on whether the conflicts should be discussed within the group, but added that it would continue such talks among lower-level officials ahead of a G20 leaders summit in Rio de Janeiro in November.
CHINA’S PATH
Georgieva said that China’s growth could slow to “way below 4%” unless its government takes decisive action to shift its economic model towards consumer demand from exports and manufacturing investment.
After long maintaining Chinese growth forecasts at or above Beijing’s 5% target, the IMF this week cut China’s 2024 growth outlook to 4.8%, with a projection slowdown to 4.5% in 2025. China’s GDP grew at a 7.4% rate in 2014.
Georgieva said more details on China’s stimulus plans were needed to assess whether they would improve its outlook. The IMF’s chief economist, Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, and U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Tuesday they have not seen anything from Beijing that would materially raise China’s domestic demand.
The IMF and World Bank meetings also have been marked by new worries about an escalation of the war in the Middle East, which was triggered a year ago by Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel.
A wider escalation of the conflict could increase spillovers to economies in the region, Georgieva said, including Egypt, which earlier this year won a $3 billion increase to its IMF loan program.
Georgieva said she will travel to Egypt in the next 10 days to assess economic conditions for possible further changes to the program amid a severe drop in the country’s Suez Canal revenues.
Jihad Azour, the director of the IMF’s Middle East and Central Asia Department, told a briefing that the size of the program was still appropriate, but Georgieva would assess the effectiveness of the country’s social protection programs in the current environment.
(Reporting by David Lawder; Editing by Paul Simao)
Updated Wed, October 23, 2024 at 4:14 PM EDT 7 min read
Artificial Intelligence has driven shares of tech companies like Microsoft (MSFT), Amazon (AMZN), Nvidia (NVDA), and Google (GOOG, GOOGL) to new highs this year. But the technology, which companies promise will revolutionize our lives, is driving something else just as high as stock prices: energy consumption.
AI data centers use huge amounts of power and could increase energy demand by as much as 20% over the next decade, according to a Department of Energy spokesperson. Pair that with the continued growth of the broader cloud computing market, and you’ve got an energy squeeze.
But Big Tech has also set ambitious sustainability goals focused on the use of low-carbon and zero-carbon sources to reduce its impact on climate change. While renewable energy like solar and wind are certainly part of that equation, tech companies need uninterruptible power sources. And for that, they’re leaning into nuclear power.
Tech giants aren’t just planning to hook into existing plants, either. They’re working with energy companies to bring mothballed facilities like Pennsylvania’s Three Mile Island back online and looking to build small modular reactors (SMRs) that take up less space than traditional plants and, the hope is, are cheaper to construct.
But there are still plenty of questions as to whether these investments in nuclear energy will ever pan out, not to mention how long it will take to build any new reactors.
A nuclear AI age
While solar and wind power projects provide clean energy, they still aren’t the best option for continuous power. That, experts say, is where nuclear energy comes in.
Aerial view of the construction site of Linglong-1 (ACP-100), the world’s first onshore commercial small modular reactor (SMR), on July 4, 2024, in the Hainan Province of China. (Wang Jian/VCG via Getty Images) · VCG via Getty Images
“Nuclear energy is, effectively, carbon-free,” explained Ed Anderson, Gartner distinguished vice president and analyst. “So it becomes a pretty natural choice given they need the energy, and they need green energy. Nuclear [power] is a good option for that.”
The US currently generates the bulk of its electricity via natural gas plants that expel greenhouse gases. As of 2023, nuclear power produced slightly more electricity than coal, as well as solar power plants.
Last week, Google signed a deal to purchase power from Kairos Power’s small modular reactors, with Google saying the first reactor should be online by 2030, with plants expected to be deployed in regions to power Google’s data centers, though Kairos didn’t provide exact locations.
Amazon quickly followed by saying just two days later that it is investing in three companies — Energy Northwest, X-energy, and Dominion Energy — to develop SMRs. The plan is for Energy Northwest to build SMRs using technology from X-energy in Washington State and for Amazon and Dominion Energy to look at building an SMR near Dominion’s current North Anna Power Station in Virginia.
Three Mile Island suffered a meltdown of its other reactor in 1979, but according to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, there was no serious impact to nearby people, plants, or animals, as the plant itself kept much of the dangerous radiation from escaping.
In 2023, Microsoft announced it would source power from the Sam Altman-chaired nuclear fusion startup Helion by 2028. Altman also chairs the nuclear fission company Oklo, which plans to build a micro-reactor site in Idaho. Nuclear fusion is the long-sought process of combining atoms that produces power without dangerous nuclear waste. No commercial applications of such plants currently exist.
Microsoft founder Bill Gates has also founded and currently chairs TerraPower, a company working to develop an advanced nuclear plant at a site in Wyoming.
Nuclear is expensive and some technologies are still untested
Nuclear power output has remained stagnant for years. According to US Energy Information Administration press officer, Chris Higginbotham, nuclear power has contributed about 20% of US electricity generation since 1990.
Part of the reason has to do with the fear of meltdowns, like the one at Three Mile Island, as well as the meltdowns at Chernobyl in Ukraine in 1986 and the Fukushima Daiichi plant in Japan in 2011.
Chernobyl was the worst meltdown ever, spreading radioactive contamination across areas of Ukraine, the Russian Federation, and Belarus, resulting in thyroid cancer in thousands of children who drank milk that was contaminated with radioactive iodine, according to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Plant workers and emergency personnel were also exposed to high levels of radiation at the scene. The Fukushima plant suffered multiple meltdowns as a result of a massive earthquake and subsequent tsunami, which caused significant damage to three of the plant’s six reactors.
An arial view of the Three Mile Island nuclear power. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) · Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
Outside of the perception, nuclear plants are expensive and take time to construct.
Georgia Power’s two Vogtle reactors came online in 2023 and 2024, after years of delays and billions in cost overruns. The reactors, known as Unit 3 and Unit 4 were originally expected to be completed in 2017 and cost $14 billion, but the second reactor only started commercial operations in April this year. The final price tag for the work is estimated to top out at $31 billion, according to the Associated Press.
The explosion in cheap energy from natural gas has also made it difficult for nuclear plants to compete financially. Now nuclear companies are hoping SMRs will lead the way in building out new nuclear energy capacity. But don’t expect them to start popping up for a while.
“The SMR conversation is really long term,” Jefferies managing director and research analyst Paul Zimbardo told Yahoo Finance. “I’d say almost all of the projections are into the 2030s. The Amazons, the Googles, some of the standalone SMR developers, 2030 to 2035, which is also what some of the utilities are saying as well.”
What’s more, Zimbardo says, power generated by SMRs is expected to cost far more than traditional plants, not to mention wind and solar projects.
Google Data Center Southland is seen from air in Council Bluffs, Iowa, U.S., January 4, 2019. REUTERS/Brian Snyder · REUTERS / Reuters
“Some of the projections are well above $100 a megawatt hour,” Zimbardo explained. “To put it in context, an existing nuclear plant has a cost profile of around $30 a megawatt hour. Building new wind, solar, depending on where you are in the country, can be as low as $30 a megawatt hour, or $60 to $80 a megawatt hour. So it’s a very costly solution.”
Not everyone is buying the promise of SMRs, either. Edwin Lyman, director of nuclear power safety at the Union of Concerned Scientists, says the small-scale reactors are still an untested technology.
“Despite what one might think of all the brain power at these tech companies, I don’t think they’ve done their due diligence,” Lyman told Yahoo Finance. “Or they’re willing to entertain this as a kind of side show just so they have all their bases covered to deal with this postulated massive expansion and demand for data centers.”
Lyman also takes issue with the idea that SMRs will be able to get up and running quickly and begin providing reliable power around the clock at low cost.
“The historical development of nuclear power shows that it’s a very exacting technology, and it requires time, requires effort, requires a lot of money and patience,” he said. “And so I think the nuclear industry has been trying to make itself look relevant, despite their recent failures to meet cost and timeliness targets.”
Still, with tech companies promising an AI revolution that requires power-hungry data centers, nuclear may be the only realistic green choice until solar and wind can take over permanently.
Sign up for Yahoo Finance’s Week in Tech newsletter. · yahoofinance
Email Daniel Howley at dhowley@yahoofinance.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / October 17, 2024 / Irving Resources Inc. (CSE:IRV)(OTCQX:IRVRF) (“Irving” or the “Company“) is pleased to announce that, further to its news releases of June 6 and January 23, 2024, it has entered into an agreement with Newmont Overseas Exploration Limited (“Newmont“), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Newmont Corporation, and Sumitomo Corporation (“Sumitomo“) in respect of the formation of a joint venture over the Yamagano and Noto properties. The initial interests of the parties in the joint venture are Newmont as to 60%, Irving as to 27.5% and Sumitomo as to 12.5%.
Irving will be the initial manager of the joint venture. Newmont has the right to assume the responsibilities of manager at any time.
“Irving entered Japan, because it views the potential for discovering large epithermal gold deposits to be very favorable”, commented Dr. Quinton Hennigh, director and geologic advisor to Irving. “With support from Newmont and Sumitomo, Irving has been able to consolidate the historically important Yamagano mining district, site of one of the earliest large-scale high-grade veins deposits mined in the country. Yamagano is the closest mining district to Sumitomo Metal Mining’s famous Hishikari gold mine, one of the largest high-grade epithermal vein deposits on earth. Technical work suggests similar geological characteristics are evident at Yamagano to those observed at Hishikari. While the targeted veins are blind at depth, our first drill hole has already confirmed the presence of high-grade veins well outside of areas underlain by historic mining activities. This is a project that will require successive deep drill holes to test for “Hishikari” type potential, but the prize could be substantial. Irving recently completed a second diamond drill hole at East Yamagano and is now mobilizing to drill its third hole.”
About Irving Resources Inc.:
Irving is a junior exploration company with a focus on gold in Japan. Irving resulted from completion of a plan of arrangement involving Irving, Gold Canyon Resources Inc. and First Mining Finance Corp. Additional information can be found on the Company’s website: www.IRVresources.com.
Gold retreated from a new all-time high set on Wednesday as some investors booked profits while assessing geopolitical risks from the US election and Middle East conflicts.
Spot gold dropped 1.0% to $2,718.79 an ounce by 12:10 p.m. ET after briefly hitting an all-time high of $2,758.25 in the morning trading. US gold futures also fell 1.0% to $2,734.00 an ounce in New York.
Bullion was down as much as 1.5% earlier in the session, with some traders exiting positions amid signs that the precious metal’s recent rally to successive highs may be excessive.
Gold’s relative strength index has been above the overbought level of 70 for the past three sessions, according to Bloomberg data.
A stronger US dollar and rising bond yields also weighed on the metal, whose price has surged by more than 30% in anticipation of the Federal Reserve’s pivot to interest rate cuts. The rally also intensified as uncertainties surrounding the US presidential race and the Middle East conflict grew.
Standard Chartered analyst Suki Cooper expects further upside risk in the coming weeks. The bank sees gold averaging $2,800 an ounce in the fourth quarter, with prices set to average $2,900 for the first three months of next year.
Those from Citi Research gave a similar outlook. The bank recently upgraded its three-month gold price view to $2,800 per ounce from $2,700 previously, adding that its 6- to 12-month forecast is $3,000.
If we start with VMS Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide Ore Deposits and their Mineralization we see from this image shows some of the sulphide chimneys associated with the model black smoker VMS deposit. VMS will emit black plume of hot water venting from one of the chimneys. You’ll remember this cross section from reads on both porphyry deposits and epithermal, in the case of VMS deposit, we are basically looking at a submarine high sulfidation epithermal deposit venting from an underlying hot chamber into the sea.
VMS deposits are dominated by copper and zinc, but there are a number of other minor minerals, including: lead, silver, gold, cobalt, tin, selenium, magnesium, cadmium and a whole host of other ones that are associated with them.
The deposits consist of a massive sulphide cap that formed on the seafloor and sort of lies parallel between two stratigraphy and an underlying feeder zone or streamer zone as it is usually called. VMS is basically mushroom shaped, Streamer zone tends to be copper rather than zinc rich. VMS deposits often form as clusters over a large intrusive heat source. If the heat chamber is long-lived you may get flat lenses of massive sulphide, each fed from the same fault, beginning successively younger as you go up through the stratigraphy. The deposits are pretty common although, as with any deposit type. There are only a few big enough or high enough grade to be economic. In spite of that, they really are economically significant with 27% of Canada’s copper production and almost 50% of its historical zinc production, and 20% of the Pb having come from this group of deposits.
VMS deposits have been forming throughout geological history and they still are forming on the seafloor today. Here’s a bunch of the better-known deposits you may have heard of. As you can see they are scattered all around the world, but I’m going to talk a little bit about the distribution later on. This is a cartoon 3D viewer of an active VMS black smoker developing on the oceanic crust on the seafloor (good rock crusher). Some of the metals are contributed by the underlying magma chamber, but as the hydrothermal fluids rise above the hot magma it sucks in cool sea water, this is then heated and mixing with the magnetic water, rises to the vent returning to the sea forming large circulation cells that maybe several kilometres across. It is the seawater circulation through the host volcanic that provides the remainder of the metal inputs. Leaching metals particularly iron there’s also bases metals and sulphur on the volcanic. Metal concentration in the hydrothermal fluids, volcanic and recycled seawater, are really low- just fractions of a percent. So how do we end up with the ore that makes up 20- 30% metal? The next slide will be on the seafloor to explain this. You can see there is a neck of fractured rock below the seafloor caused by the violent boiling of the hot fluids as the pressure is reduced, that in turn is surmounted by a series of chimneys that allow the fluid escape into the cold sea, at the bottom of the thermocline is really very cold, it’s often only a few degrees above freezing even in the tropical areas. Surrounding the chimney is an exhalative length of sulphuric material that forms on the floor. The secret of the high grade of the ore lies in rapid cooling of the hydrothermal fluid when it reaches the full seafloor.
As in porphyry deposits, the main focus of trend in deposits is the drop in temperature rather than changes in EH or pH. Different metal sulphides tend to drop out a metal solution at different temperatures- copper and gold first, followed by zinc, then lead and finally iron. There’s an overlap in the metal deposition, but that’s the broad trend. Copper starts to drop out as the temperature starts to drop from 400 degrees Celsius down to 300 degrees. The Iron and the copper drops out before the fluids actually reach the seafloor. Precipitating is a stockwork of veins in the brecciated funnel also called stringer zone, beneath the sulphide lens.
The fluids are hot, and because they are from a high sulfidation source, they’re moderately acid. This acidity alters the feldspars and host rocks to clays, some of which are washed out the rock and others metamorphous form sericite mica. Dissolved silica in the hot solutions distributes deposits such as quartz along with iron sulphide. You may hear geologist referring to this characteristic leach quartz, sericite pyrite assemblage the results are either QSP or folic alteration.
As the hydrothermal fluids reach the cold seawater, the temperature drops within seconds from 300 degrees down to 100 degrees and less. The lead and the zinc sulphite precipitates along with along with the remainder of copper. The sulfides dissolve along the sides and at the top of the vents, extending them and then bellow out to form black and white smoke as you see in National Geographic pictures. The fine clouds of sulphide cool and settles on the seafloor, building up a finely banded layers of pure sulphate which are closest to the vent, galena and sphalerite next. Pyrite deposits throughout the sequence and most desolate from the bed that is the only sphalerite still available to deposit. Beyond that the sulphur is exhausted and iron-oxide or hematite and silica is all that’s left to precipitate.
The massive sulphide is made up of a combination of finely interbedded sulphides that settle out of the black smokers and fragments of chimneys that have broken off and rolled down the slope. Here are couple of shots of massive sulphides in outcrop, note the typical, fine rhythmic banding just below the hammer on the left hand photo. The photo in the bottom right shows abandoned iron formation, developed very distantly to a VMS vent, as you can see it is made of hematite or magnetite which is oxide, rather than sulphide and white silica.
The fluids that form VMS deposits usually reach the seafloor of faults, because those faults represent zones of weakness when the stratigraphy is subsequently subject to deformation, the area around the faults is often particularly deformed. Combine this with the highly ductile nature of massive sulphides, we find that massive sulphide lenses themselves often exhibits extreme deformation. Very often the stringy cap which started off with a very high angle to the massive sulphide mushroom cap, is flattened and rotated to a much more acute angle and the massive sulphide may end up squeezed into a cigar shaped broad.
So not we know a little more about how VMS deposits are formed, let’s consider; where they occur; how common they are; and more importantly how big they are and what metal grades can we expect.
VMS deposits have been forming since the earliest of times in the Earth’s history and they are still forming today on the seafloor. As you might expect, they are found all over the world and in all ages of rocks. However, there are few areas in history where they seem to be particularly prevalent- the late Archean and the Tertiary, seem to be very prolific times. The blue, green and red symbols mark some of the more important VMS deposits worldwide.
Ok, what about size and grade? There are a number of different classes of VMS, each with somewhat very different characteristics.
It’s nice to say that economic VMS deposits generally range in size from 4- 25 million tonnes with an average of about 5 million tonnes, although there are a few monsters such as Peak Creek in Ontario which is 150 million tonnes.
Average Volcanogenic Massive Sulphide Ore Deposits Grades:
5% copper
4% zinc
< 1% lead
Maybe 1 gram per tonne of gold.
Again there are a few outlines with far higher grades than these.
Let’s look now at a few examples of VMS deposits.Nevsun’s Bisha deposit near Eritrea is a superb example of a VMS deposit. It was discovered in January in 2003, construction began in 2008 and production in 2011. This is a view of the Bisha deposit looking south, before development began. The dark brown material in the foreground is a zinc rich deposit the without the outcrop of the mineralization. Not surprisingly, the way the mineralization is being folded and it plunges to the south, where the stringer zone smeared out, parallel to the massive sulphides. The massive sulphide material varies from 1- 70 meters thick, this is unusual as most VMS deposits are less than 20 meters in thickness. Bisha is a footprint that’s about 1 kilometre long and 200 meters wide. In spite of the steep dip to the mineralization which results in a pit with a high stripping ratio the deposit has one big advantage. So there is a leach gold zone on the surface, underlain by a secondary enrich copper zone with the primary zinc dominated, primary zone below that.
The advantage of this is the expense is concentrated and does not have to be booked by start-up and could be constructed just a few years later when the primary sulphides are reached and funded, most importantly from cash flow, rather than debt. Most attractive of all in Bisha, is the size:
With reserves of 26 million tonnes
at 1.8% copper
6.3% zinc
0.9 grams per tonne gold
and 41 grams per tonne silver.
This is 5 times the average VMS site. VMS deposits occur in clusters/groups and Bisha is no exception. With at least 7 other VMS deposits discovered within 20 kilometres. Although Bisha is the only one in production so far.
The second example we are going to talk about today is kind of unusual, it’s actually a group of deposits that only recently been formed, in fact they are so young they are still on the ocean floor and will have to be mined remotely from floating platforms. They were discovered by Nautilus Mining Company using a combination of both metrics and EM geophysics. To date it gives and fascinating insight to the nature of the black smoker fields.This image is taken from Nautilus’ 43 101 report and it shows an amazing isometric view of the chimney of Salwara 1 target off the coast of Papua New Guinea derived from the symmetry.The image covers about 800 meters from left to right and the individual chimneys are clearly visible. The small image shows remote operating vehicles claws, removing a sample of a smoker chimney for for assay. For environmental reasons only extinct smokers were targeted. Once the hot water stop flowing, the cold and lack of nutrients causes the once abundant sea life to move away or to die. Extinct smokers are therefore devoid of significant sea life, and environmentally not an issue. In the cross section of the Solwara 1 VMS based on mapping and drilling of deposits we can see the massive sulphides in red, the alterations associated with stringer zones in pale green. Although the resource is relatively small, just two and a half million tonnes, the grades are exceptionally high- with a copper grade of almost 8% and a gold grade of over 6 grams per tonne, as is typical there has been at least 18 other deposits discovered in this particular cluster.The Solwara 1 VMS is at a depth, 1600 meters below sea level. Submarine VMS deposits have never been mined before but the equipment that Nautilus plants use has a proven record, excavating trenches for submarine cables and mining marine diamonds off the South African coast. Its practicality is well established. This is another piece of mining equipment that Nautilus is considering having custom built, you will notice the proposed completion date in this old material, to my knowledge this construction is still on hold which gives the indication that funding and mining will not be straight forward. Once the material is remotely mined, its plan to pump it to the surface as a slurry then to transfer debarked or to transport to lower a sure base concentrator.
Vancouver, British Columbia–(Newsfile Corp. – October 23, 2024) – EMX Royalty Corporation (NYSE American: EMX) (TSXV: EMX) (FSE: 6E9) (the “Company” or “EMX”) is pleased to announce that its royalty partner at Timok in Serbia, Zijin Mining Group Co., Ltd. (“Zijin”), released unaudited interim results that show markedly increased levels of copper and gold production at Timok in the first half of 2024. Zijin reported 90,008 tonnes of copper and 2,894 kilograms of gold produced from Timok’s Cukaru Peki Mine in H1, 2024 (see Zijin Mining Group Co., Ltd. Interim Report 2024). This aligns with the record Q2 royalty revenues of $1,586,000 reported by EMX in its Q2 MD&A filings. On page seven of its 2024 Interim Report, Zijin also states that the combined Serbia Zijin Copper (which includes Zijin’s Bor operations, which are not covered by EMX’s royalties) and Serbia Zijin Mining projects (which includes the Timok/Cukaru Peki Mine which is covered by an EMX royalty), now have a capacity to produce 450,000 tonnes of copper on an annual basis. This is a significant increase compared with previous years.
Zijin has previously announced that the throughput of its processing plant at Cukaru Peki is being expanded from 12,000 tonnes per day to 15,000 tonnes per day1. The expansion of capacity and production at Cukaru Peki is part of an ongoing effort by Zijin to de-bottleneck their operations in Serbia, and by doing so, will unlock additional potential in the greater district. In addition to the ongoing production from the Upper Zone at Cukaru Peki, Zijin is also working to develop the underlying Lower Zone porphyry copper-gold deposit. The Lower Zone at Cukaru Peki will be developed through block caving, and EMX believes that the Cukaru Peki Mine will become one of the more important block cave development projects in the world.
On page 6 of the interim report, Zijin also highlights high grade copper gold exploration potential at its “MG Zone” in the “southern part of the Cukaru Peki Copper and Gold Mine”. We do not yet know whether Zijin’s exploration efforts will be successful and become material to EMX. However, it is notable that a discussion of the newly described MG Zone appeared in the interim report.
EMX congratulates Zijin on its outstanding performance in the Bor and Timok districts in Serbia. EMX currently holds a 0.3625% NSR royalty over Zijin’s Brestovac exploration permit area (including the Cukaru Peki Mining licenses), as well as portions of Zijin’s Jasikovo-Durlan Potak exploration license north of the currently active Bor Mine. EMX also owns a 2% NSR royalty on precious metals and a 1% NSR royalty on base metals on the Brestovac West License, which lies immediately adjacent and to the west of the Brestovac Mining License and the Cukaru Peki Mine (see Figure 1). All of EMX’s Timok royalties are uncapped and cannot be repurchased or reduced. The Company is currently receiving quarterly royalty payments from Zijin for copper and gold production from the Cukaru Peki Mine.
Dr. Eric P. Jensen, CPG, a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and employee of the Company, has reviewed, verified and approved the disclosure of the technical information contained in this news release.
About EMX. EMX is a precious and base metals royalty company. EMX’s investors are provided with discovery, development, and commodity price optionality, while limiting exposure to risks inherent to operating companies. The Company’s common shares are listed on the NYSE American Exchange and TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol “EMX”. Please see www.EMXroyalty.com for more information.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release
Forward-Looking Statements This news release may contain “forward looking statements” that reflect the Company’s current expectations and projections about its future results. These forward-looking statements may include statements regarding perceived merit of properties, exploration results and budgets, mineral reserves and resource estimates, work programs, capital expenditures, timelines, strategic plans, market prices for precious and base metal, or other statements that are not statements of fact. When used in this news release, words such as “estimate,” “intend,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “will”, “believe”, “potential” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, which, by their very nature, are not guarantees of the Company’s future operational or financial performance, and are subject to risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause the Company’s actual results, performance, prospects or opportunities to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and factors may include, but are not limited to unavailability of financing, failure to identify commercially viable mineral reserves, fluctuations in the market valuation for commodities, difficulties in obtaining required approvals for the development of a mineral project, increased regulatory compliance costs, expectations of project funding by joint venture partners and other factors.
Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this news release or as of the date otherwise specifically indicated herein. Due to risks and uncertainties, including the risks and uncertainties identified in this news release, and other risk factors and forward-looking statements listed in the Company’s MD&A for the quarter ended June 30, 2024 (the “MD&A”), and the most recently filed Annual Information Form (“AIF”) for the year ended December 31, 2023, actual events may differ materially from current expectations. More information about the Company, including the MD&A, the AIF and financial statements of the Company, is available on SEDAR at www.sedarplus.ca and on the SEC’s EDGAR website at www.sec.gov.
TORONTO, Oct. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ – Collective Mining Ltd. (NYSE: CNL) (TSX: CNL) (“Collective” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce the discovery of a new high-grade gold zone at the Apollo system (“Apollo”), located within the Company’s Guayabales Project in Caldas, Colombia. This new discovery, which has been named the Ramp Zone, is interpreted to be the first intercept into a major new high-grade gold system at depth and can be classified as a partially reduced intrusion related Au-Ag-Cu system. Although the Ramp Zone begins at or near 1,000 metres below surface, the discovery hole is in close proximity to a conceptual underground access tunnel connecting Apollo to mining related infrastructure in a potential future development scenario for the project.
Ari Sussman, Executive Chairman commented: “The fact that Apollo is now transitioning into a bulk zone of high-grade gold mineralization at depth is extremely exciting and will no doubt add materially to the mineral resource endowment of Apollo. The Guayabales Project and the neighbouring Marmato mine form a giant precious metal rich district which continues to yield new major discoveries. Equally exciting is that the Apollo system, which outcrops at surface, now boasts a vertical dimension of approximately 1,150 metres with further expansion dead-ahead. I am proud of our team who continue to deliver remarkable exploration success. The Company is planning an expanded drilling program to follow up on the Ramp Zone discovery with further details to be provided in due course.”
To watch a video of David Reading, Special Advisor to the Company, discuss the Ramp Zone discovery, click here.
The Company currently has five diamond drill rigs in operation within the Guayabales Project as part of its fully funded 40,000 metres drill program for 2024 with two rigs drilling at the Apollo system, two rigs drilling at Trap and one rig currently mobilizing to the X Target.
Highlights (see Table 1-2 and Figures 1-6)
Drill Hole APC99-D5
Diamond drill hole APC99-D5, which was drilled southwest from Pad16 (See Figure 1) to test for continuity and extend Apollo at depth, intersected significant mineralization as follows:
517.35 metres @ 1.97 g/t gold equivalent from 351.55 metres in the Apollo system, including:
31.30 metres @ 3.43 g/t gold equivalent from 353.60 metres
24.60 metres @ 2.68 g/t gold equivalent from 575.10 metres
30.60 metres @ 3.99 g/t gold equivalent from 729.25 metres
57.65 metres @ 8.18 g/t gold equivalent from 811.25 metres (New high-grade discovery named the Ramp Zone)
APC99-D5 on a grade accumulation bases averaged 1,021 grams x metres and is the twelfth and deepest intercept to date at Apollo with grade accumulation at over 1,000 grams x metres.
The New High-Grade Ramp Zone Discovery (at the Bottom of Drill Hole APC99-D5)
The final 57.65 metres of drill hole APC99-D5 cut a new style of mineralization in the deepest drill hole to date at Apollo with results as follows:
The high-grade Ramp Zone discovery was made at a depth of 1,150 metres below surface and is located approximately 480 metres laterally to the southwest from drill hole APC88-D1, which intersected 15.60 metres @ 20.34 g/t gold equivalent and was the prior deepest interval at Apollo (see press release dated January 30, 2024). No drilling at this deeper elevation between or below holes APC99-D5 and APC88-D1 has taken place indicating the high-grade Ramp Zone might have significant lateral extent as well as being open in all directions for expansion including at depth. Lateral step-out drilling is presently underway to expand this new discovery with assay results potentially available towards the end of Q4, 2024.
The Company named this new discovery the “Ramp Zone” because it is located close in elevation to the conceptual underground haulage tunnel for a future mine at the Guayabales Project (see Figure 4). Due to the proximity, it is possible that the high-grade mineralization encountered in holes APC99-D5 and earlier in hole APC88-D1 may be mined early in the mine life of a future underground mining scenario for the project (subject to completing a successful NI 43-101 compliant economic study and mine plan).
Although at significantly higher grades, the Ramp Zone shares some geological characteristics with Aris Mining’s multi-million-ounce Marmato Deeps deposit. The Ramp Zone mineralization also begins at a similar elevation to the top of Marmato Deeps with details as follows:
The Ramp Zone locates, coincidentally, at the same elevation level as the top of the Marmato Deeps deposit at approximately 1,000 metres above sea level (see Figure 3) and hosts similar bismuth and tellurium bearing sulphide minerals. The Marmato mine is located only 1.75 kilometres southeast of Apollo and hosts Measured and Indicated Resources of 5.99 million ounces at 3.03 g/t gold (61.5 million tonnes) and Inferred Resources of 2.79 million ounces at 2.43 g/t gold (35.6 million tonnes).
The Ramp Zone mineralogy and geochemistry, which consists of pyrite bearing veins and veinlets containing bismuth, tellurium and copper bearing sulphides, is similar to precious metal deposits classified as belonging to those referred to as Reduced Intrusion Related Gold Systems (“RIRGS”). In the case of the Ramp Zone discovery, the Company’s geological advisors have referred to this high-grade discovery as a Partially Reduced Intrusion Related Au-Ag-Cu System (“PRIRS”) due to the additional presence of copper bearing chalcopyrite along with the more typical bismuth and tellurium bearing sulphides seen in RIRGS deposits. Potential geological comparable PRIRS deposits to Apollo include the Telfer, Havieron and Winu deposits in Australia.
Table 1: Assays Results for Drill Hole APC99-D5
Hole #
From (m)
To (m)
Length (m)
Au g/t
Ag g/t
Cu %
Zn %
AuEq g/t*
APC99-D5
241.45
250.80
9.35
1.91
11
0.01
0.03
2.02
and
351.55
868.90
517.35
1.84
10
0.03
0.06
1.97
Incl.
353.60
384.90
31.30
3.24
16
0.05
0.04
3.43
& incl
575.10
599.70
24.60
2.49
12
0.04
0.16
2.68
& incl
729.25
759.85
30.60
3.89
9
0.03
0.17
3.99
RAMP ZONE
& incl
811.25
868.90
57.65
7.83
33
0.09
0.12
8.18
Incl.
819.10
837.95
18.85
19.39
83
0.21
0.16
20.21
*AuEq (g/t) is calculated as follows: (Au (g/t) x 0.97) + (Ag (g/t) x 0.015 x 0.85) + (Cu (%) x 1.44 x 0.95) + (Zn (%) x 0.43 x 0.85) utilizing metal prices of Ag – US$30/oz, Zn – US$1.25/lb, Cu – US$4.2/lb and Au – US$2,000/oz and recovery rates of 97% for Au, 85% for Ag, 95% for Cu and 85% for Zn. Recovery rate assumptions for metals are based on metallurgical results announced on October 17, 2023, April 11, 2024, and October 3, 2024. The recovery rate assumption for zinc is speculative as limited metallurgical work has been completed to date. True widths are unknown, and grades are uncut.
Table 2: Assays Results for the New High-Grade Subzone Within the Ramp Zone Discovery
From(m)
To(m)
Length(m)
Aug/t
Agg/t
Cu%
Bippm
Teppm
819.10
819.90
0.80
11.60
83
0.07
116.50
5.56
819.90
820.80
0.90
35.60
168
0.13
248.00
10.80
820.80
821.80
1.00
6.98
25
0.02
33.10
1.50
821.80
822.85
1.05
3.36
18
0.04
20.90
1.17
822.85
824.00
1.15
4.21
15
0.03
13.60
0.74
824.00
825.00
1.00
2.75
7
0.01
6.83
0.41
825.00
826.10
1.10
3.59
28
0.13
10.20
0.56
826.10
827.10
1.00
53.70
342
0.92
316.00
10.50
827.10
828.10
1.00
59.70
288
0.94
205.00
9.54
828.10
829.15
1.05
40.20
100
0.19
77.70
2.81
829.15
830.15
1.00
5.73
44
0.12
33.70
0.94
830.15
831.25
1.10
24.80
72
0.18
44.80
2.22
831.25
832.10
0.85
25.00
87
0.22
81.10
3.13
832.10
833.20
1.10
15.60
64
0.16
48.80
2.21
833.20
834.20
1.00
12.50
70
0.25
34.00
1.46
834.20
835.20
1.00
24.60
91
0.29
47.20
3.76
835.20
836.20
1.00
20.60
34
0.09
18.75
1.02
836.20
837.10
0.90
1.91
11
0.04
6.31
0.27
837.10
837.95
0.85
18.40
46
0.11
34.60
1.49
Weighted Average
18.85
19.39
83
0.21
Figure 1: Plan View of the High-Grade Ramp Zone Discovery (CNW Group/Collective Mining Ltd.)
Figure 2: Plan View at 925 Metres Above Sea Level Showing the Ramp Zone Discovery (CNW Group/Collective Mining Ltd.)
Figure 3: Longitudinal Section Highlighting Similar Elevation of the Ramp Zone and Marmato Deeps and the Close Proximity of Both Mineralized Systems (CNW Group/Collective Mining Ltd.)
Figure 4: Longitudinal Section Highlighting the New High-Grade Ramp Zone Discovery and Proposed Four Kilometer Access Tunnel Linking this Target and Various Other Discoveries with a Potential Surface Site for Mine Infrastructure (CNW Group/Collective Mining Ltd.)
Figure 6: Plan View of the Guayabales Project Highlighting the Apollo Target Area (CNW Group/Collective Mining Ltd.)
About Collective Mining Ltd.
To see our latest corporate presentation and related information, please visit www.collectivemining.com
Founded by the team that developed and sold Continental Gold Inc. to Zijin Mining for approximately $2 billion in enterprise value, Collective is a copper, silver, gold and tungsten exploration company with projects in Caldas, Colombia. The Company has options to acquire 100% interests in two projects located directly within an established mining camp with ten fully permitted and operating mines.
The Company’s flagship project, Guayabales, is anchored by the Apollo system, which hosts the large-scale, bulk-tonnage and high-grade copper-silver-gold-tungsten Apollo porphyry system. The Company’s 2024 objective is to expand the Apollo system, step out along strike to expand the recently discovered Trap system and make a new discovery at either the Tower, X or Plutus targets.
Management, insiders, a strategic investor and close family and friends own nearly 50% of the outstanding shares of the Company and as a result, are fully aligned with shareholders. The Company is listed on the NYSE under the trading symbol “CNL”, on the TSX under the trading symbol “CNL”, on the FSE under the trading symbol “GG1”.
Qualified Person (QP) and NI43-101 Disclosure
David J Reading is the designated Qualified Person for this news release within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 (“NI 43-101”) and has reviewed and verified that the technical information contained herein is accurate and approves of the written disclosure of same. Mr. Reading has an MSc in Economic Geology and is a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining and of the Society of Economic Geology (SEG).
Technical Information
Rock, soils and core samples have been prepared and analyzed at ALS laboratory facilities in Medellin, Colombia and Lima, Peru. Blanks, duplicates, and certified reference standards are inserted into the sample stream to monitor laboratory performance. Crush rejects and pulps are kept and stored in a secured storage facility for future assay verification. No capping has been applied to sample composites. The Company utilizes a rigorous, industry-standard QA/QC program.
Information Contact:
Follow Executive Chairman Ari Sussman (@Ariski73) on X
This news release contains “forward-looking statements” and “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities legislation (collectively, “forward-looking statements”). All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussion with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often, but not always using phrases such as “plans”, “expects”, “is expected”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates”, or “believes” or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward-looking statements relate, among other things, to: the anticipated advancement of mineral properties or programs; future operations; future recovery metal recovery rates; future growth potential of Collective; and future development plans.
These forward-looking statements, and any assumptions upon which they are based, are made in good faith and reflect our current judgment regarding future events including final listing mechanics and the direction of our business. Management believes that these assumptions are reasonable. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others: risks related to the speculative nature of the Company’s business; the Company’s formative stage of development; the Company’s financial position; possible variations in mineralization, grade or recovery rates; actual results of current exploration activities; conclusions of future economic evaluations; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; fluctuations in spot and forward prices of gold, precious and base metals or certain other commodities; fluctuations in currency markets; change in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls regulations and political or economic developments; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formation pressures, cave-ins and flooding); inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability of increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); and title to properties, as well as those risk factors discussed or referred to in the annual information form of the Company dated March 27, 2024. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. 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 and there may be other factors that cause results not to be anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
Collective Mining Ltd. logo (CNW Group/Collective Mining Ltd.)
Edmonton, Alberta–(Newsfile Corp. – October 22, 2024) – Grizzly Discoveries Inc. (TSXV: GZD) (FSE: G6H) (OTCQB: GZDIF) (“Grizzly” or the “Company”) is pleased to provide an update on the acquisition of the Motherlode Crown Grants from First Majestic Silver Corp. (“First Majestic”) and includes highlights of the recently compiled historical information for the Motherlode Crown Grants, located near the town of Greenwood, South-Central British Columbia (BC). The Motherlode Crown Grants host the historical Motherlode, Sunset, Sunrise and Greyhound mines that at various times during the early and middle 1900’s produced copper (Cu), gold (Au) and silver (Ag) from both open pit and underground workings (Figures 1 and 2). The Motherlode Mine is reported to have produced 76,975,111 pounds of Cu, 173,319 ounces of Au and 688,203 ounces of Ag during the active periods of mining from 1900 to 1920 and then from 1957 to 1962 (BC Minfile 082ESE034). The Motherlode mine is road accessible and is approximately 2.5 km (1.5 miles) northwest of the town of Greenwood (Figure 1).
Highlights
First Majestic to transfer Motherlode to Grizzly. First Majestic has completed the re-instatement of the MotherlodeCrown Grant owner and wholly owned subsidiary Veris Gold Corp. and in concert with advice from the BC Ministry of Energy, Mines & Low Carbon Innovation has submitted a petition to re-vest the Crown Grants with the subsurface mineral rights back to Veris Gold, at which time once approved, will allow First Majestic to transfer the Crown Grants with the subsurface mineral rights to the Company.
Motherlode Historical MRE. A historical MRE1 constructed in 1967 by Allen Geological Engineering Ltd.2 after the last period of mining on behalf of two companies, Aabro Mining and Oils Ltd. and Cumberland Mining Ltd., is described as Drill Proven (Assured), Indicated and Inferred and totals 2.8 million tonnes with a grade of 1.6% Cu equivalent (CuEq3) (0.8% Cu, 1.06 g/t Au).
Additional Cu-Au Mineralization. In addition to the historical MREs, drilling in 1996 by Strathcona Mineral Services on behalf of YGC Resources (Veris Gold) intersected several zones of Cu-Au mineralization targeting the gold bearing halo to the Motherlode Skarn along the east side of the Motherlode pit in the vicinity of the historical underground workings (Figures 2 and 3).
Drillhole 96-8 encountered gold in almost every sample over the entire 154.23 m (506 ft) length drillhole with a number of higher grade zones in proper skarn towards the bottom of the hole (Figures 3 and 4). The results include 2.5 g/t (0.073 ounces per ton [opt]) Au along with significant Cu over 4.88 m (16 ft) intersecting the Main Motherlode skarn at the bottom of the drillhole within altered Brooklyn limestone. The skarn mineralization is associated with a strong AeroTEM conductivity anomaly (Figure 2).
The hole was terminated prior to completion due to technical difficulties and concerns over intersecting the existing underground stopes. Strathcona Mineral Services recommended follow-up drilling which has never been completed.
Figure 1: Land position and targets of interest for future exploration, Greenwood Project.
Brian Testo, President and CEO of Grizzly Discoveries, stated, “We are excited with the acquisition of the historical Motherlode Crown Grants and the potential battery metal and precious metal targets that they provide. We look forward to an aggressive 2024 drilling campaign at the Motherlode area and other high grade Au-Ag-Cu showings and historical mines in our current 170,000+ acre holdings in the Greenwood District.“
The Company currently has an active land use permit for drilling at the Motherlode area and has designed a confirmation and exploration core drilling program for the Motherlode and Sunset pit areas based upon a compilation of historical information. The planned program consists of approximately 2,000 m 13 core holes and is focused on targets beneath and along strike from the Motherlode Pit (Figure 4).
Additional planned drilling is being considered for the Greyhound Pit area once a geological and mineralization model have been completed for the Greyhound target.
Summary of the Motherlode Crown Grants and Purchase Terms
The Motherlode Crown Grants near the town of Greenwood, South-Central British Columbia (BC) consist of 13 Crown Grants covering a total of 300 acres (121.4 hectares) that all retain the subsurface mineral rights and date back to the late 1800’s early 1900’s when they were granted. The Crown Grants take precedence over normal mineral claims registered under the BC Mineral Titles Act. The Crown Grants cover a number of historical mines, including the Motherlode Mine. The Motherlode mine is road accessible and is approximately 2.5 km northwest of the town of Greenwood (Figure 1).
Figure 4: Motherlode Mineralized Zone Orthogonal View and Proposed Drilling.
Grizzly will provide First Majestic 250,000 common shares of the Company upon successful transfer of the Crown Grants to the Company.
The Company will cover the costs to re-instate and transfer the Crown Grants from YGC Resources Ltd. (Veris Gold Corp.) a wholly owned sub of First Majestic to First Majestic and then to the Company.
On closing, the Company will grant First Majestic a 1% Net Smelter Return (NSR) Royalty on the Crown Grants that can be purchased by the Company at any time for $250,000.
The technical content of this news release and the Company’s technical disclosure has been reviewed and approved by Michael B. Dufresne, M.Sc., P. Geol., P.Geo., who is the Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.
ABOUT GRIZZLY DISCOVERIES INC.
Grizzly is a diversified Canadian mineral exploration company with its primary listing on the TSX Venture Exchange focused on developing its approximately 72,700 ha (approximately 180,000 acres) of precious and base metals properties in southeastern British Columbia. Grizzly is run by a highly experienced junior resource sector management team, who have a track record of advancing exploration projects from early exploration stage through to feasibility stage.
On behalf of the Board,
GRIZZLY DISCOVERIES INC. Brian Testo, CEO, President
Suite 363-9768 170 Street NW Edmonton, Alberta T5T 5L4
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Caution concerning forward-looking information
This press release contains “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of applicable securities laws. This information and statements address future activities, events, plans, developments and projections. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, constitute forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. Such forward-looking information and statements are frequently identified by words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “expect,” “believe,” “estimate,” “intend” and similar terminology, and reflect assumptions, estimates, opinions and analysis made by management of Grizzly in light of its experience, current conditions, expectations of future developments and other factors which it believes to be reasonable and relevant. Forward-looking information and statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause Grizzly’s actual results, performance and achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information and statements and accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed thereon.
Risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to vary include but are not limited to the availability of financing; fluctuations in commodity prices; changes to and compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including environmental laws and obtaining requisite permits; political, economic and other risks; as well as other risks and uncertainties which are more fully described in our annual and quarterly Management’s Discussion and Analysis and in other filings made by us with Canadian securities regulatory authorities and available at www.sedar.com. Grizzly disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements except as may be required by law.
1The Motherlode and Greyhound Properties of Cumberland Mining Co. Ltd. N.P.L. Greenwood, BC by Allen Geological Engineering Ltd. September 27th, 1967.
2Various historical Mineral Resource Estimates (MREs) produced both prior to the last period of mining 1957 – 1962 (Report on Motherlode and Sunset Mine by Frances Fredericks, 1951) and after the last period of mining as part of a couple of historical economic studies have been recovered from the publicly available BC Property Files. This historical MRE was calculated prior to the implementation of the standards set forth in the current National Instrument (NI) 43-101 and current Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) standards for MREs. Resource definitions, terminology and reporting standards have changed significantly since these series of reports. The estimates in these reports are all considered historical in nature, and a Qualified Person (QP) has not done sufficient work to evaluate these resources as current resources. For these resources to be updated as current resources, a QP would need to examine and analyze the existing drill core, validate and verify the existing data supporting the historical estimate, and perform a confirmatory site visit. Therefore, the company and the QP for this news release are treating this estimate as historical in nature, and are highlighting the estimate for the purpose of illustrating the potential extent of mineralization that may be present.
3CuEq is calculated utilizing 90% recovery for both Cu and Au, and prices of US$4/lb for Cu and US$2,000/oz for Au.
