VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / December 20, 2021 / Group Ten Metals Inc. (TSX.V:PGE)(OTCQB:PGEZF)(FSE:5D32) (the "Company" or "Group Ten") today reports partial results from the first two drill holes of the 14-hole resource expansion campaign completed in 2021 at the Company's flagship Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu-Co + Au project in Montana, USA. Results are expected to form the basis of an updated resource estimate in 2022.
2021 Drill Highlights:
- CZ2021-01 returned the widest high-grade intercept to date on the project being 63.7 meters of 0.92% Nickel Equivalent ("NiEq"), equal to 2.46 g/t Palladium Equivalent ("PdEq"), with 0.47% Ni, 0.42 g/t Pd, 0.27% Cu, and 0.04% Co as well as significant Pt and Au values, within 367.6 meters of continuous mineralization at 0.31% NiEq (or 0.83 g/t PdEq). See Table 1 for details.
- CM2021-01 returned the longest mineralized intercept ever recorded in the Stillwater district with 728 meters of continuous sulphide mineralization at 0.27% NiEq, or 0.73 g/t PdEq, including contained intervals of successively higher grades:
- 352.9 meters of 0.39% NiEq (or 1.04 g/t PdEq) with 0.52 g/t 3E (Pd, Pt, and Au), and 0.17% Ni, plus significant Cu and Co values;
- 159.2 meters of 0.48% NiEq (or 1.29 g/t PdEq) with 0.77 g/t 3E, 0.18% Ni, plus significant Cu and Co values;
- 50.2 meters of 0.54% NiEq (or 1.45 g/t PdEq) with 1.0 g/t 3E, 0.19% Ni, plus significant Cu and Co values; and
- Shorter intervals of high-grade mineralization including 7.2 meters of 1.33 g/t Pd, 0.93 g/t Pt, and 0.24% Ni, plus significant Au, Cu, and Co values, for 1.02% NiEq (or 2.72 g/t PdEq).
- Both holes are step-outs completed with the objective of expanding deposits delineated by the 2021 Mineral Resource Estimate announced on October 21, 2021:
- CM2021-01 was one of six holes drilled in 2021 in the area between the DR and Hybrid deposits to step out from high-grade nickel sulphide-PGE mineralization identified in hole CM2020-04;
- CZ2021-01 is one of two holes drilled in 2021 to step-out on the CZ deposit in the area of wide, high-grade mineralization returned in hole CZ2019-01.
- Mineralization starts at or near surface in both holes.
- Assay results are pending from the lowest portion of CZ2021-01, and from the remaining 12 holes drilled in 2021. Rhodium results are also pending on all holes.
Michael Rowley, President and CEO, commented, "These initial results from the first two holes of our 2021 resource expansion drill campaign provide the strongest demonstration to date of our ability to target highly mineralized zones at Stillwater West, with significant wide intervals reaching more than five times the cut-off grade used in our recent resource estimate. This is very clear evidence that our predictive geologic model, utilizing tools like deep penetrating induced polarization geophysics, is accurately and effectively guiding us to drill wide zones of higher-grade nickel-copper-cobalt sulphide mineralization (battery metals), enriched in palladium, platinum, rhodium (platinum group elements), and gold. In addition to driving increased size and grade in our planned resource update, our ability to target effectively as we step-out from known mineralization in a large magmatic system is delivering incredibly low discovery costs as we advance the project."
"Our work to date has demonstrated the exceptional scale and potential of the mineralized system in the lower Stillwater Complex. These results confirm and refine that understanding with Chrome Mountain hole CM2021-01 returning nearly three-quarters of a kilometer of continuous mineralization from a site that is over seven kilometers west of the HGR deposit in the Iron Mountain area, where hole IM2019-03 previously held the record for highest grade-thickness. Both areas have additional very high grade-thickness intervals in drill results, as does the CZ deposit located between the two. All of this confirms our observation that the lower Stillwater Complex has an immense endowment of contained metal and yet is surprisingly underexplored, despite its location in a famously productive and well-mineralized American mining district. Our systematic approach to exploration has quickly delineated five resource-stage deposits that are open for expansion across the nine-kilometer core of the Stillwater West project and we will continue to focus on their expansion while also advancing earlier stage targets that continue across the 32 kilometers of prospective magmatic stratigraphy covered by the property. We look forward to announcing results from the remaining drill holes along with results of our 2021 IP expansion survey in the near term as they become available."
Table 1 - Highlight Results from 2021 Expansion Drill Campaigns at the DR, Hybrid, and CZ Deposit Areas
Assays pending for rhodium and certain intervals denoted by *. Highlighted significant intercepts with grade-thickness values over 20 gram-meter PdEq are presented above. Grade thickness values cover significant mineralized intervals with total palladium and nickel equivalent grade-thickness determined by multiplying the thickness of continuous mineralization (in meters) by the palladium equivalent grade (in grams/tonne) to provide gram-meter values (g-m) or by multiplying the nickel equivalent grade (in percent) to provide percent-meter values as shown. Total nickel and palladium equivalent calculations reflect total gross metal content using metals prices as follows (all USD): $7.00/lb nickel (Ni), $3.50/lb copper (Cu), $20.00/lb cobalt (Co), $1,000/oz platinum (Pt), $1,800/oz palladium (Pd), and $1,600/oz gold (Au). Equivalent values have not been adjusted to reflect metallurgical recoveries. Total metal equivalent values include both base and precious metals. In terms of dollar value, 0.20% nickel equates to a copper value of 0.40%, or a palladium value of 0.53 g/t, using the above metal values. Intervals are reported as drilled widths and are believed to be representative of the actual width of mineralization.
Grade-Thickness
Grade-thickness values of the mineralized intervals continue to demonstrate the remarkable metal endowment of the lower Stillwater Complex, with both holes reported here being well above 100 gram-meter ("g-m") palladium equivalent grade-thickness. CM2021-01 returned 530 g-m PdEq grade-thickness, which is a record high for the Stillwater Complex. For comparison, this equates to 596 g-m gold equivalent, 954 g-m platinum equivalent, or 199 %-meter nickel equivalent. Grade-thickness values are an exploration tool used for comparing the intensity of mineralization across different mineralized widths. A grade-thickness value of 10 gram-meter Pd is equivalent to 1 g/t Pd over 10 meters, or 10 g/t Pd over 1 meter and is considered economically significant. The adjacent J-M Reef deposit now mined by Sibanye-Stillwater averages approximately 34 gram-meter Pd and Pt1,2. Values over 100 g-m PdEq are considered exceptional, highlighting the strength of the mineralized system, and values of more than 250 g-m PdEq (or 281 g-m AuEq) are rare across the industry. To date, the Stillwater West project has returned 31 drill holes with over 50 g-m PdEq grade-thickness, including five with more than 250 g-m PdEq.
Upcoming News and Events
Group Ten is pleased to confirm that it will participate in the upcoming Vancouver Resource Investment, AME Roundup, and Prospectors and Developers Association conferences in Q1 2022.
About Stillwater West
Group Ten is rapidly advancing the Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu-Co + Au project towards becoming a world-class source of low-carbon, sulphide-hosted nickel, copper, and cobalt, critical to the electrification movement, as well as key catalytic metals including platinum, palladium and rhodium used in catalytic converters, fuel cells, and the production of green hydrogen. Stillwater West positions Group Ten as the second-largest landholder in the Stillwater Complex, with a 100%-owned position adjoining and adjacent to Sibanye-Stillwater's PGE mines in south-central Montana, USA1. The Stillwater Complex is recognized as one of the top regions in the world for PGE-Ni-Cu-Co mineralization, alongside the Bushveld Complex and Great Dyke in southern Africa, which are similar layered intrusions. The J-M Reef, and other PGE-enriched sulphide horizons in the Stillwater Complex, share many similarities with the highly prolific Merensky and UG2 Reefs in the Bushveld Complex. Group Ten's work in the lower Stillwater Complex has demonstrated the presence of large-scale disseminated and high-sulphide battery metals and PGE mineralization, similar to the Platreef in the Bushveld Complex2. Drill campaigns by the Company, complemented by a substantial historic drill database, have delineated five deposits of Platreef-style mineralization across a core 9.2-kilometer span of the project, all of which are open for expansion into adjacent targets. Multiple earlier-stage Platreef-style and reef-type targets are also being advanced across the remainder of the 32-kilometer length of the project based on strong correlations seen in soil and rock geochemistry, geophysical surveys, geologic mapping, and drilling.
About Group Ten Metals Inc.
Group Ten Metals Inc. is a TSX-V-listed Canadian mineral exploration company focused on the development of high-quality platinum, palladium, nickel, copper, cobalt, and gold exploration assets in top North American mining jurisdictions. The Company's core asset is the Stillwater West PGE-Ni-Cu-Co + Au project adjacent to Sibanye-Stillwater's high-grade PGE mines in Montana, USA. Group Ten also holds the high-grade Black Lake-Drayton Gold project adjacent to Treasury Metals' development-stage Goliath Gold Complex in northwest Ontario, and the Kluane PGE-Ni-Cu-Co project on trend with Nickel Creek Platinum‘s Wellgreen deposit in Canada‘s Yukon Territory.
About the Metallic Group of Companies
The Metallic Group is a collaboration of leading precious and base metals exploration companies, with a portfolio of large, brownfield assets in established mining districts adjacent to some of the industry's highest-grade producers of silver and gold, platinum and palladium, and copper. Member companies include Metallic Minerals in the Yukon's high-grade Keno Hill silver district and La Plata silver-gold-copper district of Colorado, Group Ten Metals in the Stillwater PGM-nickel-copper district of Montana, and Granite Creek Copper in the Yukon's Minto copper district. The founders and team members of the Metallic Group include highly successful explorationists formerly with some of the industry's leading explorers/developers and major producers. With this expertise, the companies are undertaking a systematic approach to exploration using new models and technologies to facilitate discoveries in these proven, but under-explored, mining districts. The Metallic Group is headquartered in Vancouver, BC, Canada, and its member companies are listed on the Toronto Venture, US OTC, and Frankfurt stock exchanges.
Note 1: References to adjoining properties are for illustrative purposes only and are not necessarily indicative of the exploration potential, extent or nature of mineralization or potential future results of the Company's projects.
Note 2: Magmatic Ore Deposits in Layered Intrusions-Descriptive Model for Reef-Type PGE and Contact-Type Cu-Ni-PGE Deposits, Michael Zientek, USGS Open-File Report 2012-1010.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Michael Rowley, President, CEO & Director
Email: info@grouptenmetals.com Phone: (604) 357 4790
Web: http://grouptenmetals.com Toll Free: (888) 432 0075
Quality Control and Quality Assurance
2021 drill core samples were analyzed by ACT Labs in Vancouver, B.C. Sample preparation: crush (< 7 kg) up to 80% passing 2 mm, riffle split (250 g) and pulverize (mild steel) to 95% passing 105 µm included cleaner sand. Gold, platinum, and palladium were analyzed by fire assay (1C-OES) with ICP finish. Selected major and trace elements were analyzed by peroxide fusion with 8-Peroxide ICP-OES finish to insure complete dissolution of resistate minerals. Following industry QA/QC standards, blanks, duplicate samples, and certified standards were also assayed.
Mr. Mike Ostenson, P.Geo., is the qualified person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101, and he has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure contained in this news release.
Forward-Looking Statements
Forward Looking Statements: This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts including, without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization, historic production, estimation of mineral resources, the realization of mineral resource estimates, interpretation of prior exploration and potential exploration results, the timing and success of exploration activities generally, the timing and results of future resource estimates, permitting time lines, metal prices and currency exchange rates, availability of capital, government regulation of exploration operations, environmental risks, reclamation, title, and future plans and objectives of the company are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Although Group Ten believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include failure to obtain necessary approvals, unsuccessful exploration results, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, results of future resource estimates, future metal prices, availability of capital and financing on acceptable terms, general economic, market or business conditions, risks associated with regulatory changes, defects in title, availability of personnel, materials and equipment on a timely basis, accidents or equipment breakdowns, uninsured risks, delays in receiving government approvals, unanticipated environmental impacts on operations and costs to remedy same, and other exploration or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the companies with securities regulators. Readers are cautioned that mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral exploration and development of mines is an inherently risky business. Accordingly, the actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on Group Ten and the risks and challenges of their businesses, investors should review their annual filings that are available at www.sedar.com.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Figure 1 - 2021 Resource Expansion Drill Holes with Deposit Outlines over Drill Data and Geophysics (Conductivity)
Figure 2 - 2021 Resource Expansion Drill Holes with Deposit Outlines and Drill Data over Precious and Base Metals in Soils
Figure 3 - 2021 Mineral Resource Estimate over 9 KM Core Project Area with 3d Model of Ip Survey Results
SOURCE: Group Ten Metals Inc.
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