6 Jun 2023 07:55
6 June 2023
Power Metal Resources PLC
("Power Metal" or the "Company")
Golden Metal Resources Plc Update
Power Metal Resources PLC (LON:POW) the London listed exploration company seeking large-scale metal discoveries across its global project portfolio notes the announcement made by Golden Metal Resources Plc, ("Golden Metal") a company in which Power Metal Resources has a 62 per cent shareholding, which is reproduced in full below and can be found on the Golden Metal website accessible via the following link: https://www.goldenmetalresources.com/
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For further information please visitΒ https://www.powermetalresources.com/Β or contact:
Power Metal Resources plc | |
Sean WadeΒ (Chief Executive Officer) | +44 (0)Β 20 3778 1396 |
SP Angel Corporate Finance (Nomad and Joint Broker) | |
Ewan Leggat/Charlie Bouverat | +44 (0) 20 3470 0470 |
SI Capital Limited (Joint Broker) | |
Nick Emerson | +44 (0) 1483 413 500 |
First Equity LimitedΒ (Joint Broker) | |
David Cockbill/Jason Robertson | +44 (0) 20 7330 1883 |
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NOTES TO EDITORS
Power Metal Resources plcΒ - Background
Power Metal Resources plcΒ (LON:POW) is an AIM listed metals exploration company which finances and manages global resource projects and is seeking large scale metal discoveries.
The Company has a principal focus on opportunities offering district scale potential across a global portfolio including precious, base and strategic metal exploration in North America, Africa and Australia.
Project interests range from early-stage greenfield exploration to later-stage prospects currently subject to drill programmes.
Power Metal will develop projects internally or through strategic joint ventures until a project becomes ready for disposal through outright sale or separate listing on a recognised stock exchange thereby crystallising the value generated from our internal exploration and development work.
Value generated through disposals will be deployed internally to drive the Company's growth or may be returned to shareholders through share buy backs, dividends or in-specie distributions of assets.
Golden Metal Resources plc
("Golden Metal" or the "Company")
Pilot Mountain Project: Geophysical Survey Uncovers Three Significant Exploration Targets
Golden Metal Resources plcΒ (LON:GMET), a mineral exploration company focused on tungsten, gold, copper and silver withinΒ Nevada, USA, is pleased to announce a significant outcome from the interpretation of results from the high-resolution induced polarisation ("IP") geophysics survey completed over its 100% owned flagshipΒ Pilot Mountain ProjectΒ ("Pilot Mountain" or the "Project") located within the prolific Walker Lake Mineral Belt inΒ Nevada, USA.
Highlights:
- Detailed analysis of the IP geophysics results have highlighted the presence of three significant undrilled exploration targets (1-Β Desert Scheelite Parallel West Zone; 2-Β Porphyry Depths Zone; and 3-Β Desert Scheelite East Extension Zone; collectively the "Targets") which are highly prospective for further tungsten ("W")-copper("Cu")-silver("Ag")-zinc("Zn") mineralisation.
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- The Company considers that Pilot Mountain hosts the largest known undeveloped tungsten resource in theΒ USAΒ (with the US currently without any domestic primary tungsten production), and these newly identified targets indicate the potential for a significantly greater in-ground resource than currently known marking a significant uplift in Project potential.
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- Any increase in potential mineralisation will further bolster the inherent value of the Project and its attractiveness as a target for non-dilutive grant funding for Project exploration and development, which the Company is actively working on at present.
Oliver Friesen, CEO of Golden Metal, commented:Β
"While it was the criticality and in-situ value of the W-Cu-Ag-Zn mineral resource that originally attracted us to Pilot Mountain, our due diligence highlighted considerable untapped exploration upside which is what ultimately led us to acquire 100% of the Project back inΒ November 2021.
"Review of all historical data available highlighted several conceptual exploration targets, all of which lay under thin sand cover. As a result, we set out to complete IP geophysics over these targets and the results now received and presented herein have exceeded our expectations with three significant high-priority untested zones now successfully identified on our flagship Project.Β
"The scale of the opportunity presented to us as 100% owners of this advanced tungsten Project is large, and with these three new exploration targets now identified the opportunity has grown significantly."
Detailed Overview:
1) Desert Scheelite Parallel West ZoneΒ (Figure 1)
oΒ Β Mineralisation at Desert Scheelite ("DS"; Total Resource 10.7Mt @ 0.26% WO3, see Table 1) is hosted within a very well-defined resistivity low (conductivity high) geophysical feature that is mapped for approx. 500m in a generally east-west direction (see dark blue feature on Figure 1).
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oΒ Β The 2023 IP geophysical results have led to the discovery of theΒ Desert Scheelite Parallel West ZoneΒ ("DSPW Zone") which is defined by a resistivity low (conductivity high) with nearly identical geophysical characteristics to DS.Β The DSPW ZoneΒ is located approx. 200m to the north/north-west of DS and have never been drill tested. The 2023 IP results show that theΒ DSPW ZoneΒ is larger than theΒ DS Zone, and if drilling successfully proves that theΒ DSPW ZoneΒ contains skarn-style W-Cu-Ag-Zn mineralisation, it would represent a highly significant discovery at Pilot Mountain.
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2) Porphyry Depths ZoneΒ (Figure 2)
oΒ Β The Good HopeΒ ("GH") and Desert Scheelite ("DS") Zones are located approximately 1,400m apart. The area in between these two zones is blanketed by a thin layer of post-mineral sedimentary and basaltic cover which historically precluded effective exploration between these two zones (despite both zones displaying very similar skarn-type alteration and mineralisation).
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oΒ Β The 2023 IP geophysical results have successfully highlighted a significant geophysical feature which appears to broadly connect the DS and GH zones at depth. This feature is defined by a resistivity and chargeability high and as a result it is postulated that it is related to a porphyry intrusion at depth. Skarn-type systems are ultimately spatially related to porphyry mineral deposits at depth, and this newly identified geophysical zone may represent the ultimate source of W-Cu-Ag-Zn mineralisation found across the entireΒ Pilot Mountain Project. As a result, the discovery of theΒ Porphyry Depths ZoneΒ ("PDZ")may represent a significant development at Pilot Mountain.
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3) Desert Scheelite East Extension ZoneΒ (Figure 3)
oΒ Β One of the furthest east historical drillholes completed at Desert Scheelite returned some of the strongest copper and tungsten mineralisation ever found at Pilot Mountain which includes 17.5m @ 1.8% Cu (incl. sub-interval of 13.9m @ 0.89% W03). Because of this, the previous operator in 2013 completed a two dimensional IP survey across and to the east of Desert Scheelite. The goal of this survey was to profile the eastern extension of mineralisation from the mainΒ Desert Scheelite Zone.
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oΒ Β Re-interpretation of these 2013 results by Golden Metal have clearly shown that the mineralisation at Desert Scheelite (Total Resource 10.7Mt @ 0.26% WO3) is strongly coincident with a resistivity low (conductivity high) signature which corroborates with the 2023 IP results (seeΒ DSPW ZoneΒ writeup). Review of the historical results highlight that the DS resistivity low signature extends for an additional circa 500m towards the southeast (dipping under cover) where it remains untested by drilling. This similarly represents a very high-priority exploration target for Golden Metal going forward.
Further Project Information
Overview
The Pilot MountainΒ tungsten-copper-silver-zinc Project is located approximately 200km southeast ofΒ Reno, inΒ Nevada.Β NevadaΒ ranked first in overall mining investment attractiveness in theΒ Fraser InstituteΒ 2022 annual surveyΒ 1. The Project is located entirely onΒ United States Bureau of Land ManagementΒ ("BLM") land - allowing for efficient and cost-effective permitting.
The 3,656-acre Project is centred around four existing mineral deposits including Garnet, Good Hope, Gunmetal and Desert Scheelite all which possess significant skarn-style W-Cu-Ag-Zn mineralisation.
The Desert Scheelite and Garnet deposits host a combined Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) of 12.53Mt at 0.27% tungsten trioxide ("WO3") with significant Cu-Ag-Zn credits (see Table 1). This in-ground resource is believed to be the largest and most advanced undeveloped tungsten resource located in theΒ USA.
Table 1: Pilot Mountain Project Updated Mineral Resource Estimate, datedΒ 13 December 2018Β 2
Resource | Tungsten Tri-Oxide | Silver | Copper | Zinc | ||||||
Mt | Grade (%) | Contained metal (t) | Grade (g/t) | Cont. metal (t) | Grade (%) | Cont. metal (t) | Grade (%) | Cont. metal (t) | ||
Desert Scheelite | Ind. | 9.01 | 0.26 | 23,400 | 20.73 | 187 | 0.15 | 13,200 | 0.41 | 37,100 |
Inf. | 1.69 | 0.25 | 4,300 | 12.24 | 21 | 0.16 | 2,800 | 0.19 | 3,200 | |
Total | 10.7 | 0.26 | 27,700 | 19.38 | 207 | 0.15 | 16,000 | 0.38 | 40,300 | |
Garnet | Ind. | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||
Inf. | 1.83 | 0.36 | 6,590 | |||||||
Total | 1.83 | 0.36 | 6,590 | |||||||
Summary | Ind. | 9.01 | 0.26 | 23,400 | ||||||
Inf. | 3.53 | 0.31 | 10,890 | |||||||
Total | 12.53 | 0.27 | 34,290 | |||||||
Notes: All figures are rounded to reflect appropriate levels of confidence. Apparent differences may occur due to rounding.
Β· Cut-off grade 0.15% WOβ
Β· Garnet deposit resource reportedΒ 22 May 2017. Thor Mining stated it is not aware of any information or data which would materially affect this previously announced resource estimate, and all assumptions and technical parameters relevant to the estimate remain unchanged.
Β· The estimates are considered byΒ SRK Exploration Services LimitedΒ to be non-compliant with the JORC Code (2012) reporting standard due to insufficient disclosure of the technical and economic support for the cut-off assumptions applied and are therefore viewed as historical.
Development Potential
There is currently no known domesticΒ United StatesΒ primary tungsten production, and tungsten is classified as a strategic mineral by theΒ United States Geological SurveyΒ (USGS)Β 3. Set against this backdrop, theΒ Pilot Mountain ProjectΒ is key strategic and defense metal deposit located on American soil.
Potential production viability was reinforced with a scoping studyΒ 4Β commissioned by Thor Mining plc and completed in 2018 on the Project which indicated the potential for an initial 12-year operational life based on processing ore from an open pit at Desert Scheelite supplemented by potential production from Garnet.
Furthermore, previous independent metallurgical testwork on 694kg of mineralised rock from Pilot MountainΒ 5Β highlighted strong metallurgical results including the successful production of two saleable concentrates (scheelite, and copper/silver) from a coarse grind treated by floatation or by flotation and wet high-intensity magnetic separators ("WHIMS").
Shallow mineral resources at the Desert Scheelite and Garnet deposits may be amenable to shallow open-cut mining methods (as modelled in the 2018 scoping study) which would allow for rapid low-cost start-up costs.
Exploration Upside
The previous operator, Thor Mining plc, conducted a study which looked into exploration potential at Pilot Mountain. Thor Mining's exploration targets were broken into Tier 1 and Tier 2 targets for which a total Exploration Target of 11.0 - 23.0Mt with an expected average grade of 0.3-0.5% WO3Β was publishedΒ 6Β (see Table 2).
Table 2: Pilot Mountain Exploration Targets (stated by Thor Mining plc)Β 6
Target Type | Size (Mt) | Grade (WO3 %) | Description |
Tier 1 Targets | 7-5 - 13.5 | 0.3 - 0.5 | Based on historical drill intersections |
Tier 2 Targets | 3.5 - 9.1 | 0.3 - 0.5 | Based on favourable geology and proximity to known mineralisation |
Total Exploration Target* | 11.0 - 23.0 | 0.3 - 0.5 | Combined Tier 1 & 2 |
*Exploration Targets are conceptual in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to define a Mineral Resource. It is uncertain if further exploration will result in the determine of a Mineral Resource.
Considering the current Mineral Resource tonnage equates to 12.53MtΒ 2, should the exploration targets postulated be converted to Resources they could deliver a significant increase to the potential Pilot Mountain project value. The IP geophysics results presented today have further corroborated and supported the likelihood of proving up some of the Tier 1 and Tier 2 targets published historically.
Media
High-resolution versions of the below three figures can be found at the link below:
https://www.goldenmetalresources.com/pmgeophysical-survey/
Figure 1 - Desert Scheelite Parallel West (DSPW) Zone Resistivity Map. Eastern resistivity low (conductivity high) or dark blue feature is strongly coincident to W-Cu-Ag-Zn mineralisation found at theΒ Desert Scheelite ZoneΒ which hosts the majority of the in-ground resource at Pilot Mountain (10.7Mt at 0.26% WO3). The sub-parallel, larger, dark blue zone (resistivity low/conductivity high) represents the undrilledΒ DSPW Zone.
Figure 2 - Resistivity and Chargeability Cross-Sections acrossΒ Porphyry Depths (PD) Zone.Β PD ZoneΒ is characterised by a slightly concave up resistivity and chargeability high which broadly connects the Good Hope (GH) and Desert Scheelite (DS) zones at depth.
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Figure 3 - Desert Scheelite (East Extension)Β Target Zone. White lines represent resistivity low (conductivity high) that extends from known mineralisation at Desert Scheelite towards the east under cover where it has never been drill tested.
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Property Ownership
Golden Metal holds a 100% interest in theΒ Pilot Mountain ProjectΒ through its wholly-ownedΒ Nevada-based operating companiesΒ BFM Resources IncΒ andΒ Pilot Metals Inc.
Reference Notes:
1: Fraser Institute Annual Survey of Mining Companies, 2022, publishedΒ 4 May 2023
(https://www.fraserinstitute.org/studies/annual-survey-of-mining-companies-2022Β )
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2: Thor Mining PLC, regulatory news announcement, 'Increased Mineral Resource Estimate -Β Pilot Mountain Nevada USA', datedΒ 13 December 2018
(Β https://wcsecure.weblink.com.au/LSE_news/2018/12/13/Thormining_14158543.pdfΒ )
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2: News announcement: 'The United States Geological SurveyΒ has released a new list of 50 mineral commodities critical to theΒ U.S.Β economy and national security after an extensive multi-agency assessment',Β 22 February 2022(Β https://www.usgs.gov/news/national-news-release/us-geological-survey-releases-2022-list-critical-mineralsΒ )
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4: Thor Mining PLC, regulatory news announcement, 'Twelve Year OpenΒ Pit LifeΒ for Desert Scheelite
Pilot Mountain Scoping Study', datedΒ 7 September 2018
(Β https://wcsecure.weblink.com.au/LSE_news/2018/09/07/Thormining_14049369.pdfΒ )
5: Unpublished metallurgical testwork report byΒ Guangzhou Research Institute of Nonferrous MetalsΒ commissioned byΒ Black Fire Minerals Ltd: 'The Development of Separation Technology from the Pilot,Β Mountain Tungsten Project,Β Nevada, USA: Process Mineralogy Mineral processing Preliminary Testing', datedΒ 31 August 2013.
6: Thor Mining PLC, regulatory news announcement, 'Development Plan Pilot Mountain Tungsten ProjectΒ -Β Nevada USA', datedΒ 1 December 2014(Β https://wcsecure.weblink.com.au/LSE_news/2014/12/01/Thormining_13057433.pdfΒ )
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COMPETENT PERSON STATEMENT
The technical information contained in this disclosure has been read and approved by MrΒ Nick O'ReillyΒ (MSc, DIC, MIMMM, MAusIMM, FGS), who is a qualified geologist and acts as the Competent Person under the AIM Rules - Note for Mining and Oil & Gas Companies.Β Mr O'ReillyΒ is a Principal consultant working forΒ Mining Analyst Consulting LtdΒ which has been retained byΒ Golden Metal Resources plcΒ to provide technical support.
This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of EU Regulation 596/2014 (which forms part of domesticΒ UKΒ law pursuant to theΒ European UnionΒ (Withdrawal) Act 2018).
Forward Looking Statements
This announcement contains forward-looking statements relating to expected or anticipated future events and anticipated results that are forward-looking in nature and, as a result, are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, such as general economic, market and business conditions, competition for qualified staff, the regulatory process and actions, technical issues, new legislation, uncertainties resulting from potential delays or changes in plans, uncertainties resulting from working in a new political jurisdiction, uncertainties regarding the results of exploration, uncertainties regarding the timing and granting of prospecting rights, uncertainties regarding the timing and granting of regulatory and other third party consents and approvals, uncertainties regarding the Company's or any third party's ability to execute and implement future plans, and the occurrence of unexpected events.Β
Actual results achieved may vary from the information provided herein as a result of numerous known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors.
For further information visitΒ www.goldenmetalresources.comΒ or contact the following:
Golden Metal Resources plc Oliver FriesenΒ (CEO) | Tel:Β +44 (0) 20 7583 8304 |
Cairn Financial Advisers LLP Nominated Adviser Sandy Jamieson/Jo Turner/Louise O'Driscoll | Tel: +44 20 7213 0880 |
First Equity Limited Broker Jonathan Brown/Jason Robertson | Tel: +44 20Β 7374 2212 |
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The Projects:
Pilot Mountain Project
The Pilot MountainΒ project is an advanced exploration and mineral resource definition stage project located inΒ Mineral CountyΒ in westernΒ Nevada. The project covers an area of 14.80 km2Β (3,656.1 acres) and is located 200km southeast ofΒ RenoΒ and 18km east ofΒ Mina, Nevada. It is well situated for the supply of power, water and skilled labour and proximity to transport infrastructure inΒ Mineral CountyΒ and is centred around four existing mineral deposits: Garnet; Good Hope; Gunmetal and Desert Scheelite, all of which possess significant skarn-style tungsten-copper-silver-zinc mineralisation.Β The Pilot MountainΒ project consists of 176 active lode mining claims and 4 filed mill site claims. The four mill site claims filed at the former Dunham mill site have secure access to groundwater supply sufficient for the proposed project.
Golconda Summit Project
Golden Metal is the operator of the Golconda Summit project, which is held under an earn-in right to acquire up to 100 per cent. of the project from the mineral claim owner pursuant to an option agreement. The Golconda Summit project is an exploration stage gold and silver project located inΒ Humboldt CountyΒ and situated at the confluence of the Getchell andΒ Battle MountainΒ -Β EurekaΒ metallogenic trends, and consists of 44 lode mining claims, covering a total area of approximately 3.22 km2Β (795.4 acres) located approximately 27km east ofΒ Winnemucca.
Garfield Project
The Garfield project is an early exploration stage copper, gold and silver property consisting of 39 lode mining claims covering 3.23 km2Β (797.9 acres) located inΒ Mineral County, Nevada, approximately 14km due east of the town ofΒ HawthorneΒ and 120km due west-northwest ofΒ Tonopah.
Stonewall Project
The Stonewall project is an exploration stage gold-silver property prospective for epithermal gold-silver mineralisation. The property consists of 19 lode mining claims covering 1.59 km2Β (392.5 acres) located on the northern flank ofΒ Stonewall Mountain, on the western edge of the Nellis Airforce Range Restricted Access Area, inΒ Nye County, Nevada, approximately 24km south-east of the historic gold mining town ofΒ GoldfieldΒ and 60km due south ofΒ Tonopah.
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