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Group Ten Metals – Live from 2022 Roundup Conference

Group Ten Metals (TSX.V: PGE / OTCQB: PGEZF) is a Canadian mineral resource exploration company focused on the advancement of our flagship Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu project adjacent to the high-grade Stillwater mines in Montana, USA

Group Ten Metals Inc.

Suite 904 – 409 Granville Street
Vancouver, BC V6C 1T2

Tel: +1 (604) 357-4790
Toll Free: 1-888-432-0075 
Fax: +1 (604) 648-8573
Email: info@grouptenmetals.com

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Base Metals Energy Exclusive Interviews Junior Mining Metallic Group Stillwater Critical Minerals

Group Ten Metals is Loaded Battery and Platinum Group Metals

PRESS RELEASE

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 2, 2022 / Group Ten Metals Inc. (TSXV:PGE)(OTCQB:PGEZF)(FSE:5D32) (the “Company” or “Group Ten”) reports results from the Induced Polarization geophysical (“IP”) survey completed in 2021 at its 100%-owned Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu-Co + Au project in Montana, USA. The 2021 survey was completed as an expansion off the west end of the 2020 survey, covering the area between the Hybrid and DR deposits at Chrome Mountain and drill-defined high-grade gold mineralization at the Pine target area (see Figure 1). The size and strength of the resulting geophysical signatures demonstrate additional potential for large bodies of sulphide mineralization.

2021 Survey Highlights:

  • High-level geophysical anomalies, measured and modeled in 3D to 800 meters depth, extend the combined model from 9.2 kilometers (“km”) to 12km in length in the center of the 32-kilometer-long Stillwater West project.
  • The five deposits defined by the Company’s inaugural NI43-101 mineral resource estimate* are set in similar anomalies in the 2020 IP survey and show strong spatial correlations with IP results, demonstrating the effectiveness of the technique in targeting desirable Platreef-style sulphide mineralization in the lower Stillwater complex.
  • Results of the combined IP surveys suggest significant expansion potential for drill-defined sulphide mineralization in the 2021 mineral resource estimates which delineated a total of 1.1Blbs of nickel, copper, and cobalt, plus 2.4Moz of palladium, platinum, rhodium and gold1.
  • The expanded survey included the Pine target area with the objective of finalizing drill targets and advancing drill-defined high-grade gold mineralization towards definition of a formal mineral resource.
  • Very high chargeability readings of over 180 mV/V were returned in the Pegmatoid Ridge target area, coincident with a strong kilometer-scale gold-in-soil anomaly that is contiguous with drill-defined high-grade gold at the Pine target, two kilometers to the southeast. Anomalous palladium, platinum, nickel and copper are also seen in soils in this area.
  • IP geophysics has proven to be an effective tool for identifying high-grade sulphide mineralization in the lower Stillwater Igneous Complex, guiding Group Ten’s 2020 and 2021 drill campaigns to the discovery of multiple new high-grade magmatic horizons of Platreef-style nickel and copper sulphide mineralization, with palladium, platinum, rhodium, gold, and cobalt.

* The Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu-Co + Au project 2021 Resource estimate was prepared by Allan Armitage, P.Geo., of SGS Geological Services, an independent Qualified Person, in accordance with the guidelines of the Canadian Securities Administrators’ National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”) with an effective date of October 7, 2021. CIM (2014) definitions were followed for Mineral Resources Reporting. The constrained Mineral Resources are reported at a base case cut-off grade of 0.20% NiEq. Cut-off grades are based on metal prices of $7.00/lb Ni, $3.50/lb Cu, $20.00/lb Co, $900/oz Pt, $1,800/oz Pd and $1,600/oz Au, with assumed metal recoveries of 80% for Ni, 85% for copper, 80% for Co, Pt, Pd and Au, a mining cost of US$2.20/t rock, and processing and G&A cost of US$12.75/t mineralized material. Rhodium was modeled but not included in equivalency calculations. All figures are rounded to reflect the relative accuracy of the estimate. The current Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves as they do not have demonstrated economic viability. The quantity and grade of reported Inferred Resources in this Mineral Resource Estimate are uncertain in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to define these Inferred Resources as Indicated or Measured. However, based on the current knowledge of the deposits, it is reasonably expected that the majority of Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration.

Michael Rowley, President and CEO, commented, “Results from the 2021 IP geophysical survey expanded our model of the core project area by 30% in length and advanced very high-quality targets with some of the highest chargeability readings to date. 3D models developed from the combined survey – and the strong correlation with drill-defined mineralization that is demonstrated across the core 12-kilometer span of the project – highlight the remarkable scale and potential of the mineralized system at Stillwater West and provide important information on structure and geometry for our predictive geologic model to guide future drill campaigns. Near-term, we are looking forward to announcing additional assay results from the 14 resource expansion holes drilled in 2021. Those results will allow us to finalize our exploration plans for 2022 which will focus on resource expansion drilling in priority deposit areas in addition to other high priority targets within the now expanded 12km core project area.”

Figure 1 – 2021 Mineral resource estimates (yellow) show strong correlation with 3D model results of the combined 2020 and 2021 IP survey across the expanded 12km core project area. Very large-scale chargeability and conductivity anomalies, shown in pink and blue respectively, indicate potential for additional large bodies of sulphide mineralization in the lower Stillwater complex.

Upcoming News and Events

Group Ten is pleased to confirm that it will participate in the AME Roundup trade show at booth #302 on Wednesday February 2nd, and Thursday February 3rd, under the Metallic Group of Companies. Core samples will be available for viewing at the booth.

Group Ten will be presenting at the GCFF Virtual Conference 2022 – Base Metals & Energy Metals Day on February 9th at 12:55PM PT.

Discussion

The 2021 Induced Polarization (IP) geophysical survey by Group Ten and Simcoe Geoscience expanded the 2020 survey with an additional 11 lines and 25 line-km of coverage for a new total of 102 line-km of combined coverage spanning the 12km core area of the Stillwater West project.

The combined survey is the largest ever completed in the Stillwater district, successfully imaging the Basal, Ultramafic Series, and basement rocks of the lower Stillwater complex and returning very large-scale anomalies with remarkable continuity, including the highly prospective peridotite zone and basal series that host the 2021 mineral resource estimates. The strength and continuity of the results enabled 3D inversion modeling to a depth of 800 meters, even after the application of high-level cut-offs of >45 mV/V and ≤100 ohm-meter to the chargeability and conductivity datasets, respectively.

As shown in Figure 1, the 2021 expansion survey included one in-fill line at the western edge of the DR and Hybrid deposits in the area of high-grade nickel sulphide mineralization intercepted in hole CM2020-04 (reported March 3, 2021). Completed as part of the Company’s priority on expanding high-grade, and high tenor, nickel sulphides in this area, data from this portion of the survey will inform the 2022 expansion drill campaign.

A second priority of the 2021 expansion IP survey was to detail the area between the DR and Hybrid deposits at Chrome Mountain and drill-defined high-grade precious metals mineralization at the Pine target, in the Wild West target area. Multiple large-scale, contiguous, strong anomalies were identified in this area in the 2021 survey, with many anomalies open past the modeled depth of 800 meters and the majority correlating with soil geochemistry anomalies identified in earlier campaigns. Many of the newly identified chargeability anomalies (>45 mV/V) are extremely large (up to 1,000m by 800m in section), and the correlation with demonstrated mineralization in soil surveys is an indicator of a potential large-scale mineralized system that makes these targets a priority for follow-up work.

Very high-level chargeability values of over 180 mV/V, some of the highest recorded to data on the project, were returned in a near-surface anomaly at the Pegmatoid Ridge target area, which is compelling because of a correlated kilometer-scale soil anomaly with elevated palladium, platinum, nickel and copper, and very high gold results of up to 500 ppb Au. Large-scale geophysical and metal-in-soil anomalies in this area are contiguous with similar anomalies at drill-defined high-grade gold at the Pine target, approximately two kilometers southeast of Pegmatoid Ridge, making these two areas a priority for follow-up exploration by the Company in 2022.

As shown in Figure 1, these very large and high-level anomalies demonstrate an exceptionally strong correlation with the 2021 Mineral Resource Estimates, and the adjacent robust IP anomalies are priority targets for resource expansion drilling in 2022.

Strong spatial correlations are also noted with historic drill results outside of the main target areas, and with other datasets including past geophysical surveys, and soil and rock geochemistry, demonstrating additional potential for expansion of sulphide mineralization at earlier stage targets more broadly across the 32-kilometer length of the project.

Results also demonstrate good correlation with 3D Magnetic Vector Inversion (“MVI”) modeling, completed on earlier geophysical survey data. MVI modeling has been instrumental in a number of large discoveries in recent years, including the expansion of Ivanhoe’s Platreef mine in similar geology in South Africa. As previously announced by Group Ten June 4, 2019, MVI results at Stillwater West indicate significant thickening of the magmatic package under the most advanced target areas relative to other parts of the Stillwater complex, highlighting the potential that the magmatic horizons that host known mineralization may also extend to several kilometers in depth, starting from surface. This is consistent with the adjacent high-grade J-M Reef deposit where mining by Sibanye-Stillwater has extended mineralized horizons to over 2 km depth from surface.

Option Grant

Group Ten further announces it has granted 1,400,000 incentive stock options (the “Options”) to directors, officers, employees, and consultants of the Company Exchange under the Company’s Long-Term Performance Incentive Plan (“LTIP”). The Options are exercisable for up to five years, expiring on February 2, 2027, and each Option will allow the holder to purchase one common share of the Company at a price of $0.36 per share, being the closing price of the previous trading day. The Options are subject to certain vesting requirements in accordance with the Company’s LTIP and the Options grant is subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval.

About Stillwater West

Group Ten is rapidly advancing the Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu-Co + Au project towards becoming a world-class source of low-carbon, sulphide-hosted nickel, copper, and cobalt, critical to the electrification movement, as well as key catalytic metals including platinum, palladium and rhodium used in catalytic converters, fuel cells, and the production of green hydrogen. Stillwater West positions Group Ten as the second-largest landholder in the Stillwater Complex, with a 100%-owned position adjoining and adjacent to Sibanye-Stillwater’s PGE mines in south-central Montana, USA1. The Stillwater Complex is recognized as one of the top regions in the world for PGE-Ni-Cu-Co mineralization, alongside the Bushveld Complex and Great Dyke in southern Africa, which are similar layered intrusions. The J-M Reef, and other PGE-enriched sulphide horizons in the Stillwater Complex, share many similarities with the highly prolific Merensky and UG2 Reefs in the Bushveld Complex. Group Ten’s work in the lower Stillwater Complex has demonstrated the presence of large-scale disseminated and high-sulphide battery metals and PGE mineralization, similar to the Platreef in the Bushveld Complex2. Drill campaigns by the Company, complemented by a substantial historic drill database, have delineated five deposits of Platreef-style mineralization across a core 9-kilometer span of the project, all of which are open for expansion into adjacent targets. Multiple earlier-stage Platreef-style and reef-type targets are also being advanced across the remainder of the 32-kilometer length of the project based on strong correlations seen in soil and rock geochemistry, geophysical surveys, geologic mapping, and drilling.

About Group Ten Metals Inc.

Group Ten Metals Inc. is a TSX-V-listed Canadian mineral exploration company focused on the development of high-quality platinum, palladium, nickel, copper, cobalt, and gold exploration assets in top North American mining jurisdictions. The Company’s core asset is the Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu-Co + Au project adjacent to Sibanye-Stillwater’s high-grade PGE mines in Montana, USA. Group Ten also holds the high-grade Black Lake-Drayton Gold project, adjacent to Treasury Metals’ development-stage Goliath Gold Complex in northwest Ontario, which is currently under an earn-in agreement with an option to joint venture whereby Heritage Mining may earn up to a 90% interest in the project by completing payments and work on the project. The Company also holds the Kluane PGE-Ni-Cu-Co project on trend with Nickel Creek Platinum‘s Wellgreen deposit in Canada‘s Yukon Territory.

About the Metallic Group of Companies

The Metallic Group is a collaboration of leading precious and base metals exploration companies, with a portfolio of large, brownfield assets in established mining districts adjacent to some of the industry’s highest-grade producers of silver and gold, platinum and palladium, and copper. Member companies include Metallic Minerals in the Yukon’s high-grade Keno Hill silver district and La Plata silver-gold-copper district of Colorado, Group Ten Metals in the Stillwater PGM-nickel-copper district of Montana, and Granite Creek Copper in the Yukon’s Minto copper district. The founders and team members of the Metallic Group include highly successful explorationists formerly with some of the industry’s leading explorers/developers and major producers. With this expertise, the companies are undertaking a systematic approach to exploration using new models and technologies to facilitate discoveries in these proven, but under-explored, mining districts. The Metallic Group is headquartered in Vancouver, BC, Canada, and its member companies are listed on the Toronto Venture, US OTC, and Frankfurt stock exchanges.

1: See October 21, 2021, news release and Group Ten Metals Technical Report titled “Technical Report on the 2021 Mineral Resource. Estimates for the Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu-Co + Au Project, Montana, USA” as filed Dec 6, 2021, with an effective date of Oct 7, 2021.

2: References to adjoining properties are for illustrative purposes only and are not necessarily indicative of the exploration potential, extent or nature of mineralization or potential future results of the Company’s projects.

3: Magmatic Ore Deposits in Layered Intrusions-Descriptive Model for Reef-Type PGE and Contact-Type Cu-Ni-PGE Deposits, Michael Zientek, USGS Open-File Report 2012-1010.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Michael Rowley, President, CEO & Director
Phone: (604) 357 4790
Toll Free: (888) 432 0075
Email: info@grouptenmetals.com
Web: http://grouptenmetals.com

Quality Control and Quality Assurance

Mr. Mike Ostenson, P.Geo., is the Qualified Person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101, and he has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure outside of the 2021 Resource estimate that is contained in this news release.

Forward-Looking Statements

Forward Looking Statements: This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed “forward-looking statements”. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts including, without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization, historic production, estimation of mineral resources, the realization of mineral resource estimates, interpretation of prior exploration and potential exploration results, the timing and success of exploration activities generally, the timing and results of future resource estimates, permitting time lines, metal prices and currency exchange rates, availability of capital, government regulation of exploration operations, environmental risks, reclamation, title, and future plans and objectives of the company are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Although Group Ten believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include failure to obtain necessary approvals, unsuccessful exploration results, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, results of future resource estimates, future metal prices, availability of capital and financing on acceptable terms, general economic, market or business conditions, risks associated with regulatory changes, defects in title, availability of personnel, materials and equipment on a timely basis, accidents or equipment breakdowns, uninsured risks, delays in receiving government approvals, unanticipated environmental impacts on operations and costs to remedy same, and other exploration or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the companies with securities regulators. Readers are cautioned that mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral exploration and development of mines is an inherently risky business. Accordingly, the actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on Group Ten and the risks and challenges of their businesses, investors should review their annual filings that are available at www.sedar.com.

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.

SOURCE: Group Ten Metals Inc.



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Base Metals Granite Creek Copper Junior Mining Metallic Group Metallic Minerals Precious Metals Stillwater Critical Minerals

Granite Creek Copper to Join Metallic Group of Companies for Live Webinar

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / January 11, 2022 / Granite Creek Copper Ltd. (TSXV:GCX)(OTCQB:GCXXF) (“Granite Creek” or the “Company“) is pleased to announce that the Company will join fellow members of the Metallic Group of Companies for a live webinar on January 13, 2022 at 10:00 am PT (1:00 pm ET). The CEOs of Granite Creek Copper, Group Ten Metals and Metallic Minerals will provide a concise review of key milestones achieved in 2021, followed by an update on major catalysts expected in 2022. The event will conclude with a roundtable Q&A session during which participants will be invited to provide questions to Tim Johnson (Granite Creek), Michael Rowley (Group Ten) and Greg Johnson (Metallic Minerals).

To register for the webinar, click here or on the graphic below.

About Granite Creek Copper

Granite Creek, a member of the Metallic Group of Companies, is a Canadian exploration company focused on the 176 square kilometer Carmacks project in the Minto copper district of Canada’s Yukon Territory. The project is on trend with the high-grade Minto copper-gold mine, operated by Minto Metals Corp., to the north, and features excellent access to infrastructure with the nearby paved Yukon Highway 2, along with grid power within 12 km. More information about Granite Creek Copper can be viewed on the Company’s website at www.gcxcopper.com.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Timothy Johnson, President & CEO
Telephone: 1 (604) 235-1982 | 1 (888) 361-3494
E-mail: info@gcxcopper.com
Website: www.gcxcopper.com

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.

SOURCE: Granite Creek Copper Ltd.

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Base Metals Breaking Energy Junior Mining Metallic Group Precious Metals Stillwater Critical Minerals

Group Ten Reports Highest Grade and Widest Mineralized Intercepts to Date at the Stillwater West Battery Metals and Platinum Group Elements Project in Montana, USA, Including 63.7 Meters of 0.92% Nickel Equivalent Mineralization (2.46 g/t Palladium Equivalent)

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / December 20, 2021 / Group Ten Metals Inc. (TSX.V:PGE)(OTCQB:PGEZF)(FSE:5D32) (the “Company” or “Group Ten”) today reports partial results from the first two drill holes of the 14-hole resource expansion campaign completed in 2021 at the Company’s flagship Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu-Co + Au project in Montana, USA. Results are expected to form the basis of an updated resource estimate in 2022.

2021 Drill Highlights:

  • CZ2021-01 returned the widest high-grade intercept to date on the project being 63.7 meters of 0.92% Nickel Equivalent (“NiEq”), equal to 2.46 g/t Palladium Equivalent (“PdEq”), with 0.47% Ni, 0.42 g/t Pd, 0.27% Cu, and 0.04% Co as well as significant Pt and Au values, within 367.6 meters of continuous mineralization at 0.31% NiEq (or 0.83 g/t PdEq). See Table 1 for details.
  • CM2021-01 returned the longest mineralized intercept ever recorded in the Stillwater district with 728 meters of continuous sulphide mineralization at 0.27% NiEq, or 0.73 g/t PdEq, including contained intervals of successively higher grades:
    • 352.9 meters of 0.39% NiEq (or 1.04 g/t PdEq) with 0.52 g/t 3E (Pd, Pt, and Au), and 0.17% Ni, plus significant Cu and Co values;
    • 159.2 meters of 0.48% NiEq (or 1.29 g/t PdEq) with 0.77 g/t 3E, 0.18% Ni, plus significant Cu and Co values;
    • 50.2 meters of 0.54% NiEq (or 1.45 g/t PdEq) with 1.0 g/t 3E, 0.19% Ni, plus significant Cu and Co values; and
    • Shorter intervals of high-grade mineralization including 7.2 meters of 1.33 g/t Pd, 0.93 g/t Pt, and 0.24% Ni, plus significant Au, Cu, and Co values, for 1.02% NiEq (or 2.72 g/t PdEq).
  • Both holes are step-outs completed with the objective of expanding deposits delineated by the 2021 Mineral Resource Estimate announced on October 21, 2021:
    • CM2021-01 was one of six holes drilled in 2021 in the area between the DR and Hybrid deposits to step out from high-grade nickel sulphide-PGE mineralization identified in hole CM2020-04;
    • CZ2021-01 is one of two holes drilled in 2021 to step-out on the CZ deposit in the area of wide, high-grade mineralization returned in hole CZ2019-01.
  • Mineralization starts at or near surface in both holes.
  • Assay results are pending from the lowest portion of CZ2021-01, and from the remaining 12 holes drilled in 2021. Rhodium results are also pending on all holes.

Michael Rowley, President and CEO, commented, “These initial results from the first two holes of our 2021 resource expansion drill campaign provide the strongest demonstration to date of our ability to target highly mineralized zones at Stillwater West, with significant wide intervals reaching more than five times the cut-off grade used in our recent resource estimate. This is very clear evidence that our predictive geologic model, utilizing tools like deep penetrating induced polarization geophysics, is accurately and effectively guiding us to drill wide zones of higher-grade nickel-copper-cobalt sulphide mineralization (battery metals), enriched in palladium, platinum, rhodium (platinum group elements), and gold. In addition to driving increased size and grade in our planned resource update, our ability to target effectively as we step-out from known mineralization in a large magmatic system is delivering incredibly low discovery costs as we advance the project.”

“Our work to date has demonstrated the exceptional scale and potential of the mineralized system in the lower Stillwater Complex. These results confirm and refine that understanding with Chrome Mountain hole CM2021-01 returning nearly three-quarters of a kilometer of continuous mineralization from a site that is over seven kilometers west of the HGR deposit in the Iron Mountain area, where hole IM2019-03 previously held the record for highest grade-thickness. Both areas have additional very high grade-thickness intervals in drill results, as does the CZ deposit located between the two. All of this confirms our observation that the lower Stillwater Complex has an immense endowment of contained metal and yet is surprisingly underexplored, despite its location in a famously productive and well-mineralized American mining district. Our systematic approach to exploration has quickly delineated five resource-stage deposits that are open for expansion across the nine-kilometer core of the Stillwater West project and we will continue to focus on their expansion while also advancing earlier stage targets that continue across the 32 kilometers of prospective magmatic stratigraphy covered by the property. We look forward to announcing results from the remaining drill holes along with results of our 2021 IP expansion survey in the near term as they become available.”

Table 1 – Highlight Results from 2021 Expansion Drill Campaigns at the DR, Hybrid, and CZ Deposit Areas

Assays pending for rhodium and certain intervals denoted by *. Highlighted significant intercepts with grade-thickness values over 20 gram-meter PdEq are presented above. Grade thickness values cover significant mineralized intervals with total palladium and nickel equivalent grade-thickness determined by multiplying the thickness of continuous mineralization (in meters) by the palladium equivalent grade (in grams/tonne) to provide gram-meter values (g-m) or by multiplying the nickel equivalent grade (in percent) to provide percent-meter values as shown. Total nickel and palladium equivalent calculations reflect total gross metal content using metals prices as follows (all USD): $7.00/lb nickel (Ni), $3.50/lb copper (Cu), $20.00/lb cobalt (Co), $1,000/oz platinum (Pt), $1,800/oz palladium (Pd), and $1,600/oz gold (Au). Equivalent values have not been adjusted to reflect metallurgical recoveries. Total metal equivalent values include both base and precious metals. In terms of dollar value, 0.20% nickel equates to a copper value of 0.40%, or a palladium value of 0.53 g/t, using the above metal values. Intervals are reported as drilled widths and are believed to be representative of the actual width of mineralization.

Grade-Thickness

Grade-thickness values of the mineralized intervals continue to demonstrate the remarkable metal endowment of the lower Stillwater Complex, with both holes reported here being well above 100 gram-meter (“g-m”) palladium equivalent grade-thickness. CM2021-01 returned 530 g-m PdEq grade-thickness, which is a record high for the Stillwater Complex. For comparison, this equates to 596 g-m gold equivalent, 954 g-m platinum equivalent, or 199 %-meter nickel equivalent. Grade-thickness values are an exploration tool used for comparing the intensity of mineralization across different mineralized widths. A grade-thickness value of 10 gram-meter Pd is equivalent to 1 g/t Pd over 10 meters, or 10 g/t Pd over 1 meter and is considered economically significant. The adjacent J-M Reef deposit now mined by Sibanye-Stillwater averages approximately 34 gram-meter Pd and Pt1,2. Values over 100 g-m PdEq are considered exceptional, highlighting the strength of the mineralized system, and values of more than 250 g-m PdEq (or 281 g-m AuEq) are rare across the industry. To date, the Stillwater West project has returned 31 drill holes with over 50 g-m PdEq grade-thickness, including five with more than 250 g-m PdEq.

Upcoming News and Events

Group Ten is pleased to confirm that it will participate in the upcoming Vancouver Resource Investment, AME Roundup, and Prospectors and Developers Association conferences in Q1 2022.

About Stillwater West

Group Ten is rapidly advancing the Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu-Co + Au project towards becoming a world-class source of low-carbon, sulphide-hosted nickel, copper, and cobalt, critical to the electrification movement, as well as key catalytic metals including platinum, palladium and rhodium used in catalytic converters, fuel cells, and the production of green hydrogen. Stillwater West positions Group Ten as the second-largest landholder in the Stillwater Complex, with a 100%-owned position adjoining and adjacent to Sibanye-Stillwater’s PGE mines in south-central Montana, USA1. The Stillwater Complex is recognized as one of the top regions in the world for PGE-Ni-Cu-Co mineralization, alongside the Bushveld Complex and Great Dyke in southern Africa, which are similar layered intrusions. The J-M Reef, and other PGE-enriched sulphide horizons in the Stillwater Complex, share many similarities with the highly prolific Merensky and UG2 Reefs in the Bushveld Complex. Group Ten’s work in the lower Stillwater Complex has demonstrated the presence of large-scale disseminated and high-sulphide battery metals and PGE mineralization, similar to the Platreef in the Bushveld Complex2. Drill campaigns by the Company, complemented by a substantial historic drill database, have delineated five deposits of Platreef-style mineralization across a core 9.2-kilometer span of the project, all of which are open for expansion into adjacent targets. Multiple earlier-stage Platreef-style and reef-type targets are also being advanced across the remainder of the 32-kilometer length of the project based on strong correlations seen in soil and rock geochemistry, geophysical surveys, geologic mapping, and drilling.

About Group Ten Metals Inc.

Group Ten Metals Inc. is a TSX-V-listed Canadian mineral exploration company focused on the development of high-quality platinum, palladium, nickel, copper, cobalt, and gold exploration assets in top North American mining jurisdictions. The Company’s core asset is the Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu-Co + Au project adjacent to Sibanye-Stillwater’s high-grade PGE mines in Montana, USA. Group Ten also holds the high-grade Black Lake-Drayton Gold project adjacent to Treasury Metals’ development-stage Goliath Gold Complex in northwest Ontario, and the Kluane PGE-Ni-Cu-Co project on trend with Nickel Creek Platinum‘s Wellgreen deposit in Canada‘s Yukon Territory.

About the Metallic Group of Companies

The Metallic Group is a collaboration of leading precious and base metals exploration companies, with a portfolio of large, brownfield assets in established mining districts adjacent to some of the industry’s highest-grade producers of silver and gold, platinum and palladium, and copper. Member companies include Metallic Minerals in the Yukon’s high-grade Keno Hill silver district and La Plata silver-gold-copper district of Colorado, Group Ten Metals in the Stillwater PGM-nickel-copper district of Montana, and Granite Creek Copper in the Yukon’s Minto copper district. The founders and team members of the Metallic Group include highly successful explorationists formerly with some of the industry’s leading explorers/developers and major producers. With this expertise, the companies are undertaking a systematic approach to exploration using new models and technologies to facilitate discoveries in these proven, but under-explored, mining districts. The Metallic Group is headquartered in Vancouver, BC, Canada, and its member companies are listed on the Toronto Venture, US OTC, and Frankfurt stock exchanges.

Note 1: References to adjoining properties are for illustrative purposes only and are not necessarily indicative of the exploration potential, extent or nature of mineralization or potential future results of the Company’s projects.

Note 2: Magmatic Ore Deposits in Layered Intrusions-Descriptive Model for Reef-Type PGE and Contact-Type Cu-Ni-PGE Deposits, Michael Zientek, USGS Open-File Report 2012-1010.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Michael Rowley, President, CEO & Director

Email: info@grouptenmetals.com Phone: (604) 357 4790

Web: http://grouptenmetals.com Toll Free: (888) 432 0075

Quality Control and Quality Assurance

2021 drill core samples were analyzed by ACT Labs in Vancouver, B.C. Sample preparation: crush (< 7 kg) up to 80% passing 2 mm, riffle split (250 g) and pulverize (mild steel) to 95% passing 105 µm included cleaner sand. Gold, platinum, and palladium were analyzed by fire assay (1C-OES) with ICP finish. Selected major and trace elements were analyzed by peroxide fusion with 8-Peroxide ICP-OES finish to insure complete dissolution of resistate minerals. Following industry QA/QC standards, blanks, duplicate samples, and certified standards were also assayed.

Mr. Mike Ostenson, P.Geo., is the qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101, and he has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure contained in this news release.

Forward-Looking Statements

Forward Looking Statements: This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed “forward-looking statements”. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts including, without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization, historic production, estimation of mineral resources, the realization of mineral resource estimates, interpretation of prior exploration and potential exploration results, the timing and success of exploration activities generally, the timing and results of future resource estimates, permitting time lines, metal prices and currency exchange rates, availability of capital, government regulation of exploration operations, environmental risks, reclamation, title, and future plans and objectives of the company are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Although Group Ten believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include failure to obtain necessary approvals, unsuccessful exploration results, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, results of future resource estimates, future metal prices, availability of capital and financing on acceptable terms, general economic, market or business conditions, risks associated with regulatory changes, defects in title, availability of personnel, materials and equipment on a timely basis, accidents or equipment breakdowns, uninsured risks, delays in receiving government approvals, unanticipated environmental impacts on operations and costs to remedy same, and other exploration or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the companies with securities regulators. Readers are cautioned that mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral exploration and development of mines is an inherently risky business. Accordingly, the actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on Group Ten and the risks and challenges of their businesses, investors should review their annual filings that are available at www.sedar.com.

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.

Figure 1 – 2021 Resource Expansion Drill Holes with Deposit Outlines over Drill Data and Geophysics (Conductivity)

Figure 2 – 2021 Resource Expansion Drill Holes with Deposit Outlines and Drill Data over Precious and Base Metals in Soils

Figure 3 – 2021 Mineral Resource Estimate over 9 KM Core Project Area with 3d Model of Ip Survey Results

SOURCE: Group Ten Metals Inc.



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Base Metals Blog Energy Junior Mining Stillwater Critical Minerals

US adds Nickel, Zinc to critical minerals list

United States adds nickel, zinc to critical minerals list

Nickel smelter in Sorowako, Indonesia. (Image by Marcelo Coelho, courtesy of Vale).

(The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author, Andy Home, a columnist for Reuters.)

Nickel and zinc are now deemed critical minerals by the United States.

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The US Geological Survey (USGS) is proposing both metals be included in the redrafted critical minerals list. The list has grown from 35 to 50 since the last iteration in 2018, but that largely reflects the splitting out of rare earth elements and precious group metals into separate entities.

Four minerals – helium, potash, rhenium, and strontium – have been dropped. The United States is the world’s leading producer and net exporter of helium, while import dependency for the other three is mitigated by “low disruption potential”. Uranium was also dropped after being reclassified as a “mineral fuel”.

Nickel and zinc are the only two new additions, and each reflects an evolution of the methodology used to determine whether a mineral is critical to the well-being of the US economy.

Single point of failure

According to the USGS, the United States relies on refined nickel imports for around half of its annual consumption.

The top three suppliers last year were Canada (42%), Norway (10%) and Finland (9%) – all deemed “friendly” countries.

This relatively benign supply profile kept nickel off the critical minerals list in the past.

But it’s now included for two reasons.

Firstly, the USGS has expanded its criticality criteria to look beyond trade dependency to domestic supply, particularly what it calls “single points of failure”.

There is currently only one domestic operating nickel mine in the United States – the Eagle mine in Michigan – which exports concentrates for overseas refining.

There is a single producer of nickel sulphate, but only as a by-product of precious group metals production.

This limited domestic nickel production base was also highlighted in the Biden Administration’s 100-day review of critical supply chains, which recommended the government should invest as a priority in a new nickel refinery.

The second reason is nickel’s changing usage profile from alloy in stainless steel production to chemical component in electric vehicle batteries.

The combination of limited, single-point-of-failure domestic supply and the expected demand growth from battery manufacturers makes “a compelling case for inclusion” of nickel in the critical minerals list, the USGS noted.

Or, as the supply-chain review put it, not having enough battery-grade nickel “poses a supply chain risk for battery manufacturing globally, not just in the United States”.

Zinc concentration

The United States’ domestic supply chain of zinc is less fragile.

The country has 14 operating mines and three smelter facilities, one primary and two secondary, one of which resumed operations in 2020 after several years of inactivity.

However, the country’s refined zinc import dependency is relatively high. Imports of 710,000 tonnes last year represented 83% of domestic consumption, according to the USGS.

Global supply trends make this problematic.

“For zinc, global mine and smelter production concentration has increased notably during the past few decades,” the USGS said, adding that “this change has been driven mainly by increased production in China”.

Part of the thinking behind the latest critical minerals list is moving the analysis beyond simple import dependency to encompass broader global supply trends.

The more supply is concentrated in one country, the higher the potential risk factor, particularly if that country is designated a mineral competitor, as is the case with China.

Zinc’s supply risk is now above the 0.40 threshold used by the USGS to help determine criticality at 0.48.

Top of the supply-risk table are gallium, niobium and cobalt, followed by several rare earth elements.

Aluminum lies in eighth place with a score of 0.60, thanks to the concentration of smelting in China, and tin is also on the supply risk spectrum with a score of 0.50.

A continuum of supply risk

The USGS stresses that falling below the 0.40 cut-off point doesn’t mean there is no supply risk.

“The metrics developed with (the new) methodology are best viewed as a continuum of supply risk”, and one which is continuously moving as global supply chains for each commodity evolve, it said.

Out of the major industrial metals traded on the London Metal Exchange, only two are now not deemed critical minerals by the United States.

Copper has a low supply-risk profile due to a large domestic mining, smelting and recycling industry.

Lead is more interestingly poised on the USGS supply-risk table with a score of 0.39, just below the cut-off point, again due to a growing concentration of global mining and smelting capacity in China.

None of these industrial metals feature on the European Union’s critical minerals list.

In part that’s a reflection of Europe’s domestic production base both at the mining and smelting level.

But in part it may be because the USGS is ahead of its European peers in analysing global supply patterns and the resulting potential threats to critical minerals availability.

Nickel and zinc may not spring to mind when most people think of critical minerals, but as far as the United States is concerned, they both are.

(Editing by Jan Harvey)

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Base Metals Energy Junior Mining Precious Metals Stillwater Critical Minerals

Group Ten Metals Signs Definitive Agreement with Heritage Mining on the Black Lake-Drayton Gold Project in Ontario, Canada

November 29, 2021 – Vancouver, BC – Group Ten Metals Inc. (TSX.V: PGE | OTCQB: PGEZF; FSE: 5D32) (the “Company” or “>Group Ten”) is pleased to announce that it has signed a Definitive Agreement (the “Agreement”) with Heritage Mining Ltd. (“Heritage”) per the binding Letter of Intent (the “LOI”) announced August 26, 2021. By the terms of the Agreement, and subject to the earn-in requirements specified therein, Heritage can acquire up to a 90% interest in Group Ten’s Black Lake-Drayton gold project (the “Property”) in Ontario, Canada.

Group Ten also announces that it has initiated the exploration program required by the Agreement, with a focus on advancing and refining existing targets identified in past campaigns, as well as advancing new targets. To this end, the 2021 program includes re-sampling of core from 1996-2002 drill campaigns programs at the Moretti, Dragfold, and Bonanza targets, focused prospecting in areas of interest identified by the 2017 geophysical modelling and interpretation report, and a basal till sampling program intended to expand upon successful 2018 and 2020 programs.

Group Ten President and CEO, Michael Rowley stated, “We are pleased to announce the successful conclusion of the first in what we expect will ultimately become a series of deals whereby Group Ten begins to realize value for our non-core assets. Black Lake-Drayton, like our Kluane Ni-Cu-PGE project, is a high-quality brownfields project that is district-scale in size and 100%-owned by the Company. The Agreement with Heritage Mining provides Group Ten with significant exposure to the gold market while allowing us to focus on our 100%-owned Stillwater West project in Montana, where we see terrific potential to expand our recent inaugural resource estimates of first-world nickel, copper, palladium, platinum, rhodium, gold and cobalt. Core from 2021 resource expansion drilling at Stillwater West is progressing through the assay lab and we look forward to a series of news releases announcing results starting in the coming weeks, as well as updates on other initiatives including our work in carbon sequestration.”

Heritage Mining’s CEO, Peter Schloo stated, “It is rare that a project of this size and quality becomes available, and we appreciate Group Ten’s faith in our ability to add significant shareholder value in a timely manner. We are very excited about the Black Lake-Drayton project and look forward to developing the property in a systematic manner. This is a pivotal point in Heritage Mining’s path, and we look forward to the future. We anticipate a go-public listing shortly, pending market conditions.”

Upcoming Events

Live Webinar – Amvest Capital

Group Ten Metals President and CEO, Michael Rowley, will provide an overview and update on the Company and our flagship Stillwater West battery metals and platinum group elements project during a live webinar event hosted by Amvest Capital on Monday, November 29th at 13:05 PT / 16:05 ET. To register, click here.

Virtual Investor Conference – OTC Markets Group

Group Ten has been invited to present at the upcoming Mining & Metals Virtual Investor Conference hosted by OTC Markets Group on Wednesday, December 8th at 12:00 PM PT / 3:00 PM ET. Topics of discussion will include the Company’s recently announced NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate, the 2021 expansion drill campaign, and upcoming, near-term catalysts. To register, click here.

Terms of the Heritage Mining Definitive Agreement

Under the terms of the Agreement, Heritage may acquire a 90% undivided interest in the Property by making payments totaling 7.2 million shares and CAD $300,000 in cash to Group Ten, completing exploration and development work totaling CAD $5 million on the Property, granting Group Ten a 10% carried interest in the Property through completion of a feasibility study, and completing other requirements including potential success-based discovery payments, as detailed below:

  • Heritage shall issue 2,800,000 shares to Group Ten within ten (10) business days of obtaining a public listing on a specified exchange.
  • Heritage may earn a 51% interest (the “First Option”) in the Property by completing the following on or before the third anniversary of the “Agreement:
    • Issuing an additional 3.3 million shares to Group Ten;
    • Completing cash payments totaling CAD $300,000; and
    • Completing exploration work totaling CAD $2.5 million.
  • Upon completion of the First Option, Heritage may earn an additional 39% ownership interest in the Property (the “Second Option”) for a cumulative 90% interest by completion of the following on or before the fourth anniversary of the Agreement:
    • Issuing an additional 1.1 million shares to Group Ten; and
    • Completing additional exploration work totaling CAD $2.5 million.

In addition, the LOI provides the following:

  • A discovery payment of $1.00 per ounce of gold or gold equivalent shall be made on mineral resource estimates as filed from time-to-time on the Property and shall, in Heritage’s discretion, be paid in cash or shares (or a combination thereof), capped at a maximum of $10 million.
  • Upon completion of the Second Option, Group Ten will retain a 10% free carried interest in the Project, with Heritage being responsible for all Property costs until completion by Heritage of a positive feasibility study supported by a technical report prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 on the Property (the “FS”).
  • The Agreement provides for the formation of a Joint Venture (“JV”) based on the then legal and beneficial ownership levels in the Property following completion of the FS. A JV may also be formed in the event Heritage does not complete the requirements of the Second Option.
  • Heritage will be required to maintain minimum exploration and development expenditures of CAD $500,000 per annum until the completion of the FS in order to maintain status as operator of the JV. Group Ten maintains certain back-in rights in the event Heritage does not meet minimum expenditure requirements.
  • Group Ten is required to complete CAD $300,000 of exploration work on the Property within the first year of the Agreement.

Black Lake – Drayton Gold Project Overview

The 100%-owned Black Lake–Drayton project consists of 137 square kilometers in the Abrams‐Minnitaki Lake Archean greenstone belt, along the northern margin of the Wabigoon sub-province in Ontario, Canada. The Property has significant exploration potential with demonstrated high-grade gold in drill results and bulk samples across more than 30 kilometers of underexplored strike in a geologic setting that is shared with Treasury Metals’ development-stage Goliath Gold Complex project in a highly active gold belt that also hosts Rainy River’s New Gold mine and other deposits. The geological models and exploration methods that have successfully proven up over 14 million ounces of gold at Treasury, New Gold, and other projects in the region since the 1990s have yet to be systematically applied at Black Lake – Drayton. Access and infrastructure are excellent on the Property, which features direct road access, and proximity to rail and power.

About Heritage Mining

Heritage Mining Ltd. is a private, well-capitalized company focused on acquiring Tier-1, advanced stage precious and base metal exploration projects and/or the junior/micro-producer project stage. Heritage’s board and management Team have a proven track record of shareholder value creation with over 100 years of combined experience in the mining and exploration sector. For more information, visit the Heritage Mining website.

About Group Ten Metals Inc.

Group Ten Metals Inc. is a TSX-V-listed Canadian mineral exploration company focused on the development of high-quality platinum, palladium, nickel, copper, cobalt, and gold exploration assets in top North American mining jurisdictions. The Company is focused on its 100%-owned, flagship Stillwater West battery metals and platinum group elements project in Montana, USA, adjacent to the high-grade PGE mines operated by Sibanye-Stillwater. In October 2021, the Company announced its inaugural NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate, with an update expected in Q1 2022 subject to results from an expansion drill campaign in 2021 from which assays are pending.

Group Ten also holds two additional district-scale brownfields assets including the high-grade Black Lake-Drayton Gold project adjacent to Treasury Metals’ development-stage Goliath Gold Complex in northwest Ontario (now subject to an earn-in by Heritage Mining), and the Kluane PGE-Ni-Cu-Co project on trend with Nickel Creek Platinum‘s Wellgreen deposit in Canada‘s Yukon Territory.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Michael Rowley, President, CEO & Director
Email: info@grouptenmetals.com             Phone: (604) 357 4790
Web: http://grouptenmetals.com             Toll Free: (888) 432 0075

Forward-Looking Statements

Forward Looking Statements: This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed “forward-looking statements”. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts including, without limitation, statements regarding the execution of a definitive agreement, the completion of the proposed transaction and the receipt of any cash or share payments therefrom, future exploration and development expenditures, the sale of non-core assets, potential mineralization, the realization of mineral resource estimates, the timing and success of exploration activities generally or the completion of a feasibility study, the timing and results of future resource estimates, future driling activities, and future plans and objectives of the Company are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Although Group Ten believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include failure to obtain necessary approvals (including board and stock exchange approvals), the failure to negotiate and execute the Agreement on the terms currently contemplated or at all, unsuccessful exploration results, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, results of future resource estimates, future metal prices, availability of capital and financing on acceptable terms, general economic, market or business conditions, risks associated with regulatory changes, defects in title, availability of personnel, materials and equipment on a timely basis, accidents or equipment breakdowns, uninsured risks, delays in receiving government approvals, unanticipated environmental impacts on operations and costs to remedy same, and other exploration or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the companies with securities regulators. Readers are cautioned that mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral exploration and development of mines is an inherently risky business. Accordingly, the actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on Group Ten and the risks and challenges of their businesses, investors should review their annual filings that are available at www.sedar.com.

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.

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Base Metals Breaking Energy Junior Mining Metallic Minerals Precious Metals Stillwater Critical Minerals Uncategorized

Group Ten Metals Announces Inaugural NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate for the Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu-Co + Au Project, Montana, USA

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / October 21, 2021 / Group Ten Metals Inc. (TSX.V:PGE | OTCQB:PGEZF; FSE:5D32) (the “Company” or “Group Ten”) is pleased to report the first independent National Instrument 43-101 (“NI 43-101”) mineral resource estimate (the “2021 Resource”) for its 100%-owned Stillwater West platinum group element, nickel, copper, cobalt, and gold (“PGE-Ni-Cu-Co + Au”) project in Montana, USA. The study was completed by SGS Geological Services (“SGS”).

The Company will host a live webcast on Thursday October 28th at 9am Pacific time (12pm Eastern) to discuss the 2021 Resource, recent drill campaign, and plans for the Stillwater West project. To register, click here.

Highlights

  • Inferred mineral resources total 2.4 million ounces palladium, platinum, rhodium, and gold (“4E”) plus 1.1 billion pounds of nickel, copper and cobalt in a constrained model totaling 157 million tonnes at an average grade of 0.45% total nickel equivalent (“NiEq”) (equal to 1.20 g/t palladium equivalent, or “PdEq”) using a 0.20% NiEq cut-off grade. See detailed breakdown in Tables 1 and 2 below.
  • The 2021 Resource incorporates five deposits of sulphide mineralization that cover 8.7 kilometers of strike length within the central area of the project. The strong correlation that is demonstrated between resource areas and untested high-level geophysical targets (Figure 1), and metal-in-soil anomalies, provides a strong basis for expansion of the resource with 2021 drill results, and future drill campaigns (Figures 2 to 6).
  • Mineralization, consisting of thick horizons of nickel and copper sulphide that are enriched in palladium, platinum, rhodium, gold and cobalt, is consistent with Group Ten’s “Platreef-style” geological model that is based on known parallels with South Africa’s Bushveld Igneous Complex.
  • Deposits in the 2021 Resource are defined by 83 drill holes from a total of 216 holes drilled at Stillwater West prior to 2021, including all holes from Group Ten’s 2019 and 2020 campaigns. A number of the remaining drill holes provide early confirmation of target mineralization in otherwise untested anomalies across much of the 32-kilometer project, accelerating future exploration programs and demonstrating significant expansion potential outside of the known deposit areas.
  • Assays are pending from the 14-hole 2021 drill campaign, which focused on expansion of three of the five deposits by completing step-out holes designed to build onto the 2021 Resource.
  • Rhodium totaling 61,000 ounces was modeled at three of the five target areas, where sufficient data was available. At recent spot prices, this endowment is equivalent to over 400,000 ounces palladium and over 750,000 ounces platinum. The Company believes rhodium results are understated due to the lack of historic assay data and is working to fully include rhodium in future mineral resource updates.

The 2021 Resource estimate will be incorporated into an NI43-101-compliant technical report for the Stillwater West project to be filed within 45 days.

Michael Rowley, Group Ten’s President and CEO states, “We are extremely pleased with the results of our inaugural resource estimate that provides a robust debut of high-demand battery and platinum group metals in a top US mining district. This is a major milestone in the advancement of both the project and Group Ten Metals. Mineralization in the five deposits shows excellent continuity and grade across large areas, with strong geophysical and geochemical signatures that remain open in all directions demonstrating excellent potential for expansion in subsequent drill campaigns. In this regard, we look forward to reporting results from our 2021 campaign, our biggest yet, which we believe met the objective of increasing the 2021 Resource. More than ever we see extraordinary potential for Stillwater West to become a large-scale and strategically significant US-based source of battery metals to meet growing electrification needs while also supplying PGEs for catalytic convertors and increasing fuel cell demand.”

TABLE 1 – Grade and Contained Metal by Deposit at a 0.20% NiEq Cut-Off Grade (Equals 0.53 g/t PdEq) – Stillwater West Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate (Base Case)

CIM (2014) definitions were followed for Mineral Resources Reporting. The constrained Mineral Resources are reported at a base case cut-off grade of 0.20% NiEq. Cut-off grades and metal equivalents are based on metal prices of $7.00/lb Ni, $3.50/lb Cu, $20.00/lb Co, $900/oz Pt, $1,800/oz Pd and $1,600/oz Au, with assumed metal recoveries of 80% for Ni, 85% for copper, 80% for Co, Pt, Pd and Au, a mining cost of US$2.20/t rock, and processing and G&A cost of US$12.75/t mineralized material. Rhodium modeled but not included in equivalency calculations. All figures are rounded to reflect the relative accuracy of the estimate.

The current Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves as they do not have demonstrated economic viability. The quantity and grade of reported Inferred Resources in this Mineral Resource Estimate are uncertain in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to define these Inferred Resources as Indicated or Measured. However, based on the current knowledge of the deposits, it is reasonably expected that the majority of Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration.

TABLE 2 – Grade and Contained Metal by Deposit at a Higher Grade 0.35% NiEq Cut-Off (Equals 0.93 g/t PdEq)

FIGURE 1 – 2021 Stillwater West Mineral Resource Estimate Over 3D Model of Induced Polarization Survey Results

Sensitivity Analysis

A sensitivity analysis is provided in Table 3 below which demonstrates the variation in grade and tonnage in the deposit at various cut-off grades. Mineralization shows exceptional continuity, enabling models at higher-cut-off grades including inferred mineral resources of 97 million tonnes of 0.55% NiEq (equal to 1.47 g/t PdEq) containing 1.8 million ounces palladium, platinum, rhodium, and gold (“4E”) with 857 million pounds of nickel, copper and cobalt (see Table 2, above).

TABLE 3 – Grade and Contained Metal Sensitivity at Various NiEq Cut-off Grades

Constrained Mineral Resources are reported at a base case cut-off grade of 0.20% NiEq. Values in the table reported above and below the cut-off grades should not be misconstrued with a Mineral Resource Statement. The values are only presented to show the sensitivity of the block model estimates to the selection of cut-off grade. All figures are rounded to reflect the relative accuracy of the estimate. Composites have been capped where appropriate.

2021 Exploration Update

Work in 2021 focused largely on diamond core drilling within the area of the 2021 Resource and an Induced Polarization “IP” geophysical survey on the west side of the core project area, including the Pine target.

Phase I of planned expansion drilling has now been completed. 14 holes totaling 5,138 meters were drilled in a two-rig program that tested priority targets at Chrome Mountain (Hybrid and DR deposit areas), and at Iron Mountain at the CZ (formerly Camp) and HGR deposit areas. Holes were prioritized to step out from known mineralization with the primary objective of expanding and upgrading the 2021 Resource estimate in 2022. Assays are pending, however, on a visual basis the predictive geologic model developed by Group Ten Metals is effectively targeting expansion of known horizons of sulphide mineralization, including high-grade intervals identified in the 2019 and 2020 drill campaigns, and identifying numerous untested targets at Stillwater West. Drill core is in various stages of processing with first results expected over the coming weeks and continuing over the coming months. Expansion drilling is expected to resume in Q2 2022 upon review and integration of 2021 results.

The 2021 portion of the expansion IP survey is also complete, with approximately 25 line-kilometers focused on the Chrome Mountain and high-grade Pine target areas at the west side of the highly successful 2020 survey. Very high-level anomalies in untested areas were identified in preliminary results that will be presented in a coming news release as final information becomes available. The second phase of the expanded IP survey is expected to resume in 2022 in the central and eastern portions of the 2020 survey grid.

Rhodium

Rhodium has been identified at potentially significant co-product grades of 0.03 to 0.10 g/t Rh in drill results in four of the five deposit areas at Stillwater West, with shorter intervals ranging up to 0.50 g/t Rh. The lack of historic rhodium assay data has prevented assessment of the rhodium content at the Central and Crescent deposits and in some parts of the other deposits. For this reason, the Company believes rhodium levels are currently understated at Stillwater West and will continue to include complete rhodium assays in future campaigns with the objective of fully integrating rhodium in future resource updates.

Rhodium is a rare platinum group element that is primarily used as a specialized catalyst alongside platinum and palladium in automotive catalytic converters. It is mined solely as a co-product at grades that are often below 0.1 g/t. South Africa dominates global production, and there is very little mine supply in North America. Sibanye-Stillwater, adjacent to Group Ten’s Stillwater West project, is the primary US producer.

Supply constraints for rhodium have supported elevated prices since 2017. At recent values, rhodium trades at more than 12 times the value of platinum on a spot price basis at over USD$13,000 per ounce, meaning 0.1 g/t Rh equates to approximately 1.2 g/t platinum equivalent.

Metallurgy

Preliminary metallurgical assessments by Group Ten Metals returned strong nickel tenor in sulphides drilled by the Company in 2020. In addition, favorable historic bench-scale metallurgical results completed by AMAX in the 1970s at the Iron Mountain target area demonstrate the potential for effective nickel and copper sulphide flotation and PGE recovery. Sample collection for more detailed metallurgical testing is on-going as part of the expanding development of Stillwater West, with a view to including full metallurgical assessment in future studies.

Carbon Capture at Stillwater West

All five deposits in the 2021 Resource contain desirable nickel sulphide mineralization that has been shown to require a much lower environmental footprint in subsequent processing to nickel metal or nickel sulphate in comparison to the laterite nickel ores that dominate global production. As part of Group Ten’s commitment to global sustainability initiatives, the Company is also examining the potential for large-scale carbon sequestration with the objective of further reducing and possibly eliminating the carbon footprint of a potential mining operation at Stillwater West.

Preliminary results demonstrate the presence of certain minerals that are known to have high capacity to bind carbon dioxide by a natural process known as mineral carbonation. As announced in a news release on September 23, 2021, the Company has entered a second phase of research with Dr. Greg Dipple and his team at the University of British Columbia, Canada, to assess the capacity of rock samples from Stillwater West to bind carbon dioxide for permanent disposal as part of a potential mining operation.

In addition to being strongly aligned with Group Ten’s Environmental, Social and Governance guidelines and principles, the incorporation of carbon uptake may bring financial benefits via initiatives such as the 45Q Tax Credit for Carbon Oxide Sequestration that is now in place in the US.

Qualified Person

The Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu-Co + Au project 2021 Resource estimate was prepared by Allan Armitage, P.Geo., of SGS Geological Services, an independent Qualified Person, in accordance with the guidelines of the Canadian Securities Administrators’ National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”) with an effective date of October 7, 2021. Armitage conducted a site visit to the property on August 9 and 10, 2021

Estimation Methodology and Parameters

Completion of the 2021 Resource involved the assessment of a drill hole database, which included all data for surface drilling completed through the fall of 2020, as well as 3D mineral resource models, and available written reports. SGS used 83 holes and 18,386 meters of drill data to delineate five deposits in the 2021 Resource estimate, from a total database of 216 drill holes and 32,465 meters of core data compiled by the Company. All holes from Group Ten’s 2019 and 2020 drill campaigns were included. No assay data has been received to date from the 2021 drill program.

Inverse Distance squared restricted to mineralized domains were used to Interpolate grades for the main elements of interest including Ni (ppm), Cu (ppm), Co (ppm), Pt (g/t), Pd (g/t) and Au (g/t), as well as NiEq (%), NiEq_R (%), Rh (ppb), Cr (ppm), and S (%) into block models. Composites of 1 meter have been capped where appropriate. Fixed specific gravity values of 2.90 – 3.10 g/cm3 (depending on deposit) were used to estimate the 2021 Resource tonnage from block model volumes. Waste in all areas was given a fixed density of 2.9 g/cm3.

The constrained 2021 Resource grade blocks were quantified above the base case cut-off grade. At this base case cut-off grade the deposits show excellent geologic and grade continuity. The project is at an early stage of exploration and all deposits are open along strike and down dip. The cut-off grades should be re-evaluated in light of future prevailing market conditions (metal prices, exchange rates, mining costs etc.).

The constrained 2021 Resources are presented undiluted and in situ (no minimum thickness), constrained by continuous 3D wireframe models, and are considered to have reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction. Based on a review of the project location, size, geometry, continuity of mineralization and proximity to surface of the deposits, and spatial distribution of the five main deposits of interest (all within a 8.7 kilometer strike length), it is envisioned that the deposits may be mined by open pit or bulk tonnage underground methods. The results from the pit optimization are used solely for the purpose of testing the “reasonable prospects for economic extraction” by open pit mining methods and do not represent an attempt to estimate mineral reserves. There are no mineral reserves on the project. The results are used as a guide to assist in the preparation of a Mineral Resource statement and to select an appropriate resource reporting cut-off grade. Pit optimization does not represent an economic study. Future engineering studies will be needed to develop optimal bulk tonnage mining methods.

The estimate of Mineral Resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues. There is no certainty that all or any part of the Inferred Mineral Resource will be upgraded to an Indicated or Measured Mineral Resource as a result of continued exploration.

About Stillwater West

Group Ten is rapidly advancing the Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu-Co + Au project towards becoming a world-class source of low-carbon, sulphide-hosted nickel, copper, and cobalt, critical to the electrification movement, as well as key catalytic metals including platinum, palladium and rhodium used in catalytic converters, fuel cells, and the production of green hydrogen. Stillwater West positions Group Ten as the second-largest landholder in the Stillwater Complex, with a 100%-owned position adjoining and adjacent to Sibanye-Stillwater’s PGE mines in south-central Montana, USA1. The Stillwater Complex is recognized as one of the top regions in the world for PGE-Ni-Cu-Co mineralization, alongside the Bushveld Complex and Great Dyke in southern Africa, which are similar layered intrusions. The J-M Reef, and other PGE-enriched sulphide horizons in the Stillwater Complex, share many similarities with the highly prolific Merensky and UG2 Reefs in the Bushveld Complex. Group Ten’s work in the lower Stillwater Complex has demonstrated the presence of large-scale disseminated and high-sulphide battery metals and PGE mineralization, similar to the Platreef in the Bushveld Complex2. Drill campaigns by the Company, complemented by a substantial historic drill database, have delineated five deposits of Platreef-style mineralization across a core 9.2-kilometer span of the project, all of which are open for expansion into adjacent targets. Multiple earlier-stage Platreef-style and reef-type targets are also being advanced across the remainder of the 32-kilometer length of the project based on strong correlations seen in soil and rock geochemistry, geophysical surveys, geologic mapping, and drilling.

About Group Ten Metals Inc.

Group Ten Metals Inc. is a TSX-V-listed Canadian mineral exploration company focused on the development of high-quality platinum, palladium, nickel, copper, cobalt, and gold exploration assets in top North American mining jurisdictions. The Company’s core asset is the Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu-Co + Au project adjacent to Sibanye-Stillwater’s high-grade PGE mines in Montana, USA. Group Ten also holds the high-grade Black Lake-Drayton Gold project adjacent to Treasury Metals’ development-stage Goliath Gold Complex in northwest Ontario, and the Kluane PGE-Ni-Cu-Co project on trend with Nickel Creek Platinum‘s Wellgreen deposit in Canada‘s Yukon Territory.

About the Metallic Group of Companies

The Metallic Group is a collaboration of leading precious and base metals exploration companies, with a portfolio of large, brownfield assets in established mining districts adjacent to some of the industry’s highest-grade producers of silver and gold, platinum and palladium, and copper. Member companies include Metallic Minerals in the Yukon’s high-grade Keno Hill silver district and La Plata silver-gold-copper district of Colorado, Group Ten Metals in the Stillwater PGM-nickel-copper district of Montana, and Granite Creek Copper in the Yukon’s Minto copper district. The founders and team members of the Metallic Group include highly successful explorationists formerly with some of the industry’s leading explorers/developers and major producers. With this expertise, the companies are undertaking a systematic approach to exploration using new models and technologies to facilitate discoveries in these proven, but under-explored, mining districts. The Metallic Group is headquartered in Vancouver, BC, Canada, and its member companies are listed on the Toronto Venture, US OTC, and Frankfurt stock exchanges.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Michael Rowley, President, CEO & Director
Phone: (604) 357 4790
Toll Free: (888) 432 0075
Email: info@grouptenmetals.com
Web: http://grouptenmetals.com

Quality Control and Quality Assurance

Mr. Allan Armitage, Ph.D., P.Geo., is a Qualified Person in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical content of this news release with respect to the 2021 Resource estimate. As independent QP, Mr. Armitage was responsible for the preparation of the technical information pertaining to the Resource estimate.

Mr. Mike Ostenson, P.Geo., is the Qualified Person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101, and he has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure outside of the 2021 Resource estimate that is contained in this news release.

Forward-Looking Statements

Forward Looking Statements: This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed “forward-looking statements”. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts including, without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization, historic production, estimation of mineral resources, the realization of mineral resource estimates, interpretation of prior exploration and potential exploration results, the timing and success of exploration activities generally, the timing of the timing and results of future resource estimates, permitting time lines, metal prices and currency exchange rates, availability of capital, government regulation of exploration operations, environmental risks, reclamation, titlefuture driling actiivities and the locations of such drilling, and future plans and objectives of the company are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Although Group Ten believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include failure to obtain necessary approvals, unsuccessful exploration results, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, results of future resource estimates, future metal prices, availability of capital and financing on acceptable terms, general economic, market or business conditions, risks associated with regulatory changes, defects in title, availability of personnel, materials and equipment on a timely basis, accidents or equipment breakdowns, uninsured risks, delays in receiving government approvals, unanticipated environmental impacts on operations and costs to remedy same, and other exploration or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the companies with securities regulators. Readers are cautioned that mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral exploration and development of mines is an inherently risky business. Accordingly, the actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on Group Ten and the risks and challenges of their businesses, investors should review their annual filings that are available at www.sedar.com.

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.

SOURCE: Group Ten Metals Inc.

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Base Metals Energy Junior Mining Metallic Group Stillwater Critical Minerals

Group Ten Metals Provides Exploration Update and Advances Potential for Low-Carbon Battery and Platinum Group Metals at Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu-Co + Au Project in Montana, USA

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 23, 2021 / Group Ten Metals Inc. (TSX.V:PGE; OTCQB:PGEZF; FSE:5D32) (the “Company” or “Group Ten”) is pleased to provide an update on resource modeling and exploration activities, and further announces that it has engaged researchers at the University of British Columbia to study the potential for large-scale carbon sequestration at its flagship Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu-Co + Au project in Montana, USA.

Exploration Update

SGS Geological Services has completed their site visit and is working with Group Ten to deliver inaugural National Instrument 43-101-compliant mineral resource estimates at the most advanced target areas at Stillwater West. Block models consisting of drill-defined nickel and copper sulphide mineralization, enriched in palladium, platinum, rhodium, gold and cobalt, are now being finalized for release in the near term. In addition to the more advanced Chrome Mountain, Camp, and Iron Mountain target areas, the inaugural resource figures will include the Crescent target area following successful expansion of the block models based on the continuity of mineralization observed in all target areas.

Diamond drilling is ongoing, with one rig at the Chrome Mountain target area and a second that completed priority holes at the Camp target area before moving to the Iron Mountain area. A total of twelve holes have been drilled to date. Conditions are favorable and the program is expected to continue into October. Expansion of the inaugural mineral resource estimate is one of the primary objectives of the 2021 drill campaign.

An Induced Polarization geophysical survey is now underway with crews currently working new survey lines to the west of the highly successful 2020 survey in the Chrome Mountain target area. In-fill lines, and additional extension lines off the east end of the previous work at the Crescent target area, are also planned.

Figures 1 and 2 – Group Ten geologists John Bailey, Justin Modroo, and Nate Nelsen examine Stillwater West drill core.

Carbon Sequestration and the Potential for Low-Carbon ‘Green’ Metals at Stillwater West

The Company has engaged Dr. Greg Dipple and his team at the University of British Columbia, Canada, for a second phase of research to assess the capacity to use mineral carbonation to bind carbon dioxide for permanent disposal as part of a potential mining operation at Stillwater West. Preliminary work has shown good potential based on the presence of certain minerals at Stillwater West. This next phase of study is expected to refine and advance that work by identifying specific minerals in rock samples while beginning to look at possible reaction rates, among other items. Contingent upon the success of the current program, subsequent work would then examine reaction rates and other factors in more detail to culminate in large-scale pilot demonstration to provide data necessary for full-scale projections and inclusion in potential broader engineering studies at Stillwater West.

Group Ten President and CEO, Michael Rowley, stated, “We see the potential to reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide while providing needed battery, catalytic, and precious metals at a large scale in a premier US district as a very compelling opportunity to play a significant role in promoting global sustainability initiatives. Stillwater West hosts nickel sulphide mineralization which, compared to the laterite nickel that dominates global production, has been shown to more easily refine to the high-grade nickel sulphate that is required by the battery industry, and with a much lower environmental footprint. This new study paves the way for further reductions in the carbon footprint for all our commodities in a possible production scenario at Stillwater West, offsetting the impact of mining activities and potentially even achieving significant reductions wherein the uptake and disposal of carbon exceeds the emission from operations. In addition to being strongly aligned with Group Ten’s Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) guidelines and principles, the incorporation of carbon uptake may bring financial benefits via initiatives such as the 45Q Tax Credit for Carbon Oxide Sequestration that is now in place in the US. We look forward to further announcements including our inaugural resource estimates in the near term.”

‘Green’ Metals at Stillwater West

The primary metals that are essential to global electrification and improvements in air quality include battery metals, such as nickel, copper, and cobalt, and platinum, which is essential for the low-carbon production of hydrogen via the electrolysis of water, and also for the consumption of hydrogen in fuel cells.

Moreover, platinum – along with palladium and rhodium – is also essential to environmental quality as all three are used in catalytic convertors to reduce exhaust emissions and provide clean air, with demand driven by increasingly stringent emissions requirements globally.

Group Ten has demonstrated world-class potential for both scale and grade of all six of these commodities, plus also gold, in five priority target areas where drill-defined mineralization showing strong correlations with very large geophysical anomalies across 9.2 kilometers in 3D model results, and more broadly in early-stage results across the entire 32-kilometer span of the Stillwater West project.

The Stillwater district is a prolific US mining district that hosts world-class mines and a smelter-refinery complex operated by Sibanye-Stillwater, who are widely recognized for producing palladium and platinum, along with lesser amounts of other commodities including nickel, at the highest environmental and sustainability standards. Group Ten’s location adjacent to Sibanye is very favorable to potential end-users including the domestic auto industry. The Company is focused on advancing Stillwater West as one of only a few projects in North America that may be able to help meet the shortfalls projected by analysts and EV industry leaders for environmentally responsible production of our target commodities.

About Stillwater West

The Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu-Co + Au project positions Group Ten as the second-largest landholder in the Stillwater Complex, adjoining and adjacent to Sibanye-Stillwater’s Stillwater, East Boulder, and Blitz PGE mines in south-central Montana, USA1. The Stillwater Complex is recognized as one of the top regions in the world for PGE-Ni-Cu-Co mineralization, alongside the Bushveld Complex and Great Dyke in southern Africa, which are similar layered intrusions. The J-M Reef, and other PGE-enriched sulphide horizons in the Stillwater Complex, share many similarities with the highly prolific Merensky and UG2 Reefs in the Bushveld Complex. Group Ten’s work in the lower Stillwater Complex has demonstrated the presence of large-scale disseminated and high-sulphide battery metals and PGE mineralization, similar to the Platreef in the Bushveld Complex2. Drill campaigns by the Company, complemented by a substantial historic drill database, are driving 3D models of Platreef-style mineralization in the five most advanced target areas, three of which are expected to become formal mineral resources by mid-2021. Multiple earlier-stage Platreef-style and reef-type targets are being advanced across the rest of the 31-kilometer length of the project based on strong correlations seen in soil and rock geochemistry, geophysical surveys, geologic mapping, and drilling.

About Group Ten Metals Inc.

Group Ten Metals Inc. is a TSX-V-listed Canadian mineral exploration company focused on the development of high-quality platinum, palladium, nickel, copper, cobalt, and gold exploration assets in top North American mining jurisdictions. The Company’s core asset is the Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu-Co + Au project adjacent to Sibanye-Stillwater’s high-grade PGE mines in Montana, USA. Group Ten also holds the high-grade Black Lake-Drayton Gold project adjacent to Treasury Metals’ development-stage Goliath Gold Complex in northwest Ontario, and the Kluane PGE-Ni-Cu-Co project on trend with Nickel Creek Platinum‘s Wellgreen deposit in Canada‘s Yukon Territory.

About the Metallic Group of Companies

The Metallic Group is a collaboration of leading precious and base metals exploration companies, with a portfolio of large, brownfield assets in established mining districts adjacent to some of the industry’s highest-grade producers of silver and gold, platinum and palladium, and copper. Member companies include Metallic Minerals in the Yukon’s high-grade Keno Hill silver district and La Plata silver-gold-copper district of Colorado, Group Ten Metals in the Stillwater PGM-nickel-copper district of Montana, and Granite Creek Copper in the Yukon’s Minto copper district. The founders and team members of the Metallic Group include highly successful explorationists formerly with some of the industry’s leading explorers/developers and major producers. With this expertise, the companies are undertaking a systematic approach to exploration using new models and technologies to facilitate discoveries in these proven, but under-explored, mining districts. The Metallic Group is headquartered in Vancouver, BC, Canada, and its member companies are listed on the Toronto Venture, US OTC, and Frankfurt stock exchanges.

Note 1: References to adjoining properties are for illustrative purposes only and are not necessarily indicative of the exploration potential, extent, or nature of mineralization or potential future results of the Company’s projects.

Note 2: Magmatic Ore Deposits in Layered Intrusions-Descriptive Model for Reef-Type PGE and Contact-Type Cu-Ni-PGE Deposits, Michael Zientek, USGS Open-File Report 2012-1010.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Michael Rowley, President, CEO & Director
Email: info@grouptenmetals.com Phone: (604) 357 4790
Web: http://grouptenmetals.com Toll Free: (888) 432 0075

Forward-Looking Statements

Forward Looking Statements: This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed “forward-looking statements”. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts including, without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization, historic production, estimation of mineral resources, the realization of mineral resource estimates, interpretation of prior exploration and potential exploration results, the timing and success of exploration activities generally, the timing of the timing and results of future resource estimates, permitting time lines, metal prices and currency exchange rates, availability of capital, government regulation of exploration operations, environmental risks, reclamation, titlefuture driling actiivities and the locations of such drilling, and future plans and objectives of the company are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Although Group Ten believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include failure to obtain necessary approvals, unsuccessful exploration results, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, results of future resource estimates, future metal prices, availability of capital and financing on acceptable terms, general economic, market or business conditions, risks associated with regulatory changes, defects in title, availability of personnel, materials and equipment on a timely basis, accidents or equipment breakdowns, uninsured risks, delays in receiving government approvals, unanticipated environmental impacts on operations and costs to remedy same, and other exploration or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the companies with securities regulators. Readers are cautioned that mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral exploration and development of mines is an inherently risky business. Accordingly, the actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on Group Ten and the risks and challenges of their businesses, investors should review their annual filings that are available at www.sedar.com.

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.

SOURCE: Group Ten Metals Inc.



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Base Metals Energy Exclusive Interviews Junior Mining Metallic Group Precious Metals Stillwater Critical Minerals

Group Ten Metals – Maiden 43-101 Nickel-PGE Resource Update

Maurice:

Joining us for a conversation is Michael Rowley, the CEO of Group Ten Metals. Glad to be speaking with you today, as you have a big announcement for shareholders regarding the Black Lake–Drayton gold project. Before we begin, Mr. Rowley, please introduce us to Group Ten Metals and the opportunity the company presents to shareholders.

Michael Rowley:

Group Ten is focused on advancing our Stillwater West project as a premier source of low-carbon ‘green metals’ in Montana’s Stillwater district, beside Sibanye-Stillwater’s mine complex. Within the next few weeks, we expect to debut our maiden resource estimates of nickel, copper, palladium, platinum, rhodium, gold and cobalt, on that project which we expect will compare favorably with our peers and position us for growth based on this years drill campaign.

Along with owning half of the iconic Stillwater district in Montana, Group Ten also has two other district-scale land positions, the Black Lake Drayton gold project in Ontario that you mentioned a minute ago, and the Kluane PGE-Ni-Cu-Co project in the Yukon.  All three of these are big brownfield land positions in great districts, and they are 100% owned by Group Ten because we were acquiring them strategically during the bear market when great assets were available inexpensively. We are focused more than ever on Stillwater, and with that our non-core assets are effectively up for sale or spin-out in the first in a series in that regard.

Maurice:

Well, let’s begin today in Ontario is Group Ten Metals has just announced (Press Release) a letter of intent with Heritage Mining on the sale of the Black Lake–Drayton gold project. Congratulations, sir.

Michael Rowley:

Thank you, we are excited about the potential we see there.  Heritage Mining is a new listing with an excellent team, and they are well equipped to focus on Black Lake and give it the attention it deserves while granting excellent exposure to that success.

Black Lake is a rare asset that is hard to find in this current, improving market with increasing activity in junior exploration.  It checks all the boxes.  It is a big land position that shares an emerging district with a 3Moz development-stage high-grade gold project, yet is underexplored. So there is lots of smoke, someone just needs to find the fire.  Treasury Metals has done great work to the west of us consolidating the rest of the district, and Rainy River, farther to the west is now in production with New Gold. This whole belt was late to the game because of limited access and shallow ground cover, but developments at Rainy River in the 1990s changed that, and now there is over 14Moz in the belt, and growing.

Maurice:

All right, let’s get into the exciting stuff, sir. Please share the terms of the agreement with us and in particular, the cash and share compensation that group 10 metals will be receiving along with the carried interest in the potential for discovery payments.

Michael Rowley:

It’s a great deal for both parties. Group Ten will gain a major share position in a newly listed company that’s focused on precious metals and focused on developing tier one assets, developing resources. And we get that 10% free carried interest through to feasibility study. So we can be at the table at a later stage to negotiate the sale of that during a possible broader consolidation play in the district. We received $320,000 in cash payments in the first two years of the deal as well. And we receive bonus payments of $1 for every ounce of gold that is formerly brought on the books in any category at any time and even in multiple stages. That has a $10 million cap on that, the district already hosts more than 10 million ounces. So that figure is certainly possible given the area.

Maurice:

So that we better appreciate the terms. Would you please provide us with a quick bio on Heritage Mining and what they bring to the table?

Michael Rowley:

Heritage Mining is a very experienced team with an excellent track record of raising cash and advancing projects, especially in Ontario and Quebec. Heritage is familiar with this geology. They’re keen to hit the ground, which is very pleasing to us because the point of this deal is that we want someone else to raise the $5 million and advance this asset the way we think it can be advanced. So they certainly appear to be capable of that. They have an excellent record of proving ounces, developing mines, operating companies, and marketing, raising capital.

Maurice:

Where will this transaction put Group Ten Metals in terms of ownership, percentage on the share structure for Heritage Mining?

Michael Rowley:

Well, we’ll have to see what their first placement looks like once they’re trading and that’s a couple of months out from now. But we expect to be about 10% of the company initially, and then maintain between the 5% and 10% level from there. A key point on that note also is that we have that bonus structure having a carried interest. Therefore, we are not relying solely on our share position for value. We’ve got several avenues here to be exposed to that success that we expect them to have.

Maurice:

And when does Group Ten Metals expect the transaction will close?

Michael Rowley:

We look good to close around the 60-day mark around mid-October.

Maurice:

Leaving Ontario and onto the Yukon where Group Ten Metals has another non-core asset within his property bank that is equally has been receiving a lot of interest from prospective buyers. And I’m speaking of the Kluane PGE, nickel, copper project in the Yukon. Sir, any updates for us?

Michael Rowley:

The Kluane is another explored project. We have over 250 square kilometers in the under-explored Kluane Belt, which is a fantastic belt of deposits. Another ultramafic system like Stillwater reaching from BC through into Alaska. The most advanced one. There is Nickel Creek Platinum, formerly Wellgreen. And the news there is that they’ve been increasingly active in the past year. And that’s good to see. They’ve been drilling, they’ve been doing geophysics and they’ve been doing it up on the northwest end of the system towards us, which is music to our ears. We’ll be seeing them at Beaver Creek and we’re looking forward to further activity from them. You’re correct that we’re getting more interested in those projects and that they like Black Lake are effectively for sale. We just have low carrying costs. Then we’re taking our time looking for the right deals.

Maurice:

Leaving the Yukon less visit Montana, which hosts your flagship Stillwater West project. But before we get into the latest news on the Stillwater West, would you please remind us about the unique value proposition before us on your flagship project?

Michael Rowley:

The Stillwater West is fantastic.  In 2017, the opportunity was presented to us to own half of the iconic Stillwater District, which sounds too good to be true in a way. But thanks to several factors that came together at the right time. Most of all, a local vendor who had spotted a bankruptcy that left these claims available, and he was quick, he bought the data from the past operators and he tied up the claims. We’ve since tripled land position. We now own half the district we’ve built a terrific database, predictive geologic model. The point is that we are well on our way to proving ourselves as a primary source of green metals, battery-grade nickel, copper, cobalt, with platinum group elements, palladium, platinum, rhodium, and also gold.

In a US district beside three mines and a smelter complex. These are big disseminated, sulfide deposits. They convert easily and cleanly to nickel sulfate. And we are weeks away from our first resources on the project, which is a very exciting moment for any junior exploration company. This will be a solid debut, it’ll position us nicely among our peers. And we see terrific room to grow from there. If you’ve seen our news release back in April, where we related the 3D models from our IP survey, the emerging images of our Resource models, and the potential we have for expansion.

Maurice:

The Stillwater West is currently undergoing its largest exploration program to date, which is a 10,000-meter drill program there recently added a second drill rig, sir, take us on-site and get us up to speed on the program.

Michael Rowley:

We have 2 rigs turning, which is music to our ears. We’re hitting sulfide very nicely in both, massive sulfide in places, net texture, and disseminated in others. The predictive model that we’ve been working up the past few years is working beautifully. And that’s a key point. We’re now hitting with a high degree of predictability, which is what geologists want to see. The district is well mineralized.  Our neighbor has 87 million ounces in current resources, reserves, and 14 million ounces in past production of the highest-grade palladium-platinum in the world.

That’s a single magmatic pulse laid down across 40 kilometers. These things are staggering in scale, and it’s also a nickel-copper-sulfide deposit that is worth noting. We are just below them in that stratigraphy. And we’re seeing similar continuity of these horizons. We are hitting new ones all the time, they seem to run for great lengths and it’s easy to add ounces and pounds. The program that you mentioned that’s underway now should do very nicely for expanding the inaugural resources as fast as we can in 2022. So we’ll debut numbers here in summer 2021, and then look to expand them as fast as possible in 2022.

Maurice:

All right, you have two truth machines drilling away. Do you already have some core in the lab and any timeframe on when we may receive some assays?

Michael Rowley:

The first one and a half holes are in the labs, include some nice-looking core. The labs are saying six weeks though, give me into October to get those into a news release.

Maurice:

Now we will hold you to that, but we will hold the labs to that. All right, switching gears, let’s look at some numbers. Sir, please provide the capital structure for Group Ten Metals.

Michael Rowley:

Group Ten Metals has 163 million shares outstanding at today’s price. That puts us around a $50 million market cap. We feel that significantly below where we could be based on our peers. I think a good peer might be Canada Nickel, for example. Noting of course they don’t have the platinum group element component that we have. However, they are four or five times our market cap with a similar, large, lower-grade nickel project. And we think that makes it a compelling comparison. We have$ 6 million cash in the bank and we have $13 million in the money options and warrants. Those are priced between .21 and .30 cents. No placements are planned for the foreseeable future and a fully funded, fully permitted for this year’s program. And even into next year at this point.

Maurice:

Speaking of those warrants. Expect for me to go ahead and exercise mine. Speaking of the shares, Group Ten Metals recently upgraded its DTC eligibility. What does that mean for shareholders? I

Michael Rowley:

I had to look into it myself to be reminded. DTC is an electronic clearing service. This simplifies the process of trading and enhances liquidity For American traders, which we have a really good US shareholder base. So this is, meaningful in terms of fast and efficient settling of those trades.

Maurice:

Before we close Mr. Rowley, what would you like to say to shareholders?

Michael Rowley:

This is an exciting time for Group Ten Metals! If you’re familiar with the Lassonde Curve value creation in junior miners were at that just pre-discovery phase where you get that rapid increase in value. And it’s quite a privilege to be here. It’s exciting to be systematically exploring the Stillwater Complex, which is famously metal-rich, and yet also under-explored and it’s remarkable, but the 215 drill holes to date across 32 kilometers of claims, 61 square kilometers. That’s not a lot. And we’re testing things all the time that have never been drilled and we’re finding nice-looking sulfides there. So to be the ones systematically adding value and looking like, in terms of the market, that we’re on the left end of the Lassonde Curve, but knowing that we’re much farther along in terms of having comfort about some size and grade here. Pretty exciting.

Maurice:

Last question. What did I forget to ask?

Michael Rowley:

Well, it’s probably a good point to touch on the broader commodity markets and you know metal markets are going sideways at the moment but there are the fundamentals are in place perhaps more than ever for a really good steady increase. We’re looking for all the metals in our suite of commodity baskets to resume their upward momentum likely this fall. We’ve got the FED meeting behind us today. Things look positive the fundamentals are there and we’re looking forward to increased value for all our commodities, especially, in nickel. We’re hearing increasingly of the coming shortfall in nickel sulfide, in particular clean nickel that’s good for batteries or rather makes nickel sulfate in the most environmentally friendly manner. We’re excited to be part of that and we’re looking forward to that renewed momentum. This is a good buying opportunity to buy shares in Group Ten Metals. 

Maurice

Sir, for readers that want to get more information on Group Ten Metals, please share the website address.

Michael Rowley:

www.grouptenmetals.com

Maurice:

Mr. Rowley, it’s been a pleasure speaking with you today, wishing you and Group Ten Metals the absolute best sir.