Search Minerals Inc. (TSX-V: SMY) (OTCQB: SHCMF), is pleased to announce receipt of assay results for Phase 3 drill holes on its DEEP FOX Critical Rare Earth Element property in SE Labrador. Assays from all 38 drill holes show significant CREE throughout the mineralized zone and mineralization has been observed in all levels (25m, 50m, 100m, 150m, 200m).
HIGHLIGHTS OF DEEP FOX PHASE 3 DRILL PROGRAM:
Greg Andrews, President/CEO states; “We are very excited about the results from our 7000m drill program at Deep Fox. These results will be incorporated into a new resource estimate for Deep Fox, which will further be used to update our Preliminary Economic Assessment report. We expect the updated PEA will be completed by Q1 2022. The company is planning a Phase 4 drill program in 2022 to provide: 1) infill drilling to determine a suitable measured resource to support a Feasibility Study; 2) exploration drilling on both the eastern and western edges of the deposit; 3) exploration drilling on the 250 m level; and, 4) HQ geotechnical drill holes suitable for a BFS. In addition, we are planning additional exploration programs for our drill ready projects of FOX MEADOW and SILVER FOX, along with exploratory work in our recently acquired Red Wine District in Northern Labrador.”
The drill program produced a 25 m grid to the 50m level below surface, including 14 holes on the 25m level, of the deposit to provide details of the mineralization for the new resource estimate. Additional holes were drilled (50m grid) on the eastern and western edges of the deposit from the 25 m to 200 m level (along the plunge of the deposit). Four new holes on the 200m level intersected mineralization ranging from 20-45 m apparent width (approximately 16-36m true width). The 200m level drill holes indicate that the mineralization has maintained thickness throughout the deposit to this level – the deposit is open at depth down the NE plunge.
Additional holes were drilled within the grid at other levels to fill in gaps and help to produce a detailed volcanic stratigraphy within the deposit. This information will be invaluable for the resource estimate and will be used to provide details for the PEA pit design process. The pit design proposed for the 2019 resource estimate (see “November 12, 2019 – Technical Report on The Deep Fox Project, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada) will have to be expanded to encompass mineralization intersected in the 8 holes that were drilled to the east of the original pit outline.
Assays from this program, combined with those from the previous drill and channel programs, have outlined a deposit that consists of a high-grade core zone that is flanked to the NW by a medium-grade zone. The high-grade core zone occurs on the surface and extends to the 200 m level as seen in holes FD-21-31 and FD-21-33 (see Table 1). The medium-grade zone has grades shown in FD-21-02 (see Table 1, FD-21-02; 137.31-174.13m)
The DEEP FOX (formerly Deepwater Fox) property (see Search Minerals news releases Jan. 27th, 2015 and Oct. 15th 2015) occurs about 2 km NE from the port of St. Lewis on the SE Labrador coast and within 12 km of the FOXTROT Deposit. It can be accessed by all-weather gravel and paved roads and by water through the port of St. Lewis.
TABLE 1 SUMMARY OF DEEP FOX PHASE 3 DRILL PROGRAM RESULTS | ||||||||||||||||
Drill Hole | FD-21-09 | FD-21-09 | FD-21-16 | FD-21-16 | FD-21-15 | FD-21-15 | FD-21-02 | FD-21-02 | FD-21-29 | FD-21-29 | FD-21-30 | FD-21-30 | FD-21-31 | FD-21-31 | FD-21-33 | FD-21-33 |
From | 41.44 | 66.86 | 60.92 | 60.92 | 92.17 | 94.16 | 137.31 | 153.76 | 297.70 | 297.70 | 210.38 | 226.75 | 377.60 | 408.56 | 315.52 | 326.92 |
To | 75.07 | 73.92 | 92.95 | 72.95 | 122.85 | 104.45 | 174.13 | 160.95 | 317.91 | 305.76 | 258.28 | 241.80 | 387.89 | 433.11 | 336.20 | 331.97 |
True Width | 26.904 | 5.65 | 25.62 | 9.62 | 24.54 | 8.23 | 29.46 | 5.75 | 16.17 | 6.45 | 38.32 | 12.04 | 8.23 | 19.64 | 16.54 | 4.04 |
Y (ppm) | 1,343 | 1,613 | 1,309 | 1,579 | 1,197 | 1,551 | 1,095 | 1,328 | 1,320 | 1,511 | 1,178 | 1,488 | 1,178 | 1,128 | 1,386 | 1,617 |
Zr (ppm) | 12,289 | 15,318 | 13,940 | 14,875 | 12,133 | 15,272 | 10,225 | 13,138 | 12,396 | 13,673 | 12,500 | 15,152 | 12,489 | 13,403 | 14,975 | 17,708 |
Nb (ppm) | 755 | 791 | 643 | 830 | 609 | 813 | 586 | 688 | 598 | 738 | 547 | 634 | 743 | 532 | 634 | 705 |
La (ppm) | 2,170 | 2,538 | 1,894 | 2,255 | 1,773 | 2,254 | 1,920 | 2,587 | 2,023 | 2,395 | 1,707 | 2,155 | 2,071 | 1,667 | 1,968 | 2,209 |
Ce (ppm) | 4,388 | 5,249 | 4,097 | 4,745 | 3,700 | 4,782 | 3,820 | 5,053 | 4,101 | 4,852 | 3,686 | 4,647 | 4,112 | 3,430 | 4,121 | 4,649 |
Pr (ppm) | 520 | 630 | 454 | 544 | 444 | 578 | 444 | 588 | 496 | 594 | 434 | 555 | 488 | 419 | 499 | 568 |
Nd (ppm) | 1,942 | 2,405 | 1,739 | 2,094 | 1,671 | 2,191 | 1,648 | 2,190 | 1,863 | 2,219 | 1,644 | 2,099 | 1,876 | 1,596 | 1,912 | 2,194 |
Sm (ppm) | 358 | 455 | 323 | 389 | 311 | 412 | 296 | 392 | 337 | 406 | 312 | 397 | 319 | 296 | 363 | 423 |
Eu (ppm) | 17.9 | 22.7 | 16.4 | 19.6 | 15.8 | 20.9 | 15.1 | 19.9 | 17.6 | 20.6 | 16.0 | 20.2 | 16.8 | 15.0 | 18.3 | 21.3 |
Gd (ppm) | 268 | 336 | 257 | 310 | 237 | 313 | 227 | 295 | 265 | 316 | 242 | 311 | 261 | 237 | 289 | 337 |
Tb (ppm) | 43.3 | 55.9 | 41.7 | 49.9 | 39.6 | 52.3 | 36.2 | 46.0 | 43.5 | 51.3 | 39.2 | 50.7 | 40.0 | 39.2 | 48.1 | 58.2 |
Dy (ppm) | 254 | 327 | 244 | 292 | 239 | 315 | 210 | 263 | 265 | 307 | 240 | 309 | 239 | 240 | 284 | 348 |
Ho (ppm) | 48.3 | 62.1 | 47.0 | 55.7 | 45.3 | 59.8 | 39.6 | 48.6 | 49.5 | 57.3 | 44.3 | 57.2 | 44.1 | 46.0 | 55.2 | 67.5 |
Er (ppm) | 134 | 172 | 132 | 156 | 127 | 166 | 110 | 134 | 137 | 159 | 123 | 158 | 123 | 128 | 153 | 190 |
Tm (ppm) | 18.1 | 23.2 | 18.3 | 21.4 | 17.3 | 22.5 | 15.2 | 18.1 | 19.4 | 22.2 | 17.0 | 21.9 | 17.0 | 17.8 | 21.2 | 26.5 |
Yb (ppm) | 112 | 142 | 112 | 131 | 108 | 138 | 93 | 110 | 115 | 132 | 109 | 140 | 105 | 109 | 131 | 164 |
Lu (ppm) | 16.2 | 20.3 | 16.4 | 19.0 | 15.2 | 19.5 | 13.2 | 15.5 | 16.4 | 18.9 | 16.1 | 20.4 | 14.6 | 15.7 | 18.7 | 23.2 |
LREE (ppm) | 9,378 | 11,277 | 8,507 | 10,027 | 7,900 | 10,216 | 8,127 | 10,810 | 8,821 | 10,465 | 7,783 | 9,853 | 8,866 | 7,408 | 8,863 | 10,043 |
HREE (ppm) | 910 | 1,161 | 886 | 1,054 | 844 | 1,107 | 760 | 950 | 928 | 1,084 | 846 | 1,090 | 861 | 847 | 1,019 | 1,235 |
HREE+Y (ppm) | 2,253 | 2,775 | 2,195 | 2,633 | 2,041 | 2,658 | 1,855 | 2,278 | 2,248 | 2,595 | 2,024 | 2,578 | 2,039 | 1,976 | 2,405 | 2,851 |
TREE (ppm) | 10,288 | 12,438 | 9,393 | 11,082 | 8,744 | 11,323 | 8,888 | 11,760 | 9,748 | 11,550 | 8,630 | 10,942 | 9,727 | 8,255 | 9,882 | 11,277 |
TREE+Y (ppm) | 11,631 | 14,052 | 10,702 | 12,661 | 9,941 | 12,874 | 9,983 | 13,089 | 11,068 | 13,061 | 9,807 | 12,431 | 10,905 | 9,384 | 11,268 | 12,894 |
%TREE | 1.03% | 1.24% | 0.94% | 1.11% | 0.87% | 1.13% | 0.89% | 1.18% | 0.97% | 1.15% | 0.86% | 1.09% | 0.97% | 0.83% | 0.99% | 1.13% |
%TREE+Y | 1.16% | 1.41% | 1.07% | 1.27% | 0.99% | 1.29% | 1.00% | 1.31% | 1.11% | 1.31% | 0.98% | 1.24% | 1.09% | 0.94% | 1.13% | 1.29% |
%HREE | 8.85% | 9.34% | 9.43% | 9.51% | 9.65% | 9.78% | 8.56% | 8.08% | 9.51% | 9.39% | 9.81% | 9.96% | 8.85% | 10.26% | 10.32% | 10.95% |
%HREE+Y | 19.37% | 19.75% | 20.51% | 20.80% | 20.53% | 20.65% | 18.59% | 17.41% | 20.31% | 19.87% | 20.64% | 20.74% | 18.70% | 21.05% | 21.34% | 22.11% |
MagREE (ppm) | 2,759 | 3,418 | 2,479 | 2,980 | 2,394 | 3,136 | 2,338 | 3,087 | 2,667 | 3,171 | 2,357 | 3,014 | 2,643 | 2,295 | 2,743 | 3,168 |
Note; | All elements parts per million (ppm), 10,000 ppm = 1% = 10kg/tonne | |||||||||||||||
REE | Rare Earth Elements: La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu (Lanthanide Series). | |||||||||||||||
TREE | Total Rare Earth Elements: Add La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu | |||||||||||||||
LREE | Light Rare Earth Elements: Add La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm. | |||||||||||||||
HREE | Heavy Rare Earth Elements: Add Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu. | |||||||||||||||
Y | Y not included in HREE due to relatively low value compared to most Lanthanide series HREE. | |||||||||||||||
%HREE+Y | %(HREE+Y)/(TREE+Y) | |||||||||||||||
%HREE | %( HREE/ TREE) | |||||||||||||||
MagREE (ppm) | Add: Nd (ppm), Pr (ppm), Dy (ppm), Tb (ppm) |
Quality Assurance / Quality Control:
Drill core is logged, split, tagged, photographed, half-of-core sampled and bagged by Company personnel. The remaining half-of-core is stored in the Company’s core storage facility in St. Lewis. The samples are shipped to Activation Laboratories Ltd. (ActLabs) sample prep facility in Ancaster, Ontario, where they are crushed to 80% -10 mesh and riffled to produce a representative sample. This sample is then pulverized to 95% -200 mesh with the pulverizing mills being cleaned between each sample with cleaning sand. A representative sample is treated by a lithium metaborate/tetraborate fusion and then analyzed by ICP and ICP/MS techniques. Mass balance is required as an additional quality control technique and elemental totals of the oxides should be between 98% and 101%. For QA/QC purposes Search requires duplicates and coarse duplicates every 25 samples, two Search reproducibility standards every 50 samples and 4 blind, Search inserted, standards every drill hole. ActLabs analyzes duplicates and splits approximately every 15 samples and also analyses 22 measured standards for QA/QC. To further enhance our QA/QC procedures Search has a program of checking analytical results with other labs to confirm the ActLabs results. ActLabs is an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory.
Qualified Person:
Dr. Randy Miller, Ph.D., P.Geo, is the Company’s Vice President, Exploration, and Qualified Person (as defined by National Instrument 43-101) who has supervised the preparation of and approved the technical information reported herein. The company will endeavour to meet high standards of integrity, transparency, and consistency in reporting technical content, including geological and assay (e.g., REE) data.
About Search Minerals Inc.
Led by a proven management team and board of directors, Search is focused on finding and developing Critical Rare Earths Elements (CREE), Zirconium (Zr) and Hafnium (Hf) resources within the emerging Port Hope Simpson – St. Lewis CREE District of South East Labrador. The Company controls a belt 63 km long and 2 km wide and is road accessible, on tidewater, and located within 3 local communities. Search has completed a preliminary economic assessment report for FOXTROT, and a resource estimate for DEEP FOX. Search is also working on three exploration prospects along the belt which include: FOX MEADOW, SILVER FOX and AWESOME FOX.
Search has continued to optimize our patented Direct Extraction Process technology with the generous support from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, and from the Atlantic Canada Opportunity Agency. We have completed two pilot plant operations and produced highly purified mixed rare earth carbonate concentrate and mixed REO concentrate for separation and refining.
Search Minerals Inc. (TSX-V: SMY) is pleased to announce that i... READ MORE
New Found Gold Corp. (TSX-V: NFG) (NYSE-A: NFGC) is pleased to re... READ MORE
GoldHaven Resources Corp. (CSE: GOH) (OTCQB: GHVNF) (FSE: 4QS0) ... READ MORE
Eldorado Gold Corporation (TSX: ELD) (NYSE: EGO) reports the Comp... READ MORE
Centerra Gold Inc. (TSX: CG) (NYSE: CGAU) reported its third quar... READ MORE