TIDMEEE
RNS Number : 1614T
Empire Metals Limited
13 November 2023
Empire Metals Limited / LON : EEE / Sector: Natural
Resources
13 November 2023
Empire Metals Limited
('Empire ' or the 'Company')
Three Diamond Drill Holes Completed at Pitfield
Extensive Titanium Mineralisation Evident Across Giant Mineral
System
Surface Mapping and Rock Chip Sampling Identifies New Drill
Targets for High-Grade TiO 2
Empire Metals Limited (LON: EEE), the AIM-quoted resource
exploration and development company, is pleased to announce that
the three planned Diamond Core drillholes have now been completed
at the Pitfield Project in Western Australia ('Pitfield' or the
'Project'), and concurrent geological mapping and rock chip
sampling has identified new, high grade TiO 2 drill targets along
the central and southern high-density core of the giant mineral
system.
Highlights
-- Titanium mineralisation identified throughout the entire
length of each of the three drillholes from logging of the diamond
core, confirming that the titanium mineralisation previously
intersected in the maiden reverse circulation ("RC") drill
programme extends to over 350m vertically from surface.
-- Geological mapping and rock chip sampling carried out across
the large magnetics anomaly, including areas of coincident strong
gravity anomalies, identified two new high-grade TiO 2 drill
targets covering 3km(2) and 6km(2) respectively.
-- High-grade TiO 2 values recorded from the surface rock chip
sampling with many of the samples exceeding 10% TiO 2 , with the
highest being 21.49% TiO 2 .
-- The Company expects to have drill core geochemical analysis
results available shortly and will be able to release more
information about key parameters such as mineralogy, grades, and
geological controls in the coming weeks.
-- RC drilling of the high-grade target areas will commence in
November, with approximately 40 RC holes totalling 6,000 metres
currently planned to test the length of the coincident regional
magnetics-gravity anomaly.
Shaun Bunn, Managing Director, said: "Our most recent round of
work at Pitfield has generated some extraordinary results, with
many rock chip samples exceeding 10% TiO 2 , and one value of an
exceptional 21.49% TiO 2 . In addition, the diamond drilling that
we undertook in tandem with this surface sampling demonstrates that
stratabound titanium-rich mineralisation remains completely open at
depth at 350m, and along strike, once again reinforcing our view
that we have discovered a primary titanium asset of perhaps
unparalleled size and scale.
"Our work over the past two months is invaluable as we assess
the wider potential of Pitfield, and as we identify priority areas
for the upcoming RC drill programme, including the newly identified
outcropping high-grade TiO 2 zones. While titanium mineralisation
is very widespread, virtually across kilometres of altered rock, we
are also finding higher grade mineralised areas and rock types
which will greatly help us focus our future drilling. In the
meantime, it is with great excitement that we look forward to
receiving the laboratory results for the three diamond drillholes
in the coming weeks."
The Pitfield Project
Empire holds a 70% interest in Pitfield which is comprised of
four granted Exploration Licences (E70/5465, E70/5876, E70/6320 and
E70/6323) covering 1,042km(2) . Pitfield is located near Three
Springs, a town 313km north of Perth, Western Australia on the
Midlands Road, which until the opening of the Brand Highway in 1975
was the main road route from Perth to the state's north (refer
Figure 1).
Figure 1. Pitfield Project Location showing the scale of the
magnetics anomaly and coincident alteration footprint.
Diamond Core Drilling Completed
The Company has completed drilling the three planned diamond
drillholes, which were strategically positioned to provide broad
coverage across the 30km length of the largely coincident regional
gravity and magnetics anomalies (refer Figure 2). These anomalies
were sourced to stratabound titanium and iron oxide mineralisation
hosted within a strongly hydrothermally altered, bedded succession
of clastic sedimentary rocks, composed of interbedded sandstones
and siltstones, and lesser conglomerate beds.
Figure 2. Grey-scale magnetics map overlain by airborne gravity
survey results with indicative highest density zones (solid yellow
outlines) and locations of diamond core drill holes and maiden RC
drill holes/IP survey lines.
All three diamond drillholes have now been logged and sampled,
and laboratory geochemical analysis results are pending. The
logging of the drill core confirms that the titanium mineralisation
is extensive and associated with strong iron-rich alteration, as
indicated by the portable XRF ('pXRF') measurements taken of the
core. The geological setting varies over the 30km distance between
the northern and most southern drill holes as described below.
Diamond Hole #1 (DD23MTS001)
This northernmost hole was located at Mt Scratch, where the
majority of the maiden RC drillholes were completed. The final
length of the angled hole was 408.4m, ending approximately 350m
vertically below surface. The drillhole intersected a thick
sedimentary succession of interbedded sandstones and siltstones,
referred to as the Mt Scratch Siltstone formation. These
sedimentary host rocks display extensive and strong iron-rich
alteration, including a steel-grey hematitic alteration and a
ferruginous brown alteration which alternate throughout the hole.
Chlorite and epidote alteration of the host sedimentary rocks is
also observed and varies in intensities.
Diamond Hole #2 (DD23TOM001)
DD23TOM001 was drilled to an angled depth of 408.5m and was
targeting a magnetics anomaly adjacent to an RC drillhole
(RC23TOM001) drilled in April 2023. The diamond drillhole
intersected the Beaconsfield Conglomerate formation throughout its
entire length. The Beaconsfield Conglomerate is made up of
repetitious successions of interbedded conglomerates, sandstones
and siltstones. The thickest (80m) individual succession displays
strong hematite-epidote alteration of the type which returned the
best TiO 2 values in the maiden RC drilling programme. The
strongest alteration in this succession is associated with zones of
greater sandstone-siltstone beds and, based on the pXRF
measurements, these zones contain the highest TiO 2 values so far
identified.
Diamond Hole #3 (DD23COS001)
The third diamond drillhole at Pitfield was completed with the
final length of the angled hole reaching 400m, ending approximately
350m vertically below surface. This drillhole targeted a strong
magnetics anomaly which is associated with high TiO 2 values
recorded from historic surface auger sampling. The drillhole
intersected only Beaconsfield Conglomerate formation. The entire
length of core from this drillhole displays strong hydrothermal
alteration consisting of hematite, epidote, carbonate and chlorite.
The intensity of the alteration varies with the most intense
alteration being in the medium grained sandstones.
Visual inspection and pXRF measurements taken of the core has
highlighted potential for higher grade beds of titanium
mineralisation. This hole was drilled into the eastern edge of a
newly identified 3km by 1km area of high-grade TiO 2 rock chip
samples (see below Geological Mapping/Rock Chip Sampling section
for more information).
Diamond Drillhole Geochemical Analysis #1 - #3
The Company is currently awaiting the geochemical analysis
results from the diamond drill holes, with the results from the
first drill hole (DD23MTS001) expected to be received shortly.
Geological Mapping/Rock Chip Sampling
A comprehensive mapping and rock chip sampling programme was
completed during September-October 2023, over previously unexplored
ground within the 40km by 8km regional geophysical anomaly. The
work better defined the extent of the outcropping Yandanooka Basin
host sedimentary rocks. Where areas of outcrop were encountered,
rock chip sampling on an approximate 200-400m spaced grid was
completed. A total of 310 rock samples were collected and submitted
for multi-element analysis, with 202 analytical results received to
date.
Strongly elevated TiO 2 is present in the rock chip samples with
65 samples (32%) exceeding 5% TiO 2 , and 17 samples (8% of total)
exceeding 10% TiO 2 . The maximum value recorded in the rock
sampling was an exceptional 21.5% TiO 2 . High TiO 2 values are
spatially associated with the regional magnetics high domain,
extending east into the coincident gravity high trend along the
eastern flank of the magnetic rocks (refer below Table 1.
Significant Rock Chip Geochemical Analysis)
A clustering of higher TiO 2 values in rocks is evident from the
geological mapping and rock chip sampling programme, which
identified a high-grade area over 3km by 2km in the vicinity of
diamond drillhole #2 (DD23TOM001), as well as a 3km by 1km area
close to diamond drillhole #3 (DD23COS001), where the geochemical
analysis of half the rock chip samples have exceeded 8% TiO 2 .
These titanium mineral-enriched prospects are not yet closed off.
It should be noted that quite large areas have little or no rock
exposure at surface due to sand or laterite cover. These areas are
now considered prospective for higher grade titanium mineralisation
and will form part of the upcoming RC drill programme as priority
targets.
Figure 3. Grey-scale magnetics map overlain by airborne gravity
survey results highlighting recent rock chip sample locations and
TiO 2 values.
Much of the rock exposed at surface is very weathered, however
in most cases it was possible to identify rock type. There is a
general trend from west to east in the mapped area, from
conglomerate-rich with interbedded sandstone along the western
flank of the magnetic trend, to sandstone-rich with interbedded
conglomerate and siltstone, and finally to siltstone-rich with
interbedded sandstone to the east of the main coincident
magnetics-gravity high. Local areas with appreciable quartz veining
are present, particularly along the eastern flank of the regional
geophysical anomaly, broadly correlating to the gravity high
domain.
Elevated copper and zinc values are locally present in the rocks
(maximum 480 and 680 ppm respectively) and will require further
evaluation work in the future. The extensive weathering observed at
surface is likely to have leached and removed base metals such as
copper and zinc out of the near-surface environment.
Significant Rock Chip Geochemical Analysis Results
S ample Easting Northing Grade (Ti Grade (TiO T arget Area
ID %) 2 %)
PRC0028 373966 6726636 11.00 18.35 TOM
------- -------- --------- ---------- ------------
PRC0038 371958 6727153 9.58 15.98 TOM
------- -------- --------- ---------- ------------
PRC0040 374039 6725174 6.48 10.81 TOM
------- -------- --------- ---------- ------------
PRC0073 372276 6729681 9.66 16.11 REG
------- -------- --------- ---------- ------------
PRC0074 372531 6727680 7.23 12.06 TOM
------- -------- --------- ---------- ------------
PRC0085 371865 6732184 9.05 15.10 REG
------- -------- --------- ---------- ------------
PRC0092 369289 6739267 8.29 13.83 COS
------- -------- --------- ---------- ------------
PRC0096 370270 6738961 11.02 18.38 COS
------- -------- --------- ---------- ------------
PRC0106 370681 6737500 7.70 12.84 COS
------- -------- --------- ---------- ------------
PRC0122 369406 6737284 7.24 12.08 COS
------- -------- --------- ---------- ------------
PRC0125 369327 6736890 6.40 10.68 COS
------- -------- --------- ---------- ------------
PRC0134 370531 6737414 8.50 14.18 COS
------- -------- --------- ---------- ------------
PRC0137 369604 6737914 6.17 10.29 COS
------- -------- --------- ---------- ------------
PRC0141 369596 6739468 6.44 10.74 COS
------- -------- --------- ---------- ------------
PRC0144 369810 6739736 12.88 21.49 COS
------- -------- --------- ---------- ------------
PRC0145 370082 6739653 8.38 13.98 COS
------- -------- --------- ---------- ------------
PRC0193 371284 6734330 7.80 13.01 REG
------- -------- --------- ---------- ------------
Table 1. Significant Rock Chip Geochemical Analysis Results
showing grades of >10% TiO 2.
Target Area Reference:
COS: Near Diamond Hole #3 (DD23COS001)
TOM: Near Diamond Hole #2 (DD23TOM001)
REG: Regional Locations
Future Work
The RC drill programme is scheduled to commence before the end
of November 2023 and is expected to run for several weeks. The
planned programme will consist of 40 drillholes totalling 6,000
metres along the length of the high-density gravity core within the
regional magnetics anomaly, with particular focus on the high-grade
areas identified through the recent rock chip sampling and
geological mapping. The objective of this drill programme is to
further define the scale of this giant, titanium-enriched mineral
system but to also understand the distribution of key factors
better, such as grade, mineralogy, thickness and extent of
mineralised beds and controls on high-grade titanium
mineralisation.
Competent Person Statement
The technical information in this report that relates to the
Pitfield Project has been compiled by Mr Andrew Faragher, an
employee of Eclipse Exploration Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary
of Empire. Mr Faragher is a Member of the Australian Institute of
Mining and Metallurgy. Mr Faragher has sufficient experience that
is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit
under consideration and to the activity being undertaken to qualify
as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the
'Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral
Resources and Ore Reserves'. Mr Faragher consents to the inclusion
in this release of the matters based on his information in the form
and context in which it appears.
Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure
Certain information contained in this announcement would have
been deemed inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of
Regulation (EU) No 596/2014, as incorporated into UK law by the
European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, until the release of this
announcement.
**ENDS**
For further information please visit www.empiremetals.co.uk or contact:
Empire Metals Ltd
Shaun Bunn / Greg Kuenzel Tel: 020 4583 1440
S. P. Angel Corporate Finance LLP Tel: 020 3470 0470
(Nomad & Broker)
Ewan Leggat / Adam Cowl
---------------------
Shard Capital Partners LLP (Joint Tel: 020 7186 9950
Broker)
Damon Heath
---------------------
St Brides Partners Ltd (Financial Tel: 020 7236 1177
PR)
Susie Geliher / Ana Ribeiro
---------------------
About Empire Metals Limited
Empire Metals is an AIM-listed (LON: EEE) exploration and
resource development company with a project portfolio comprising
copper, titanium and gold interests in Australia and Austria.
The Company's strategy is to develop a pipeline of projects at
different stages in the development curve. Its current focus is on
the Pitfield Project in Western Australia, which has demonstrated
to contain a newly recognised giant mineral system that hosts a
globally significant titanium discovery. The Company is also
advancing the Eclipse-Gindalbie Project in Western Australia, which
is prospective for high-grade gold and also kaolin used to produce
high-purity alumina, an essential component in lithium-ion
batteries.
The Company also has two further exploration projects in
Australia; the Walton Project in Western Australia, and the Stavely
Project in the Stavely Arc region of Victoria, in addition to three
precious metals projects located in a historically high-grade gold
producing region of Austria.
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