VANCOUVER, BC, Nov. 22, 2021 /CNW/ - Trilogy Metals Inc.
(TSX: TMQ) (NYSE American: TMQ) ("Trilogy" or the "Company") is
pleased to announce the first drilling results from the 2021 summer
field season at the Arctic Project, part of the Upper Kobuk Mineral
Projects ("UKMP") located in Northwestern
Alaska managed by Ambler Metals LLC ("Ambler Metals"), the
joint venture operating company equally owned by Trilogy and
South32 Limited (ASX, LSE, JSE: S32; ADR: SOUHY) ("South32").
The 2021 Arctic field program included 4,131 meters of diamond
drilling, comprising 18 holes, that were designed to convert a
portion of the resources from the Indicated category to the
Measured category, and provide material for metallurgical testing
and geotechnical information. The results contained in this news
release are from the first two geotechnical holes of the program
that were drilled at the start of the field season. The results of
the remaining 16 holes are expected to come in over the next couple
of months.
Highlights from the first two holes of the 2021 drill
program
Drill holes AR21-0173 and AR21-0175 were drilled as part of the
2021 geotechnical program that is designed to test the northeast
pit's wall stability. Both holes show that high grade
mineralization extends beyond the currently defined pit at
Arctic.
Based on a cut-off grade of 0.5% copper equivalent, significant
zones of high-grade copper, zinc, lead, gold, and silver
mineralization were intersected, including:
- AR21-0175 intersected three mineralized intervals, including
24.94 meters of 1.85% copper, 2.96% zinc, 0.57% lead, 0.28 g/t
gold and 27.09 g/t silver for a copper equivalent grade of
3.55%. Within this interval is a subinterval of 5.62 meters
grading 4.94% copper, 10.57% zinc, 1.71% lead, 0.40 g/t gold and
58.90 g/t silver for a copper equivalent grade of 10.17%.
- AR21-0173 intersected one mineralized interval of 3.77
meters of 2.15% copper, 0.87% zinc, 0.34% lead, 0.83 g/t gold and
82.89 g/t silver for a copper equivalent grade of 3.85%.
The composites are based on a copper-equivalent grade of 0.5%
using metal prices from Trilogy's 2020 Arctic feasibility study
($3.00/lb copper, $1.10/lb zinc, $1.00/lb lead, $1,300/oz gold, and $18.00/oz silver) and a maximum of 3-meter
internal dilution. All drill hole intercepts are close to true
width.
Tony Giardini, President and CEO
of Trilogy, commented, "The initial drilling results from Arctic
continue to confirm our belief that the Arctic deposit is one of
the highest grade polymetallic mineral projects in the world. Not
only is Arctic high grade, but it also has wide zones of
mineralization that are relatively close to surface. Of note is
drill hole AR21-0175 which appears to extend high-grade
mineralization beyond the current pit at Arctic. The latest
drilling program at Arctic will assist Ambler Metals in the
continued de-risking of the project and in the detailed engineering
of the asset."
Richard Gosse, Vice President,
Exploration at Trilogy stated, "It is good to see the results of
our 2021 drill program are beginning to come in from ALS
Laboratories. Also, good to see these high-grade extensions, just
outside the proposed pit and relatively close to surface, in holes
that were primarily designed to collect geotechnical information.
We are looking forward to seeing the results of the remaining 16
drill holes at Arctic as well as from the regional drill
program."
Significant mineralized intervals of high-grade mineralization
at a cutoff of 0.5% copper equivalent are reported in Table
1. The locations of the holes are shown in Figure 1 and
Table 2.
Table 1. Drill Intercepts from the 2021 Arctic Infill
Drilling Program
Hole
|
From
(m)
|
To
(m)
|
Length
(m)
|
CuEq
(%)
|
Cu
(%)
|
Zn
(%)
|
Pb
(%)
|
Ag
(g/t)
|
Au
(g/t)
|
Zone
|
AR21-0173
|
110.54
|
114.31
|
3.77
|
3.85
|
2.15
|
0.87
|
0.34
|
82.89
|
0.83
|
5
|
|
43.97
|
45.65
|
1.68
|
0.54
|
0.45
|
0.08
|
0.04
|
2.33
|
0.04
|
5
|
AR21-0175
|
71.93
|
96.87
|
24.94
|
3.55
|
1.85
|
2.96
|
0.57
|
27.09
|
0.28
|
4 and 3
|
Including
|
81.70
|
87.32
|
5.62
|
10.17
|
4.94
|
10.57
|
1.71
|
58.90
|
0.40
|
3
|
|
140.69
|
141.66
|
0.97
|
0.68
|
0.51
|
0.31
|
0.00
|
2.33
|
0.05
|
1
|
Notes:
|
- Copper equivalent (CuEq) calculations use
metal prices assumptions of $3.00/lb for copper, $1.00/lb for zinc,
$0.90/lb for lead, $1,300/oz for gold, and $18.00/oz for
silver.
- Results are core intervals and not true
thickness; true widths have not been determined for the above
intercepts but are believed to be representative of actual drill
thicknesses.
- Significant interval defined as a minimum of
1.0 meter copper interval with average grade >0.5% CuEq.
- Cut-off grade of 0.5% CuEq.
- Internal dilution up to three meters of
<0.5% CuEq.
- Intervals of <1.0 meter not reported.
- Core recovery averaged 96%.
- Minimum sample length was 0.17m, average
sample length was 2.4m overall and 1.7m within mineralized
zones.
- Some rounding errors may occur.
|
Table 2. Drill Hole Locations at the Arctic Project
Hole
|
East
(m)
|
North
(m)
|
Elevation
(m)
|
Azimuth
|
Dip
|
Length
(m)
|
AR21-0173
|
613275
|
7453505
|
966
|
0
|
-78
|
181.97
|
AR21-0175
|
613483
|
7453469
|
924
|
25
|
-55
|
166.12
|
Coordinates are in
UTM Zone 4N (meters) coordinate system, NAD83 Datum.
|
Drill hole AR21-0173, which is sized HQ3 (63.5 mm diameter), was
drilled as part of the 2021 geotechnical program. The hole, as seen
in Figure 2, was designed to test the northeast pit's wall
stability. The intercept from 110.54 meters to 114.31 meters is
interpreted to be the continuation of Zone 5. This intercept is
heavily oxidized with pyrite being the only sulphide present. This
intercept currently sits outside of the Arctic feasibility study
pit and is located approximately 30 meters current resource area
and is open to the northwest. This drill hole is located close to
drill hole AR-47 which was drilled by Kennecott in 1975. An oxide
rich interval is present in AR-47 which lines up with the
projection of Zone 5.
Drill hole AR21-0175, which is sized HQ3 (63.5 mm diameter), was
drilled as part of the 2021 geotechnical program. This hole, as
seen in Figure 3, was designed to test the northeast pit's
wall stability. The intercept from 71.93 meters to 96.87 meters is
interpreted to be the continuation of Zone 4 and 3. This intercept
currently sits outside of the Arctic feasibility study pit and is
also outside of the current mineral resource boundary. The
mineralization at AR21-0175 is projected to continue for another 60
meters laterally to the surface.
Within the Arctic deposit, mineralization occurs as stratiform
semi-massive sulphide to massive sulphide beds within primarily
graphitic chlorite schists and fine-grained quartz schists. The
sulphide beds average 4 meters in thickness but vary from less than
1 meter up to as much as 18 meters in thickness.
QA/QC Program
The drilling program, sampling and assaying protocol, and data
verification were managed by qualified persons (QPs) employed by
Ambler Metals. The diamond drill holes were completed using PQ3 or
HQ3 diameter core, and recoveries averaged 95%. Drill core was cut
lengthwise into halves using a diamond saw, and one-half was cut
lengthwise to provide quarter core for sampling. The remainder of
the core was retained in core trays and archived at site.
Samples were collected through mineralized zones using a
0.45 m minimum length and
3.07 m maximum length; average sample
length is 1.47 m. Weights of the
drill core samples range from 0.57 to 17.86 kg, depending on the
size of core, rock type, and recovery.
Each core sample was placed into a bag with a numbered tag and
quality control samples were inserted between core samples using
the same numbering sequence. Then, samples were grouped into
batches for shipping and laboratory submissions. Each batch of 20
samples contains three quality control (QC) samples that comprise
one certified reference material (CRM), one core blank (BLK), and
one core or crushed duplicate (DUP). Chain of custody records are
maintained for sample shipments and the custody is transferred from
Ambler Metals expeditor to the laboratory upon delivery.
Samples were shipped to ALS Minerals laboratory in Fairbanks, Alaska, USA, for sample
preparation. ALS Minerals Fairbanks is a satellite sample
preparation facility accredited under ALS Minerals. After
preparation at ALS Minerals Fairbanks, split pulp samples were
shipped to ALS Minerals in North
Vancouver, B.C., Canada,
for assaying. ALS Minerals North Vancouver is an independent
laboratory certified under ISO 9001:2008 and accredited under
ISO/IEC 17025:2005 by the Standards Council of Canada. ALS Minerals includes its own internal
quality control samples comprising certified reference materials,
blanks, and pulp duplicates.
Drill core samples were weighed (WEI-21), dried if excessively
wet (DRY-21), coarse jaw crushed to 70% passing 6 mm (CRU-21), fine
jaw crushed to 70% passing 2 mm (CRU-31), riffle split to 250 g
subsamples (SPL-21) and pulverized to 85% passing 75 μm (PUL-31).
Crushed duplicates were created by riffle splitting crushed samples
into two parts.
Gold analyses were completed using a 30 g lead fire assay and
AAS finish (Au-AA23). Multi-element analyses for 48 elements were
completed using a geochemical four acid digestion and ICP-ES/MS
finish (ME-MS61). Over-range assays for Ag, Cu, Zn, and S were
completed using an ore grade four-acid digestion and ICP-ES finish
(ME-OG62). Additional analyses were completed for Ba and Hg.
Au, Ag, Cu, Pb, and Zn assays for QC samples were reviewed to
ensure that CRMs are within tolerance limits specified on supplier
certificates, BLKs are below acceptable thresholds, and DUPs
display statistical patterns normally expected for sample types,
methods, and elements. CRMs that returned assays outside of
tolerance limits and BLKs with assays above thresholds were deemed
to have failed. Sample batches containing failed QC samples were
re-assayed to ensure that the QC samples returned acceptable
results before release. All QC monitoring data are reviewed and
signed off by an independent QAQC geologist.
There is no known relationship between core sample recoveries
and assay grades. Ambler Metals will submit 5% of the assay
intervals from prospective lithologies to a laboratory independent
of ALS Minerals for check assaying.
Qualified Persons
Richard Gosse, P.Geo., Vice
President Exploration for Trilogy, is a Qualified Person as defined
by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Gosse has reviewed the
scientific and technical information in this news release and
approves the disclosure contained herein.
About Trilogy Metals
Trilogy Metals Inc. is a metal exploration and development
company which holds a 50 percent interest in Ambler Metals LLC
which has a 100 percent interest in the Upper Kobuk Mineral
Projects ("UKMP") in Northwestern
Alaska. On December 19, 2019,
South32, a globally diversified mining and metals company,
exercised its option to form a 50/50 joint venture with Trilogy.
The UKMP is located within the Ambler Mining District which is one
of the richest and most-prospective known copper-dominant districts
located in one of the safest geopolitical jurisdictions in the
world. It hosts world-class polymetallic volcanogenic massive
sulphide ("VMS") deposits that contain copper, zinc, lead, gold and
silver, and carbonate replacement deposits which have been found to
host high-grade copper and cobalt mineralization. Exploration
efforts have been focused on two deposits in the Ambler Mining
District – the Arctic VMS deposit and the Bornite carbonate
replacement deposit. Both deposits are located within a land
package that spans approximately 172,636 hectares. Ambler Metals
has an agreement with NANA Regional Corporation, Inc., an Alaska
Native Corporation that provides a framework for the exploration
and potential development of the Ambler Mining District in
cooperation with local communities. Trilogy's vision is to develop
the Ambler Mining District into a premier North American copper
producer.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements
This press release includes certain "forward-looking
information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively
"forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable
Canadian and United States
securities legislation including the United States Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other
than statements of historical fact, included herein, including,
without limitation, statements relating to interpretation of drill
results; our beliefs regarding the potential of the Arctic Project;
our expectations regarding de-risking of the Arctic Project; are
forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are
frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects",
"anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "potential",
"possible", and similar expressions, or statements that events,
conditions, or results "will", "may", "could", or "should" occur or
be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve various risks and
uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will
prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could
differ materially from those anticipated in such statements.
Important factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from the Company's expectations include the
uncertainties involving impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; success of
exploration activities, permitting timelines, requirements for
additional capital, government regulation of mining operations,
environmental risks, prices for energy inputs, labour, materials,
supplies and services, uncertainties involved in the interpretation
of drilling results and geological tests, unexpected cost increases
and other risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Company's Annual
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended November 30, 2020 filed with Canadian securities
regulatory authorities and with the United States Securities and
Exchange Commission and in other Company reports and documents
filed with applicable securities regulatory authorities from time
to time. The Company's forward-looking statements reflect the
beliefs, opinions, and projections on the date the statements are
made. The Company assumes no obligation to update the
forward-looking statements or beliefs, opinions, projections, or
other factors, should they change, except as required by
law.
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SOURCE Trilogy Metals Inc.