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Metallic Minerals Intersects 3.05 meters of 1,151 g/t Silver Equivalent within Newly Identified Bulk Tonnage Intercepts at Central Keno Area of Keno Silver Project in Yukon, Canada

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 17, 2022 / Metallic Minerals (TSX.V:MMG | US OTCQB:MMNGF) (“Metallic Minerals“, or the “Company“) is pleased to announce drill results from the Central Keno target area, which intercepted high-grade silver mineralization within broad, bulk tonnage intervals akin to those recently discovered at East Keno but previously unknown in this part of Keno Hill. The Caribou target, in particular, is a top priority for resource definition and the Company is currently updating its 3D model based on drilling to date in anticipation of a robust 2022 campaign.

A total of 2,965 meters in 37 reverse circulation (“RC”) holes were completed throughout the Central Keno target areas out of 53 holes in the 6,200 meter (“m”) total 2021 Keno Silver program, along with 20.3 line-kilometers of deep-penetrating IP geophysical surveys. Results from the 26 holes from East and West Keno drilling remain pending.

Central Keno Highlights

  • 32 of the 37 Central Keno RC holes intersected intervals of silver mineralization, with two holes lost short of target depth due to challenging ground conditions.
  • Multiple high-grade silver intervals were intersected, often within broader, silver-bearing, bulk-tonnage mineralized intervals representing a new target style not previously identified in Central Keno.
  • In addition to high-grade, vein-hosted silver typical of the Keno Hill district, significant, stacked regional scale thrust faults and associated high-grade epithermal systems have been identified as an additional host for silver mineralization, providing a major expansion of the district’s overall scale potential.

Caribou Target Highlights

  • Drilling at the advanced-stage Caribou target successfully extended high-grade silver mineralization to the north and 400 meters along strike to the south of the previously known extent of the Caribou structure.
  • A down-dip intersection, along the northern extent of the Caribou vein, returned some of the highest grades to date and validated the continuity of the high-grade structure at depth, with a 50-meter step out from previously confirmed mineralization.
  • Hole KS21-47 intersected 27.4 meters of 146.0 g/t silver equivalent1 (“AgEq”), including a high-grade interval of 3.05 meters (“m”) at 1150.8 g/t AgEq (562.06 g/t Ag, 1.48 g/t Au, 3.0% Pb, 6.96%Zn).
  • Hole KS21-55 intersected 19.8 m grading 119.1 g/t AgEq, including a high-grade interval of 1.52 m at 1009.8 g/t AgEq. (147 g/t Ag, 3.24% Au, 0.99% Pb, 10.90% Zn).
  • KS21-57 intersected 21.3 m of 147.3 g/t AgEq, including a high-grade interval of 3.05m at 694.9 g/t AgEq (476.35 g/t Ag, 0.40 g/t Au, 4.23% Pb, 0.37% Zn)
  • Hole KS21-63 intersected 15.2 m grading 97.2 g/t AgEq, including a high-grade interval of 1.52 m at 627 g/t AgEq (500 g/t Ag, 0.13 g/t Au, 2.35% Pb, 0.45% Zn).

Metallic Minerals Chairman & CEO, Greg Johnson, stated, “We are very encouraged by the results from our work in 2021 which has brought major new insights into the mineralizing controls across the Keno District, particularly at Central and East Keno. Our team has identified significant structural features indicative of regional scale thrust faults that appear to form important permeable zones for hosting high-tenor epithermal-style silver mineralization throughout the central and eastern parts of the Keno District. Work planned for 2022 will follow up on the confluence of these newly identified zones of thrust-associated high-grade epithermal-style silver mineralization with the main phase of Keno-style mineralization and its potential to host high-grade and bulk-tonnage resources.”

“Central Keno continues to show exceptional resource potential through the continued expansion of areas of known high-grade Keno-style silver mineralization, along with this newly recognized epithermal silver mineralization. Drilling in 2021 extended the Caribou target a further 400 meters along strike to the south as well as to the north and down dip, making it, along with the Formo target, a top priority for resource definition of significant scale. Drilling and surface sampling has similarly extended the Homestake target by more than a kilometer along strike, making this historic producer another focus for the 2022 program. Both the advanced-stage, historically productive Caribou and Homestake targets are host to well-defined areas with bonanza grades. Additional results from targets at East and West Keno are anticipated to be reported in the coming weeks, preceded by key updates with respect to our La Plata project in Colorado.”

Figure 1 – Keno Silver District Geology and Deposits

Central Keno Hill Silver District

The central part of the Keno Hill Silver District is host to over 100 million ounces of past production and current Indicated resources in shallow deposits that to date have not previously seen systematic exploration to depth or along strike. Central Keno was one of the original discovery areas in the region and hosted the historic producing Keno Hill mine, along with 8 other high-grade deposits including those on Metallic Minerals land holdings. Metallic Minerals’ work to date in this area shows the presence of a major structural corridor that is comparable in surface expression and structural setting to the +150 million-ounce Bermingham-Calumet system in the more extensively explored western part of the district.

Caribou Target Area

The Caribou target in the central part of the district is one of the most advanced individual targets at the Keno Silver Project. The Caribou deposit historically produced very high-grade material grading more than 1,000 g/t silver from near surface and is interpreted to be a significant connecting structure between the main shear structures in the Keno Summit structural corridor. The Caribou deposit spatially occurs within a high-level silver-in-soil anomaly of over 10 g/t AgEq that extends over 2.5 km long by 1.5 km in width and that remains open to expansion.

As part of the exploration program in 2021, Metallic Minerals completed the first-ever application of deep-sensing IP geophysics on the Keno Silver project using Simcoe Geoscience’s Alpha IPTM system. Two deep-looking IP lines were completed across the Central Keno area, which identified significant conductive features that spatially correspond with the newly mapped regional scale thrust fault structures and associated epithermal style silver mineralization. This IP survey in combination with the drilling and detailed mapping has allowed the Metallic Minerals technical team to identify major conductive features that are spatially associated with kilometer-scale soil and magnetic anomalies and significant silver mineralization. This combination of utilizing drilling, geophysics and soil sampling is a highly effective tool set for targeting mineralization across the Keno Hill silver district.

Figure 2 – Caribou Vein Long Section

Drilling in 2021 returned significant step out extensions of mineralization from the main Caribou deposit to the north, south and down dip. Eight of these holes intersected continuous mineralized zones from 15 to 64 m width including a 400-meter step out that encountered 15.2 m grading 97.2 g/t AgEq with 1.5 m grading 628 g/t AgEq (500 g/t Ag, 0.13 g/t Au, 2.35% Pb, 0.45% Zn). This zone appears to be spatially associated with the location of one of the newly mapped regional thrust faults that can host high-grade epithermal silver mineralization. The high-level silver-in-soil anomaly continues for another 1.5 km to the south along strike from this southernmost drill hole at Caribou.

In addition, holes KS21-46 and -47 tested extension of the Caribou deposit to the north and downdip. These holes both confirmed the continuation of strong silver tenor both on strike to the north and at depth with KS21-47 returning one of the highest-grade down dip holes drilled to date intersecting 1597 g/t AgEq over 1.5 meters within a mineralized zone of 27.4 m width grading 146 g/t AgEq.

Table 1- Highlight 2021 Drill Results from the Caribou Target

HoleFrom (m)To (m)Width (m)AgEq (g/t)Ag (g/t)Au (g/t)Pb (%)Zn (%)
KS21-4642.6744.21.5371.61.50.730.010.00
79.2594.4915.2481.918.70.040.171.11
incl79.2588.399.1485.624.00.030.231.05
incl80.7782.31.53448.7125.00.131.295.51
incl92.9694.491.53260.431.00.200.224.29
KS21-4792.96120.427.44146.070.60.180.400.88
incl109.73112.783.051150.8562.11.483.006.96
incl109.73111.251.521597.1850.01.052.5711.46
KS21-52062.4862.4835.321.90.010.230.07
incl1.5225.9124.3979.751.90.020.550.09
incl7.6212.194.57297.0191.30.092.160.26
incl9.1410.671.53500.6340.00.222.940.49
KS21-5416.7642.6725.9153.435.20.010.300.11
incl21.3436.5815.2483.857.40.010.500.12
incl22.8624.381.52517.0387.00.072.740.30
KS21-5544.276.23275.614.80.190.090.82
incl44.264.0119.81119.122.70.300.151.30
incl50.2960.9610.67210.837.10.550.262.34
incl50.2954.864.57467.275.81.290.585.21
incl51.8253.341.521009.8147.03.240.9910.90
KS21-5733.5354.8621.33147.3100.40.070.930.09
incl33.5342.679.14332.4227.70.162.150.15
incl35.0541.156.1486.9335.20.233.120.20
incl35.0538.13.05694. 9476.40.404.230.37
KS21-6133.5377.7244.1924.911.00.010.040.23
incl50.2959.449.15102.647.70.050.160.92
incl51.8253.341.52337.1170.00.210.302.83
KS21-6330.4845.7215.2497.275.20.020.400.08
incl30.4838.17.62160.1125.20.030.650.12
incl33.5335.051.52627.8500.00.132.350.45

1Silver equivalent (Ag Eq) values assume Ag $19/oz, Pb $1.05/lb, Zn $1.30/lb, Au $1,800/oz and 100% metallurgical recovery. Sample intervals are based on measured drill intercept lengths.

Exploration to date has hit more than 70 mineralized intersections on the Caribou system over a strike distance of 700 m and down to 100 m depth. The Caribou deposit remains open to expansion to the south, north and down dip making it a top priority for resource focused drilling efforts in 2022. The highlighted results in Table 1 above build upon prior diamond drilling on the Caribou target by Metallic Minerals, results of which can be found here.

Metallic will look to follow up the 2021 success with diamond drilling in 2022 with intent to establish an initial resource at Caribou. Additional diamond drilling will be planned to test the newly extended southern strike and provide context for its association with the thrust structure. Importantly, 2021 drilling encountered ultra-high-grade, Keno-style vein intersects within much broader, bulk tonnage intervals similar to those discovered previously at East Keno in 2020.

Homestake

The historically productive Homestake target is located south of the Keno Summit target area along a parallel structural corridor. The style of the Homestake structure is comparable to those seen at the Keno Summit and in the more developed Western Keno areas. Homestake is comprised of two parallel vein structures within a broad structural corridor over 200 meters wide that has a demonstrated strike length of over 1 km in the host Keno Hill quartzite. Homestake #1 vein shows classic Keno-style, high-grade silver-lead-zinc mineralization, while the #2 vein can also show high gold grades with silver, which is characteristic of some structures in the larger deposits within the Keno Hill Silver District. The highest grades to date include assays of 4,027 g/t silver from drilling and 4,717 g/t silver from trenching on the Homestake #1 vein, and 22.1 g/t gold with 332 g/t silver from trenching on the Homestake #2 vein Prior drill results from Homestake can be found here.

To date there are 21 drilled vein intersections grading more than 600 g/t silver equivalent on the Homestake structures, including five that exceed 10 g/t gold on the Homestake #2 structure. Work in 2021 at Homestake focused on wide-spaced reconnaissance drilling along the main trends as well as extension of the open-ended soil anomalies. The soil sampling work expanded the high-level silver-in-soil anomaly associated with the Homestake mineralized system to 3 km in length by 1.5 km in width with the anomalies still open to further expansion. Intersections of anomalous silver over significant widths indicate a strike length of 1.5 km for the Homestake system. The next phase of systematic testing of these structures will be designed to delineate areas of the high-grade and bulk-tonnage toward development of an initial resource at Homestake.

About the Keno Silver Project

Exploration by Metallic Minerals at the Keno Silver project continues to systematically build on the Company’s 3D geologic database covering the east, central and western portions of the prolific Keno Hill silver district. The project includes eight high-grade, shallow past-producing mines that have yet to be subjected to modern exploration due to previously unconsolidated land ownership. Along the known, historically productive trends in the central and western parts of the district, the Company has advanced three targets towards an initial resource estimate along with identifying 12 priority multi-kilometer-scale early-stage targets in the under-explored eastern and southern parts of the district where initial drilling has returned significant high-grade Keno-style mineralization as well as bulk-tonnage style silver mineralization.

About Metallic Minerals

Metallic Minerals Corp. is a growth-stage exploration company, focused on high-grade silver and gold projects in underexplored, brownfields mining districts of North America. Our objective is to create shareholder value through a systematic, entrepreneurial approach to exploration in the Keno Hill silver district, La Plata silver-gold-copper district, and Klondike gold district through new discoveries and advancing resources to development. Metallic Minerals has consolidated the second-largest land position in the historic Keno Hill silver district of Canada’s Yukon Territory, directly adjacent to Alexco Resource Corp’s operations, with nearly 300 million ounces of high-grade silver in past production and current M&I resources. In addition, exploration at the recently acquired La Plata silver-gold-copper project in southwestern Colorado is targeting a silver and gold-enriched copper porphyry and adjacent high-grade silver and gold epithermal systems. The Company also continues to add new production royalty leases on its holdings in the Klondike gold district in the Yukon. All three districts 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, as well as having large-scale development, permitting and project financing expertise.

About the Metallic Group of Companies

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Website: mmgsilver.com Phone: 604-629-7800

Email: cackerman@mmgsilver.com Toll Free: 1-888-570-4420

Forward-Looking Statements

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

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: Metallic Minerals Corp.

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Group Ten Metals – Live from 2022 Roundup Conference

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

Group Ten Metals Inc.

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

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

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

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

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

About Granite Creek Copper

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

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

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: Granite Creek Copper Ltd.

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Metallic Minerals Announces Completion of Exploration Programs at La Plata Silver-Gold-Copper Project

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / December 15, 2021 / Metallic Minerals (TSX.V:MMG)(OTCQB:MMNGF) (“Metallic Minerals“, or the “Company“) is pleased to announce the successful completion of 2021 exploration activities at the La Plata silver-gold-copper project in the prolific Colorado Mineral Belt of southwest Colorado. The multi-faceted program included 1,980 meters of diamond drilling, resampling of historical drill core, and underground sampling from the Allard Tunnel, along with surface mapping and sampling across the broader property.

In addition, the Company engaged the team at Goldspot Discoveries (“GoldSpot”) to apply their proprietary Artificial Intelligence (“AI”), machine learning technology and specialized geoscience expertise in porphyry and epithermal systems to the La Plata project. GoldSpot completed their first phase analysis work on geological, geochemical, geophysical, and remote sensing data developing 16 new porphyry and high-grade epithermal priority targets for follow up work and future drilling.

2021 La Plata Exploration Program

The 2021 La Plata project work program was designed to achieve a number of important objectives:

  • Completion of confirmatory drilling and underground sampling within the main Allard porphyry target to confirm historical drill results from Rio Tinto, Freeport and others totaling 14,400 meters (“m”) in 54 drill holes drilled from the 1950s to the 1970s. This confirmatory drilling is an important step towards upgrading of the historical resource to a NI 43-101 compliant mineral resource estimate for the project;
  • Conduct surface exploration and follow-up sampling to further define the scale of mineralization along multiple identified trends that comprise multi-kilometer-scale soil and geophysical targets;
  • Undertake field confirmation of deep-penetrating Induced Polarization (“IP”) and airborne electromagnetic (“EM”) geophysical targets developed in the 2020 surveys; and
  • Initiate work with GoldSpot Discoveries to apply AI technology towards definition of priority targets to potentially accelerate the discovery process on the project.

Drilling and resampling of core in the main Allard porphyry system, along with underground sampling from the Allard Tunnel, has confirmed the tenor of copper, silver and gold mineralization from previous exploration on the property. The 3 kilometer (“km”) by 1 km mineralized system remains open to expansion at depth and along trend. This year’s work has also shown significant potential for palladium, platinum and gold associated with the porphyry system. Highlight historical drill intercepts include 395 m grading 0.57% copper equivalent (0.51% Cu, 6.3 g/t Ag, and 0.017 g/t Au) including 108 m grading 0.75% copper equivalent (0.65% Cu, 7.7 g/t Ag and 0.034 g/t Au) in drill hole LP-03 starting from surface. Final assay results for drill samples are pending.

Surface sampling has also expanded the main mineralized zone to 6 km in length and up to 1.5 km in width with anomalous copper, silver and gold in soils and rock samples. In addition, a second 4 km by 1 km target, which may represent a new porphyry and epithermal center, has been identified based on geophysics, remote sensing, and surface sampling with rock sample values in porphyry related mineralization up to 1.1% copper with 0.9 g/t gold and multi-gram silver. Rock samples of epithermal related mineralization included values up to 95 g/t silver and 10 g/t Au.

Metallic Minerals’ CEO and Chairman, Greg Johnson, stated, “We are pleased to have completed our first drill campaign at La Plata, and the first on the project in nearly 50 years, as we apply new thinking to this historic American high-grade silver, gold and copper district. Our work is confirming the potential for a multi-kilometer-scale mineralized porphyry and epithermal system – a much larger system than previously recognized – with excellent potential to expand known mineralization and to make new discoveries. Drilling, underground and surface sampling, geophysics, and satellite based remote sensing data for La Plata demonstrate real potential to become a strategic, US-based sourced of both precious and base metals, including silver necessary for solar power, and copper necessary for carbon-free energy and broader electrification of the global economy. Our 2021 work program has successfully advanced our understanding of the projects potential and is a major step towards the delineation of an inaugural mineral resource estimate. We look forward to providing additional updates including drill results from both our La Plata and Keno projects, as well as updates from our on-going work on the high-grade alluvial projects in the Klondike Gold district.”

About La Plata Silver-Gold-Copper Project

The road accessible La Plata project covers 33 km2 approximately 26 km northwest of Durango, Colorado within the historic high-grade La Plata mining district located at the southwest end of the prolific Colorado Mineral Belt. Mineralization is related to a large-scale precious-metals-rich porphyry copper system with associated high-grade silver and gold epithermal vein and replacement deposits. Historical production from some of these high-grade structures exceeded 1,000 grams per tonne (“g/t”) silver and over 15 g/t gold with some of the richest deposits delivering true bonanza grades for silver and gold1.

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 vein structures, replacement bodies and breccia zones 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 in the La Plata 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 56 drill holes totaling 15,200 m has been drilled on the property since the 1950s which confirm the presence of large-scale, multi-phase porphyry system with significant silver, gold and copper. This large-scale mineralized system is associated with a 10 km2 strongly magnetic signature with intense hydrothermal alteration.

Metallic Minerals is the first company to complete significant exploration on the La Plata project in nearly 50 years, applying modern technologies and deposit modeling techniques. The Company sees the potential to rapidly extend the size of the known mineralized system and to identify and expand the higher-grade zones within the broader porphyry and epithermal mineralized zones.

Foot notes: 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; 3) Christoffersen, Geological report on the Allard deposit, La Plata Mining District, Durango, Colorado, 2005.

About Metallic Minerals

Metallic Minerals Corp. is a growth-stage exploration company, focused on high-grade silver and gold projects in underexplored, brownfields mining districts of North America. Our objective is to create shareholder value through a systematic, entrepreneurial approach to exploration in the Keno Hill silver district, La Plata silver-gold-copper district, and Klondike gold district through new discoveries and advancing resources to development. Metallic Minerals has consolidated the second-largest land position in the historic Keno Hill silver district of Canada’s Yukon Territory, directly adjacent to Alexco Resource Corp’s operations, with nearly 300 million ounces of high-grade silver in past-production and current M&I resources. In addition, exploration at the recently acquired La Plata silver-gold-copper project in southwestern Colorado is targeting a silver and gold-enriched copper porphyry and adjacent high-grade silver and gold epithermal systems. The Company also continues to add new production royalty leases on its holdings in the Klondike gold district in the Yukon. All three districts 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, as well as having large-scale development, permitting and project financing expertise.

About the Metallic Group of Companies

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Website: mmgsilver.com
Phone: 604-629-7800
Email: cackerman@mmgsilver.com
Toll Free: 1-888-570-4420

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 Jeff Cary, P.Geo., who is Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”).

Forward-Looking Statements

Forward Looking Statements: This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed “forward-looking statements”. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts including, without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization, historic production, estimation of mineral resources, the realization of mineral resource estimates, interpretation of prior exploration and potential exploration results, the timing and success of exploration activities generally, the timing and results of future resource estimates, permitting time lines, metal prices and currency exchange rates, availability of capital, government regulation of exploration operations, environmental risks, reclamation, title, and future plans and objectives of the company are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Although 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, 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 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.

SOURCE: Metallic Minerals Corp.



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Metallic Minerals – Advancing the Ultra High-Grade Keno Silver Project in Canada

Maurice:

Joining us for a conversation is Greg Johnson, the CEO of Metallic Minerals. It’s a great time to be speaking with you as Metallic Minerals has some exciting news for shareholders. Before we begin, Mr. Johnson, please introduce us to Metallic Minerals and the opportunity the company presents to shareholders.

Greg Johnson:

Metallic Minerals is a silver-focused, exploration development stage company. The flagship asset is in the Keno silver district, one of the world’s highest-grade producing silver districts. A second asset in the high-grade silver-gold La Plata district, and our last asset, which is our Klondike alluvial gold project. We are headed up by a group of experienced explorer developers with a track record of successful discovery and project advancement.

Maurice:

Mr. Johnson, Metallic Minerals has some great news to provide shareholders on three fronts. First on the flagship Keno silver project, as well as updates from the La Plata and the Klondike alluvial projects. Beginning in the Yukon, sir, take us onsite to the high-grade Keno silver project, which has just announced the completion of what was the most expansive exploration program to date. First off, congratulations, sir.

Greg Johnson:

The Keno silver project is our flagship. We’re a couple of years into the acquisitions and initial development of the targets, and this was one of our biggest programs to date in 2021.

Maurice:

Mr. Johnson, the Keno silver project has three main areas within the west, central, and eastern parts of the high-grade silver producing district. Beginning at the central Keno, Mr. Johnson, walk us through the 2021 exploration program, which is a multiphase program of RC and diamond core drilling. What is Metallic Minerals looking for and what are you seeing?

Greg Johnson:

Allow me to me set the stage here. The district itself is about 35 kilometers wide, and we break it into three sectors or target areas, as you said, the west, central, and eastern parts. And each one of them is about 10 to 12 kilometers long. It’s a really big area, and we see the continuity of similar styles of mineralization from one side of the district to the other. Most of the production historically has been on that western half of the district where we’ve seen over 300 million ounces of past production plus current resources. And it’s one of the world’s highest grade 43-101 resources.

Greg Johnson:

Starting in the central part of the district this year, we kicked off a program looking at our advanced target areas. This is specifically in the Caribou and Homestake areas where we targeted stepping out along the already defined structures there, where we’ve hit ore grades over minable widths. We’re stepping out, we’re building tonnage. The drilling indicates that we’ve had some really good successful hits there, some big step by outs that we’re waiting to see results come back from the assay lab, but we’re quite pleased with the ability to be able to extend those advanced stage targets in the central part district.

Maurice:

Moving on to the west Keno, what can you share with us?

Greg Johnson:

So west Keno is focused in that area of significant historic production. This is nearby Alexco, who’s going back, has just recently gone back into production, and where they’ve got several major discoveries. So our targets there, west Keno, are right on these known very high-production areas. The Formo, Silver Queen are the two main targets here. Core drilling, to again step out along areas of known mineralization that have already been intercepted and being able to continue to build on those towards a first mineral resource, both central and the western parts of the district for Metallic Minerals.

Maurice:

Let’s move on to the emerging heavyweight, which is the east Keno, where it appears to have both the Keno style mineralization of ultra high-grade veins and bulk tonnage silver mineralization, which is now new in the district. To set the stage on this unique value proposition, in 2020 Metallic Minerals previously released significant bulk tonnage style intercepts on the east Keno. Do you mind sharing those numbers with us and how it fits in with your neighbor, Alexco, which has recently gone into full production?

Greg Johnson:

Yeah, this is pretty exciting. Metallic Minerals came into the district recognizing that you’ve got all this production on the western half of the district. The geology doesn’t stop at the claim boundary. It continues onto our ground, the same geologic setting. We started to collect samples, geophysics, and soils, and rocks, and mapping and started putting this together. Last year we’d identified 12 separate multi-kilometer-scale targets. These are big targets, both soil anomalies, and geophysical anomalies. And we put the first reconnaissance holes in 2020. We hit in 26 out of 30 holes. That’s an amazing track record for a first-phase reconnaissance drill program.  A big part of this year’s program was coming back in and starting to step off from those hits last year, moving laterally, moving down dip, and we’re starting to put together an understanding of the scale of mineralization in this area.

Greg Johnson:

We also drilled the first core holes in this area this year. Deeper holes targeted at both geophysics and offsetting the reverse circulation drilling. So we’re pretty excited about what’s coming together here. The significance of what we’re seeing in the east is that not only are we seeing classic high-grade Keno style veins, which is what Alexco and most of the historic production has been based on, but we’re seeing zones up to a hundred meters or more of continuous disseminated silver mineralization. And this holds out the potential for bulk tonnage for something that could be much larger than anything that’s been seen in the district before.

Maurice:

Now along with the drilling, Metallic Minerals also completed an extensive Induced Polarization survey, and I noticed in the latest press release that Metallic Minerals made the following reference about six times: “Regional thrust vaults and associated epithermal style mineralization”. Now, as a shareholder, I’m keen to find out more. Any nuggets that you can share with us regarding the IP survey?

Greg Johnson:

Yeah, so this is an example of our effort to try to take a known productive district to extrapolate into the areas that have been less explored, and then to bring in new exploration targets, target types, models, and new modern exploration techniques. This is the first time we’ve ever applied what’s called induced polarization geophysics. This is where you put a charge in the ground, these were multi-kilometer-long lines, they allow you to sense as deep as 800 or a 1,000 meters from the surface, and this allows us to be able to start to map the subsurface even before we start drilling.

Greg Johnson:

And what’s exciting about this, is that that work over the east Keno targets was demonstrating that we’re getting conductors in the subsurface rocks that are correlating spatially with these big soil and magnetic features. The significant reason is if we’re hitting silver mineralization in the shallow drilling, and we’ve got a geophysical target that continues to 800 meters or more, and we’ve got multiple targets in the kilometric scale, it’s starting to suggest we’ve got a very strong plumbing system and that this could be a target that could really have the scale to it and potentially build this out to something significant.

Maurice:

Now that the exploration is complete this year at the Keno silver project, when can we expect to see results, and what determines success?

Greg Johnson:

We started in the central part of the district, that’ll be the first area that we’ll start to see numbers. Then on the Eastern side of the district with both RC and Diamon Core. And then last we wrapped up with the western part of the district with core drilling. We’re right now finalizing our interpretation on the IPE geophysics, so that’ll be integrated, and I could see us seeing numbers starting here really any time and continuing early into the new year. It’s going to be an exciting period. We’re starting to see a turnaround in the market and the interest over in gold, again, after more than a year of corrupt consolidation and correction. So this will be a great time in terms of catalyst from the news coming from the Keno silver project.

Maurice:

Let’s move south to Colorado, to the La Plata silver gold-copper project, where the season is just about wrapped up, and this is an emerging asset for Metallic Minerals. It has all the merits and hallmarks of a flagship project in its own right. Now Metallic Minerals just completed its first drilling in decades on the La Plata to bring up the La Plata up to NI 43-101 standards. It’s a project that was recognized and worked on by some of the majors in the past. Please tell us a bit about the project and the 2021 program and when we might expect to see results.

Greg Johnson:

I’m excited about the La Plata Project. This was an opportunity that came in through our network. It’s a project area that, very similar to Keno Hill, had a history of high-grade silver and gold production from these high-grade veins, much like Keno. Located in the Southwestern part of the US, in Southwestern Colorado. That mining on the high-grade veins occurred from the 1800s to the 1940s. Then after World War II, we didn’t see the small miners come back, but we saw first Rio Tinto’s exploration group come into the district, recognizing that not only was there this high-grade production and occurrences, but that there was potential for bulk tonnage silver, gold, and copper. And they drilled several holes that really started to define that there was a porphyry system that sent in the center of this epithermal vein district.

Greg Johnson:

Following on that work, we had Phelps Dodge, which is now Freeport McMoRan coming to the district, and they continued to drill through the early 70s. And then Phelps Dodge sat on the project until 2002. The low in the last commodity price cycle, the group that we opted it from has held it for over 20 years. We’re the first to have an opportunity to take a look at this exciting project. We’re taking a very holistic approach. We’re going to be focused on both the bulk tonnage part of the system that’s related to these porphyries, as well as the high-grade silver and gold component. We’re bringing all the layers of modern geology and techniques for exploration to the table.

Greg Johnson:

This year’s program was focused on continuing to collect geophysics and soils and a very first confirmatory drilling and sampling that’s been done on the project in decades. We are just wrapping up that program now. I would expect to see results starting to come out fairly soon to move this quite rapidly to take the historic resource on the project and advance it with sufficient work to a modern 43-101. Again, this is going to be a project that’s going to have a series of news events in the relatively near future that are quite significant in advancing that into 2022.

Maurice:

Finally, let’s discuss the big year that Metallic Minerals has had on the Klondike alluvial gold royalty portfolio.

Greg Johnson:

This is an interesting one. It’s not the main focus of the company, but we had an opportunity a couple of years ago to pick up a portfolio of unmined Klondike alluvial ground. This is upstream from some of the biggest open-pit operations in the Klondike, in the Yukon, that produce over 50% of the Yukon’s gold from those mines each year. We’ve invited experienced operators on the ground. We’ve got three license areas currently that is fully permitted for production, two operators that have done significant work drilling, bulk sample testing. They are rapidly advancing this towards first production, and Metallic Minerals would take a production royalty. Anywhere from a 10% to a 15% royalty, depending on the stage of those license areas. We’re excited to see this advancement over this year’s work, and we’re anticipating very high potential that we’ll see these move into first production in 2022 for next season, and that’ll move to cash flow for Metallic Minerals on those properties.

Maurice:

Leaving the property bank, let’s look at some numbers. Sir, please provide the capital structure for Metallic Minerals.

Greg Johnson:

Metallic Minerals has about 136 million shares out, roughly a $65 million market cap. So we’re now out of that micro-cap area where we’re starting to get attention from some of the big investors. We’re well funded well into 2022 with the current treasury. We have no debt, so we’re in great shape to have been able to have an aggressive program on all three projects this year and moving into next year to continue our business model, which is one to define resources, grow resources, and advance those and de-risk them, creating value along the way. Very similar to what the team did with Novagold in the last metal price cycle.

Maurice:

Speaking of big investors, you have a great shareholder list. Could you comment on that, and the recent ownership by Eric Sprott?

Greg Johnson:

Yeah, we’re in this period now where the company is moving from a very early stage, exploration stage, to resource stage. And with that, we’re seeing interest from some of the bigger investors. We’ve got US Global, we’ve got Crescat, we’ve got OTP Funds. These are all specialist funds that understand this part of the business for mining exploration and have taken significant stakes. In addition, Eric Sprott is our largest individual shareholder. He’s one of the largest holders in Novagold as well, so we’re really happy to have him in as an investor. And he just increased his ownership by exercising all of his warrants in the company, bringing in over CAD $1.5 million dollars.  We’re pleased with that continued support from Eric. He is very bullish long-term on silver, and his investment in the company was focused on our exposure to silver in the Keno silver district, and a potential upside from our other assets.

Maurice:

Now I’m no Eric Sprott, but I am proud to share that I did exercise my warrants as well.

Greg Johnson:

I believe all those that participated in the financing exercised their warrants as well. Metallic Minerals is pleased to see that continued support from shareholders, and I’m pleased to see the market starting to come back alive for silver and gold. It’s been a bit of a painful 14 month plus period here with the market last peaking back in August of 2020. But I think we’ve turned the corner, and I’m quite bullish that we’ve put this consolidation behind us. It’s a great time for investors to be looking at high-quality names and silver in particular. And I think we’ve got real promise with a strong fundamental backing for Metallic Minerals in terms of the work we’re going to be undertaking to create value, and I think with our leverage to silver, gold, and potentially to copper as well here shortly.

Maurice:

I was going to ask you if you have any comments for shareholders, but I think that may just suffice. How about this, sir, any question that I forgot to ask you today, sir?

Greg Johnson:

No, I think we covered the gamut here, Maurice. It was great to be able to speak with you. I think that it’s an exciting time for investors and for those who are new to Metallic Minerals, we would invite people to contact us through our website.

Maurice:

Please share that website for Metallic Minerals.

Greg Johnson:

The website is MMGsilver.com.  

Maurice:

sir. Mr. Johnson, it’s been a pleasure speaking with you. Wishing you and Metallic Minerals the absolute best, sir.

Before you make your next bullion purchase, contact me at 855.505.1900 or email maurice@milesfranklin.com. I’m a licensed representative for Miles Franklin Precious Metals Investments, where we provide a number of options to expand your precious metals portfolio from physical delivery to offshore depositories and precious metal IRAs. Finally, we invite you to subscribe to www.ProvenandProbable.com, where we provide Mining Insights and Bullion Sales.

The information presented on Proven and Probable is provided for educational and informational purposes only, without any express or implied warranty of any kind, including warranties of accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose. The information is not intended to be and does not constitute financial investment or trading advice, or any other advice. You should not make any financial investment or trading decision based on any of the information presented without first undertaking independent due diligence and consultation with a professional broker or competent financial advisor.

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Junior Mining Metallic Group Metallic Minerals Precious Metals

Metallic Minerals Announces Completion of Exploration Programs at Keno Silver Project and $1.56 Million Warrant Exercise by Resource Investor Eric Sprott

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / November 22, 2021 / Metallic Minerals (TSX.V:MMG | OTCQB:MMNGF) (“Metallic Minerals“, or the “Company“) is pleased to announce the successful completion of its 2021 exploration programs at the Company’s 100%-owned Keno Silver project, adjoining Alexco Resource’s high-grade silver mines in the Keno Hill silver district of Yukon, Canada. The multi-phase program consisted of Reverse Circulation (“RC”) and diamond core drilling, Induced Polarization (“IP”) geophysics, surface sampling, and district-wide stratigraphic and structural mapping across the 35-kilometer-wide district. The program, which began in June, was the Company’s most extensive exploration campaign on the project to date, with 53 holes totalling nearly 6,200 meters (“m”) along with 20.3 line-kilometers of deep-penetrating IP geophysical surveys.

The 2021 Keno Silver work program was designed to achieve a number of important objectives:

  • Expand the extent of drill-defined mineralization at the advanced target areas in the central and western parts of the Keno Hill silver district, namely Caribou, Homestake, and Formo towards initial resource estimates;
  • Conduct follow-up drilling at the new discovery areas identified at East Keno in 2020 in order to begin to define the scale of mineralization along trend and to depth within these multi-kilometer-scale soil and geophysical targets;
  • Complete first-pass reconnaissance drilling on additional untested multi-kilometer-scale targets in the eastern and central parts of the district; and
  • Use new deep-penetrating IP geophysics, in conjunction with detailed surface mapping, to more accurately determine the potential scale of these newly identified mineralized systems.

Metallic Minerals’ 166 square kilometer Keno Silver project is the second-largest land position in one of the world’s highest-grade silver districts, directly adjoining the operations of Alexco Resource Corp. The Keno Hill silver district has nearly 300 million ounces of silver in past production1 and current M&I resources2, with excellent existing infrastructure, including grid power, road access and nearby community services. The restart of mining operations at Keno Hill was the third mining operation to start producing in the Yukon Territory over the past two years.https://s.yimg.com/rq/darla/4-10-0/html/r-sf-flx.html

Greg Johnson, Chairman and CEO, stated: “We are very pleased with what we were able to achieve from the largest program to date at our flagship Keno Silver project. Our team made significant progress at the advanced-stage target areas in Central and West Keno and completed ground-breaking work that significantly enhanced our understanding of the geologic controls related to the new discovery areas at East Keno. The combination of the new insight that has come from the recognition of the much greater importance of regional-scale thrust faults with epithermal style silver mineralization and the very compelling data from the deep-sensing IP survey demonstrates that we have a highly effective tool kit for exploration in the under-explored parts of this prolific, high-grade silver district.”

“After an extraordinarily active period for the Company, the 2021 field season, which included significant campaigns on three separate projects, has concluded at our flagship Keno Silver Project, and will soon be wrapping up at our La Plata silver-gold-copper and Klondike alluvial gold projects. Significant and substantive news flow is expected to follow, including IP and drill results from Keno Silver, drill results from La Plata and updates with respect to activity on our holdings in the Klondike goldfields. In addition, we are seeing a recognition in the marketplace of the importance of our metals of focus as important for the transition towards non-carbon-based energy and as hard-asset stores of value and natural inflation hedges.”

“We would also like to acknowledge that Mr. Eric Sprott has exercised all of his Metallic Minerals common share purchase warrants from the Company’s October 2019 private placement financing for total proceeds to the Company of $1,562,500 CDN. Following the completion of the warrants exercise, Mr. Sprott (through 2176423 Ontario Ltd., a corporation which is beneficially owned by him) holds and controls 21.5 million shares, representing over 16% of the issued and outstanding shares on a non-diluted basis. We appreciate the continued support of Mr. Sprott, our largest shareholder, and this recent warrant exercise will aid the continued advancement of our exciting projects.”

2021 Exploration Program Overview

The 2021 Keno Silver drill program was designed to follow up on the successes of the 2020 program by building on the discoveries at East Keno and continuing to expand drill-defined mineralization at advanced-stage targets in the central and western parts of the Keno Hill silver district. In 2020, RC drilling intercepted significant silver mineralization in 26 of 30 reconnaissance holes, which effectively expanded the known extent of drill-defined mineralization by 10 kilometers to the east and demonstrated the potential for major new discoveries in this underexplored part of the district.

Drilling in 2021 was comprised of a two-phase program, beginning with a first phase of RC drilling focused on reconnaissance drilling of untested soil and geophysical targets, along with follow-up drilling along strike and down dip on the new East Keno discoveries. The phase one program included 4,300 m of RC drilling in 45 holes focused on the East Keno and Central Keno target areas. This was followed by a second phase of deeper diamond core drilling program totalling 1,900 m in 8 holes in the East Keno and West Keno target areas.

In addition to the focused drill program, Metallic Minerals undertook a comprehensive effort to expand the coverage of its detailed geologic and geophysical data coverage, particularly over the less-explored eastern half of the Keno Hill silver district where the Company has identified 12 separate multi-kilometer-long high-level soil and magnetic anomalies. This effort included district-wide stratigraphic and structural mapping focused in these important target areas for exploration and led to the identification of previously unrecognized regional scale thrust fault structures and associated styles of epithermal mineralization which have major implications for bulk tonnage potential that has not been previously investigated in the Keno Hill silver district.

In conjunction with the detailed geologic mapping program, Metallic Minerals completed the first-ever application of deep-sensing IP geophysics using Simcoe Geoscience’s Alpha IPTM system. This system has been used with great success on other Metallic Group projects and has the capability to image down to more than 800 meters depth from surface. Five separate multi-kilometer IP profiles were collected over the discovery areas at East Keno, as well as other targets in the central part of the Keno district, covering significant soil and magnetic anomalies. The 2021 survey was successful in identifying major conductive features that are spatially associated with areas with kilometer-scale soil and magnetic anomalies and with newly mapped regional thrust faults. The surveys yielded 35 high-priority targets that will be investigated in the upcoming 2022 program. Additional review and interpretation of this data is underway and a detailed discussion of the IP survey results, including relevant structure images, is expected in a subsequent news release.

The following provides a snapshot of the activities completed at each of the major target areas on the Keno Silver project and are presented in the order that assay results are anticipated to be received and reported:

Central Keno

Drilling activity in 2021 began in the Central Keno target area, which covers the central 12 km of the 35 km wide Keno Hill silver district and includes 90 million ounces of past production1 and current M&I resources2 from 8 separate deposits, including the namesake Keno Hill mine. A total of 37 RC holes were completed in the Central Keno target area which focused on expansion of drill defined mineralization at the advanced stage Caribou and Homestake targets, along with step-out drilling along trend and within several newly identified soil anomalies that remain open along trend from historically drilled areas. Two deep IP lines were also completed across the area which identified significant conductive features that spatially correspond with regional scale thrust fault structures and associated epithermal style silver mineralization.

Assay results remain pending, and additional drilling is already planned at Caribou and Homestake in 2022 to advance both areas towards an initial resource estimate.

East Keno

Drilling in the East Keno target area included 12 RC and diamond core holes and focused on step-out drilling along trend and down-dip of the discovery zones intersected in 2020 at Fox, Zone 2 and UKHM, in addition to reconnaissance drilling at the previously untested North Fox and West Cobalt targets. Metallic Minerals’ drilling at East Keno has confirmed the presence of significant high-grade and bulk tonnage silver mineralization in this underexplored part of the Keno Hill silver district.

Two 6-kilometer-long IP lines were completed over East Keno with one survey over the greater Fox target area (Fox to UKHM) and a second over the West Cobalt to Cobalt target area. The IP lines identify a number of major conductive anomalies that are open to depth and that spatially overlap with multi-kilometer soil anomalies, mapped regional scale thrust structures and epithermal style mineralization.

Drilling at East Keno in 2021 has confirmed the presence of significant structural zones with epithermal style mineralization with continuous structural zones exceeding 100 meters in thickness that correspond spatially with conductive anomalies in the IP geophysics. Follow-up 3D modelling will be completed on the 2020 and 2021 drilling at East Keno to better determine the geometries of this major new discovery area and to vector towards areas with the highest silver grades and thickness. Assay results remain pending.

West Keno

In April, the Company announced the first results from modern drilling at the advanced-stage Formo target, where diamond drill holes intercepted very high-grade Keno-style silver mineralization, which remains open to expansion in all directions. Formo is the site of an historical high-grade open-pit mine that saw production from the 1920s and 30s. Metallic Minerals drilled four additional diamond core drill holes this fall at Formo to test the extension of drill-defined high-grade mineralization along strike and down dip. Two new targets have been also identified along the same structural corridor within parallel greenstone sills and will be the target of drilling in 2022. Assay results remain pending, and additional drilling is planned at Formo in 2022 to advance this area towards an initial resource estimate.

Detailed mapping at the Silver Queen target has demonstrated a close relationship between regional thrust faults and epithermal-style silver mineralization at West Keno. The adjacent Silver King deposit, which was one of the highest-grade mines in the Keno Hill silver district, is also dominantly epithermal-style mineralization. These findings will be incorporated into new modelling and drill targets for West Keno in 2022.

About the Keno Silver Project

Exploration by Metallic Minerals at the Keno Silver project continues to systematically build on the Company’s 3D geologic database covering the east, central and western portions of the prolific Keno Hill silver district. The project includes eight high-grade, shallow past-producing mines that have yet to be subjected to modern exploration due to previously unconsolidated land ownership. Along the known, historically productive trends in the central and western parts of the district, the Company has advanced three targets to step-out drilling stage and several additional targets to drill-ready status. In addition, recent exploration has defined 12 new priority multi-kilometer-scale early-stage targets for reconnaissance drilling in the under-explored eastern and southern parts of the district where initial drilling has returned significant high-grade Keno-style mineralization as well as identified the potential for bulk-tonnage style silver mineralization.

About Metallic Minerals

Metallic Minerals Corp. is a growth-stage exploration company, focused on high-grade silver and gold projects in underexplored, brownfields mining districts of North America. Our objective is to create shareholder value through a systematic, entrepreneurial approach to exploration in the Keno Hill silver district, La Plata silver-gold-copper district, and Klondike gold district through new discoveries and advancing resources to development. Metallic Minerals has consolidated the second-largest land position in the historic Keno Hill silver district of Canada’s Yukon Territory, directly adjacent to Alexco Resource Corp’s operations, with nearly 300 million ounces of high-grade silver in past production and current M&I resources. In addition, exploration at the recently acquired La Plata silver-gold-copper project in southwestern Colorado is targeting a silver and gold-enriched copper porphyry and adjacent high-grade silver and gold epithermal systems. The Company also continues to add new production royalty leases on its holdings in the Klondike gold district in the Yukon. All three districts 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, as well as having large-scale development, permitting and project financing expertise.

About the Metallic Group of Companies

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Phone: 604-629-7800
Toll-Free: 1-888-570-4420
Website: mmgsilver.com
Email: cackerman@mmgsilver.com

Footnotes

1) 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. 2) 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.

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

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 Scott Petsel, P.Geo., Vice President, Exploration, who is Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”).

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 timelines, 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 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, 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. 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 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.

SOURCE: Metallic Minerals Corp.

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

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

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

Highlights

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sensitivity Analysis

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

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

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

2021 Exploration Update

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

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

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

Rhodium

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

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

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

Metallurgy

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

Carbon Capture at Stillwater West

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

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

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

Qualified Person

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

Estimation Methodology and Parameters

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

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

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

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

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

About Stillwater West

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

About Group Ten Metals Inc.

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

About the Metallic Group of Companies

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

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

Quality Control and Quality Assurance

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

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

Forward-Looking Statements

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

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: Group Ten Metals Inc.

Group Ten Metals Inc.

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Base Metals Breaking Energy Exclusive Interviews Metallic Group Metallic Minerals

Metallic Minerals – 2 Drill Programs, La Plata and Keno Silver projects, Plus Royalties

Joining us for a conversation is Greg Johnson, the CEO of Metallic Minerals (TSX.V: MMG | OTCQB: MMNGF). Sir, we are thrilled to have you back as Metallic Minerals has several exciting developments to provide shareholders. Before we begin, Mr. Johnson, please introduce us to Metallic Minerals and the opportunity the company presents to shareholders.

Greg Johnson:

Metallic Minerals is a silver-focused exploration and development stage company. We are a member of the Metallic Group of Companies. Many of us were part of the original founding of NovaGold. The group is backed by renowned resource investors, such as Eric Sprott. We started putting together the Metallic Group at the bottom of the metal price cycle. Our focus was on brownfields, past-producing, high-potential districts with MMG being focused on silver. Over the past five years, we’ve acquired and explored three exceptional assets, including our flagship Keno Silver Project, the La Plata Project, and our Klondike Royalty Portfolio.

Maurice Jackson:

Speaking of Colorado, sir, take us onsite to the La Plata Silver-Gold-Copper Project located just outside of Durango, as Metallic Minerals has just announced the commencement of its initial drill campaign on the La Plata, which is the first significant exploration in over 50 years in the historic high-grade La Plata Mining District. Before we get into the press release, Mr. Johnson, please acquaint us more with the La Plata Project and the value proposition before us.

Greg Johnson:

So we’re pretty excited about this. We see this as an amazing opportunity. The La Plata Project is a high-grade silver and gold district originally discovered in the 1700s with over 90 different mines and prospects that were developed from the 1800s to about the 1940s, all of these producing bonanza-grade silver and gold. Major miners such as, Rio Tinto and Freeport, have come into the district in the 1950s, recognizing the bulk-tonnage potential in the central part of this precious metals-rich porphyry system. This system is a lot like the Galore Creek Project that was operated by NovaGold and our team was part of driving the success, that was recently sold to Teck and Newmont. Our team is particularly excited about applying our new modern toolkit to this opportunity in this historic high-grade district.

Maurice Jackson:

Metallic Minerals is embarking on Phase One of your 2021 drill program on the La Plata, which will be 2,000 meters of diamond drilling on the central porphyry, which hosts the historic resource. What is the goal for this campaign? And can you talk about the historical resource and what it looks like?

Greg Johnson:

This is the first drill campaign on this project in, as you said, in nearly 50 years. It’s designed to confirm the historic drill work on the project, which is only in the central porphyry system and particularly the precious metal values, which were historically under-sample. With 54 historic drill holes comprising nearly 15,000 meters of drilling, we see the potential here at La Plata to rapidly advance the system to a modern 43-101 resource. That historic resource indicates that we have the potential for a multi-billion-pound copper system with tens of millions of ounces of silver. And that historic resource doesn’t include any of the work surrounding the area in the high-grade epithermal silver-gold structures that were the focus of historic mining.

Maurice Jackson:

How will Metallic Minerals measure success for this drill program and when can the market expect results?

Greg Johnson:

What we’re looking for here is to confirm the past work, which was done by really high-quality players like Rio Tinto and Freeport, with the potential to be able to not only show what they did, but to build on that and show significant expansion. We should start to see results coming out over the next couple of months with continued 3D modeling going into the fall with an objective, ultimately, of delivering an inaugural 43-101 resource on this project.

Maurice Jackson:

Leaving Colorado, let’s visit Metallic Minerals’ flagship Keno Silver Project, which is adjacent to Alexco Resources, located in the historic silver-rich Keno Silver District of the Yukon in Canada. Back in April, Metallic Minerals announced a high-grade silver intersect with 4.1 meters resulting in 2,536 grams per tonnes silver equivalent. That has now been followed up with a 10,000-meter drill program. How are things coming along and are there any updates that you can pass along to us?

Greg Johnson:

This is an exciting program. Our exploration program kicked off this year in June with the first drill. We’re looking to add a second here. This is going to be one of our largest programs to date on the Keno Silver Project with 10,000 meters planned on multiple targets and following up on the success from last year. In addition, we’re running a deep IP geophysical survey across the large targets on the eastern part of the district, which could start to give us a sense of scale and potential on those discoveries from last year’s program.

That historic resource indicates that we have the potential for a multi-billion pound copper system with tens of millions of ounces of silver. And that historic resource doesn’t include any of the work surrounding the area in the high-grade epithermal silver-gold structures that were the focus of historic mining.

Maurice Jackson:

When can we expect results from the drill program and what will determine success?

Greg Johnson:

Results should start coming out any time and continue over the next several months and well into the fall. What we’re hoping to do here is to build and expand on the areas we’ve already identified mineralization, both in terms of the high-grade systems and the bulk tonnage, and to continue to build towards that inaugural resource estimate for the project.

Maurice Jackson:

Finally, let’s discuss the highly innovative Klondike alluvial gold properties in the Yukon. Do you have any updates there?

Greg Johnson:

We were pleased actually to see significant progress on the Alluvial Gold Portfolio. This is in the historic Klondike Gold Fields, which produced over 20 million ounces historically. And today that production is from these large-scale, modern open-pit operations. We’ve had major drill campaigns completed by a couple of our operators this spring and going into the summer. The next steps here are the initiation of bulk-sample processing, which is like test mining of the ground. And from that work, we could potentially see two or three of the blocks advance quickly to commercial gold production, including the potential for the first significant production royalties to Metallic Minerals this year from gold produced on those projects.

Maurice Jackson:

Oh, that sounds exciting. All right. Leaving the project sites, what is the next significant milestone for Metallic Minerals?

Greg Johnson:

With three active programs, we’ve got a lot of activity that I would expect to see strong news flow coming from each of the projects. Each one of them has kind of its milestones, but drilling, geophysical results, and then, ultimately, culminating in initial resource estimates and potentially gold production from the Alluvial Portfolio.

Maurice Jackson:

Let’s look at some numbers. Sir, please provide us the capital structure for Metallic Minerals.

Greg Johnson:

The company is well structured. 126 million shares outstanding. No debt. Got about 6 million in cash and significant in-the-money warrants that could bring in as much as another $12 million for the next year. We’re well-positioned to carry out this year’s program and we’re well-positioned into 2022 for follow-up programs.

Maurice Jackson:

In closing, Mr. Johnson, what would you like to say to shareholders?

Greg Johnson:

I think it’s worth talking about the current markets for precious metals and particularly how it fits in with the historic seasonality for the sector. We believe that a major bottom in the commodity and precious metal sector was put in, in that 2016 to 2020 period and that we’re now in the very early stages of a multi-year commodity cycle. I believe it has the potential to eclipse the last cycle that ran from 2001 to 2011. Typically, during these decade-long cycles, we’re going to get extended, healthy consolidations that can take significant periods to resolve. Gold and silver equities have been consolidating since August of last year. On top of that, we’re currently in what’s typically the weakest seasonal period for silver and gold with the strongest period generally starting in the fall.

The next steps here are the initiation of bulk-sample processing, which is like test mining of the ground. And from that work, we could potentially see two or three of the blocks advance quickly to commercial gold production, including the potential for the first significant production royalties to Metallic Minerals this year from gold produced on those projects.

Greg Johnson:

I think this presents an opportunity for astute investors to be picking up shares of high-quality, precious-metal companies at terrific values. With such long recent consolidations, but such very bullish fundamentals, I think we’re winding the spring here for a very bullish period ahead with likely another five to ten years of bull markets still to come. I should mention that with over 30,000 meters of drilling underway in the three Metallic Group of Companies, this gives investors exceptional exposure to silver, battery metals, and copper in what is looking to be an exceptional time in the marketplace for people to be picking up value in our group.

Maurice Jackson:

Mr. Johnson, last question and that is, what did I forget to ask?

Greg Johnson:

I think this has been an amazingly comprehensive coverage and interview. I would recommend that if investors have questions that they go to our website, which is mmgsilver.com, or give us a call and the numbers listed on that website. We’re happy always to talk with investors and to answer questions.

Maurice Jackson:

Mr. Johnson, it has been a pleasure speaking with you. Wishing you and Metallic Minerals the absolute best, sir.

Greg Johnson:

Thanks a lot. Been a pleasure to be back with you.

Maurice Jackson:

And as a reminder, I am a licensed representative to buy and sell precious metals through Miles Franklin Precious Metals Investments, where we have several options to expand your precious metals portfolio, from physical delivery of gold, silver, platinum, palladium, and rhodium, to offshore depositories, and precious metals IRA’s. Give me a call at 855.505.1900 or you may email: Maurice@MilesFranklin.com.  Finally, please subscribe to www.provenandprobable.com, where we provide: Mining Insights and Bullion Sales, subscription is free.