Defense Metals Corp. (DEFN: TSX-V ) (DFMTF: OTCQB) (35D: FSE) announces assay results for an additional three holes from the recently completed 2019 resource definition diamond drill program at its 1,708 hectare (4,220 acre) Wicheeda Rare Earth Element Project located near Prince George, Canada.

Drill hole WI19-22, a vertical hole and part of a fan of seven holes totalling 966 metres designed to increase confidence in the geometry of REE mineralized dolomite-carbonatite rocks at a higher elevation with the deposit, assayed 2.71% Total Rare Earth Oxide (TREO; being cerium, lanthanum, neodymium, praseodymium, and samarium oxides (Ce₂O₃+La₂O₃+Nd₂O₃+ Pr₂O₃+Sm₂O₃) over a drill core interval of 106 metres¹ (Table 1).

Drill hole WI19-23 collared from the same drill pad returned an average grade of 3.12% TREO over a drill core interval of 105 metres¹, expanding the eastern drill defined edge of the Wicheeda REE Deposit a distance of 30 meters beyond the limit of the 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate². Significantly, much of the WI19-23 mineralized intercept (a 39 metre core interval) also occurs inside the 2019 Lerchs-Grossman (LG) pit shell within rocks previously defined as waste.

Drill hole WI19-24, collared from the same pad and drilled to the southeast returned an average grade of 2.43 TREO over a drill core interval of 80.1 metres¹, modestly expanding the eastern drill defined edge of the Wicheeda REE Deposit a distance of 8 metres and providing an additional pierce point of the carbonatite envelope as planned.

Table 1: Wicheeda REE Deposit 2019 Diamond Drill Intercepts

Craig Taylor, CEO and President of Defense Metals Corp., commented, “We are extremely pleased with the results from these three additional drill holes, in particular WI19-23 which intersected REE mineralized carbonatite rocks outside the 2019 mineral resource envelope.  The fact that much of the REE mineralization intersected in hole WI19-23 also occurs within the 2019 LG pit shell within rocks previously defend as waste is anticipated to have a positive impact on our future updated Mineral Resource Estimate. We look forward to releasing additional drill holes as assay results are received, some of which also intersected visible REE mineralized carbonatite rocks outside the 2019 resource model and LG pit shell. Defense Metals is very much encouraged by the potential of these, and the remaining, drill holes have to add significant value to the Wicheeda REE Project.”

The 2019 Wicheeda REE Deposit resource definition drill program comprised 13 diamond drill holes totalling 2,005 metres that were completed from three separate drill pads, designed to test the northern, southern and western extent of the Wicheeda deposit where it remains open, and to further delineate the relatively higher-grade, near surface dolomite carbonatite unit.

Drill hole WI19-22 (-90^o dip) is a vertical hole collared at a higher elevation and part of a cluster of seven holes totalling 966 metres designed to increase confidence in the geometry of REE mineralized dolomite-carbonatite rocks at higher elevations within the deposit.  Hole WI19-22 intersected REE mineralized carbonatite from a depth of 7.00 metres to a downhole depth of 113.00 metres with medium- to coarse-grained visible REE minerals (monazite and synchysite/parisite) forming millimetre to centimetre-scale aggregates interstitial to coarse-grained dolomite.

Drill hole WI19-23 (-45^o dip / 100^o azimuth), collared from the same site as WI19-22 and drilled east, was successful in expanding the drill defined edge of the Wicheeda Deposit a distance of 30 meters beyond the limit of the 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate. Similar to the first hole,

WI19-21 intersected REE mineralized carbonatite containing visible REE mineralization from a depth of 4.0 metres to a downhole depth of 109 metres, with medium to coarse grained visible REE minerals (monazite and synchysite/parisite) observed throughout the interval.

Drill hole WI19-24 (-45^o dip / 140^o azimuth), collared from the same site as WI19-22 and drilled southeast, was successful in expanding the drill defined edge of the Wicheeda REE Deposit a distance of 8 meters beyond the limit of the 2019 Mineral Resource Estimate. WI19-21 intersected REE mineralized carbonatite containing visible REE mineralization from the start of sampling at 2.9 metres to a downhole depth of 83 metres.

Defense Metals looks forward to receipt of assay results for the remaining 8 drill holes within the coming weeks and will provide additional updates as they are received.

Methodology and QA/QC

The analytical work reported on herein was performed by ALS Canada Ltd. (ALS) at Kamloops (sample preparation) and Vancouver (ICP-MS fusion), B.C. ALS is an ISO-IEC 17025:2017 and ISO 9001:2015 accredited geoanalytical laboratory and is independent of the Defense Metals and the QP. Drill core samples were subject to crushing at a minimum of 70% passing 2 mm, followed by pulverizing of a 250 gram split to 85% passing 75 microns. A 0.1 gram sample pulp was then subject to multi-element ICP-MS analysis via lithium-borate fusion to determine individual REE content (ME-MS81h). Defense Metals follows industry standard procedures for the work carried out on the Wicheeda Project, with a quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) program. Blank, duplicate and standard samples were inserted into the sample sequence sent to the laboratory for analysis. Defense Metals detected no significant QA/QC issues during review of the data. Defense Metals is not aware of any drilling, sampling, recovery or other factors that could materially affect the accuracy or reliability of the data referred to herein.

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information contained in this news release as it relates to the Wicheeda Rare Earth Element Project has been reviewed and approved by Kristopher J. Raffle, P.Geo. (BC) Principal and Consultant of APEX Geoscience Ltd. of Edmonton, AB, a director of Defense Metals and a “Qualified Person” as defined in National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mr. Raffle verified the data disclosed which includes a review of the analytical and test data underlying the information and opinions contained therein.

About Defense Metals Corp.

Defense Metals is a mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition of mineral deposits containing metals and elements commonly used in the electric power market, military, national security and the production of green energy technologies, such as, high strength, light weight, rare earth magnets. Defense Metals’ primary focus is to exercise its option to acquire 100% of the 1,708 hectare Wicheeda Rare Earth Element Project. 

Figure 1: Oblique View Wicheeda Deposit 2019 Diamond Drill (CNW Group/Defense Metals Corp.)