HALIFAX,
NS, Oct. 8, 2024 /CNW/ - Fortune Bay Corp.
(TSXV: FOR) (FSE: 5QN) (OTCQX: FTBYF) ("Fortune Bay" or the
"Company") is pleased to report high-grade uranium assays in the
first batch of analytical results from its 2024 exploration
drilling program on the Murmac Uranium Project ("Murmac" or the
"Project"), located in northern Saskatchewan near Uranium City. The drilling program was funded
by Aero Energy Limited (TSXV: AERO) (OTC Pink: AAUGF) (FSE: 13L0)
("Aero") under an Option Agreement.
The drilling program was designed to test regional targets
across the Project's extensive Armbruster, Howland and Pitchvein
Conductor Corridors, which have a combined strike length of
approximately 30 kilometers.
Shallow, elevated concentrations of uranium occurring in
structured graphitic rocks were confirmed in all four drill holes
for which analytical results are available, including results of
13.80% U3O8 and 4.54%
U3O8 from individual assay samples.
Highlights:
- High-Grade: 8.40
m at 0.30% U3O8 including
1.20 m at 1.79 %
U3O8, with individual assays up to
13.80% U3O8 and 4.54%
U3O8 over 0.10
m in drill hole M24-017.
- Shallow: High-grade mineralization (>1%
U3O8) in M24-017 intersected at only 64
metres below surface.
- Right Rock Types: Mineralization was intersected
within strongly graphitic and structured rocks, the favored hosts
for Athabasca Basin high-grade
deposits.
- More Drilling Warranted: Fortune Bay and Aero are
planning for a winter drill program to follow-up these results and
test additional priority targets.
Gareth Garlick, Technical
Director for Fortune Bay, commented "We are very pleased to see
assay results confirm shallow, high-grades of uranium from this
limited reconnaissance drill program. This undoubtably confirms our
exploration thesis that the untested graphitic horizons across this
area are highly prospective."
Dale Verran, CEO for Fortune Bay,
added "There is tremendous potential to realize a meaningful
discovery at Murmac through the follow-up of these results and the
testing of numerous other priority targets. We look forward to
working with Aero Energy to plan a winter drilling
program."
Assay Results
A total of eight drill holes (1,685
m) were completed at Murmac during June and July 2024, testing compelling geophysical
signatures and favorable geological/structural settings as
documented in a News Release dated June 4,
2024. The completed drill holes encountered highly favorable
geological settings for high-grade basement-hosted deposits
associated with the Athabasca
Basin, along with anomalous radioactivity (see News Release dated
July 24, 2024) interpreted to be
associated with uranium mineralization. A total of 149 samples were
collected to confirm this and to characterize geochemical
associations. All samples were submitted to the Saskatchewan
Research Council Geoanalytical Laboratories in Saskatoon, SK, Canada for processing. Results for the first
sample batch of 98 samples (from holes M24-016A to M24-019,
inclusive) are available and are included in this news release.
Results for the remaining 49 samples are pending.
Anomalous uranium (>100 ppm) was encountered in each of the
four drill holes for which results are available. Drill hole assay
results are provided in Table 1 and discussed below. Figure 1 shows
drill hole locations, including assay highlights. A full
geochemical interpretation will be carried out when all results are
available.
Table 1: Summary of anomalous (>100 ppm) uranium
intersections from first batch of analytical results.
Hole
ID
|
From
(m)
|
To
(m)
|
Length
(m)
|
U
(ppm)
|
U3O8 (%)
|
M24-016A
|
|
93.50
|
93.65
|
0.15
|
105
|
0.01
|
|
235.65
|
235.80
|
0.15
|
118
|
0.01
|
M24-017
|
|
84.20
|
92.60
|
8.40
|
2,571
|
0.30
|
incl.
|
86.10
|
87.30
|
1.20
|
15,224
|
1.79
|
incl.
|
86.10
|
86.20
|
0.10
|
108,000
|
13.80
|
and
|
86.20
|
86.30
|
0.10
|
37,200
|
4.54
|
incl.
|
92.00
|
92.20
|
0.20
|
9,450
|
1.20
|
|
126.80
|
127.20
|
0.40
|
104
|
0.01
|
M24-018
|
|
139.55
|
139.95
|
0.40
|
227
|
0.03
|
|
141.85
|
142.05
|
0.20
|
142
|
0.02
|
M24-019
|
|
101.00
|
101.10
|
0.10
|
985
|
0.12
|
Notes:
|
•
|
Uranium concentration
in parts per million ("ppm") are shown as determined through
partial digest ICP–OES or ICP-MS analysis on all samples, as
described in the technical disclosure below.
|
•
|
Uranium content as
weight % U3O8 was determined for samples with
> 1,000 ppm U through digestion in a concentration of
HCl:HNO3, and ICP-OES analysis. For samples < 1,000
ppm U, the weight % U3O8 was calculated
empirically from the U ppm value.
|
•
|
Composited intervals
are provided as length-weighted averages.
|
•
|
True thicknesses of the
drill core intersections are yet to be determined.
|
•
|
Further drill hole
details are provided in the News Release dated July 24,
2024.
|
M24-016A:
- Located approximately 100 m
northeast of positive results in Fortune Bay's 2022 drill holes
M22-013 and M22-014, and 175 m
southwest of positive historical results from SMDC drilling that
included 1.01% U3O8 over 2.0 m (CKI-9) and 2.19%
U3O8 over 0.5 m
(CKI-10).
- Intersected two anomalous intervals of 105 ppm U and 118 ppm U,
each over 0.15 m, from 93.50 to
93.65 m and from 235.65 to
235.80 m down hole,
respectively.
M24-017:
- Tested geophysical (EM and gravity) target H15 at the
intersection of an EM conductor and a property-scale mineralized
cross-fault beneath a shallow lake.
- Intersected 0.30% U3O8 over 8.40 m from 84.20 to 92.60
m (approximately 64 to 71 m
below surface), including 1.79% U3O8 over
1.20 m, with individual assays up to
13.80% and 4.54% U3O8 over 0.10 m.
- Mineralization occurs at the contact between a more competent,
highly altered hangingwall quartzite and an underlying structured
graphitic pelite, and is associated with elevated concentrations of
Pb, Ni, Co, As, Cu, V, Mo, Zn, Ag and Bi.
M24-018:
- Tested approximately 50 m
down-dip of M22-017 along the mineralized quartzite-graphite
contact zone.
- Shows down-dip continuity of anomalous uranium, intersecting
227 ppm U over 0.40 m from 139.55 to
139.95 m, and 142 ppm U over
0.20 m from 141.85 to 142.05 m.
M24-019:
- Approximate 50 metre step-out along strike to the northeast
from M22-017.
- Anomalous uranium was hosted in strongly graphitic pelite,
confirming presence of active mineralizing system along strike,
with up to 0.12% U3O8 over 0.10 m from 101.00 to 101.10 m.
August 2024 Private
Placement
On August 2, 2024, the Company completed a non-brokered
private placement financing of $600,000 by issuing 2,727,272 units at a price of
$0.22 per unit. A director of the
Company subscribed for 1,000,000 of the units issued for this
financing. The participation by the director constituted a
"related party transaction" within the meaning of Multilateral
Instrument 61-101 – Protection of Minority Security Holders in
Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company relied upon the
exemptions from the formal valuation and minority shareholder
approval requirements pursuant to sections 5.5(a) and (b), and
5.7(1)(a), respectively, of MI 61-101 on the basis that neither the
fair market value of the subject matter of, nor the fair market
value of the consideration for, the transaction insofar as it
involves interested parties (within the meaning of MI 61-101) in
the financing exceeds 25% of the Company's market capitalization
calculated in accordance with MI 61-101, and on the basis that no
securities of the Company are listed or quoted on a stock exchange
as specified in MI 61-101.
Technical Disclosure
All drilling was carried out with NQ2 diameter core. The
oriented drill cores have been subjected to comprehensive logging
and sampling to characterize mineralization, alteration and
structure. Sample intervals ranged from 10 to 135 cm.
Half-split drill core samples were submitted to the Saskatchewan
Research Council ("SRC") Geoanalytical Laboratories (ISO/IEC
17025:2005 accredited) for uranium assay and multi-element
characterization. Samples are screened upon receipt by SRC, and
samples with significantly elevated radioactivity are identified
and separated out for the SRC "ICP1" multi-element uranium
exploration package, with an additional assay for
U3O8 in weight percentage where uranium
content exceeds a 1000 ppm threshold. Analysis of the remaining
samples was carried out through the SRC "ICP-MS2" basement
exploration package.
Sample preparation for all samples includes drying, jaw crushing
to 60% passing -2 mm, and pulverizing to 90% passing -106 microns.
The ICP1 package includes ICP-OES on a total digestion and ICP-MS
on a partial digestion, with U3O8 assay
carried out by partial digestion and analysis by ICP-OES. The
ICP-MS2 package consists of three separate analyses, including (1)
ICP-MS on a partial digestion, (2) ICP-OES for major and minor
elements on a total digestion and (3) and ICP-MS analysis for trace
elements on the total digestion. Partial digestions are performed
using HNO3:HCl. Total digestions are performed using a
mixture of concentrated HF:HNO3:HClO4.
Additional analysis for Boron content was obtained for all samples
through NaO2/NaCO3 fusion followed by
ICP-OES.
Fortune Bay included certified reference material ("CRM") blanks
and standards into the sample sequence, at a targeted rate of
approximate 1 per every 20 samples, as part of an internal QAQC
process. In addition to this, SRC includes various standards and
carried out repeat analyses for selected samples as part of their
laboratory QAQC procedure. All results were reviewed by Fortune Bay
and no significant issues were noted.
The historical drill results obtained by SMDC in drill holes
CKI-9 and CKI-10 can be found within the SMAD references 74N07-0310
and 74N07-0311 and have not been verified.
Qualified Person
The technical and scientific information in this news release
has been reviewed and approved by Gareth
Garlick, P.Geo., Technical Director of the Company, who is a
Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. Mr. Garlick is an
employee of Fortune Bay and is not independent of the Company under
NI 43-101.
About Fortune Bay
Fortune Bay Corp. (TSXV:FOR, FWB:5QN, OTCQB:FTBYF) is an
exploration and development company with 100% ownership in two
advanced gold exploration projects in Canada, Saskatchewan (Goldfields Project) and
Mexico, Chiapas (Ixhuatán Project), both with
exploration and development potential. The Company is also
advancing seven uranium exploration projects on the northern rim of
the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan, which have high-grade potential.
The Company has a goal of building a mid-tier exploration and
development Company through the advancement of its existing
projects and the strategic acquisition of new projects to create a
pipeline of growth opportunities. The Company's corporate strategy
is driven by a Board and Management team with a proven track record
of discovery, project development and value creation. Further
information on Fortune Bay and its assets can be found on the
Company's website at www.fortunebaycorp.com or by
contacting us as info@fortunebaycorp.com or by
telephone at 902-334-1919.
On behalf of Fortune Bay Corp.
"Dale Verran"
Chief Executive Officer
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking
Information
Information set forth in this news release contains
forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the
date of this news release. These statements reflect management's
current estimates, beliefs, intentions, and expectations. They are
not guarantees of future performance. Words such as "expects",
"aims", "anticipates", "targets", "goals", "projects", "intends",
"plans", "believes", "seeks", "estimates", "continues", "may",
variations of such words, and similar expressions and references to
future periods, are intended to identify such forward-looking
statements.
Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and
address future events and conditions, by their very nature they
involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements
are based on information currently available to the Company, the
Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet
management's expectations. Risks, uncertainties and other factors
involved with forward-looking information could cause actual
events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ
materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking
information. Forward looking information in this news release
includes, but is not limited to, the Company's objectives, goals,
intentions or future plans, statements, exploration results,
potential mineralization, timing of the commencement of operations
and estimates of market conditions. Factors that could cause actual
results to differ materially from such forward-looking information
include, but are not limited to failure to identify targets or
mineralization, delays in obtaining or failures to obtain required
governmental, environmental or other project approvals, political
risks, inability to fulfill the duty to accommodate First Nations
and other indigenous peoples, inability to reach access agreements
with other Project communities, amendments to applicable mining
laws, uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of
financing or partnerships needed in the future, changes in equity
markets, inflation, changes in exchange rates, fluctuations in
commodity prices, delays in the development of projects, capital
and operating costs varying significantly from estimates and the
other risks involved in the mineral exploration and development
industry, and those risks set out in the Company's public documents
filed on SEDAR+. Although the Company believes that the assumptions
and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in
this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be
placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of
this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events
will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. The Company
disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any
forward-looking information, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by
law. For more information on Fortune Bay, readers should refer to
Fortune Bay's website at www.fortunebaycorp.com.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services
Provider (as that term is defined in policies of TSX Venture
Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of
this release.
SOURCE Fortune Bay Corp.