VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / November 28, 2024 / Metallic Minerals Corp. (TSXV:MMG)(OTCQB:MMNGF) (“Metallic Minerals” or the “Company”) announces that the Company has applied for TSX Venture Exchange approval to extend the expiry date on certain share purchase warrants (the “Warrants”).
Per the application, 4,800,000 Warrants that were originally issued as part of a private placement transaction on June 8, 2022 (see June 9, 2022 news release) exercisable at $0.50 per warrant and expiring December 8, 2024 will now be extended to an expiry date of June 8, 2025.
In addition, the Company proposes to extend the expiry date for 735,500 warrants issued pursuant to a private placement transaction on June 30, 2022 (see June 17, 2022 news release) exercisable at $0.50 per warrant and expiring on December 30, 2024 will now be extended to June 30, 2025.
All other terms and conditions of the Warrants remain unchanged.
About Metallic Minerals Metallic Minerals Corp. is a resource-stage mineral exploration company, focused on copper, silver, gold, and platinum group elements in top North American jurisdictions. Our objective is to create shareholder value through a systematic, entrepreneurial approach to making exploration discoveries, growing resources, and advancing projects toward development.
At the Company’s La Plata project in southwestern Colorado, the expanded NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate highlights a significant porphyry copper-silver resource containing 1.2 Blbs copper and 17.6 Moz of silver1, with numerous additional targets showing potential for a district-scale porphyry system. The Company announced a 9.5% strategic investment focused on La Plata by Newmont Corporation in May 2023 with two subsequent top up investments in 2024. The U.S. Geological Survey has identified the La Plata mining district as a critical minerals resource area under the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative program and has completed significant geologic and geophysical studies to enhance understanding of the critical mineral potential in the district. The La Plata project is located between the communities of Mancos and Durango, Colorado, north of Highway 160.
In Canada’s Yukon Territory, Metallic Minerals has the second-largest land position in the historic high-grade Keno Hill silver district, directly adjacent to Hecla’s operations, with more than 300 Moz of high-grade silver in past production and current M&I resources. The inaugural Resource Estimate at the Company’s Keno Silver project added 18.2 Moz silver equivalent2 to the Company’s total resources in 2024. Hecla is the largest primary silver producer in the USA and soon to be Canada’s largest with full production at its Keno Hill operations in 2024.
The Company is also one of the largest holders of alluvial gold claims in the Yukon and is building a production royalty business by partnering with experienced mining operators.
Metallic Minerals is led by a team with a track record of discovery and exploration success on several major precious and base metal deposits in North America, as well as having large-scale development, permitting and project financing expertise. The Metallic Minerals team is committed to responsible and sustainable resource development and has worked closely with Canadian First Nation groups, US Tribal/Native Corporations, and local communities to support successful project development.
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, statements about expected results of operations, royalties, cash flows, financial position and future dividends as well as financial position, prospects, and future plans and objectives of the Company are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Although Metallic Minerals 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, unsuccessful operations, 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 Company with securities regulators. Readers are cautioned that mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral exploration, development of mines and mining operations is an inherently risky business. Accordingly, the actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on Metallic Minerals 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.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / November 4, 2024 / Stillwater Critical Minerals Corp. (TSXV:PGE)(OTCQB:PGEZF)(FSE:J0G) (the “Company” or “Stillwater”) is pleased to announce results of rhodium (“Rh”) assays conducted on core from resource expansion drilling on its 100%-owned Stillwater West platinum group element, nickel, copper, cobalt, and gold (“PGE-Ni-Cu-Co + Au”) project in Montana, USA, adjacent to Sibanye-Stillwater’s world-class critical minerals mining operations.
Highlights include:
As shown in Table 1, widespread rhodium was returned in drill results at potentially significant co-product grades including:
1.13 g/t Rh in an interval that totaled 7.96 g/t Pt+Pd+Au+Rh (“4E”) over 1.2 meters in CM2023-03, starting at 308.8 meters and set within 14.6 meters of1.38 g/t 4E including 0.118 g/t Rh; and
0.162 g/t Rh over 3.7 meters in CM2023-01 starting at 407.8 meters within an interval of 0.99 g/t 4E.
Supply constraints have resulted in elevated rhodium prices since 2017. At its current two-year average price of USD 6,500/oz, and three-year year average price of USD 9,500/oz, rhodium equates to more than five times the current value of palladium or platinum.
Results are expected to expand upon the 115,000 ounces of rhodium defined in the January 2023 Mineral Resource Estimate (“MRE”) and are similar to results from past campaigns which returned 0.103 g/t Rh over 7.9 meters in hole CM2020-05, and 0.100 g/t Rh over 6.1 meters in hole CM2007-02.
Rhodium 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 Stillwater’s Stillwater West project across 32 kilometers in the Stillwater Igneous Complex, is the primary US producer of Rh, mining the highest-grade PGE deposit in the world, the J-M Reef deposit.
Recent announcements concerning lay-offs and reduced production at Sibanye-Stillwater (as a result of depressed global palladium prices) have brought bipartisan support for mining jobs in Montana and US critical mineral supply from Senators Jon Tester (D) and Steve Daines (R), both of Montana, in addition to support from other local, state, and federal officials.
Rhodium has a high melting point, is highly corrosion resistant, and is critical in catalytic converters, along with platinum and palladium, for cleaner vehicle emissions.
Complete results from the expansion drill campaign, which focused on the west side of the DR and Hybrid deposits at Chrome Mountain, are being incorporated into updated block models driven by an updated 3D geologic model as announced October 16, 2024. Figure 1, updated from that release, demonstrates the impressive grade and scale of mineralization at the Stillwater West project with wide intervals at successively higher grades contained within very wide bulk-tonnage grade intervals across the 9.5-kilometer-long area that contains the current deposits, including:
13.2 meters of 2.31% Ni, 0.35% Cu, 0.115% Co, and 1.51 g/t 4E starting at 37.6 meters and within 400.8 meters of continuous mineralization in hole CM2021-05;
50.2 meters of 1.05 g/t 4E plus 0.19% Ni and other values within 728.1 meters of continuous mineralization in hole CM2021-01; and
44.1 meters of 0.57% Ni, 0.34% Cu, 0.045% Co, and 0.74 g/t 4E starting at 32.8 meters and within 367.6 meters of continuous mineralization in hole CZ2021-01.
Metallurgical testing completed by AMAX confirmed recovery of rhodium along with palladium and platinum in preliminary bench-scale flotation testing at the CZ deposit area in the early 1970s.
Past work previously reported by the Company included surface sample results of up to 5.78 g/t Rh at the HGR target in the Iron Mountain area, and 1.07 g/t Rh at Chrome Mountain in reconnaissance-scale rock sample programs (see June 11, 2020, news release).
Early results for other rare PGEs show potential for additional value from iridium, osmium, and ruthenium which often occur along with platinum, palladium, and rhodium at Stillwater West.
Table 1 – Final results from resource expansion drilling including recent rhodium assay results.
Highlighted significant intercepts with grade-thickness values over 7 percent-meter recovered NiEq are presented above, except as noted. Recovered Nickel Equivalents (“NiEq”) are presented for comparative purposes using conservative long-term metal prices (all USD): $8.00/lb nickel (Ni), $4.00/lb copper (Cu), $22.00/lb cobalt (Co), $1,000/oz platinum (Pt), $1,950/oz palladium (Pd), $1,850/oz gold (Au), and $10,000/oz rhodium (Rh). NiEq is determined as follows: NiEq% = [Ni% x recovery] + [Cu% x recovery x Cu price/ Ni price] + [Co% x recovery x Co price / Ni price] + [Pt g/t x recovery / 31.103 x Pt price / Ni price / 2,204 x 100] + [Pd g/t x recovery / 31.103 x Pd price / Ni price / 2,204 x 100] + [Au g/t x recovery / 31.103 x Au price / Ni price / 2,204 x 100]. In the above calculations: 31.103 = grams per troy ounce, 2,204 = lbs per metric tonne, and 100 and 0.01 convert assay results reported in % and g/t. The following recoveries have been assumed for purposes of the above equivalent calculations: 85% for Ni and 90% for all other listed metals, based on recoveries at similar nearby operations. 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 0.48 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.
Table 2 – Drill Hole Location and Depths
Michael Rowley, President and CEO, commented, “The strength and sheer scale of mineralization at Stillwater West continues to impress us as we add mineralization at several grade cut-offs, providing us with excellent optionality on potential mine methods as we advance towards our vision of becoming a primary source of critical minerals in the US. The polymetallic nature of our deposits is also strongly in our favor as the longest lived and most profitable mines in the world are almost without exception large and polymetallic. Anglo American’s Mogalakwena mines and Ivanhoe’s Platreef mine – our geologic parallels in South Africa’s Bushveld Complex – are excellent examples of large-scale polymetallic critical minerals mines in similar geology. Armed with these drill results and our new understanding of the layered geology of the Stillwater Complex per our updated 3D geologic model as announced recently, we now have the components necessary to update our current resource estimate. We look forward to further announcements from our flagship asset in addition to updates from our non-core assets.”
Dr. Danie Grobler, Vice-President of Exploration, commented, “The wealth of exploration drilling and assay data available on the Stillwater West project area greatly advanced our understanding of the mineralization controls and detailed geological interpretation. Recent drill results further support our geological models and understanding of mineralization controls within the main target areas. The current models now confirm continuity of the mineralized zones and their correlation with the A and B Chromitite horizons within the lower part of the Peridotite Zone. Both these chromite-rich horizons, viewed as thick stratiform ‘reef’- type horizons, are PGE-enriched and particularly rich in rhodium. More importantly, the reported high-grade rhodium results have now been confirmed to correlate with these two specific chromitite units and correspond to geochemical and geophysical anomalies associated with our existing resource areas defined during 2023. This largely confirms our understanding of their occurrence, and our ability to effectively target extensions and new areas”.
Recent Events in Global Platinum Group Elements Markets, Including US Government Support In September 2024, Sibanye-Stillwater announced a substantial reduction in operations at the mines beside Stillwater West, primarily as a result of low global palladium prices. The response from the community and also local, state and federal governments was swift and supportive, with Senators Tester and Daines for example announcing bipartisan support for Montana mining jobs and US critical mineral production to bolster domestic supplies and counter foreign dumping with the intent to drive prices down. These actions were focused on palladium but similar comments and lobby efforts have been applied to nickel, cobalt, and other critical minerals in recent years, as a result of a flood of cheaper metal from Russia and Chinese-funded operations in Indonesia, the DRC, and other locations.
In October 2024, the US government approached the G-7 nations with a proposal for sanctions on Russian palladium in a further demonstration of the US’ desire to counter foreign supplies and allow its domestic resources to advance.
Most recently, Sibanye-Stillwater celebrated the publication of the final regulations for Section 45X of the Inflation Reduction Act from the US Department of the Treasury which clarified important points that will likely result in significant tax credits for production of critical minerals from their US operations.
The importance of having proactive and supportive government cannot be understated as the US looks to expand its supply chains of critical minerals.
The Company has been working with the US Geological Survey for over six years, is the industry partner on Department of Energy grants totaling USD 2.75M to date, and is actively pursuing additional government funding for critical mineral supply.
Figure 2 – Stillwater Critical Minerals President and CEO Michael Rowley with Federal politicians from Montana in May 2024 at the Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC. From L-R: Senator Jon Tester (D), Representative Matt Rosendale (R), Michael Rowley, Representative Ryan Zinke (R), and Senator Steve Daines (R).
Upcoming Events
Stillwater’s President and CEO, Michael Rowley, will be available for meetings and presenting at the following events:
Precious Metals Summit – Zurich, CH, November 11-12, 2024. For more information, click here.
121 Mining Events – London, UK, November 14-15. For more information, click here.
About Stillwater Critical Minerals Corp. Stillwater Critical Minerals (TSXV:PGE)(OTCQB:PGEZF)(FSE:J0G) is a mineral exploration company focused on its flagship Stillwater West Ni-PGE-Cu-Co + Au project in the iconic and famously productive Stillwater mining district in Montana, USA. With the addition of two renowned Bushveld and Platreef geologists to the team and strategic investments by Glencore plc, the Company is well positioned to advance the next phase of large-scale critical mineral supply from this world-class American district, building on past production of nickel, copper, and chromium, and the on-going production of platinum group, nickel, and other metals by neighboring Sibanye-Stillwater. An expanded NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate, released January 2023, positions Stillwater West with the largest nickel resource in an active US mining district as part of a compelling suite of nine minerals now listed as critical in the USA.
Stillwater also holds the high-grade Drayton-Black Lake- gold project adjacent to Nexgold Mining’s development-stage Goliath Gold Complex in northwest Ontario, currently under an earn-in agreement with Heritage Mining, and the Kluane PGE-Ni-Cu-Co critical minerals project on trend with Nickel Creek Platinum‘s Wellgreen deposit in Canada‘s Yukon Territory. The Company also holds the Duke Island Cu-Ni-PGE property in Alaska, now subject to an LOI towards an earn-in agreement with Granite Creek Copper, and maintains a back-in right on the high-grade past-producing Yankee-Dundee in BC, following its sale in 2013.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Michael Rowley, President, CEO & Director – Stillwater Critical Minerals Email: info@criticalminerals.com Phone: (604) 357 4790 Web: http://criticalminerals.com Toll Free: (888) 432 0075
Quality Control and Quality Assurance 2023 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., Managing Geologist at Stillwater, 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 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 Stillwater Critical Minerals 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 Stillwater Critical Minerals 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.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 17, 2024 / Metallic Minerals Corp. (TSX.V:MMG)(OTCQB:MMNGF)(“Metallic Minerals” or the “Company”) announces that Newmont Corporation (“Newmont”) has elected to exercise its ‘top-up right’ to purchase additional common shares in Metallic Minerals in order to maintain its 9.5% interest pursuant to its Investor Rights Agreement (the “IRA”) dated May 18, 2023. Under the terms of the IRA, Newmont will purchase an aggregate of 577,776 common shares at a price of $0.36 per share (the “Top-Up Financing”) reflecting the Company’s July financing and certain other transactions completed over the past six months.
The Top-Up Financing remains subject to customary closing conditions, including final approval by the TSX Venture Exchange. All securities issued will be subject to a statutory hold period of four months and one day from their date of issuance.
Newmont funded a 4,500-meter drill program at Metallic Minerals’ La Plata copper-silver-gold-platinum group element (“Cu-Ag-Au-PGE”) project in southwestern Colorado via a $6.3 million strategic equity investment announced May 2023. Results from that program announced in May 2024 demonstrate the potential of the La Plata project to be a district-scale, precious-metal-rich porphyry system with multiple holes returning from 500 to 900 meters of continuous mineralization starting from surface and including some of the highest grade-times-thickness values for copper drill holes in the U.S. over the last year1. Resource modelling is currently underway to integrate the recent drilling results into an updated resource estimate at the Allard deposit for the project.
Newmont has provided technical support and expertise to the La Plata project team through the joint technical committee, which has included multiple site visits and assistance with geologic and geophysical interpretations and hyperspectral data acquisition. These contributions are ongoing, with Newmont providing experienced personnel to the project for enhancing surface data acquisition, geologic mapping, and geophysics.
Metallic Minerals CEO and Chairman, Greg Johnson, stated,”We are very pleased to continue the advancement of our excellent working relationship with the Newmont team. Metallic has worked closely with Newmont via our technical committee and appreciates the collaboration with their technical team at the site. The main Allard deposit remains open to expansion at depth and along trend, with more than 20 new surface targets identified which may represent additional porphyry centers. Work is currently underway on the Allard resource which will include adding gold, platinum and palladium to the existing copper and silver resource. The resource update is targeted to be complete in Q4 2024. Metallic has also been collaborating with Newmont personnel on follow up surface sampling at the newly identified targets to advance the highest priority targets to the first drill testing stage outside of the Allard resource area in 2025.”
In addition, Mr. Johnson, continued, “Based on our attendance last week at the Precious Metals Summit in Beaver Creek, Colorado, one of the keystone annual events for mining exploration companies and investors, we were pleased to see the interest in Metallic’s projects and the recognition of incredible value opportunity represented by the junior explorer / developer market with gold moving to new all-time highs and the recent breakouts of the mid-cap and large-cap miners. Sentiment at the event was positive, with expectations that the current deep value level of the junior market would lead to outsized future returns reflecting the scarcity of world-class discoveries and assets in copper, silver and gold currently under development in a period of such strong demand fundamentals.”
Precious Metals Summit Presentation
Metallic Minerals provided an overview and update on the Company and projects, including upcoming catalysts. To view the presentation, click here or the image.
About Metallic Minerals
Metallic Minerals Corp. is a resource-stage mineral exploration company, focused on copper, silver, gold, and platinum group elements in top North American mining jurisdictions. Our objective is to create shareholder value through a systematic, entrepreneurial approach to making exploration discoveries, growing resources, and advancing projects toward development.
At the Company’s La Plata project in southwestern Colorado, the expanded 2023 NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate highlights a significant porphyry copper-silver resource containing 1.2 Blbs copper and 17.6 Moz of silver1, with numerous additional targets showing potential for a district-scale porphyry system. The Company announced a 9.5% strategic investment by Newmont Corporation in May 2023. The U.S. Geological Survey has identified the La Plata mining district as a critical minerals resource area under the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative program and has completed significant geologic and geophysical studies to enhance understanding of the critical mineral occurrence in the district. The La Plata project is located between the communities of Mancos and Durango, Colorado, north of Highway 160.
In Canada’s Yukon Territory, Metallic Minerals has the second-largest land position in the historic high-grade Keno Hill silver district, directly adjacent to Hecla’s operations, with more than 300 Moz of high-grade silver in past production and current M&I resources. The new 2024 Resource Estimate at the Company’s Keno Silver project adds 18.2 Moz silver equivalent2 to the Company’s total resources. Hecla is the largest primary silver producer in the USA and soon to be Canada’s largest with full production at its Keno Hill operations in 2024.
The Company is also one of the largest holders of alluvial gold claims in the Yukon and is building a production royalty business by partnering with experienced mining operators.
Metallic Minerals is led by a team with a track record of discovery and exploration success on several major precious and base metal deposits in North America, as well as having large-scale development, permitting and project financing expertise. The Metallic Minerals team is committed to responsible and sustainable resource development and has worked closely with Canadian First Nation groups, US Tribal/Native Corporations, and local communities to support successful project development.
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, statements about expected results of operations, royalties, cash flows, financial position and future dividends as well as financial position, prospects, and future plans and objectives of the Company are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Although Metallic Minerals 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, unsuccessful operations, 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 Company with securities regulators. Readers are cautioned that mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral exploration, development of mines and mining operations is an inherently risky business. Accordingly, the actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on Metallic Minerals 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.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / January 10, 2024 / Metallic Minerals Corp. (TSXV:MMG)(OTCQB:MMNGF) (“Metallic Minerals” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce results from its fall 2023 exploration drilling campaign at the Company’s 100%-owned, 171 square kilometer (“km2″) Keno Silver project, adjacent to Hecla Mining (“Hecla”) in the high-grade Keno Hill silver district of Canada’s Yukon Territory. The 2023 exploration program included 1,112 meters (“m”) in four diamond drill holes focused on expansion of the Formo target in the West Keno area, which is on trend with the 100 million-ounce (“Moz”) historic Hector-Calumet mine controlled by Hecla.
Drill hole FOR23-03 represents one of the best intercepts to date for the Keno Silver project, returning grades of 256 grams per tonne (g/t) silver equivalent recovered (“Ag Eq”) over 46 m. This is also the deepest intercept to date on the Formo vein structure (only 275 m vertically from surface) and mineralization remains fully open down dip and along strike. Formo is anticipated to be one of the highest grade and largest contributors to the forthcoming inaugural NI-43-101 mineral resource estimate for the Keno Silver project, currently nearing completion by SGS Geological Services.
2023 West Keno Exploration Highlights
High-grade silver (“Ag”), lead (“Pb”), zinc, (“Zn”) and significant gold (“Au”) mineralization was encountered in all four 2023 drill holes (See Table 1) which will contribute to the pending NI 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate for the project.
Both high-grade Ag-Au-Pb-Zn vein-style mineralization and broader zones of bulk tonnage Ag-Au-Pb-Zn mineralization comprised of high-grade vein intervals and associated stringers and stockwork veining were encountered.
FOR23-03 returned 256.8 g/t Ag Eq (99.1 g/t Ag, 0.52 g/t Au, 0.65% Pb, 2.62% Zn) over 46.05 m with multiple internal higher-grade zones including, 3.3 m of 1,413.45 g/t Ag Eq (562.4 g/t Ag, 0.20 g/t Au, 2.35% Pb and 20.3% Zn). The bulk tonnage interval of this hole represents one of the highest gram-meter (g/t Ag Eq x interval thickness) intervals on the Keno Silver project to date, and extended mineralization by 140 m from the nearest 2022 and historic drill holes.
FOR23-04, a large step-out hole, drilled nearly 250 m west of the nearest Formo vein drilling, returned four separate silver-dominant vein structures of considerable width providing additional confirmation of the potential for on-strike expansion of the Formo target.
The Formo target remains open to further expansion, down-dip and on-trend, and shows potential for new discoveries within the Formo property footprint.
Metallic Minerals President, Scott Petsel, stated, “The Formo target is an exciting, advanced exploration stage “resource-ready” target with significant room to grow featuring both high-grade and bulk mineable widths that make it amenable to lower-cost mining methods. The Formo target is ideally located near infrastructure as it is adjacent to the Silver Trail highway (Highway 11) and power lines that feed the central Keno Hill mill. It also directly adjoins Hecla’s Keno Hill property, where Hecla is actively mining the nearby Bermingham mine. We are excited to be able to include these new drill results in our upcoming inaugural resource for the Keno Silver project as these results at Formo continue to demonstrate our ability to build a significant resource base for the project. The resource estimate is expected to be complete in Q1 2024.”
“In addition, the Company looks forward to meeting with interested investors at the upcoming Vancouver Resource Investment Conference, AMEBC Mineral Roundup and Prospectors and Developers annual conferences where Metallic Minerals has been invited to display drill core from its 2023 exploration programs at La Plata and Keno Silver. We anticipate reporting additional results from the Keno Silver project and La Plata projects over the next few weeks.”
Upcoming Events
Vancouver Resource Investment Conference (VRIC) Metallic Minerals and fellow Metallic Group members, Granite Creek Copper and Stillwater Critical Minerals, in Booth #112 at the 2024 VRIC event, January 21 and 22, 2024. For more information click here.
AMEBC Mineral Roundup Core Shack Metallic Minerals will be displaying core from the 2023 drill season at the upcoming AMEBC Mineral Roundup event held in Vancouver, BC January 22 to 25, 2024. For more information click here.
Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada Annual Convention (PDAC) Metallic Minerals will be displaying core from the 2023 drill season at the La Plata project during the PDAC convention held in Toronto, March 3 to 6, 2024. For more information click here.
Table 1 – Highlights of 2023 Drill Results from the West Keno – Formo Target Area
DDH Hole ID
From (m)
To (m)
Length (M)
Recovered Ag Eq (g/t)
Ag (g/t)
Au (g/t)
Pb (%)
Zn (%)
FOR23-001
148.74
149.43
0.69
499.23
3.6
6.20
0.00
0.01
and
196.95
215
18.05
234.45
121.4
0.05
1.22
2.06
including
196.95
198.9
1.95
513.39
300.3
0.07
2.71
3.74
also incl
208.4
214
5.6
478.25
241.0
0.10
2.41
4.43
with
208.4
211.2
2.8
687.57
367.9
0.18
4.02
5.37
FOR23-002
172.3
173.35
1.05
67.04
3.5
0.79
0.01
0.01
and
218
221
3
131.42
51.9
0.38
0.35
1.07
incl
218.75
219.75
1
277.81
137.0
0.00
0.96
3.08
FOR23-003
239.95
286
46.05
256.82
99.1
0.52
0.65
2.62
including
239.35
263.65
23.7
462.37
176.0
1.0
1.13
4.67
with
239.35
245.5
5.5
406.57
46.6
4.07
0.49
0.60
and with
255.8
263.65
7.85
899.27
392.4
0.13
2.06
11.68
including
260.35
263.65
3.3
1,413.45
562.4
0.20
2.35
20.30
with
260.75
261.5
0.75
1,411.76
994.0
0.03
3.01
7.36
and with
262.05
263.65
1.6
1,769.44
416.0
0.39
2.64
32.32
and
284
286
2
302.55
116.5
0.03
1.07
4.07
FOR23-004
122
124.46
2.46
76.62
43.7
0.11
0.33
0.43
and
153.5
154.1
0.6
284.52
154.0
0.09
1.67
2.14
and
177.5
183
5.5
72.95
61.2
0.00
0.28
0.18
including
179
180.75
1.76
144.67
130.0
0.00
0.46
0.21
and
300.3
301
0.7
83.26
5.6
0.97
0.01
0.00
Notes to reported values:
Ag equivalent is presented for comparative purposes using conservative long-term metal prices (all USD): $22.0/oz silver (Ag), $1,850/oz gold (Au), $1.00/lb lead (Pb), $1.40/lb zinc (Zn).
Recovered Silver Equivalent in Table 1 is determined as follows: Ag Eq g/t = [Ag g/t x recovery] + [Au g/t x recovery x Au price/ Ag price] + [Pb % x 10,000 x recovery x Pb price / Ag price] + [Zn% x 10,000 x recovery x Zn price / Ag price].
In the above calculations: 1% = 10,000 ppm = 10,000 g/t.
The following recoveries have been assumed for purposes of the above equivalent calculations: 95% for precious metals (Ag/Au) and 90% for all other listed metals, based on recoveries at similar nearby operations.
Intervals are reported as measured drill intersect lengths and do not represent true width.
Figure 1. Keno Silver District Geology and Deposits
West Keno and the Formo Target Area The Western Keno Hill district is host to the largest historic production and current resources in the prolific Keno Hill silver district. The Formo target is located at the intersection of a north-easterly structural zone extending from the Hector-Calumet mine, which was the largest producer in the district producing nearly 100 million ounces of silver and the Elsa structural trend, which was the second largest silver producer in the district (see Figure 2).
The Formo property, which includes the historic Formo Mine, was acquired by Metallic Minerals in 2017. The historic Formo mine produced high-grade silver at various times since the 1930s from high-grade vein structures that graded over 1,000 g/t silver1. Significant underground exploration drifts were developed in the 1950s with most of the historic production from an open pit located alongside of the Silver Trail highway between the Elsa townsite and Keno City and last mined in the 1980s.
The primary Formo vein structure is exposed at surface in an open cut. Multiple veins have been encountered in the target area that demonstrate an association with Triassic greenstones in the Earn group schist, similar to the Sadie Ladue deposit which produced 12.7 Moz silver at a grade of 1,620 g/t Ag1. In addition to the mineralization at the known Formo target, two new surface targets have been identified through soil and rock sampling along the same structural corridors that show potential to host high-grade and bulk tonnage Keno-style Ag-Au-Pb-Zn veins on the Formo property (Figure 2).
Since 2020, Metallic Minerals has drilled 26 holes (4,419 m) at the Formo target building on the six core holes and 54 percussion holes drilled by previous owners between 1980 and 1981. The Formo target is open to significant expansion down dip and along trend with several newly identified targets for drill testing (Figure 2 and 3 below).
Figure 2 – West Keno and Formo Target Plan Map
Figure 3 – Formo Target Cross Section (Looking East)
Pending 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate for Keno Silver Project The upcoming inaugural independent 43-101 mineral resource estimate is focused on four initial deposits across the Keno Silver project, including: Formo, Caribou, Fox and Homestake. These four deposits are the most advanced of over 40 identified target areas, each of which is characterized by a kilometric scale Ag in soil anomaly, exposed outcropping high-grade veins, and varying levels of exploration activity or historic production. Metallic Minerals has completed 165 drill holes totalling 18,983 m of combined reverse circulation and diamond core drilling at the Keno Silver project since 2017 on a total of 11 targets, all of which have returned encouraging results. The four most advanced “resource-ready” targets will be part of the upcoming mineral resource estimate being completed by SGS Geological Services and include:
Formo Target – In the West Keno District, it demonstrates potential for lower-cost bulk tonnage mining or high-grade selective methods with drill highlights including:
Hole FOR22-04 – 20.87 m @ 220.5 g/t Ag Eq (144.6 g/t Ag, 0.70% Pb, 1.59% Zn), and 1.63 m @ 1,487.19 g/t Ag Eq (1,049 g/t Ag, 4.21% Pb, 9.45% Zn)
Hole FOR21-05 – 19.8 m @ 216.26 g/t Ag Eq (70 g/t Ag, 0.41 g/t Au, 0.30% Pb, 2.07% Zn) and 0.7 m @ 1,405 g/t Ag Eq (421.0 g/t Ag, 0.15 g/t Au, 1.53% Pb, 24.2% Zn)
Hole FOR20-003 – 3.0 m @ 2,954.52 g/t Ag (1,568 g/t Ag, 29.45% Pb, 1.35% Zn)
Caribou Target – In the Central Keno target area the Caribou target historically produced very high-grade material from a shallow surface pit grading more than 6,000 g/t silver.
Fox Target – Discovered by Metallic Minerals in 2020 in the East Keno target area, the Fox target is characterized as a newly recognized bulk tonnage style of mineralization with shallow-dipping sheeted vein sets up to 177 m in width. Drilling since 2020, has defined a bulk-tonnage mineralized block over 300 m along strike and 150 m down-dip from surface which is open in all directions.
Homestake Target – A historic producer, the Homestake target in the Central Keno area is fractally spatial with the districts’ giant past producers and current resources (Silver King, Elsa, Bermingham, Hector Calumet, Flame & Moth and Bellekeno) near the contact of the Keno Hill Quartzite and Sourdough Hill formations. With only 88 drill holes (slightly over 5000 m of drilling), and a strike length over 2 km the Homestake target represents considerable resource opportunity and exploration potential.
Metallic Minerals sees considerable opportunity for resource growth from target expansion and new discovery with the further systematic application of exploration, including the expansion of detailed soil geochemical grids, “resource-ready” target expansion through drilling and reconnaissance drilling of early-stage targets.
About Metallic Minerals Metallic Minerals Corp. is focused on copper, silver, gold, and other critical minerals in the La Plata mining district in Colorado, and silver and gold in the high-grade Keno Hill and Klondike districts of the Yukon. Our objective is to create shareholder value through a systematic, entrepreneurial approach to making exploration discoveries, growing resources, and advancing projects toward development.
At the Company’s La Plata project in southwestern Colorado, the new 2023 NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate identifies a significant porphyry copper-silver resource containing 1.21 Blbs copper and 17.6 Moz of silver3. The 2022 expansion drilling provided the basis for the updated resource, including the longest and highest-grade interval ever encountered at La Plata and one of the top intersections for any North American copper project in the past several years. In May 2023, the Company announced a 9.5% strategic investment by Newcrest Mining Limited (acquired by Newmont Mining in 2023) to accelerate the advancement of the Company’s La Plata project. In the 2023 Fraser Institute’s Annual Survey of Mining Companies, Colorado ranked 5th globally for investment attractiveness and 2nd in the USA.
In Canada’s Yukon Territory, Metallic Minerals has consolidated the second-largest land position in the historic high-grade Keno Hill silver district, directly adjacent to Hecla Mining Company’s (“Hecla”) operations, with more than 300 Moz of high-grade silver in past production and current M&I resources. Hecla, the largest primary silver producer in the USA and third largest in the world, is anticipating full production at its Keno Hill operations by the end of 2023. An inaugural mineral resource estimate on the project is expected in early 2024, with an 1,112-meter expansion drill program completed at the Formo target during fall of 2023.
The Company is also one of the largest holders of alluvial gold claims in the Yukon and is building a production royalty business by partnering with experienced mining operators, including Parker Schnabel of Little Flake Mining from the Discovery Channel television show, Gold Rush.
All of the districts in which Metallic Minerals operates have seen significant mineral production and have existing infrastructure, including power and road access. The Company is led by a team with a track record of discovery and exploration success on several major precious and base metal deposits in the region, as well as having large-scale development, permitting and project financing expertise. The Metallic Minerals team has been recognized for its environmental stewardship practices and is committed to responsible and sustainable resource development.
Footnotes:
Cathro, R. J., Great Mining Camps of Canada 1. The History and Geology of the Keno Hill Silver Camp, Yukon Territory. Geoscience Canada, Sept. 2006. ISSN 1911-4850.
Alexco Resource Corp Technical Report, titled “NI 43-101 Technical Report on Updated Mineral Resource and Reserve Estimate of the Keno Hill Silver District” with an effective date of April 1, 2021, and issue date of May 26, 2021.
See news release dated July 31, 2023. The Mineral Resource has been estimated in conformity with CIM Estimation of Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve Best Practices Guidelines (2019) and current CIM Definition Standards. The constrained Mineral Resources are reported at a base case cut-off grade of 0.25% Cu Eq, based on metal prices of $3.75/lb Cu and $22.50/oz Ag, assumed metal recoveries of 90% for Cu and 65% for Ag, a mining cost of US$5.30/t rock and processing and G&A cost of US$11.50/t mineralized material. 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.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Website: www.mmgsilver.com Phone: 604-629-7800
Qualified Person The disclosure in this news release of scientific and technical information regarding exploration projects on Metallic Minerals’ mineral properties has been reviewed and approved by Taylor Haid, P. Geo, Project Manager for TruePoint Exploration, who is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”).
Quality Assurance / Quality Control All samples were prepared by Bureau Veritas’ (BV) Whitehorse, Yukon facility and geochemically analyzed at the BV laboratory in Vancouver, British Columbia. All samples were prepared using BV code PRP70-250, which crushed, split, and pulverized 250 grams of core to 200 mesh pulps. These pulps were then analyzed by 37 Element 1:1:1 Aqua Regia Digestion followed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-ES/MS) analyses (BV Code AQ202). Over-limit silver, lead, and zinc samples were further analyzed with multi-acid digestion and atomic absorption spectrometry (BV Code MA404). Samples with over-limit gold (and silver when over-limit was reached via multi-acid) were re-analyzed using a 30-gram fire assay fusion with gravimetric finish (BV Code FA530).
All results have passed the QAQC screening by the lab and the company utilizes a quality control and quality assurance protocol for the project, including insertion of blanks, duplicates, and certified reference materials approximately every tenth sample. Certified reference materials were acquired from OREAS North America Inc. of Sudbury, Ontario, and CDN Resource Laboratories Ltd. Of Langley, British Columbia for the 2023 drill program at the Keno Silver project.
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, statements about expected results of operations, royalties, cash flows, financial position and future dividends as well as financial position, prospects, and future plans and objectives of the Company are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Although Metallic Minerals 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, unsuccessful operations, 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 Company with securities regulators. Readers are cautioned that mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral exploration, development of mines and mining operations is an inherently risky business. Accordingly, the actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on Metallic Minerals 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.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / December 13, 2023 / Metallic Minerals Corp. (TSXV:MMG)(OTCQB:MMNGF) (“Metallic Minerals” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce the completion of 2023 field activities at the Company’s La Plata copper-silver-gold-PGE project in southwestern Colorado, USA. The 2023 exploration program included 4,530 meters in four diamond drill holes focused on expanding the current mineral resource and testing extensions of strong porphyry-style mineralization encountered in 2022 drill hole LAP22-04. LAP22-04 intercepted 816 meters of continuous mineralization grading 0.41% copper equivalent with significant intervals of higher-grade mineralization. Assays are pending with results expected in early 2024, which will provide the basis for an update to the current mineral resource estimate of 1.2 billion pounds copper and 17.6 million ounces of silver1 as announced in July 2023. Additional field activities included detailed geologic mapping, surface rock and soil sampling, airborne and drill core hyperspectral surveys.
The 2023 field campaign was funded by a strategic equity investment announced in May 2023 whereby Newmont Mining (previously Newcrest Mining Limited) acquired a 9.5% ownership position in Metallic Minerals with the goal of accelerating advancement of the La Plata project.
Highlights
Drilling totalled 4,530 meters in four resource expansion drill holes ranging from 965 meters in depth to 1,350 meters in hole LAP23-06, which is the deepest hole to date in the project.
All four drill holes intersected porphyry style mineralization over their entire lengths with varying levels of visible copper sulphides and vein density (see Figures below).
Drilling in 2023 has extended mineralization to more than 1.5 kilometers vertically starting at surface and is anticipated to allow for inclusion of both gold and platinum group elements in future mineral resource estimates along with copper and silver.
An advanced airborne hyperspectral survey covering 157 square kilometers (453-line km) was completed by SpecTIR in the visible (“VNIR”) to shortwave infrared (“SWIR”) and longwave infrared (“LWIR”) spectra (949 total bands) allowing for detailed mineral and alteration mapping across the entire district.
Scanning of 3,848 meters of drill core was completed by GeologicAI providing hi-resolution RGB digital photography, laser profilometry using LIDAR, VNIR and SWIR hyperspectral imagery and x-ray fluorescence, allowing for detailed characterization of mineralization and alteration within the Allard deposit.
Expansion of project surface sampling included 667 additional soil samples and 275 rock samples in conjunction with detailed geologic surface mapping both inside and outside of the Allard resource area. This work has identified a number of new high priority target areas for follow up exploration and has expanded the known surface footprint of the Allard mineral system.
Scott Petsel, Metallic Minerals’ President, stated, “We are excited to have completed our largest drill and field program to date at La Plata with the collaboration of our strategic investor, Colorado based Newmont Corporation (NYSE:NEM), which recently acquired Newcrest Mining. This year’s drilling was designed to expand the existing resource at the Allard deposit and to develop vectors towards the strongest mineralized parts in the system. Full results are pending, and the Company anticipates final assays to be reported in early 2024.
The Allard deposit remains open to significant expansion to the east, north and west and at depth. With the drilling this year, we anticipate adding gold, platinum and palladium to the current copper and silver resource. In addition, our work this season on the broader project has identified several new high-priority targets outside of the Allard resource area, highlighting the potential for new discoveries of both additional copper porphyry centers, as well as high-grade epithermal silver and gold systems.
With the projected strong and growing need for new copper production in the US and global markets over the coming decades, projects like La Plata that are located in stable geopolitical locations that can be developed responsibly to first-world standards, are going to be in very high-demand. It is still early days at La Plata, but we already see the potential for a leading, long-life opportunity in the production of copper, silver, gold and other critical minerals in the USA. We look forward to providing further updates on La Plata and our high-grade Keno Silver project in the Yukon and to displaying drill core at both the AMEBC Roundup and PDAC core shacks in Q1 2024.”
Metallic Minerals will be displaying core from the 2023 drill season at the upcoming AMEBC Mineral Roundup event held in Vancouver, BC January 22 to 25, 2024. For more information click here.
Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada Annual Convention (PDAC)
Metallic Minerals will be displaying core from the 2023 drill season at the PDAC convention held in Toronto, March 3 to 6, 2024. For more information click here.
Figure 1 – Cross section through Allard Resource Area with new drill holes 23-05 and 23-06 (see Figure 2 for plan map)
Figure 2 – Plan map showing new drill holes 23-07 and 23-08.
Figure 3 – Core photos of Hole LAP23-05 from 425 m to 433 m showing an example of strong porphyry style mineralization including multi-phase veining and strongly disseminated copper sulphides.
Figure 4 – Core photo detail of from red outline above in Figure 3 showing the intensity of copper sulphides including chalcopyrite and bornite.
About Metallic Minerals
Metallic Minerals Corp. is focused on copper, silver, gold, and other critical minerals in the La Plata mining district in Colorado, and silver and gold in the high-grade Keno Hill and Klondike districts of the Yukon. Our objective is to create shareholder value through a systematic, entrepreneurial approach to making exploration discoveries, growing resources, and advancing projects toward development.
At the Company’s La Plata project in southwestern Colorado, the new 2023 NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate identifies a significant porphyry copper-silver resource containing 1.21 Blbs copper and 17.6 Moz of silver1. The 2022 expansion drilling provided the basis for the updated resource, including the longest and highest-grade interval ever encountered at La Plata and one of the top intersections for any North American copper project in the past several years. In May 2023, the Company announced a 9.5% strategic investment by Newcrest Mining Limited (acquired by Newmont Mining in 2023) to accelerate the advancement of the Company’s La Plata project. The 2023 Fraser Institute’s Annual Survey of Mining Companies, ranked Colorado 5th globally for investment attractiveness and 2nd in the USA.
In Canada’s Yukon Territory, Metallic Minerals has consolidated the second-largest land position in the historic high-grade Keno Hill silver district, directly adjacent to Hecla Mining Company’s (“Hecla”) operations, with more than 300 Moz of high-grade silver in past production and current M&I resources. Hecla, the largest primary silver producer in the USA and third largest in the world, is anticipating full production at its Keno Hill operations by the end of 2023. An inaugural mineral resource estimate on the project is expected in early 2024, with an 1,111-meter expansion drill program completed at the Formo target during fall of 2023.
The Company is also one of the largest holders of alluvial gold claims in the Yukon and is building a production royalty business by partnering with experienced mining operators, including Parker Schnabel of Little Flake Mining from the Discovery Channel television show, Gold Rush.
All of the districts in which Metallic Minerals operates have seen significant mineral production and have existing infrastructure, including power and road access. The Company is led by a team with a track record of discovery and exploration success on several major precious and base metal deposits in the region, as well as having large-scale development, permitting and project financing expertise. The Metallic Minerals team has been recognized for its environmental stewardship practices and is committed to responsible and sustainable resource development.
1) See news release dated July 31, 2023. The Mineral Resource has been estimated in conformity with CIM Estimation of Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve Best Practices Guidelines (2019) and current CIM Definition Standards. The constrained Mineral Resources are reported at a base case cut-off grade of 0.25% copper equivalent, based on metal prices of $3.75/lb Cu and $22.50/oz Ag, assumed metal recoveries of 90% for Cu and 65% for Ag, a mining cost of US$5.30/t rock and processing and G&A cost of US$11.50/t mineralized material. 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.
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, statements about expected results of operations, royalties, cash flows, financial position and future dividends as well as financial position, prospects, and future plans and objectives of the Company are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Although Metallic Minerals 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, unsuccessful operations, 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 Company with securities regulators. Readers are cautioned that mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral exploration, development of mines and mining operations is an inherently risky business. Accordingly, the actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on Metallic Minerals 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.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / October 19, 2023 / Metallic Minerals Corp. (TSXV:MMG)(OTCQB:MMNGF) (“Metallic Minerals” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce the completion of field activities at the Company’s 100%-owned, 166 square kilometer Keno Silver project, adjacent to Hecla Mining in the high-grade Keno Hill silver district of Canada’s Yukon Territory. The 2023 exploration program included 1,112 meters in four diamond drill holes focused on resource expansion at the Formo target, the highest-grade and largest target area to be included in an inaugural NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate for the property expected in Q4 2023. The Company also conducted additional soil geochemical sampling on open-ended earlier-stage targets for future drill campaigns.
Metallic Minerals holds the second largest land position in the Keno district with claims covering the east, and parts of central and western Keno Hill, including eight high-grade, shallow past-producing deposits. Hecla Mining holds the western portion of the Keno district and has recently started production from its Keno Hill mining operations, with full production expected by year-end.
Metallic Minerals President, Scott Petsel, stated: “We were very pleased to return to our Keno Silver project and complete this important new phase of exploration which focused on drilling mineralized extensions of our “resource-ready” target at Formo. With the key milestone of an inaugural resource estimate for Keno Silver on the near-term horizon, the team is already looking ahead to working from those initial deposit models to continue to add additional ounces with this and subsequent future programs. One of the major advantages the upcoming resources will have are their shallow depth which makes them amenable to low-cost bulk tonnage mining methods. The blueprint for rapid and dramatic resource growth in the Keno district, as demonstrated by prior operators, is to first identify the dominant mineralized vein structures and their orientations, then vector along trend and depth with successive drill campaigns. This tried-and-true methodology is being employed by Metallic Minerals to expand the Keno Silver project which is located within one of the world’s highest grade silver producing districts.”
Mr. Petsel continued, “In addition to our work at the Keno Silver project, drilling continues at our La Plata copper-silver-gold-PGE project in Colorado, where we have just passed 3,000 meters of a targeted 5,000-meter drill program. The first two drill holes reached 909 meters and 1,350 meters depth, respectively, and intersected continuous porphyry style mineralization. Our target is to complete two to three more step-out, expansion drill holes from the discovery hole announced in February 2023. Core is being processed and sent to the lab for assaying with initial results expected to come in through the fall of this year. The results of this drilling will be used to calculate a new mineral resource estimate for La Plata in 2024.”
About the Keno Silver Project
Keno Hill is one of the world’s highest-grade silver districts, with nearly 300 million ounces (“Moz”) of silver in past production and current M&I resources1,2 and featuring excellent existing infrastructure, including grid power, road access and nearby community services. In July 2022, Hecla Mining announced the acquisition of Alexco Resource Corp, which held the western portion of the district. Hecla Mining has started production at Keno Hill, which is now their highest-grade silver operation, and is expecting to be at full production by year end with a stated goal of producing 4-5 Moz of silver per year3. Metallic Minerals’ Keno Silver project is adjacent and contiguous with Hecla Mining ground, covering the east, and parts of the central and western Keno silver district and includes eight high-grade, shallow past-producing mines. Prior to the Company’s consolidation of the land package, very little modern exploration had been completed in these parts of the district due to fragmented, private land ownership. Metallic Minerals has advanced four targets in the district from discovery to resource definition stage with several additional targets at drill-ready status along the known historically productive trends. In addition, recent exploration has defined and expanded 12 priority multi-kilometer-scale early-stage targets for reconnaissance drilling in the under-explored parts of the district where highly elevated silver, lead and zinc in soils and high-grade rock samples have been identified.
About Metallic Minerals
Metallic Minerals Corp. is a leading exploration and development stage company focused on copper, silver, gold, and other critical minerals in the La Plata mining district in Colorado, and silver and gold in the high-grade Keno Hill and Klondike districts of the Yukon. Our objective is to create shareholder value through a systematic, entrepreneurial approach to making exploration discoveries, growing resources, and advancing projects toward development.
The Company’s 100%-owned La Plata project in southwestern Colorado hosts a porphyry copper-silver resource consisting of 1.21 billion pounds of copper and 17.6 Moz of silver4. Drilling in 2022 provided the basis for the expanded 2023 resource estimate, including the longest and highest-grade interval ever encountered at La Plata and one of the top intersections for any North American copper project in the past several years. In May 2023, the Company announced a 9.5% strategic investment by Newcrest Mining Limited (acquired by Newmont Mining in Q4 2023) to fund the current 2023 drill campaign and accelerate the overall advancement of the project. Colorado ranked 5th globally for investment attractiveness and 2nd in the USA in the Fraser Institute’s 2023 Annual Survey of Mining Companies.
Metallic Minerals has consolidated a 176 square kilometer land position directly adjacent to Hecla Mining’s operations in the historic high-grade Keno Hill silver district of Canada’s Yukon Territory, a region which has more than 300 Moz of high-grade silver in past production and current M&I resources. Hecla Mining, the largest primary silver producer in the USA and third largest in the world, is anticipating full production at its Keno Hill operations by the end of 2023. Metallic Minerals is targeting release of an inaugural mineral resource estimate on the Keno Silver project in Q4 2023, with an expansion drill program completed in September.
The Company is also one of the largest holders of alluvial gold claims in the Yukon and is building a production royalty business by partnering with experienced mining operators, including Parker Schnabel of Little Flake Mining from the Discovery Channel television show, Gold Rush.
All of the districts in which Metallic Minerals operates have seen significant mineral production and have existing infrastructure, including power and road access. The Company is led by a team with a track record of discovery and exploration success on several major precious and base metal deposits in the region, as well as having large-scale development, permitting and project financing expertise. The Metallic Minerals team has been recognized for its environmental stewardship practices and is committed to responsible and sustainable resource development.
Cathro, R. J., Great Mining Camps of Canada 1. The History and Geology of the Keno Hill Silver Camp, Yukon Territory. Geoscience Canada, Sept. 2006. ISSN 1911-4850.
Alexco Resource Corp Technical Report, titled “NI 43-101 Technical Report on Updated Mineral Resource and Reserve Estimate of the Keno Hill Silver District” with an effective date of April 1, 2021 and issue date of May 26, 2021.
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, statements about expected results of operations, royalties, cash flows, financial position and future dividends as well as financial position, prospects, and future plans and objectives of the Company are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Although Metallic Minerals 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, unsuccessful operations, 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 Company with securities regulators. Readers are cautioned that mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral exploration, development of mines and mining operations is an inherently risky business. Accordingly, the actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on Metallic Minerals 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.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 14, 2023 / Metallic Minerals Corp. (TSX.V:MMG)(OTCQB:MMNGF) (“Metallic Minerals” or the “Company”) is pleased to provide an update on drilling at the La Plata copper-silver-gold-PGE project. The first phase of the 2023 campaign is testing extensions of high-grade mineralization seen in 2022 drill hole LAP22-04, which intercepted 816 meters of continuous mineralization grading 0.41% copper equivalent (“Cu Eq”) with internal higher-grade zones. The hole ended in high-grade precious metal-rich mineralization grading 11.54% Cu Eq over 0.61 meters (5.42% Cu, 47.0 g/t Ag, 0.622 g/t Au, 5.016 g/t Pt and 5.393 g/t Pt).
Highlights
Over 2,000 meters of a planned 5,000-meter Phase 1 drill program designed to expand the existing resource have been completed.
Hole LAP23-05 was completed to a depth of 909 meters, while hole LAP23-06 is ongoing at a depth of approximately 1,150 meters. Both these 2023 drill holes have intersected altered porphyry mineralization with visible copper sulfide including chalcopyrite and bornite similar to that seen in LAP22-04 (see Figure 1-2).
Initial assay results are expected in the coming weeks and continuing into early 2024.
Results of the 2023 drilling have potential to expand the size of the current resource and increase the overall grade of the deposit with the inclusion of precious metals assays for gold, platinum and palladium in addition to copper and silver in the current resource.
Metallic Minerals has filed a National Instrument 43-101 technical report for the expanded resource estimate announced in July 2023.
The 2023 field campaign is being funded by a strategic equity investment announced in May whereby Newcrest Mining Limited acquired a 9.5% ownership position in Metallic Minerals with the goal of accelerating advancement of the La Plata project.
Scott Petsel, Metallic Minerals’ President, stated, “The team is excited about the progress and initial indications from our current drill program at La Plata. Last year’s exceptional hole LAP22-04 was a major discovery of higher-grade copper and precious metal-rich, porphyry-style, mineralization starting from surface. These first two drill holes are offset holes drilled above and below LAP22-04 to test extensions of mineralization away from that discovery hole to potentially expand the resource and test the scale of size of this higher-grade zone of mineralization. The results of this program are expected to form the basis of an updated resource estimate. This program will also assist in vectoring to the strongest parts of the mineralized system as we work to maximize the opportunity to advance this potential Tier 1 asset.”
The Allard deposit remains open to significant expansion within the resource area to the east, north and west and to depth, with the potential to add gold, platinum and palladium to the current copper and silver resource with the completion of additional exploration drilling. In addition, the larger porphyry system at the La Plata project, which covers an area of over 10 km2, remains underexplored with the potential for new discoveries of both additional copper porphyry centers, as well as high-grade epithermal silver and gold systems.
Upcoming Events
Precious Metals Summit Presentation
Metallic Minerals CEO, Greg Johnson, will be presenting live from the 2023 Precious Metals Summit in Beaver Creek, Colorado, on September 14th at 4:30 pm Mountain time. Click here to view the presentation.
Adelaide Capital Presentation
Metallic, as well as fellow Metallic Group members Stillwater Critical Minerals and Granite Creek Copper, will be presenting at the Wildfire Relief series hosted by Adelaide Capital on September 22nd at 3:30 ET. Click here to register.
Figure 1. Cross Section Through Allard Resource Area Showing New 2023 Drill Holes
Figure 2.Photograph from Hole LAP23-06, 480.0m to 489.0m – High Quartz-Sulfide Vein Density in Altered Syenite.
Corporate Update
Metallic Minerals announces that Susan Henderson has been appointed to the role of Corporate Secretary, effective immediately. Ms. Henderson has worked in expanding roles with the Company since 2016, most recently in the role of Business Manager. Ms. Henderson replaces Alicia Milne who has stepped down. Ms. Milne will continue as a consultant to the Company.
Greg Johnson, CEO of Metallic Minerals, stated, “We very much appreciate Alicia’s exceptional work and dedication as Corporate Secretary over the past years and we wish her continued success in her new venture. Susan has been an integral part of the Metallic Group since its inception and invaluable in enabling our growth and expansion. We are very pleased to further expand her role to that of Corporate Secretary.”
NI 43-101 Technical Report
Further to the news release dated July 31, 2023, Metallic Minerals has filed a National Instrument 43-101 technical report, entitled, “Technical Report on the Mineral Resource Estimate for the Allard Cu-Ag Porphyry Deposit, La Plata Project, Southwestern Colorado” with an effective date of July 12th, 2023. The report is available on the Company’s profile at www.sedar.com and on our website at www.metallic-minerals.com
About Metallic Minerals
Metallic Minerals Corp. is a leading exploration and development stage company focused on copper, silver, gold, and other critical minerals in the La Plata mining district in Colorado, and silver and gold in the high-grade Keno Hill and Klondike districts of the Yukon. Our objective is to create shareholder value through a systematic, entrepreneurial approach to making exploration discoveries, growing resources, and advancing projects toward development.
At the Company’s La Plata project in southwestern Colorado, the new 2023 NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate identifies a significant porphyry copper-silver resource containing 1.21 Blbs copper and 17.6 Moz of silver1. The 2022 expansion drilling provided the basis for the updated resource, including the longest and highest-grade interval ever encountered at La Plata and one of the top intersections for any North American copper project in the past several years. In May 2023, the Company announced a 9.5% strategic investment by Newcrest Mining Limited to accelerate the advancement of the Company’s La Plata project. In the 2023 Fraser Institute’s Annual Survey of Mining Companies, Colorado ranked 5th globally for investment attractiveness and 2nd in the USA.
In Canada’s Yukon Territory, Metallic Minerals has consolidated the second-largest land position in the historic high-grade Keno Hill silver district, directly adjacent to Hecla Mining Company’s (“Hecla”) operations, with more than 300 Moz of high-grade silver in past production and current M&I resources. Hecla, the largest primary silver producer in the USA and third largest in the world, is anticipating full production at its Keno Hill operations by the end of 2023. An inaugural mineral resource estimate on the project is expected in Q4 2023, with an expansion drill program slated to commence in September.
The Company is also one of the largest holders of alluvial gold claims in the Yukon and is building a production royalty business by partnering with experienced mining operators, including Parker Schnabel of Little Flake Mining from the Discovery Channel television show, Gold Rush.
All of the districts in which Metallic Minerals operates have seen significant mineral production and have existing infrastructure, including power and road access. The Company is led by a team with a track record of discovery and exploration success on several major precious and base metal deposits in the region, as well as having large-scale development, permitting and project financing expertise. The Metallic Minerals team has been recognized for its environmental stewardship practices and is committed to responsible and sustainable resource development.
Jeff Cary, CPG, a qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure not pertaining to the resource estimate contained in this news release. Mr. Cary is a Senior Geologist and La Plata Project Manager for Metallic Minerals.
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, statements about expected results of operations, royalties, cash flows, financial position and future dividends as well as financial position, prospects, and future plans and objectives of the Company are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Although Metallic Minerals 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, unsuccessful operations, 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 Company with securities regulators. Readers are cautioned that mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral exploration, development of mines and mining operations is an inherently risky business. Accordingly, the actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on Metallic Minerals 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.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / July 31, 2023 / Metallic Minerals Corp. (TSX.V:MMG)(OTCQB:MMNGF)(“Metallic Minerals” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce an updated National Instrument 43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate representing a 25% increase in contained metal based on an additional 1,730 meters of diamond drilling completed at its La Plata project in 2022. Inferred mineral resources at the Allard deposit now total 1,211 million pounds of copper (“Mlbs”) and 17.6 million ounces (“Moz”) of silver in a constrained model with 147.3 million tonnes at an average grade of 0.41% Copper Equivalent (“CuEq”) (0.37% Cu and 3.72 g/t Ag) using a 0.25% CuEq cut-off grade (See Table 1 notes).
The expansion from the inaugural resource to the current 1,317 Mlbs CuEq is largely driven by the major discovery in drill hole LAP22-04 (drilled in 2022), which intersected 816 meters of 0.41% CuEq recovered (0.30% Cu, 2.47 g/t Ag, 0.038 g/t Au, 0.055 g/t Pd and 0.093 g/t Pd) bottoming in 5.39% CuEq recovered over 5.2 m (2.44% Cu, 18.7 g/t Ag, 5.0 g/t Au+PGE). Follow-up drilling is currently underway to test the extent of this newly discovered high-grade mineralization, and at the time of this news release, the first offset drill hole was drilling in porphyry mineralization and had reached approximately 500 m depth.
The Allard deposit resource remains completely open to expansion laterally and to depth. Future mineral resource estimates will add gold, platinum and palladium to the copper and silver resource with additional drilling. These metals were not previously assayed for in historic drilling but add significant value to the recent drill intercepts. Furthermore, the greater La Plata copper-silver-gold-PGE project remains underexplored and open to new discoveries of both additional copper porphyry centers, as well as high-grade epithermal silver, gold and telluride mineralization that were the focus of historic mining in the district.
Highlights
Inferred mineral resources at the Allard deposit now total 1,211 million pounds of copper and 17.6 million ounces of silver in a constrained model with 147.3 million tonnes at an average grade of 0.41% CuEq (0.37% Cu and 3.72 g/t Ag) using a 0.25% CuEq cut-off grade.
Contained copper equivalent metal has increased by 25% to 1,317 million pounds and the overall grade of the deposit also increased 5% to 0.41% CuEq.
Significant upside exists for both increases in equivalent grade and precious metal ounces due to limited historic assaying for gold, platinum and palladium. These metals, which are found in high concentrations in the 2022 drilling but are not included in the current resource estimate, are anticipated to be added with additional drilling. The precious metals component of LAP22-04 (silver, gold, platinum, and palladium) can add 50% or more in equivalent value above the copper only values in that hole.
The Allard resource remains open to expansion at depth and along strike with the discovery drill hole LAP22-04 being the easternmost hole drilled in the deposit.
Sixteen (16) untested potential porphyry centers have been identified on the greater La Plata project area, as well as target areas with potential for significant high-grade epithermal silver, gold and telluride mineralization.
Resource expansion drilling in 2022 totaled 1,780 m bringing the project total to 16,930 m in 59 drill holes.
An NI 43-101-compliant technical report on the 2023 La Plata Resource will be filed on Sedar.com within 45 days.
Scott Petsel, Metallic Minerals’ President, states, “The current expansion of the La Plata resource is an early first step in realizing the true potential of the project and the fact that we were able to achieve a 25% increase over the inaugural resource with a modest amount of drilling in 2022 speaks to the well mineralized yet underexplored nature of the project. Hole LAP22-04 resulted in the discovery of new, extremely rich mineralization that is unconstrained to the east, north and at depth and clearly requires follow-up drilling to understand the true size and nature of the Allard resource. Metallic Minerals in collaboration with our strategic investor Newcrest Mining is excited to pursue expansion on this discovery in 2023 and have secured a drill capable of penetrating well beyond the current resource extent. The continuity of mineralization starting from surface, coupled with the very high grades at depth, represent significant upside to both scale and grade in future resource updates. We expect considerable expansion of the contained precious metals and copper with subsequent drilling and envision the potential scale for a Tier 1 asset. In addition, numerous high-priority untested targets have been identified outside of the resource area that we hope to begin testing in 2023.”
Table 1 – 2023 Updated La Plata Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate at a Base Case Cut-off Grade of 0.25% CuEq with Grade and Contained Metal Sensitivity Analysis at Various CuEq Cut-off Grades.
Class
CuEq (%)
Tonnes
Cu
Ag
CuEq (%)
Cut-off
Grade (%)
Mlbs
Grade (g/t)
Ounces
Grade (%)
Mlbs
Inferred
0.15
212,243,000
0.32
1,480
3.24
22,131,000
0.34
1,613
Inferred
0.20
187,173,000
0.34
1,391
3.42
20,597,000
0.37
1,515
Inferred
0.25
147,344,000
0.37
1,211
3.72
17,604,000
0.41
1,317
Inferred
0.30
116,438,000
0.41
1,041
3.95
14,783,000
0.44
1,130
Inferred
0.35
87,871,000
0.44
854
4.20
11,861,000
0.48
925
The Allard deposit mineral resource estimate (the “2023 Resource Estimate”) generally respects industry standard practices as recently established by the CIM in the Estimation of Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves Best Practice Guidelines (2019). The classification of the 2023 Resource Estimate is consistent with current CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (2014).
Completion of the 2023 Resource Estimate involved the assessment of a validated database, which included all data for surface and underground sampling completed through the fall of 2022, as well as a three-dimensional (“3D”) mineral resource model, a topographic surface model, models of the underground workings and underground channel samples, and available written reports. SGS used 59 drillholes and 2 channels, and 17,215 m of data from 1959 to 2022 to delineate the Allard deposit.
Inverse Distance squared (“ID2“) restricted to a mineralized domain is used to Interpolate grades for the main elements of interest including Cu (ppm) and Ag (g/t) into a block model.
Based on a review of the project location and size, geometry, and continuity of mineralization of the Allard deposit, and its spatial distribution, it is envisioned that the Allard deposit may be mined using a large-scale underground bulk mining method.
The 2023 Resource Estimate is reported at a base case cut-off grade of 0.25% CuEq, based on metal prices of $3.75/lb Cu and $22.50/oz Ag, assumed metal recoveries of 90% for Cu and 65% for Ag, a mining cost of US$5.30/t rock and processing and G&A cost of US$11.50/t mineralized material. CuEq % = Cu % + (Ag g/t x Ag price/gram).
The values in the 2023 Resource Estimate table reported above and below the base-case cut-off 0.25% CuEq 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 the base case cut-off grade.
All figures are rounded to reflect the relative accuracy of the estimate. Totals may not add or calculate exactly due to rounding.
The 2023 Resource Estimate is presented undiluted and in situ, constrained by a continuous 3D wireframe model (the constraining volume) and below topography, and is considered to have reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction.
The 2023 Resource Estimate is not a Mineral Reserve as it does not have demonstrated economic viability. The Inferred Mineral Resource in the 2023 Resource Estimate has a lower level of confidence than that applied to an Indicated Mineral Resource and must not be converted to a Mineral Reserve. It is reasonably expected that the majority of the Inferred Mineral Resource could be upgraded to an Indicated Mineral Resource with continued exploration.
A fixed specific gravity value of 2.60 g/cm3 is used to estimate the Mineral Resource tonnage from a block model volume.
Composites of 3.05 m in length, constrained to the Allard domain, are used for the resource estimation procedure. Grades for Cu and Ag were interpolated into blocks by the ID2 calculation method.
Mineral resources which are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. An Inferred Mineral Resource has a lower level of confidence than that applying to an Indicated Mineral Resource and must not be converted to a Mineral Reserve. It is reasonably expected that most of the Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration.
The estimate of Mineral Resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues.
La Plata Property Overview
Metallic Minerals’ La Plata project covers 44 square kilometers 20 km north of Mancos, Colorado, within the historic La Plata mining district, that is in the southwest portion of the prolific Colorado Mineral Belt. The La Plata project is easily accessible by highways and improved gravel roads and is near significant power transmission lines.
The La Plata district has a long and rich history of mining with the first silver deposits discovered in the 1700s by Spanish explorers. High-grade silver and gold production has been documented from the 1870s through the early 1940s from mineralized deposits at over 90 individual mines and prospects1. From the 1950s to 1970s, major miners, including Rio Tinto (Bear Creek) and Freeport-McMoRan (Phelps Dodge), explored the district focusing on the significant potential for bulk-tonnage disseminated and stockwork hosted mineralization2. Freeport-McMoRan retained ownership of claims in the district until 2002 when they sold their holdings to the current underlying vendors during the lows of the last metal price cycle.
A total of 17,215 meters in 59 drill holes has been drilled on the property from the 1950s to present, this drilling has demonstrated the presence of a large multi-phase porphyry system with copper, silver, gold with more recent discoveries highlighting the potential for significant PGEs, rare earth minerals and tellurium. This large-scale mineralized system is associated with a 10 km2 strongly magnetic signature with intense hydrothermal alteration. Surrounding the central porphyry system is an associated high-grade silver and gold-rich epithermal system measuring at least 8 km by 2 km that hosts 56 identified mineralized veins, replacement, and breccia structures. Historical production from some of these high-grade structures included bonanza grades for silver and gold.
Copper mineralization with associated silver, gold, platinum, and palladium is hosted by a large-scale, Late Mesozoic age, alkalic porphyry system with related silver, gold, telluride epithermal vein, breccia and replacement deposits hosted in adjacent sedimentary rocks. Porphyry copper systems are some of the largest sources of copper and precious metals production worldwide and are frequently cornerstone Tier 1 assets for the major mining companies. The sub-type of porphyry systems, known as alkalic porphyry deposits, commonly contain higher-grade precious metal content like at La Plata and can demonstrate significant scale.
Figure 1 – La Plata Cross Section with Significant Drill Intervals and Mineralized Grade Shells
Critical Minerals
The Allard deposit at La Plata is a significant potential source of copper and silver, both important industrial metals used for modern technologies broadly and particularly in renewable and clean energy applications. Recent and historical work has also demonstrated that the broader La Plata district is also a potential source of other critical minerals identified by the U.S. Government as requirements for economic and national security3. Drilling by Metallic Minerals in 2022 returned multi-gram intervals of platinum group elements with individual grades up to 5 g/t platinum and palladium, as well as critical minerals such as vanadium, and rare earth elements. Tellurium, another element on the critical mineral list, was a by-product of historic high-grade gold and silver production in the district. The potential for these critical minerals to add additional economic value to the La Plata project will be evaluated as part of ongoing exploration efforts.
U.S. Geological Survey Earth Mapping Resources Initiative
The U.S. Geological Survey (“USGS”) is funding the Colorado Geological Survey for geological studies in the La Plata Mountains as part of the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative. The work to be carried out by the Colorado Geological Survey includes geologic mapping as well as geochemical and mineralogical studies in the La Plata Mining District to generate a greater understanding of the area’s potential to host critical minerals. See USGS news release dated January 25, 2023.
About SGS Geological Services
SGS Geological Services has an experienced and respected mining team focused on the domestic and international mining industry. The team has considerable experience in estimation and modeling of deposits of all types and practical and theoretical experience having realized hundreds of assessments for clients. The SGS team consists of a multi-disciplinary group of qualified persons with a strong understanding of the disclosure requirements for Mineral Resources set out in the NI 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (2016), CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (2014) and a strong understanding of the CIM Estimation of Mineral Resources & Mineral Reserves Best Practice Guidelines 2019.
About Metallic Minerals
Metallic Minerals Corp. is a leading exploration and development stage company focused on copper, silver, gold, and other critical minerals in the La Plata mining district in Colorado, and silver and gold in the high-grade Keno Hill and Klondike districts of the Yukon. Our objective is to create shareholder value through a systematic, entrepreneurial approach to making exploration discoveries, growing resources, and advancing projects toward development.
At the Company’s La Plata project in southwestern Colorado, the new 2023 NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate identifies a significant porphyry copper-silver resource containing 1,211 Mlbs copper and 17.6 Moz of silver. Results from 2022 expansion drilling providing the basis for the updated resource, included the longest and highest-grade interval ever encountered at La Plata and one of the top intersections for any North American copper project in the past several years. In May 2023, the Company announced a 9.5% strategic investment by Newcrest Mining Limited to accelerate the advancement of the Company’s La Plata project. In the 2023 Fraser Institute’s Annual Survey of Mining Companies, Colorado ranked 5th globally for investment attractiveness and 2nd in the USA.
In Canada’s Yukon Territory, Metallic Minerals has consolidated the second-largest land position in the historic high-grade Keno Hill silver district, directly adjacent to Hecla Mining Company’s (“Hecla”) operations, with more than 300 Moz of high-grade silver in past production and current M&I resources. Hecla, the largest primary silver producer in the USA and third largest in the world, completed the acquisition of Alexco Resource Corp and its Keno Hill operations in September 2022. Hecla is targeting to start production at the Keno Hill operations by Q3 2023. Metallic Minerals is anticipating the announcement of inaugural mineral resource estimate at Keno Silver in the second half of 2023.
The Company is also one of the largest holders of alluvial gold claims in the Yukon and is building a production royalty business by partnering with experienced mining operators, including Parker Schnabel of Little Flake Mining from the hit television show, Gold Rush, on the Discovery Channel.
All of the districts in which Metallic Minerals operates have seen significant mineral production and have existing infrastructure, including power and road access. Metallic Minerals is led by a team with a track record of discovery and exploration success on several major precious and base metal deposits in the region, as well as having large-scale development, permitting and project financing expertise. The Metallic Minerals team has been recognized for its environmental stewardship practices and is committed to responsible and sustainable resource development.
1) Eckel, USGS Prof Paper 219, Geology and Ore Deposits of the La Plata Mining District, 1949.
2) Bear Creek Mining (now Rio Tinto), Humble Oil (now Exxon) and Phelps Dodge (now Freeport-McMoRan) company reports.
4) The US Geological Survey has released a list of 50 critical minerals that the US economy requires for economic and national security. Earth Mapping Resources Initiative.
Qualified Persons
The La Plata copper-silver project 2023 mineral 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 July 10, 2023. Armitage conducted a site visit to the property on August 13, 2021, and again on April 18 and 19, 2023. Jeff Cary, CPG, a qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure not pertaining to the resource estimate contained in this news release. Mr. Cary is a Senior Geologist and La Plata Project Manager for Metallic Minerals.
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, statements about expected results of operations, royalties, cash flows, financial position and future dividends as well as financial position, prospects, and future plans and objectives of the Company are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Although Metallic Minerals 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, unsuccessful operations, 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 Company with securities regulators. Readers are cautioned that mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral exploration, development of mines and mining operations is an inherently risky business. Accordingly, the actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on Metallic Minerals 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.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / July 20, 2023 / Stillwater Critical Minerals Corp. (TSX.V:PGE)(OTCQB:PGEZF) (the “Company” or “Stillwater”) is pleased to announce the start of 2023 expansion drilling at its flagship Stillwater West nickel-PGE-copper-cobalt and gold project in Montana, USA, in addition to providing an update on other initiatives including work already underway.
Highlights
Drilling will focus on expansion of the NI 43-101-compliant resources announced January 25, 2023 which demonstrated world-class grade and scale with 1.6 billion pounds of nickel, copper and cobalt and 3.8 million ounces of palladium, platinum, rhodium, and gold (“4E”) in a base case study totaling 255 million tonnes (“Mt”), with a high-grade component of 11.6 Mt grading 1.05% recovered nickel equivalent (as 0.56% Ni, 0.33% Cu, 0.03% Co,0.54 g/t Pd, 0.27 g/t Pt, 0.15 g/t Au and 0.019 g/t Rh).
Priority is on expansion of high-grade mineralization at the DR-Hybrid deposit at Chrome Mountain, including:
Drill hole CM2021-05, which returned 13.2 meters grading 2.89% Recovered Nickel Equivalent1 (“NiEq”) (2.31% Ni, 1.51 g/t 4E, 0.35% Cu, and 0.115% Co), starting at 37.6 meters. This high-grade mineralization, contained within 400.8 meters of continuous battery and precious metal mineralization, is of a type not previously identified in the Stillwater district and appears to be related to 8.5 meters of similar high-grade, high-tenor nickel sulphide returned in hole CM2020-04, approximately 125 meters downdip to the west. See news releases from May 03, 2022, and March 03, 2021.
Drilling is also expected to expand on high-grade targets at the CZ and HGR deposits at Iron Mountain, up to nine kilometers east of Chrome Mountain, as step-outs from the following intercepts:
Drill hole CZ2021-01, which returned 63.7 meters grading 0.86% NiEq (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. This hole was a step-out from hole CZ2019-01 which returned 62.0 meters grading 0.56% NiEq and also 3.54 meters of 2.67% NiEq (as 1.53% Ni, 0.49% Cu, 0.099% Co, and 3.45 g/t 4E) within 399 meters of continuous mineralization, starting at surface. The CZ deposit benefits from a historic resource and positive preliminary metallurgical work completed by AMAX in the 1970s. See news releases from December 20, 2021, and January 21, 2020.
Drill hole IM2021-05 in the HGR deposit area returned 7.3 meters grading 0.70% NiEq (as 0.45% Ni, 0.51 g/t 4E, 0.17% Cu and 0.026% Co), and 2.4 meters 2.04% NiEq (as 1.55% Ni, 0.85 g/t 4E, 0.17% Cu, and 0.087% Co), within 379.2 meters of continuous battery and precious metal mineralization starting at surface. This hole was a step-out from hole IM2019-03 which returned 26.8 meters grading 0.85% NiEq (as 0.34% Ni, 0.15% Cu, 0.019% Co, and 1.24 g/t 4E) within 272.5 meters of continuous mineralization. See news releases from July 07, 2022, and December 18, 2019.
The 2023 campaign will be the first to apply updated geological models which incorporate similar geology from South Africa’s Platreef district under the direction of Dr. Danie Grobler, who joined the team in May of 2022 as Vice-President Exploration.
This campaign is funded by the recent 9.99% strategic equity investment by Glencore and is expected to consist of approximately 5,000 meters of diamond core drilling.
Michael Rowley, President and CEO of Stillwater Critical Minerals, stated, “We are very pleased to announce the arrival of equipment and crews for our 2023 drill campaign with a view to expanding our recent high-grade nickel and copper sulphide discoveries, enriched in cobalt and precious metals. Those intercepts included some of the widest and highest-grade intervals in their respective years and drove a robust and low-cost expansion of our previous mineral resource. We are focused on continuing that trend as we apply our new understanding of the geology of the Stillwater complex from the giant mines of South Africa. The broader fundamentals are stronger than ever for our sector, and the recent strategic investment by Glencore in Stillwater is an important validation of both the project and the underlying fundamentals of US critical mineral supply. We look forward to further announcements from this iconic and expanding American mining district, which has been producing high-grade critical minerals for over one hundred years.”
Dr. Danie Grobler, Vice-President of Exploration for Stillwater Critical Minerals, said “It’s exciting to be embarking on the 2023 drill campaign, which will be the first ever in the Stillwater Igneous Complex that incorporates detailed structural and stratigraphic models from very similar mineralization in South Africa’s Bushveld Igneous Complex. Field work, which commenced in June, includes a ground-based high resolution magnetic survey which has already provided a clear response to the high-grade massive sulphide zone identified in holes CM2021-05 and CM2020-04 holes noted above, further defining that target while also delineating stratigraphic and structural controls on mineralization. The world-class size and well-mineralized nature of the Stillwater complex, coupled with our new understanding of the structure and controls on mineralization, has provided us with a large number of targets to guide expansion of the existing resources while also leading us into exciting new areas”.
Metallurgy, US Geological Survey, and Other Initiatives
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. Preliminary metallurgical assessments by Stillwater returned strong nickel tenor in sulphides drilled by the Company to date. In addition, favorable historic bench-scale metallurgical results completed historically by AMAX at the Iron Mountain target area demonstrate the potential for effective nickel and copper sulphide flotation and PGE recovery.
2023 fieldwork surface programs including geophysical and geological prospecting and mapping surveys are also planned as part of the 2023 campaign. Some of these programs commenced earlier this year with a view to detailing priority drill targets.
In addition, the Company is pleased to report its continuing and expanding engagement with the US Geological Survey which includes new technical programs in addition to ongoing consultation and data sharing following multiple onsite meetings, with some programs eligible for funding under the Inflation Reduction Act and other government initiatives.
Carbon Capture
All five deposits in the 2023 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 Stillwater’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.
Carbon sequestration studies are ongoing in two channels as reported previously. The first, led by Dr. Greeshma Gadikota at Cornell University with funding by the Department of Energy under the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy program, is focused on novel hydrometallurgical techniques and carbon capture with the objective of increasing the extraction of critical minerals using reduced energy for a carbon negative mining future. The second is via ARCA Climate (formerly Carbin Minerals Inc) and the University of British Columbia with focus on investigating the potential to exploit the presence of certain ultramafic minerals that are known to have high capacity to bind carbon dioxide by a natural process known as mineral carbonation for carbon capture as part of a potential mining operation at Stillwater West.
This work strongly aligns with Stillwater’s Environmental, Social and Governance guidelines and principles, and 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.
About Stillwater Critical Minerals Corp.
Stillwater Critical Minerals (TSX.V: PGE | OTCQB: PGEZF) is a mineral exploration company focused on its flagship Stillwater West Ni-PGE-Cu-Co + Au project in the iconic and famously productive Stillwater mining district in Montana, USA. With the addition of two renowned Bushveld and Platreef geologists to the team and a strategic investment by Glencore, the Company is well positioned to advance the next phase of large-scale critical mineral supply from this world-class American district, building on past production of nickel, copper, and chromium, and the on-going production of platinum group and other metals by neighboring Sibanye-Stillwater. An expanded NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate, released January 2023, delineates a compelling suite of critical minerals contained within five Platreef-style nickel and copper sulphide deposits at Stillwater West, which host a total of 1.6 billion pounds of nickel, copper and cobalt, and 3.8 million ounces of palladium, platinum, rhodium, and gold, and remains open for expansion along trend and at depth.
Stillwater Critical Minerals also holds the high-grade Black Lake-Drayton Gold project adjacent to Treasury Metals’ development-stage Goliath Gold Complex in northwest Ontario, currently under an earn-in agreement with Heritage Mining, and the Kluane PGE-Ni-Cu-Co critical minerals project on trend with Nickel Creek Platinum‘s Wellgreen deposit in Canada‘s Yukon Territory.
1 – Recovered Nickel Equivalents (“NiEq”) are presented for comparative purposes using conservative long-term metal prices (all USD): $8.00/lb nickel (Ni), $4.00/lb copper (Cu), $24.00/lb cobalt (Co), $1,000/oz platinum (Pt), $2,200/oz palladium (Pd), $1,800/oz gold (Au), and $10,000/oz rhodium (Rh). NiEq is determined as follows: NiEq% = [Ni% x recovery] + [Cu% x recovery x Cu price/ Ni price] + [Co% x recovery x Co price / Ni price] + [Pt g/t x recovery / 31.103 x Pt price / Ni price / 2,204 x 100] + [Pd g/t x recovery / 31.103 x Pd price / Ni price / 2,204 x 100] + [Au g/t x recovery / 31.103 x Au price / Ni price / 2,204 x 100]. In the above calculations: 31.103 = grams per troy ounce, 2,204 = lbs per metric tonne, and 100 and 0.01 convert assay results reported in % and g/t. The following recoveries have been assumed for purposes of the above equivalent calculations: 85% for Ni and 90% for all other listed metals, based on recoveries at similar nearby operations.
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 contained in this news release.
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 Stillwater Critical Minerals 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 Stillwater Critical Minerals 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.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / July 11, 2023 / Metallic Minerals Corp. (TSX.V:MMG)(OTCQB:MMNGF) (“Metallic Minerals” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce the start of the 2023 exploration and drill campaign at the La Plata copper-silver-gold-PGE project, located in southwest Colorado.
In May 2023, Newcrest Mining Limited completed a 9.5% strategic equity investment into Metallic Minerals with the goal of accelerating advancement of the La Plata porphyry project. This funding will support a two-phase drill campaign in 2023 that will build on the success from work in 2022. The initial phase is expected to consist of approximately 5,000 meters of diamond core drilling, primarily focused on resource expansion at the Allard porphyry deposit.
A top priority for the program will be to conduct step-out drilling from the major discovery in drill hole 22-04 which intersected 816 meters of 0.41% Cu Eq (0.30% Cu, 2.47 g/t Ag, 0.038 g/t Au, 0.055 g/t Pd and 0.093 g/t Pd) from surface and ended in 5.39% CuEq over 5.2 m (2.44% Cu, 18.7 g/t Ag, 5.0 g/t Au+PGE). Hole 22-04 did not reach target depth and ended in mineralization due to mechanical issues. Drilling in 2023 will test the lower limits of mineralization and some holes are scheduled for as deep as 1,200 meters.
Scott Petsel, Metallic Minerals’ President, stated, “We see a real opportunity for world class scale and grade at La Plata and have confidence in our ability to quickly grow the existing resources. Hole 22-04 was not only the widest and highest-grade drill hole ever drilled on the project, it was also one of the top holes drilled in the last several years at any copper project in North America. We also expect to be able to increase the overall grade of the resource moving forward as we include precious metals credits previously not accounted for. Our exploration work over the past two years has defined 16 additional untested porphyry targets across the greater property, which appear to have very similar characteristics to the Allard deposit and could result in additional new discoveries. The drill is currently mobilizing to site.”
The Allard deposit remains open to significant expansion within the resource area to the east, north and west and to depth, with the potential to add gold, platinum and palladium to the current copper and silver resource with the completion of additional exploration drilling. In addition, the larger porphyry system at the La Plata project, which covers an area of over 10 km2, remains underexplored with the potential for new discoveries of both additional copper porphyry centers, as well as high-grade epithermal silver and gold systems.
Yukon Mining Alliance 2023 Property Tours
Metallic Minerals will be participating in the Yukon Mining Alliance Property Tours and Investment Conference in Dawson City on July 19th. Select tour participants will visit Metallic’s Australia Creek alluvial gold royalty property in the Klondike Gold District, currently under lease to Parker Schnabel’s Little Flake Mining as seen on Discovery Channel’s Gold Rush television program. More information whereabout the YMA Property Tours and Conference can be found here. For more information about Metallic’s lease agreement with Little Flake Mining, click here.
About Metallic Minerals
Metallic Minerals Corp. is a leading exploration and development stage company focused on copper, silver, gold and other critical minerals in the La Plata mining district in Colorado, and silver and gold in the high-grade Keno Hill and Klondike districts of the Yukon. Our objective is to create shareholder value through a systematic, entrepreneurial approach to making exploration discoveries, growing resources, and advancing our projects toward development.
In 2023, the Company announced a 9.5% strategic investment by Newcrest Mining Limited for the continued advancement of the Company’s La Plata project in southwestern Colorado. The inaugural NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate, announced in 2022, identified a significant porphyry copper-silver resource containing 889 Mlbs copper and 15 Moz of silver and an updated estimate is currently being finalized. Notably, Colorado was recently ranked 5th globally for investment attractiveness and 2nd in the USA In the 2023 Fraser Institute’s Annual Survey of Mining Companies.
In Canada’s Yukon Territory, Metallic Minerals has consolidated the second-largest land position in the historic high-grade Keno Hill silver district, directly adjacent to Hecla Mining’s operations, with more than 300 Moz of high-grade silver in past production and current M&I resources. Hecla Mining Company, the largest primary silver producer in the USA and third largest in the world, completed the acquisition of Alexco Resources and their Keno Hill operations in September 2022. Hecla is targeting to start production at the Keno Hill operations by Q3 2023. Metallic Minerals is anticipating the announcement of inaugural mineral resource estimate at Keno Silver in the second half of 2023.
The Company is also one of the largest holders of alluvial gold claims in the Yukon and is building a production royalty business by partnering with experienced mining operators, including Parker Schnabel of Little Flake Mining from the hit television show, Gold Rush, on the Discovery Channel.
All of the districts in which Metallic Minerals operates have seen significant mineral production and have existing infrastructure, including power and road access. Metallic Minerals is led by a team with a track record of discovery and exploration success, as well as having large-scale development, permitting and project financing expertise. The Metallic Minerals team has been recognized for its environmental stewardship practices and is committed to responsible and sustainable resource development.
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, statements about expected results of operations, royalties, cash flows, financial position and future dividends as well as financial position, prospects, and future plans and objectives of the Company are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Although Metallic Minerals 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, unsuccessrul operations, 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 Company with securities regulators. Readers are cautioned that mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral exploration, development of mines and mining operations is an inherently risky business. Accordingly, the actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on Metallic Minerals 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.