Proven Probable
StrikePoint Gold: TSX.V: SKP | OTC: STKXF
Website: https://strikepointgold.com/
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Contact: Jasper Gatrill (778) 708 0509 jg@strikepointgold.com
February 7, 2022View PDF
Vancouver, British Columbia – February 7, 2022 – Noram Lithium Corp. (“Noram” or the “Company”) (TSXV: NRM | OTCQB: NRVTF | Frankfurt: N7R) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a binding letter of intent (the “LOI”), dated February 4, 2022, in connection with a proposed royalty sale and equity investment (the “Investment”), Lithium Royalty Corp. (“LRC”) and the Waratah Electrification and Decarbonization AIE LP (“E&D”). The Investment consists of the purchase of a 1.0% gross overriding royalty (“GOR”) on its wholly-owned high-grade Zeus Lithium Project (“Zeus”) in Clayton Valley, Nevada for USD$5.0 million and a concurrent strategic investment through a USD$9.0 million private placement.
Key Terms and Highlights of the LOI:
“2021 was an outstanding year for the Company and its shareholders with the advancement of its 100%-owned high-grade Zeus Lithium Project through to the PEA stage, the expansion of our management team, and in setting the stage for an even more active year in 2022,” stated Mr. Sandy MacDougall, CEO of Noram Lithium. “We are absolutely thrilled to have Lithium Royalty Corp. and its globally recognized financial and technical team as a key strategic and cornerstone shareholder. LRC’s strong vote of confidence in our advanced Zeus Project and alignment with Noram’s strategy is significant and we look forward to developing our strategic relationship over time.”
Proceeds from the strategic investment will be used to assist in accelerating the advancement of the Zeus Lithium Project through to the completion of Definitive Feasibility Study. A recent Preliminary Economic Assessment dated December 2021 highlights an after-tax NPV(8) of USD$2.67 Billion with an Internal Rate of Return of 52% at $14,250/tonne Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (“LCE”). LCE currently trades at ~USD$60,000 per tonne.
Mr. Peter A. Ball, President and COO added, “2022 will be an extremely busy year as we aggressively advance towards the completion of a Pre-Feasibility Study and further de-risk the Zeus Lithium Project on all fronts. We are now fully funded through 2022 and beyond to ramp up our activities on site as we advance through further detailed engineering and metallurgical studies, complete additional drilling to further add to our already significant lithium resource and accelerate baseline environmental studies and preliminary work for future permitting. LRC’s acknowledgement or “stamp of approval” of the Zeus Project and their significant investment in Noram provides the platform and capital to significantly advance the Project.”
2022 Catalysts and Planned Corporate Activity:
The Company is at arms-length from each of LRC and Waratah E&D. Completion of the Investment remains subject to completion of ongoing due diligence by LRC and Waratah E&D as well as approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. In connection with the Investment, a marketing fee of $150,000 is owing to an arms-length third-party. On closing, the fee will be satisfied through the issuance of 181,818 common shares at a deemed price of $0.825. All securities issued in connection with the investment will be subject to statutory restrictions on resale prescribed by applicable securities laws.
The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Bradley C. Peek, MSc, CPG, Vice President Exploration, Noram Lithium Corp., who is a Qualified Person with respect to the Clayton Valley Lithium Project as defined under National Instrument 43-101.
About LRC
Lithium Royalty Corp (“LRC”) is a North American royalty corporation focused on investing in high quality low-cost projects in the battery materials sector with an emphasis on lithium. LRC was founded in 2018 and has now established itself as a leading financier in the lithium industry having completed 17 royalties since inception exclusive of this transaction. Its investments are diversified across the world with exposure in Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Serbia, and the United States of America. LRC is a signatory to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investing and seeks to invest in companies with high environmental, social, and governance standards. Waratah Capital Advisors is the sponsor and general partner of Lithium Royalty Corp.
About E&D and Waratah
Waratah Capital Advisors is the sponsor and general partner for the recently launched Waratah Electrification and Decarbonization (E&D) Fund. The Fund seeks to achieve attractive risk-adjusted returns through investments in battery material, decarbonization, and electric vehicle related opportunities. Waratah Capital Advisors is a Toronto-based asset manager that specializes in alternative strategies. Waratah Capital Advisors manages over $3 billion in assets from high-net-worth individuals, family offices, foundations, Canadian bank platforms, and pension funds.
About Noram Lithium Corp.
Noram Lithium Corp. (TSXV: NRM | OTCQB: NRVTF | Frankfurt: N7R) is a well-financed Canadian based advanced Lithium development stage company with less than 75 million shares issued. Noram is aggressively advancing its 100%-owned Zeus Lithium Project in Nevada from the development-stage level through the completion of a Pre-Feasibility Study in 2022. The Company’s flagship asset is the Zeus Lithium Project (“Zeus”), located in Clayton Valley, Nevada. The Zeus Project contains a current 43-101 measured and indicated resource estimate* of 363 million tonnes grading 923 ppm lithium, and an inferred resource of 827 million tonnes grading 884 ppm lithium utilizing a 400 ppm Li cut-off. In December 2021, a robust PEA** indicated an After-Tax NPV(8) of USD$1.299 Billion and IRR of 31% using USD$9,500/tonne Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (LCE). Using the LCE long term forecast of USD$14,000/tonne, the PEA indicates an NPV (8%) of approximately USD$2.6 Billion and an IRR of 52% at USD$14,250/tonne LCE.
Please visit our web site for further information: www.noramlithiumcorp.com.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Sandy MacDougall
CEO and Director
C: 778.999.2159
For additional information please contact:
Peter A. Ball
President and Chief Operating Officer
peter@noramlithiumcorp.com
C: 778.344.4653
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. This news release may contain forward-looking information which is not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward-looking information in this news release includes statements regarding, among other things, the completion transactions completed in the Agreement. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, regulatory approval processes. Although Noram believes that the assumptions used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, including that all necessary regulatory approvals will be obtained in a timely manner, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. Noram disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities laws. *Updated Lithium Mineral Resource Estimate, Zeus Project, Clayton Valley, Esmeralda County, Nevada, USA (August 2021) **Preliminary Economic Assessment Zeus Project, ABH Engineering (December 2021).
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
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
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
PRESS RELEASE
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / February 2, 2022 / Group Ten Metals Inc. (TSXV:PGE)(OTCQB:PGEZF)(FSE:5D32) (the “Company” or “Group Ten”) reports results from the Induced Polarization geophysical (“IP”) survey completed in 2021 at its 100%-owned Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu-Co + Au project in Montana, USA. The 2021 survey was completed as an expansion off the west end of the 2020 survey, covering the area between the Hybrid and DR deposits at Chrome Mountain and drill-defined high-grade gold mineralization at the Pine target area (see Figure 1). The size and strength of the resulting geophysical signatures demonstrate additional potential for large bodies of sulphide mineralization.
2021 Survey Highlights:
* The Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu-Co + Au project 2021 Resource estimate was prepared by Allan Armitage, P.Geo., of SGS Geological Services, an independent Qualified Person, in accordance with the guidelines of the Canadian Securities Administrators’ National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”) with an effective date of October 7, 2021. CIM (2014) definitions were followed for Mineral Resources Reporting. The constrained Mineral Resources are reported at a base case cut-off grade of 0.20% NiEq. Cut-off grades are based on metal prices of $7.00/lb Ni, $3.50/lb Cu, $20.00/lb Co, $900/oz Pt, $1,800/oz Pd and $1,600/oz Au, with assumed metal recoveries of 80% for Ni, 85% for copper, 80% for Co, Pt, Pd and Au, a mining cost of US$2.20/t rock, and processing and G&A cost of US$12.75/t mineralized material. Rhodium was modeled but not included in equivalency calculations. All figures are rounded to reflect the relative accuracy of the estimate. The current Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves as they do not have demonstrated economic viability. The quantity and grade of reported Inferred Resources in this Mineral Resource Estimate are uncertain in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to define these Inferred Resources as Indicated or Measured. However, based on the current knowledge of the deposits, it is reasonably expected that the majority of Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration.
Michael Rowley, President and CEO, commented, “Results from the 2021 IP geophysical survey expanded our model of the core project area by 30% in length and advanced very high-quality targets with some of the highest chargeability readings to date. 3D models developed from the combined survey – and the strong correlation with drill-defined mineralization that is demonstrated across the core 12-kilometer span of the project – highlight the remarkable scale and potential of the mineralized system at Stillwater West and provide important information on structure and geometry for our predictive geologic model to guide future drill campaigns. Near-term, we are looking forward to announcing additional assay results from the 14 resource expansion holes drilled in 2021. Those results will allow us to finalize our exploration plans for 2022 which will focus on resource expansion drilling in priority deposit areas in addition to other high priority targets within the now expanded 12km core project area.”
Figure 1 – 2021 Mineral resource estimates (yellow) show strong correlation with 3D model results of the combined 2020 and 2021 IP survey across the expanded 12km core project area. Very large-scale chargeability and conductivity anomalies, shown in pink and blue respectively, indicate potential for additional large bodies of sulphide mineralization in the lower Stillwater complex.
Upcoming News and Events
Group Ten is pleased to confirm that it will participate in the AME Roundup trade show at booth #302 on Wednesday February 2nd, and Thursday February 3rd, under the Metallic Group of Companies. Core samples will be available for viewing at the booth.
Group Ten will be presenting at the GCFF Virtual Conference 2022 – Base Metals & Energy Metals Day on February 9th at 12:55PM PT.
Discussion
The 2021 Induced Polarization (IP) geophysical survey by Group Ten and Simcoe Geoscience expanded the 2020 survey with an additional 11 lines and 25 line-km of coverage for a new total of 102 line-km of combined coverage spanning the 12km core area of the Stillwater West project.
The combined survey is the largest ever completed in the Stillwater district, successfully imaging the Basal, Ultramafic Series, and basement rocks of the lower Stillwater complex and returning very large-scale anomalies with remarkable continuity, including the highly prospective peridotite zone and basal series that host the 2021 mineral resource estimates. The strength and continuity of the results enabled 3D inversion modeling to a depth of 800 meters, even after the application of high-level cut-offs of >45 mV/V and ≤100 ohm-meter to the chargeability and conductivity datasets, respectively.
As shown in Figure 1, the 2021 expansion survey included one in-fill line at the western edge of the DR and Hybrid deposits in the area of high-grade nickel sulphide mineralization intercepted in hole CM2020-04 (reported March 3, 2021). Completed as part of the Company’s priority on expanding high-grade, and high tenor, nickel sulphides in this area, data from this portion of the survey will inform the 2022 expansion drill campaign.
A second priority of the 2021 expansion IP survey was to detail the area between the DR and Hybrid deposits at Chrome Mountain and drill-defined high-grade precious metals mineralization at the Pine target, in the Wild West target area. Multiple large-scale, contiguous, strong anomalies were identified in this area in the 2021 survey, with many anomalies open past the modeled depth of 800 meters and the majority correlating with soil geochemistry anomalies identified in earlier campaigns. Many of the newly identified chargeability anomalies (>45 mV/V) are extremely large (up to 1,000m by 800m in section), and the correlation with demonstrated mineralization in soil surveys is an indicator of a potential large-scale mineralized system that makes these targets a priority for follow-up work.
Very high-level chargeability values of over 180 mV/V, some of the highest recorded to data on the project, were returned in a near-surface anomaly at the Pegmatoid Ridge target area, which is compelling because of a correlated kilometer-scale soil anomaly with elevated palladium, platinum, nickel and copper, and very high gold results of up to 500 ppb Au. Large-scale geophysical and metal-in-soil anomalies in this area are contiguous with similar anomalies at drill-defined high-grade gold at the Pine target, approximately two kilometers southeast of Pegmatoid Ridge, making these two areas a priority for follow-up exploration by the Company in 2022.
As shown in Figure 1, these very large and high-level anomalies demonstrate an exceptionally strong correlation with the 2021 Mineral Resource Estimates, and the adjacent robust IP anomalies are priority targets for resource expansion drilling in 2022.
Strong spatial correlations are also noted with historic drill results outside of the main target areas, and with other datasets including past geophysical surveys, and soil and rock geochemistry, demonstrating additional potential for expansion of sulphide mineralization at earlier stage targets more broadly across the 32-kilometer length of the project.
Results also demonstrate good correlation with 3D Magnetic Vector Inversion (“MVI”) modeling, completed on earlier geophysical survey data. MVI modeling has been instrumental in a number of large discoveries in recent years, including the expansion of Ivanhoe’s Platreef mine in similar geology in South Africa. As previously announced by Group Ten June 4, 2019, MVI results at Stillwater West indicate significant thickening of the magmatic package under the most advanced target areas relative to other parts of the Stillwater complex, highlighting the potential that the magmatic horizons that host known mineralization may also extend to several kilometers in depth, starting from surface. This is consistent with the adjacent high-grade J-M Reef deposit where mining by Sibanye-Stillwater has extended mineralized horizons to over 2 km depth from surface.
Option Grant
Group Ten further announces it has granted 1,400,000 incentive stock options (the “Options”) to directors, officers, employees, and consultants of the Company Exchange under the Company’s Long-Term Performance Incentive Plan (“LTIP”). The Options are exercisable for up to five years, expiring on February 2, 2027, and each Option will allow the holder to purchase one common share of the Company at a price of $0.36 per share, being the closing price of the previous trading day. The Options are subject to certain vesting requirements in accordance with the Company’s LTIP and the Options grant is subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval.
About Stillwater West
Group Ten is rapidly advancing the Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu-Co + Au project towards becoming a world-class source of low-carbon, sulphide-hosted nickel, copper, and cobalt, critical to the electrification movement, as well as key catalytic metals including platinum, palladium and rhodium used in catalytic converters, fuel cells, and the production of green hydrogen. Stillwater West positions Group Ten as the second-largest landholder in the Stillwater Complex, with a 100%-owned position adjoining and adjacent to Sibanye-Stillwater’s PGE mines in south-central Montana, USA1. The Stillwater Complex is recognized as one of the top regions in the world for PGE-Ni-Cu-Co mineralization, alongside the Bushveld Complex and Great Dyke in southern Africa, which are similar layered intrusions. The J-M Reef, and other PGE-enriched sulphide horizons in the Stillwater Complex, share many similarities with the highly prolific Merensky and UG2 Reefs in the Bushveld Complex. Group Ten’s work in the lower Stillwater Complex has demonstrated the presence of large-scale disseminated and high-sulphide battery metals and PGE mineralization, similar to the Platreef in the Bushveld Complex2. Drill campaigns by the Company, complemented by a substantial historic drill database, have delineated five deposits of Platreef-style mineralization across a core 9-kilometer span of the project, all of which are open for expansion into adjacent targets. Multiple earlier-stage Platreef-style and reef-type targets are also being advanced across the remainder of the 32-kilometer length of the project based on strong correlations seen in soil and rock geochemistry, geophysical surveys, geologic mapping, and drilling.
About Group Ten Metals Inc.
Group Ten Metals Inc. is a TSX-V-listed Canadian mineral exploration company focused on the development of high-quality platinum, palladium, nickel, copper, cobalt, and gold exploration assets in top North American mining jurisdictions. The Company’s core asset is the Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu-Co + Au project adjacent to Sibanye-Stillwater’s high-grade PGE mines in Montana, USA. Group Ten also holds the high-grade Black Lake-Drayton Gold project, adjacent to Treasury Metals’ development-stage Goliath Gold Complex in northwest Ontario, which is currently under an earn-in agreement with an option to joint venture whereby Heritage Mining may earn up to a 90% interest in the project by completing payments and work on the project. The Company also holds the Kluane PGE-Ni-Cu-Co project on trend with Nickel Creek Platinum‘s Wellgreen deposit in Canada‘s Yukon Territory.
About the Metallic Group of Companies
The Metallic Group is a collaboration of leading precious and base metals exploration companies, with a portfolio of large, brownfield assets in established mining districts adjacent to some of the industry’s highest-grade producers of silver and gold, platinum and palladium, and copper. Member companies include Metallic Minerals in the Yukon’s high-grade Keno Hill silver district and La Plata silver-gold-copper district of Colorado, Group Ten Metals in the Stillwater PGM-nickel-copper district of Montana, and Granite Creek Copper in the Yukon’s Minto copper district. The founders and team members of the Metallic Group include highly successful explorationists formerly with some of the industry’s leading explorers/developers and major producers. With this expertise, the companies are undertaking a systematic approach to exploration using new models and technologies to facilitate discoveries in these proven, but under-explored, mining districts. The Metallic Group is headquartered in Vancouver, BC, Canada, and its member companies are listed on the Toronto Venture, US OTC, and Frankfurt stock exchanges.
1: See October 21, 2021, news release and Group Ten Metals Technical Report titled “Technical Report on the 2021 Mineral Resource. Estimates for the Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu-Co + Au Project, Montana, USA” as filed Dec 6, 2021, with an effective date of Oct 7, 2021.
2: References to adjoining properties are for illustrative purposes only and are not necessarily indicative of the exploration potential, extent or nature of mineralization or potential future results of the Company’s projects.
3: Magmatic Ore Deposits in Layered Intrusions-Descriptive Model for Reef-Type PGE and Contact-Type Cu-Ni-PGE Deposits, Michael Zientek, USGS Open-File Report 2012-1010.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Michael Rowley, President, CEO & Director
Phone: (604) 357 4790
Toll Free: (888) 432 0075
Email: info@grouptenmetals.com
Web: http://grouptenmetals.com
Quality Control and Quality Assurance
Mr. Mike Ostenson, P.Geo., is the Qualified Person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101, and he has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure outside of the 2021 Resource estimate that is contained in this news release.
Forward-Looking Statements
Forward Looking Statements: This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed “forward-looking statements”. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts including, without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization, historic production, estimation of mineral resources, the realization of mineral resource estimates, interpretation of prior exploration and potential exploration results, the timing and success of exploration activities generally, the timing and results of future resource estimates, permitting time lines, metal prices and currency exchange rates, availability of capital, government regulation of exploration operations, environmental risks, reclamation, title, and future plans and objectives of the company are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Although Group Ten believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include failure to obtain necessary approvals, unsuccessful exploration results, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, results of future resource estimates, future metal prices, availability of capital and financing on acceptable terms, general economic, market or business conditions, risks associated with regulatory changes, defects in title, availability of personnel, materials and equipment on a timely basis, accidents or equipment breakdowns, uninsured risks, delays in receiving government approvals, unanticipated environmental impacts on operations and costs to remedy same, and other exploration or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the companies with securities regulators. Readers are cautioned that mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral exploration and development of mines is an inherently risky business. Accordingly, the actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on Group Ten and the risks and challenges of their businesses, investors should review their annual filings that are available at www.sedar.com.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
SOURCE: Group Ten Metals Inc.
View source version on accesswire.com:
https://www.accesswire.com/686983/Group-Ten-Metals-Expands-IP-Geophysical-Anomalies-to-12-Kilometers-in-Length-at-Stillwater-West-Critical-Metals-Project-in-Montana-USA
Maurice Jackson:
Joining us for a conversation is Rauno Perttu, the CEO of Provenance Gold (CSE: PAU | OTC: PVVDF), which has some very compelling gold and silver projects throughout Nevada and Oregon. Before we delve into company specifics, Mr. Perttu, please introduce us to Provenance Gold and the exciting opportunity the company presents to shareholders.
Rauno Perttu:
Provenance Gold has three projects in Nevada that I think are all individually exciting, and one in Oregon that I believe is a game-changer. We have a project called White Rock in the North-Eastern corner in Nevada that I think is going to become a very serious major deposit. We have a project called Mineral Hill, which is a silver project that is potentially a large bulk mineable silver target. We have the Silver Bow in Southern Central Nevada that has a flow dome complex that I think is going to be a gold surface mine with deep potential for high-grade as well. And then we have the recently acquired Eldorado Project in Oregon, which has a proven drilled resource of multimillion ounce build right now at a higher-than-average grade for open-pit mines.
Maurice Jackson:
Let’s find out more. Mr. Perttu, please introduce us to your property bank, which is strategically located throughout Elephant country, regarded as the top jurisdiction for exploration and mining which is Nevada. Sir, take us to Nevada and introduce us to the flagship White Rock gold project.
Rauno Perttu:
The White Rock project was brought to us by Jerry Baughman of Desert Ventures, and it’s a royalty company, a very successful royalty company. We looked at the project. The reason we took it on was that Steve Craig, our project manager and expert for Nevada had drilled it for Kennecott years ago and loved the project. In that work that we did from historic data that we had acquired, we recognized that the property was much bigger than what was brought to us. So we expanded it to 258 claims, about 5,160 acres. In that acreage, we have an area of 3.2 kilometers by 1.6 kilometers that are virtually continuously surface-mineralized.
Rauno Perttu:
We started drilling on the White Rock in the spring of 2021. We put in 35 holes that added to 65 holes that were drilled historically, which all showed a bulk-tonnage, half a gram per ton gold system that appears to be continuous in sedimentary rocks. We are looking not only at the bulk tonnage potential, but we think at the end of our drilling program, we found first the feeder structure that will bring higher grades and increase the overall grade as we move forward.
Maurice Jackson:
Provenance Gold believes the geology of the White Rock mineral system has similarities to the geology of the nearby Black Pine gold system in Southern Idaho. Can you expand on that for us?
Rauno Perttu:
That is what intrigued me right off the bat. I’ve had a lot of background in thrust folding and thrust complexes. When I looked at the geology of the Black Pine of Liberty Gold there about 50 miles to the east, it was virtually identical. Their mineralization is within a thrust zone package. That thrust package is gold-mineralized. We are in, I believe the same thrust package, but we’re higher in the system, so we’re looking at a structure that is our arch dome. A dome is a structure that has been faulted as part of the doming and it’s formed by the thrusting underneath. So what we’re looking at is the same age rocks, the same lithology as the Black Pine. I believe a system that is going to repeat, as well as another area that we have to the west. We have two potential Black Pine-type deposits under control right now.
Maurice Jackson:
Speaking of lithology, can you share the historic exploration work?
Rauno Perttu:
The White Rock project was looked at by several companies, including Kennecott and they drilled widely spaced holes. The widely spaced holes had up to over 300 feet of continuous gold mineralization, and nobody ever put it together. The reason they never put it together is company A would come in and they would look at one part of the project. Company B would come in and look at a different one. When Steve Craig’s company, Kennecott, in which I was in senior management years in the past, came and looked at it, they were looking for a higher-grade system, which was in vogue at that time. They wanted at least several grams of gold per ton.
Rauno Perttu:
Today, by the way, the average grade of the Nevada mines is about half a gram, which is what the White Rock project is. So they left the project, even though Steve was intrigued and he hit one of his holes. It went 5.7 grams in one of the zones that we have not yet followed upon. The White Rock Project is going to continue to expand as we drill to the south, because the best surface shores, we have not yet reached with our drill rig. We began at the north end, towards the southeast until the weather drove us south.
Maurice Jackson:
May I ask this as well, you referenced that you began your inaugural drill campaign. How many pending assays are there still?
Rauno Perttu:
We have gotten all the assays for this season back already. That was 35 holes. We had a terrible problem with drilling that will not be a problem with a mine. As we came into the main gold area, we would run into open fractures, big cracks in the rock. The reason that becomes a problem is with the drill rig and the cracks in the rock, you can lose your drill steel, which we did on more than one occasion. We can also get stuck and back out because you don’t want to drill any further. We worked around that problem and we ended up with a solution going forward. But what we have outlined now is a gold area that is going to extend. We have extended it right now for about a kilometer and a half and we are planning on extending it another kilometer and a half heading southward into an area that has the best surface shores of any part of the property not yet drilled.
Maurice Jackson:
Well, before we leave the White Rock, what work is currently being conducted there, sir?
Rauno Perttu:
We are right now having Steve and a couple of his assistants working on getting a 43-101 presentation to show the resource as it stands at the moment. Beyond that, we are also putting together a detailed structural picture. What we’ve found is that the dome itself is mineralized in sedimentary rocks, but the higher grade portions are in the feeder structures that bring the mineralization into those dome structures. The detailed geology is starting to fall into place when they go back in and look at the chip tray.
Maurice Jackson:
Leaving Nevada, let’s visit Oregon where Provenance Gold has announced that it has expanded its footprint with the newly acquired Eldorado property, which hosts not one, not two but three historic resource estimates. Mr. Perttu, congratulations.
Rauno Perttu:
Thank you.
Maurice Jackson:
Please acquaint us with the Eldorado property beginning with the location. And what can you share with us about the historic resource estimates?
Rauno Perttu:
The reason that we got into the Eldorado Project was A, because Jerry Baughman impressed with our work on White Rock. And so he offered the Eldorado Project, which was being looked at hard by a major, and we got first rights ahead of the major, which I was very pleased with. The Eldorado Project is in Harnett County, in the Eastern part of the state, near Nevada. It’s in the county that contrary to Western Oregon is very friendly to mining and is treated separately from the permitting difficulties that you hear about in Western Oregon. Allow me to back up. I have a good friend who’s the chief regulator for Oregon who has now just retired, unfortunately. But he told me that Oregon was misconstrued by the outside world.
Rauno Perttu:
He said you can permit a mine in Eastern Oregon, and that there is one that is being mined or permitted successfully right now. And he said we should be tackling this before everybody recognizes the error or their ways and this is a great area to be in. So we tackled the project. We were stunned to find out that it had three estimates by Billiton Minerals and ICan Minerals in the past. They had drilled 142 holes done trenching and testing historically, maybe 30 years ago. Those results originally on 150 holes were on the order of about 800,000 ounces. Then Ican took the data and drilled 50 more holes and expanded the resource to about 2 million ounces at a grade of 0.22, better than half a gram by considerable.
Rauno Perttu:
And then they did one more re-estimate on the Eldorado Project a little bit later that jumped the area that they were comfortable with to 4 million ounces at a grade of 0.22 ounce per ton. The geologist who worked on that project told us, because he’s still around and still working, he was surprised to find that it was open in every direction. That resource is not going to stay at 4 million ounces in his estimation. It’s going to expand considerably.
Maurice Jackson:
That’s encouraging to hear. Well, that may answer my next question. But what has your team excited the most about the Eldorado property?
Rauno Perttu:
Two things. First of all, it has higher-grade portions. It has places that go to as high as an ounce per ton. It’s a system that when they drilled it, they cut off most of the holes at 500 feet. They were not looking for feeder structures. What has happened since then is we have seen that the mineralization continues on down. It continues outward. We have a property where we can start at a much higher grade but have an overall grade that’s better than, 0.2 ounce per ton, which is unusually high for an open-pit these days.
Maurice Jackson:
All right. You have three historic resource estimates. Does Provenance Gold have a timeline on when the Eldorado property will become 43-101 compliant? And how will this come to fruition?
Rauno Perttu:
We recently had a record snowpack in the Northwest, so that’s going to possibly slow us down a few weeks. But as soon as the snow is out and we can get it permitted, the permitting process will be no longer than 30 days. But we will be putting a drill rig on site. That drill rig will focus on twinning some of these historic holes so that we can make those holes compliant. As you may know, 43-101s have a different set of rules than they did before, 43-101s. All of these holes were drilled before 43-101 requirements. What we plan to do is to verify those holes, even though they were drilled for internal use by very reputable companies using very good labs, so we’re comfortable with the results. We’re planning on drilling possibly 15 to 20 confirmation holes and using that data to then compile a 43-101 that will verify those resource estimates that were done in the past.
Maurice Jackson:
And maybe this is too early to tell, but how many meters will that be sir, of drilling?
Rauno Perttu:
It’s a little early off the top of my head, but take 20 holes at an average depth of 600 feet, and there’s your number.
Maurice Jackson:
Leaving the Eldorado property, sir, please introduce us to the third compelling project in your portfolio, Mineral Hill, which looks to be endowed with tons of silver.
Rauno Perttu:
Mineral Hill is an odd property. I wasn’t taking it very seriously until I went out and saw it and we acquired it because it’s a ridge that was mined for high-grade silver starting in 1868. That mining continued until the 1930s. When they started it, they were getting silver at the grades of about 140 ounces per ton, which is remarkable. As they ended mining, they were in 25 ounces per ton material, which by the way, the reason for the high grade was because it was secondarily enriched, which silver does. When they got out of that secondary enrichment zone, the average grade of that zone was about 25 ounces per ton. Well, their waste rock, and there’s a copious volume of waste rock on the property, a stunning amount of waste rock on that property, averages about 120 grams between three and four-ounce of silver per ton on bulk testing that was done before our coming in.
Rauno Perttu:
If one compares that to a project like Coeur’s Rochester Mine, which is mining a half-ounce silver per ton, and you can see where three, four-ounce silver per ton is a very economic number on a bulk tonnage situation. We have a road that needs to be widened and improved, and we’re going to get a drill rig in there probably toward the end of this coming summer because our priorities are the two aforementioned projects, and putting some confirmation holes into that silver structure. The reason I like Mineral Hill is the mineralization is focused on a thrust fault that’s standing on its end. That thrust fault has a zone of mineralization about 300 feet, a 100 meters wide, a lot associated with it. That zone is about a kilometer north, south. We think that there’s no reason to have chopped off the mining in the old days, other than the fact that they ran into groundwater problems, which would not be a problem today.
Maurice Jackson:
I’m assuming that you’ll be twinning these holes as well.
Rauno Perttu:
Actually, in that area, we don’t need to. When you see that property, it looks like Swiss cheese. There are huge workings in there and the twinning holes isn’t going to do us any good. What we’re going to do is put angle holes across that thrust fault working our way downhill. The deposit is on a funny little Hog’s back ridge like this, which actually for mining is going to be wonderful because of the strip ratios. But anyway, we’re going to drill from the side holes coming on in through the thrust zone and chase it down that way.
Maurice Jackson:
Interesting. Leaving Mineral Hill, sir, introduce us to your fourth and final project, the Silver Bow, which seems to be the perfect compliment to Mineral Hill.
Rauno Perttu:
The Silver Bow is about 50 miles east of Tonapah, Central South Nevada. Its gold system has been looked at by a lot of companies, but nobody put it together. We came in there and recognized that the whole district, which is about 4 miles long and a couple of miles wide, is part of the same system associated with the Caldera. When we looked at it, we recognized that the geologists that had drilled it in the past in one spot or another spot had never put the package together because they didn’t understand the geology. The geology is a Caldera complex. Within it, there are flow domes, which are piles of rhyolitic volcanics that are associated with a lot of the gold discoveries in Nevada, big discoveries. What we are going to look at is going too a flow dome complex that we’ve identified that has surface sampling of a breccia zone that is all economic potential for open-pit grade up to multi-gram for an open pit potential.
Rauno Perttu:
Yet at the same time, there are swarms of veins that cross this flow dome, this volcanic pile. Those flow dome structures, the veins, are associated with the boiling zone. Those boiling zones in Nevada have been the host for some very high-grade and elsewhere in the world, very high-grade gold discoveries. We’re excited to test the boiling zones of these vein structures as well as look at the bulk tonnage of the breccia zone that already has economic surface numbers across the big area.
Maurice Jackson:
Have drill targets been identified and what is the plan moving forward?
Rauno Perttu:
Drill targets have been very much identified. We’ve done the geology on Silver Bow. We know where the main structures are. We’re planning on setting up and drilling across those vein structures. If we can do it right, we’re going to be drilling some of those holes through that breccia zone that we already know is gold-mineralized and into the veins’ forms, hopefully at their boiling zones. That’s going to be a fun, exciting program.
Maurice Jackson:
I’m looking forward to it. Now, before we leave the property bank, multi-layered question, what is the next unanswered question for Provenance Gold? When can we expect a response? What determines success? And when can we expect news flow?
Rauno Perttu:
First of all, on news flow, the two news stories that are coming up are going to be the 43-101s that are going to take the next two, three months to complete. The next major news flow that we’re going to get is going to be when we start doing the twinning at Eldorado because that’s going to, I think, get eyes on us. When you have holes that you can drill that are up to multi-gram for several hundred feet and continuously in gold, which the historic holes had, then that’s going to catch attention. Especially because we’re confirming a potentially a multimillion ounce resource.
Rauno Perttu:
I think you have to wonder what is our long-term plan? Well, obviously for a junior to advance major projects like this, we need help or partnership or takeover. And being as we already appear to have snatched Eldorado from the jaws of a major, I think we’re going to have an interest as we move forward in that takeover. Our goal is to make as much money for the shareholders as we can in the nearer term, which means the next year to two years, not long-term.
Maurice Jackson:
Now leaving the project site, let’s discuss some important topics germane to your projects. Are your projects 100% owned or do they have earning options?
Rauno Perttu:
Right now we have an option on Eldorado. That means that we will be paying $2 million over five years. And we have a hundred percent ownership with the retained royalty. On White Rock, we are paying $250,000 over five years and we will own a hundred percent with a retained royalty. For Mineral Hill and Silver Bow, we have very cheap deals that will result in us taking them over the next seven years and five years.
Maurice Jackson:
Now we’re going to get into some numbers later in this discussion, but from a capital expenditure standpoint, how is infrastructure on your projects?
Rauno Perttu:
They all have by standards elsewhere in the world, good infrastructure. By Nevada standards, you go off paved roads onto a dirt road for a distance and you’re there. So they’re accessible by drillers and by drill rigs right now. There are motels within driving distance, the whole package. So access is not a problem compared to working for instance, in Northern Canada.
Maurice Jackson:
Are you fully permitted?
Rauno Perttu:
We are fully permitted as we need to be. Our permitting will take place as soon as the snow is gone at Eldorado. We have confirmed that there will be no problem in permitting our drilling program there. On White Rock, we are permitted and we are adjusting the permits now for the next round drilling, which is not going to be any hurdle whatsoever. So there’s no hurdle that we see in permitting on any of the four projects.
Maurice Jackson:
Speaking of hurdles, we’ve discussed the good, let’s address the bad. What can go wrong and what are your action plans to mitigate that wrong?
Rauno Perttu:
The worst thing that can go wrong is gold price can go in the toilet, which I don’t believe. The other thing that we can run into is any changes in the national regulatory system regarding mining. I don’t know if that’s a risk, but that’s a risk anywhere in the world. As far as our projects, I don’t see any major downside because we have the funding to drill these projects. We understand the geology. And overall, it’s about as good a bet as you’re going to get. I think a far safer bet than somebody like Bitcoin.
Maurice Jackson:
Switching gears, let’s introduce your board of directors and management team who run the majority of the company’s operations on a day to day basis, beginning with your board of directors.
Rauno Perttu:
The two people that have been doing most of the work within the board of directors are Rob Clark, our president, and myself.
Maurice Jackson:
On the technical side you have Steve Craig what skillsets does he bring to the table?
Rauno Perttu:
He’s an outside consultant, but he’s an integral part of the company. I’ve known Steve for 30-plus years. When he was exploration manager for Nevada and Kennecott, I was director of business development. We got to be friends. I trust him. He does really good work. He’s been involved in discoveries across Nevada. I think that he will agree with me a hundred percent that we have two discoveries in the making right here.
Maurice Jackson:
Who is Rauno Perttu, and what makes him qualified for the task at hand?
Rauno Perttu:
I have my degree’s in Geology, and I began my career in my early 20s. I am now an old fart and I have been working in Geology my entire career in various positions. I’ve made discoveries, including a major gold system in Montana. I have served in senior positions including director of business development for Kennecott. I have looked at properties around the world. My forte, I think, is actually in deciding whether a project is going to be economically developable. That’s because I have had training from my first boss who was a geological engineer, who said that your position as a geologist for Pacific Power, is not to be a geologist but to make money for the company. I’ve always remembered that. And he taught me how to evaluate from a mining standpoint projects.
Rauno Perttu:
I have always followed up on that. If you’re going to have a mine, you have to cover all the red flags. You can’t hide them. You have to face them. That will be your first way of deciding whether it’s a good or bad project. If you have a great project, but it’s in the middle of Yellowstone Park, you’re not going to do anything with it. So we went down that road and we have used those criteria in our company. If we have a project, we know it’s developable, we learned from the Yukon that even though everything else was right, if the cost is going to be prohibitive and the season is going to be short for a junior, that’s not the place to be. Therefore, we switched immediately when we made that discovery and are in a place you can work year-round. The costs are very good on a development and exploration basis.
Maurice Jackson:
Well, I admire the veracity and the perfect blend of that geological and business acumen. It all comes together right here in Provenance Gold. How about the boots on the ground? Who do you have on your technical team?
Rauno Perttu:
Right now, our main technical is Steve Craig and myself. We have brought in other geologists as we need to on a part-time hiring basis. When we were drilling, we had two geologists that we brought in to sit on the drill rigs with Steve’s supervision and my supervision of Steve. The two of us, by the way, have a combined history in the mining business of more than a hundred years. We have both had extensive experience in both discovery and property development in Nevada.
Maurice Jackson:
Well, let’s get into some more numbers here. Please provide us with the capital structure for Provenance Gold.
Rauno Perttu:
Provenance right now, we have about $1.3 million in cash. That is all we want to take in right now because we are very concerned about not diluting the company to maximize share value. We have little less than 80 million shares outstanding right now and about 33 million warrants. We’re trying to keep that number in that kind of a very manageable level moving forward. We’ve been offered a lot more money, but we don’t want to take it until we need it. And by the way, one of the main reasons we don’t want to take it is we think our company is highly undervalued. When you have two potential multimillion ounce projects, two other promising projects, and you’re trading at what we’re trading at right now, there’s something wrong with that picture. I think it’s going to be corrected when we do our confirmation drilling at Eldorado.
Maurice Jackson:
I have a Rolodex of names in the space here that are very well recognized. That’s the very reason why I we are speaking with you because they feel the same way.
Rauno Perttu:
Oh, good.
Maurice Jackson:
All right, sir. How much debt do you have?
Rauno Perttu:
Zero.
Maurice Jackson:
And what is your burn rate?
Rauno Perttu:
When we are not drilling, our burn rate is less than about $20,000 to $30,000 a month. The reason it’s a hard number is you have payments on claims. You have all these other things that come up. So our burn rate is, call it $30,000 a month, but it fluctuates completely with what’s going on with the program and the timing for paying our claims. In the United States, you pay claims on the first day of August. It’s not a large number, but it’s a number that hits once a year.
Maurice Jackson:
What percentage ownership does management have and who are the major shareholders?
Rauno Perttu:
Management owns about 15%. But not only do we have that ownership, but a lot of the early stock is also in friendly hands. We are very comfortable that we are in control of the company until we decide that we want to make a deal with a major.
Maurice Jackson:
What is the float? I believe it was around $58 million. Is that correct?
Rauno Perttu:
Maurice Jackson:
And are there any redundant assets on the books that we should know about?
Rauno Perttu:
No.
Maurice Jackson:
Are there any change of control fees and if yes, what is the compensation?
Rauno Perttu:
No, there aren’t.
Maurice Jackson:
That’s impressive. If readers is not aware, that’s quite impressive. Very commendable, sir. And is management charging a consulting fee for any services?
Rauno Perttu:
No. Rob and I are taking modest salaries as of recently. But other than that, no fees other than paying the consulting fees for Steve Craig as a regular outside consultant.
Maurice Jackson:
In closing, sir, what keeps you up at night that we don’t know about?
Rauno Perttu:
I sleep very well.
Maurice Jackson:
Good to hear.
Rauno Perttu:
But what is frustrating to me right now is the fact that we have not gotten the recognition that I thought would be coming our way for having the package that we have and for the higher quality package we have.
Maurice Jackson:
Well, I remember offline, you were talking about your desire to leave a legacy. Do you want to expand on that?
Rauno Perttu:
I am, as I said an old fart and great health and all the rest of that. Nevertheless, I want to leave something that is worthwhile, that I can be remembered for and I can feel very happy about. So to me, Provenance is that vehicle. I think if we can make Provenance a very successful company, I will die happy. And Steve Craig, by the way, who’s almost as old as I am, has the same feeling, that this is our last hurrah. I hate that term, but that’s what it is. And we’re going to make it a good one.
Maurice Jackson:
Last question, sir. What did I forget to ask?
Rauno Perttu:
Probably any embarrassing questions and I can’t think of anything embarrassing, so I think you did a good job. I would encourage readers to visit our website: www.provenancegold.com and or please call Rob Clark for additional inquiries at 1-250-516-2455.
Maurice Jackson:
Mr. Perttu, it’s been a pleasure speaking with you today. Wishing you and Provenance Gold the absolute best, sir.
And as a reminder, 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, off-shore depositories, and precious metal IRAs. Call me directly at 855-505-1900 or you may email, maurice@milesfranklin.com. And finally, please subscribe to provenandprobable.com, where we provide mining insights and bullion sales.
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