Cantex Mine Development Corp. (TSX-V: CD) (OTCQB: CTXDF) is pleased to provide an update on its 100-percent-owned 14,077 hectare North Rackla claim block in the Yukon.

Dr. Charles Fipke reports

Bulk Germanium Results

Cantex’s directors are pleased to report bulk germanium results from the 2024 drilling program (see Figure 1 for drill pad locations). Germanium analyses were completed on all intercepts with elevated silver-lead-zinc analyses.

The 180 g/t germanium was in a 2.53 metre intercept in hole YKDD24-320 which also contained 93 g/t silver, 11.43% lead and 32.68% zinc. It was within a larger 6.09 metre mineralized zone which contained 98 g/t germanium, 53 g/t silver, 6.01% lead and 19.47% zinc.

Hole YKDD24-315 had a high-grade intercept of 9 metres of 171 g/t germanium with 96 g/t silver, 5.27% lead and 28.81% zinc. This was within a 15 metre interval containing 117 g/t germanium, 62 g/t silver, 3.49% lead and 19.38% zinc.

These results, along with other highlights from the 2024 drilling are presented in Table 1.

Germanium Market

After announcing in August 2023 that it would be restricting exports of germanium, the Chinese government announced in December of 2024 that it would be banning all exports of germanium to the US. As China produces and refines the majority of the world’s germanium this leaves the West in need of alternative sources to reliably supply this critical metal, which is used in computer chips, solar panels, fiber optics and military applications such as night vision optics, etc. This western source has yet to be developed.

Table 1: Germanium results of selected intervals from 2024 drilling.

The impact of this ban is both financial and strategic. The fact that China has banned the export of germanium highlights the need for consumers like the United States to secure sources of this critical mineral that are both safe and reliable. The United States Geological Survey has recently published a report on germanium and gallium (found at: https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2024/1057/ofr20241057.pdf) which quantifies the potential disruption to the US economy.

More importantly is an inadequate germanium supply will prevent the United States from manufacturing the quantities of advanced weapon systems needed to keep pace with its global adversaries. The ability to deter an adversary from taking action is dependent on the US having an adequate armaments stockpile. Without access to germanium, weapons manufacture will decrease, resulting in an increased risk of conflict.

The germanium price was stable for some time; however, since restrictions were announced the price has increased substantially and is presently US $2.29 per gram. The germanium price trend is presented in the graph below.

Summary

Cantex is pleased to continue to see elevated germanium contents within the silver-lead-zinc mineralization at the Massive Sulphide Project.

The germanium not only adds value to the mineralization, but importantly could provide a western source desperately needed. The strategic importance of a western source of germanium has never been greater.

Sample Preparation

The drill holes reported in this press release were drilled using HQ (63.5mm) diamond drill bits. The core was logged, marked up for sampling and then divided into equal halves using a diamond saw on site. One half of the core was left in the original core box. The other half was sampled and placed into sealed bags which were in turn placed into larger bags closed with security seals prior to being transported to the ISO 9001:2015 accredited CF Mineral Research Ltd. laboratory in Kelowna, BC.

At CF Minerals the drill core was dried prior to crushing to -10 mesh. The samples, which averaged over 3kg, were then mixed prior to splitting off 800g. The 800g splits were pulverized to -200 mesh. A 250g portion of this pulverized material was submitted for multi-element analysis at ALS Chemex in North Vancouver. Quality control procedures included running a barren sand sample through both the crusher and pulveriser between each sample to ensure no inter-sample contamination occurred. Silica blanks were inserted along with certified reference samples. These quality control samples were each inserted approximately every 20 samples.

ALS Chemex in North Vancouver assayed the samples using a four-acid digestion with an ICP-MS finish. The 48 element ME-MS61 technique was used to provide a geochemical signature of the mineralization. Where lead or zinc values exceeded one percent the Pb-OG62 or Zn-OG62 techniques were used. These have upper limits of 20% lead and 30% zinc respectively. Samples with lead and zinc values over these limits were then analyzed by titration methods Pb-VOL70 and Zn-VOL50. Where silver samples exceeded 100 g/t the Ag-OG62 technique was used which has an upper limit of 1,500 g/t. The over limit analyses contributed to delays in receiving final assay results.

For the germanium results presented in this release a separate split of the remaining pulverized material was sent to ALS Chemex in North Vancouver, Canada. The pulverized samples were analyzed using a sodium peroxide fusion followed by an ICP Mass Spectrometer finish on a 0.2g pulverised sample.

The technical information and results reported here have been reviewed by Mr. Chad Ulansky P.Geol., a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101, who is responsible for the technical content of this release.

Figure 1. Location of Germanium Results from 2024 Drilling (CNW Group/Cantex Mine Development Corp.)

*Germanium prices from https://tradingeconomics.com/commodity/germanium (CNW Group/Cantex Mine Development Corp.)