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Epworth Project:
Assays received from 376 rock grab samples and 39 lake sediment samples
First payment received from a total C$3.46 million allocated to Aston Bay with no use of proceeds restriction
Aston Bay Holdings Ltd. (TSXV:BAY)(OTCQB:ATBHF) ("Aston Bay" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has received the initial US$1 million (C$1.38 million1) in funding as part of an agreement with the Company's joint venture partner American West Metals Limited ("American West") and TMRF Canada Inc., a subsidiary of Taurus Mining Royalty Fund L.P. ("Taurus"), whereby Taurus will provide funding of up to US$12.5 million (C$17.3 million[1]) under a royalty package for the Storm Copper Project
Aston Bay and American West have formed a 20/80 unincorporated joint venture in respect of the Storm Project property, with Aston Bay maintaining a free carried interest until a decision to mine upon completion of a bankable feasibility study. Aston Bay will be allocated 20% of the funding from the royalty package (C$3.46 million[1]) with no use of proceeds restriction.
Highlights
- The first payment of US$5m (C$6.9m1) under the royalty package has been advanced to American West and Aston Bay
- Further payments to the royalty package are:
- US$3.5m (C$4.9m1) upon delivery of a Prefeasibility Study (PFS) for Storm and submission of permitting documents for development at Storm
- US$4m (C$5.5m1) upon announcement of an increase in the JORC-compliant resource for Storm to at least 400,000 tonnes of contained copper at a resource grade of at least 1.00% Cu
- Funding under the royalty package will be allocated to American West and Aston Bay in accordance with their respective interests under the unincorporated joint venture for Storm, being 80% for American West and 20% for Aston Bay
- There is no use of funds restriction for Aston Bay, providing a non-dilutive source of funds to advance the Company's other projects and contribute to Aston Bay's robust balance sheet
- The funding has enabled an expansion of the exploration and development activities conducted by American West at Storm, including:
- Expansion of the 2024 drill program, which will underpin a maiden resource currently being constructed to Canadian Institute of Mining standards, as well as a significant anticipated upgrade to the American West's JORC-compliant estimate
- An investment in the 2025 field activities with bulk supplies being delivered to site by ship charter - saving approximately C$4 million on the potential logistics costs for the 2025 program
- Completion of environmental, mining and development studies - including detailed testwork that supports the potential for a direct shipping operation - which will support the delivery of a PFS anticipated in early 2025
[1] Based on USD:CAD exchange rate of 1:1.3838.
Thomas Ullrich, Chief Executive Officer of Aston Bay,commented:
"We are very pleased with the efforts of our partner American West and with this investment in Storm by Taurus. The recognition of the value of the Storm Project by such a well-respected international mining royalty company is a strong endorsement of the potential of the Project.
"The royalty financing provides significant funding and is structured to promote the rapid advancement of the Storm Copper Project. American West continues to actively advance the Project, with goals set to achieve the remaining two milestones in the royalty funding agreement within the next six to twelve months.
"This could bring an additional C$2 million to Aston Bay for a potential total of C$3.46 million non-dilutive funds to advance our other critical minerals and gold exploration projects."
For further details on the royalty package under the Taurus arrangement, see Aston Bay's June 24, 2024 news release.
About Aston Bay Holdings
Aston Bay is a publicly traded mineral exploration company exploring high-grade critical and precious metal deposits in Nunavut, Canada and Virginia, USA.
The Company is currently exploring the Storm Copper Property and Cu-Ag-Zn-Co Epworth Property in Nunavut. The Company is also in advanced stages of negotiation on other lands with high-grade critical and precious metals potential in North America.
The Company and its joint venture partners, American West Metals Limited and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Tornado Metals Ltd. (collectively, "American West"), have formed a 20/80 unincorporated joint venture in respect of the Storm Project property, which hosts the Storm Copper Project and the Seal Zinc Deposit. Under the unincorporated joint venture, Aston Bay shall have a free carried interest until American West has made a decision to mine upon completion of a bankable feasibility study, meaning American West will be solely responsible for funding the joint venture until such decision is made. After such decision is made, Aston Bay will be diluted in the event it does not elect to contribute its proportionate share and its interest in the Storm Project property will be converted into a 2% net smelter returns royalty if its interest is diluted to below 10%.
About American West Metals Limited
AMERICAN WEST METALS LIMITED (ASX:AW1) is an Australian clean energy mining company focused on growth through the discovery and development of major base metal mineral deposits in Tier 1 jurisdictions of North America. The company's strategy is focused on developing mines that have a low-footprint and support the global energy transformation. AW1's portfolio of copper and zinc projects in Utah and Canada include significant existing resource inventories and high-grade mineralization that can generate robust mining proposals. Core to AW1's approach is a commitment to the ethical extraction and processing of minerals and making a meaningful contribution to the communities where its projects are located.
Led by a highly experienced leadership team, AW1's strategic initiatives lay the foundation for a sustainable business which aims to deliver high-multiplier returns on shareholder investment and economic benefits to all stakeholders.
For further information on American West, visit: www.americanwestmetals.com.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Statements made in this news release, including those regarding entering into the joint venture and each party's interest in the Project pursuant to the agreement in respect of the joint venture, management objectives, forecasts, estimates, expectations, or predictions of the future may constitute "forward-looking statement", which can be identified by the use of conditional or future tenses or by the use of such verbs as "believe", "expect", "may", "will", "should", "estimate", "anticipate", "project", "plan", and words of similar import, including variations thereof and negative forms. This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect, as of the date of this press release, Aston Bay's expectations, estimates and projections about its operations, the mining industry and the economic environment in which it operates. Statements in this press release that are not supported by historical fact are forward-looking statements, meaning they involve risk, uncertainty and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although Aston Bay believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements, which apply only at the time of writing of this press release. Aston Bay disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by securities legislation.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
For more information contact:
Thomas Ullrich, Chief Executive Officer
thomas.ullrich@astonbayholdings.com
(416) 456-3516
Sofia Harquail, IR and Corporate Development
sofia.harquail@astonbayholdings.com
(647) 821-1337
SOURCE: Aston Bay Holdings Ltd.
View the original press release on accesswire.com
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Preliminary data from property-wide MobileMT geophysical survey results received and undergoing additional processing
Interpretation and compilation with surface mapping studies are underway for a January 2025 release
Storm Project:
22,475 metres ("m") of drilling completed in 153 drill holes
Work is nearly complete for the maiden resource constructed to Canadian Institute of Mining standards for a January 2025 release
Work continues with partner American West to advance mining and economic studies for a potential low-cost development.
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / December 16, 2024 / Aston Bay Holdings Ltd. (TSXV:BAY)(OTCQB:ATBHF) ("Aston Bay" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on its Epworth Project ("Epworth") and the 2024 drilling and regional exploration activities at the Storm Copper Project ("Storm") in Nunavut.
Thomas Ullrich, Chief Executive Officer of Aston Bay,commented:
"It has been a successful year of exploration at both our Storm and Epworth Projects in Nunavut.
"At Storm, 22,475m of drilling was completed, exceeding expectations. Assay results demonstrated consistent copper grades, highlighting the excellent lateral continuity of the high-grade mineralization within the known zones and defining new discoveries and prospective areas. Work is well advanced on the maiden resource for Storm and the development study work. Reports on both fronts are expected in early 2025.
"At Epworth, we are impressed with the preliminary look at the property-wide MobileMT geophysical survey results and rock and lake sediment survey results. We are processing the geophysical results further and look forward to presenting a comprehensive compilation with the mapping and sampling results in January."
Epworth Project
A prospecting, rock sampling, and geological mapping program was conducted in 2024, including structural and stratigraphic studies by Dr. Elizabeth Turner. Nine claims totalling an additional 11,900 hectares ("ha") (119 square kilometres ("km2")) were added to the claims package, now totalling 89,000 ha (890 km2)
An 8,105 line-km airborne MobileMT survey covering the claim block commenced in late August and was completed in late September. Compilation of the assay results and additional geophysical data processing are underway. When all results are received, they will be integrated with historic work and released with a new interpretation in the New Year.
Storm Project
A total of 22,475m of drilling was conducted in 153 drill holes (19,879m in 138 Reverse Circulation ("RC") holes and 2,596m in 15 diamond drill holes) during the 2024 season. Assay results demonstrated consistent copper grades, highlighting the excellent lateral continuity of the high-grade mineralization within the known zones and defining new discoveries and prospective areas. Work is well advanced on a maiden resource constructed to Canadian Institute of Mining standards for a January 2025 release.
In addition to the drill hole results previously released, several scout holes were drilled to assist in interpreting the geologic framework in the Storm area. Results from these drill holes, the final results of the 2024 program, are presented below.
Figure 1: Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling underway in the Storm area, Nunavut, Canada.
Stratigraphic and Reconnaissance Drilling
RC drill holes SR24-028, SR24-029, SR24-046, SR24-048, SR24-050, SR24-056, SR24-058, SR24-060, SR24-064, SR24-066, SR24-094, SR24-096, SR24-104, SR24-110, SR24-136 were completed within the Storm area during the 2024 drilling program (Figure 2). The drill holes were designed to assist with interpreting the stratigraphy and geological framework in several key areas. The drill holes were also used to help validate and assess the effectiveness of the geophysical surveys in the Storm area.
Drill holes SR24-046, SR24-050, SR24-060, and SR24-136 intersected minor, vein-hosted copper sulphides (Table 2).
The data from the drill holes has improved the geological understanding of the Storm Graben area and helped refine the geological model for the updated Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) of the Storm Project.
Figure 2: Reverse Circulation (RC) drill hole locations covered in this report, overlaying copper deposit outlines, major faults, and topography.
Squall Drilling
RC drill holes SR24-108 and SR24-135 were also completed at the newly discovered Squall Prospect.
The holes were designed to test high-priority EM anomaly A3, which is visible in the data from both the 200m and 400m loop EM surveys (Figure 3). The coincident data suggested that the target may be located at a depth which crossed the designed detection ranges of the two surveys.
Drill hole SR24-108 achieved the maximum achievable depth of 182.9m downhole, limited by available drill rods. The drill hole is interpreted to have hit the eastern edge of the EM anomaly and intersected breccias and vein-hosted chalcocite assaying 2.4% Cu, 5g/t Ag in the last sampling interval of the hole (181.4 - 182.9m).
Follow-up drill hole SR24-135 was drilled to the east of SR24-108 and intersected 1.5m @ 0.5% Cu, 3g/t Ag from 163.07m downhole.
The EM anomaly and copper mineralization is interpreted to be related to a north-south orientated structure centred on drill hole SR24-108. This feature remains open, and future drilling will test the prospect to the north and south of the current drilling.
Figure 3: 400m loop MLEM image (CH20BZ) overlaying drilling and the geological and structural interpretation of the Storm area. The MLEM anomalies discussed in this report are labelled A1- A5.
Update on previously released drilling
The first drill hole of the 2024 season, SR24-001, was drilled approximately 500m north of the Cyclone Deposit and was designed to test a Fixed Loop Electromagnetic (FLEM) target defined during exploration in 2022. The interpretation of the FLEM data suggested that the source of the anomaly could be located at depth but was weakly defined.
SR24-001 was drilled to a maximum achievable depth of 251.5m (limit of RC drill rods), encountering no copper sulphides or other lithologies that could confirm or explain the source of FLEM anomaly. The drill hole encountered weak pyrite (iron sulphides) mineralization at 125m and minor clay layers, but they were not in sufficient abundance to explain the EM response.
The 2024 Moving Loop EM (MLEM) survey was extended into the area to validate the FLEM anomaly but did not did not highlight any significant anomalies. The MLEM survey was optimized to search for conductive bodies between 0-250m depth, suggesting that the FLEM anomaly may be located at a deeper level.
Exploration drill hole SR24-005 was drilled to 251.5m and was designed to test an Induced Polarisation (IP) anomaly and stratigraphic section within the central graben area of Storm.
SR24-005 encountered a thick sequence of pyrite mineralization between 58m and 204m and is the likely source of IP anomalism in this area. The drill hole did not intersect the prospective copper horizon, which is interpreted to be below the extent of the drill hole and deeper than 250m in vertical depth.
Hole ID | Prospect | Easting | Northing | RL | Depth (m) | Azi | Inclination |
SR24-001 | Expl. | 465403 | 8174839 | 308 | 251.5 | 180 | -75 |
SR24-005 | Graben | 464200 | 8173324 | 259 | 251.5 | 180 | -75 |
SR24-028 | Expl. | 465867 | 8174040 | 281 | 140.2 | 180 | -65 |
SR24-029 | Expl. | 465900 | 8174500 | 294 | 251.4 | 180 | -65 |
SR24-046 | Thunder W | 464686 | 8172873 | 253 | 199.6 | 0.3 | -60 |
SR24-048 | Thunder W | 464803 | 8172870 | 252 | 199.6 | 0.1 | -60.1 |
SR24-050 | Chinook W | 465862 | 8172885 | 245 | 150.9 | 359.6 | -60.3 |
SR24-056 | Corona E | 466834 | 8172386 | 244 | 150.9 | 0.2 | -60.1 |
SR24-058 | Corona E | 467248 | 8172395 | 245 | 167.6 | 180 | -60.4 |
SR24-060 | Corona E | 466996 | 8172490 | 251 | 141.7 | 200.49 | -60.3 |
SR24-064 | Cirrus E | 462948 | 8173743 | 223 | 150.9 | 210.41 | -60.2 |
SR24-066 | Cirrus E | 462861 | 8173793 | 218 | 150.9 | 210 | -60.2 |
SR24-094 | Chinook W | 465884 | 8172982 | 250 | 199.6 | 215.64 | -60.2 |
SR24-096 | Chinook W | 465828 | 8172789 | 242 | 129.5 | 180.05 | -60 |
SR24-104 | Expl. | 463100 | 8173180 | 213 | 274.3 | 360 | -85 |
SR24-108 | Squall | 464828 | 8172642 | 245 | 182.9 | 180 | -60 |
SR24-110 | Expl. | 464924 | 8171800 | 184 | 182.9 | 206 | -80 |
SR24-135 | Squall | 464779 | 8172593 | 240 | 230.1 | 180 | -75 |
SR24-136 | Expl. | 462798 | 8174973 | 277 | 199.6 | 180 | -70 |
Table 1: Details for the 2024 drill holes in this report.
Hole ID | From (m) | To (m) | Width | Cu % | Zn % | Ag g/t |
SR24-001 | NSI | |||||
SR24-005 | NSI | |||||
SR24-028 | NSI | |||||
SR24-029 | NSI | |||||
SR24-046 | 0.00 | 1.52 | 1.52 | 0.36 | - | 1 |
| 9.14 | 12.19 | 3.05 | 0.49 | - | 1.5 |
SR24-048 | NSI | |||||
SR24-050 | 106.68 | 108.2 | 1.52 | 0.46 | - | 1 |
SR24-056 | NSI | |||||
SR24-058 | NSI | |||||
SR24-060 | 13.72 | 15.24 | 1.52 | 0.3 | - | 1 |
SR24-064 | NSI | |||||
SR24-066 | NSI | |||||
SR24-094 | NSI | |||||
SR24-096 | NSI | |||||
SR24-104 | NSI | |||||
SR24-108 | 181.36 | 182.88 | 1.52 | 2.4 | - | 5 |
SR24-110 | NSI | |||||
SR24-135 | 163.07 | 164.59 | 1.52 | 0.5 | - | 3 |
SR24-136 | 38.10 | 39.62 | 1.52 | 0.4 | - | 2 |
Table 2: Significant interval table for the drill holes in this report (>0.2% Cu). For the 2024 exploration drill holes where no copper sulphides were intersected (none detected visually and confirmed with portable XRF), no assay analyses were conducted. (NSI = No Significant Interval.)
Details of the delineation drilling and exploration drill holes for the 2024 Storm program are available at https://astonbayholdings.com/news/2024-storm-drill-hole-details/.
Qualified Person
Michael Dufresne, M.Sc., P.Geol., P.Geo., is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this press release.
QA/QC Protocols
The analytical work reported herein was performed by ALS Global ("ALS"), Vancouver, Canada. ALS is an ISO-IEC 17025:2017 and ISO 9001:2015 accredited geoanalytical laboratory and is independent of Aston Bay Holdings Ltd., American West Metals Limited, and the QP.
Samples were subject to 33-element geochemistry by four-acid digestion and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) to determine concentrations of copper, silver, lead, zinc, and other elements (ALS Method ME-ICP61a).
Aston Bay Holdings Ltd. and American West Metals Limited followed industry standard procedures for the work carried out on the Storm Project, incorporating a quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) program. Blank, duplicate, and standard samples were inserted into the sample sequence and sent to the laboratory for analysis. No significant QA/QC issues were detected during the review of the data. Aston Bay Holdings Ltd. and American West Metals Limited are not aware of any drilling, sampling, recovery, or other factors that could materially affect the accuracy or reliability of the data referred to herein.
*Stated drill hole intersections are all core length and true width is expected to be 60% to 100% of core length.
Agreement with Epstein Research
The Company has entered into an advertisement services agreement with Peter Epstein ("Epstein Research") to increase investor engagement and create more awareness for the Company, starting on October 1, 2024. Epstein Research's engagement is for an initial term of six (6) months and is subject to renewal or cancellation in accordance with its terms (the "Term"). Epstein Research operates from New York, New York, and provides promotional services, including social media and online advertising of the Company posted on Epstein Research homepage, CEO.ca, Substack, and Linked-In; monthly written articles on the Company and/or CEO interviews written exclusively by Peter Epstein; and frequent online commentary on the Company on websites including CEO.ca, Stockhouse, TalkMarkets, LinkedIn, Twitter/X, Yahoo Finance, Facebook, StockTwits.
The Company has paid Epstein Research an amount of US$15,000 for the Term for these services. There are no common shares or options to be received as compensation in the service agreement. In addition, Epstein Research is an unrelated and unaffiliated entity in respect of the Corporation and, at the time of the agreement, Mr. Epstein owns securities of the Company purchased on the open market.
About Aston Bay Holdings
Aston Bay is a publicly traded mineral exploration company exploring for high-grade critical and precious metal deposits in Nunavut, Canada and Virginia, USA.
The Company is currently exploring the Storm Copper Property and Cu-Ag-Zn-Co Epworth Property in Nunavut, as well as the high-grade Buckingham Gold Vein in central Virginia. The Company is also in advanced stages of negotiation on other lands with high-grade critical metals potential in North America
The Company and its joint venture partners, American West Metals Limited and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Tornado Metals Ltd. (collectively, "American West"), have formed a 20/80 unincorporated joint venture in respect of the Storm Project property, which hosts the Storm Copper Project and the Seal Zinc Deposit. Under the unincorporated joint venture, Aston Bay shall have a free carried interest until American West has made a decision to mine upon completion of a bankable feasibility study, meaning American West will be solely responsible for funding the joint venture until such decision is made. After such decision is made, Aston Bay will be diluted in the event it does not elect to contribute its proportionate share and its interest in the Storm Project property will be converted into a 2% net smelter returns royalty if its interest is diluted to below 10%.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Statements made in this news release, including those regarding entering into the joint venture and each party's interest in the Project pursuant to the agreement in respect of the joint venture, management objectives, forecasts, estimates, expectations, or predictions of the future may constitute "forward-looking statement", which can be identified by the use of conditional or future tenses or by the use of such verbs as "believe", "expect", "may", "will", "should", "estimate", "anticipate", "project", "plan", and words of similar import, including variations thereof and negative forms. This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect, as of the date of this press release, Aston Bay's expectations, estimates and projections about its operations, the mining industry and the economic environment in which it operates. Statements in this press release that are not supported by historical fact are forward-looking statements, meaning they involve risk, uncertainty and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although Aston Bay believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements, which apply only at the time of writing of this press release. Aston Bay disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by securities legislation.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
For more information contact:
Thomas Ullrich, Chief Executive Officer
thomas.ullrich@astonbayholdings.com
(416) 456-3516
Sofia Harquail, IR and Corporate Development
sofia.harquail@astonbayholdings.com
(647) 821-1337
SOURCE: Aston Bay Holdings Ltd.
View the original press release on accesswire.com
News Provided by ACCESSWIRE via QuoteMedia
Aston Bay and American West Metals Report Multiple New Copper Targets Along the 110km-long Copper Belt at the Storm Project, Nunavut, Canada
Drilling, soil geochemistry and electromagnetics continue to highlight large-scale regional exploration potential
Seabreeze Prospect:
Greenfield exploration has defined a new base metal prospect at the far northwestern extent of the 110 kilometre ("km") long copper belt - this new area is named ‘Seabreeze' and covers an area of approximately 10 km x 2 km
Ground gravity survey at Seabreeze has identified dense features within the prospective Allen Bay Formation - the same stratigraphic host to the Storm copper deposits
Hailstorm Prospect:
Geological mapping and rock sampling have discovered chalcocite gossans grading >50% copper ("Cu") within an unexplored area at Storm to the south of the Southern Graben - now named ‘Hailstorm'
Follow-up geochemical sampling has defined a 250 m x 250 m copper anomaly along a major fault
The geological setting is identical to that of the near-surface, high-grade copper deposits at Chinook, Thunder, Lightning Ridge, and Corona
Tornado Prospect:
Deep searching Moving Loop Electromagnetics ("MLEM") has defined new conductors below the limit of current drilling at Tornado, 5 km along strike from the known Storm deposits
All Reverse Circulation ("RC") drill holes have intersected anomalous copper, silver, and zinc in favourable geological locations, confirming the Storm mineralization model at Tornado and providing compelling targets for follow-up drilling
Tempest Prospect:
Reconnaissance drilling at Tempest - located 40 km south of the known Storm copper deposits - has intersected anomalous copper, zinc, and silver within Storm-style stratigraphy
The area is defined by a 4km-long zone of gossans, grading up to 38.2% Cu and 30.8% Zinc ("Zn"), confirming Tempest as a high-priority prospect for follow-up drilling
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / November 25, 2024 / Aston Bay Holdings Ltd. (TSXV:BAY)(OTCQB:ATBHF) ("Aston Bay" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on the 2024 drilling and regional exploration activities at the Storm Copper Project ("Storm" or the "Project") on Somerset Island, Nunavut. The exploration program is being conducted by American West Metals Limited ("American West"), the Project operator. Aston Bay and American West have formed a 20/80 unincorporated joint venture with respect to the Storm Project property, with Aston Bay maintaining a free carried interest until a decision to mine is made upon completion of a bankable feasibility study.
Thomas Ullrich, Chief Executive Officer of Aston Bay,commented:
"Greenfields regional exploration continues to deliver discoveries at Storm. In addition to the successful delineation drilling program this year, the geological team has discovered two new zones with copper, zinc and silver mineralization, reinforcing the belt-wide prospectivity of this 110 km-long trend. The successful prospecting, geophysics, geochemistry and drilling programs all point to the untapped potential for more copper at Storm, and we look forward to testing these new discoveries while advancing the known deposits toward development.
"Work is advancing well on the maiden resource for Storm as well as the development study work with news expected over the coming months."
Figure 1: Copper gossan from the Hailstorm Prospect. This is massive chalcocite (copper sulfide), yielding >50% Cu (50% is the upper limit of the assay technique used).
Figure 2: Prospect location map of the Storm Project highlighting the main prospective copper and zinc stratigraphic horizons.
New copper prospects discovered
Seabreeze
Detailed mapping, geochemical and ground gravity surveys have been completed over the northwestern extent of the 110 km-long prospective copper horizon (Figure 2). This area contains extensive outcrops of Allen Bay Formation rocks, the primary host to the known copper deposits in the Storm area. These surveys were the first detailed exploration of the area, now named ‘Seabreeze.'
Mapping within the prospect area confirms a geological setting similar to that of the Storm deposits, which are approximately 40 km to the east. The mapping at Seabreeze has identified the prospective contact between the Cape Storm and Allen Bay Formations and several fault zones that are known controls of the copper mineralization at the Project.
Soil geochemical sampling was completed within two targeted grids, with 76 soil samples collected at an average 400 m x 400 m spacing (21 samples in the north and 55 in the south, respectively), depicted in Figure 3.
The assays show an anomalous copper signature spatially associated with the northwest-southeast structural trend within the Allen Bay Formation and confirm the prospectivity of the northwestern extent of the copper belt. The results now confirm the potential for further discoveries of copper and zinc along the entire 110 km strike of the belt.
The ground gravity survey was completed at a nominal 200m line- x 50m station-spaced grid over an area of 6 km2 across the contact with the Allen Bay and Cape Storm formations. The survey aimed to screen for dense bodies that may represent accumulations of mineralization and to delineate favourable lithology that may host mineralization.
The gravity survey yielded strong gravity anomalies, likely within the Allen Bay Formation. This association between higher densities and the prospective Allen Bay stratigraphy is observed in the Storm area and is significant at Seabreeze due to the proximity of the Seal zinc-silver deposit (see December 6, 2017, Aston Bay news release), located approximately 3 km to the south: base metal mineralization is typically zoned, with a copper mineralized central core surrounded by zinc mineralization on the periphery. Follow-up exploration at the Seabreeze Prospect will include detailed ground EM and an expansion of the gravity surveys.
Figure 3: Seabreeze prospect showing soil sample locations, copper geochemistry, and the gravity imagery (Bouguer anomaly - hotter colours indicate an increase in density), overlaying regional geology. Note the location of the contact between the Cape Storm and Allen Bay Formations, and proximity to the Seal zinc-silver deposit.
Hailstorm
Reconnaissance mapping and rock sampling in the southern graben area of Storm has discovered a new zone of copper gossans proximal to a major interpreted fault (Figure 2). Follow-up soil sampling identified a 250 m x 250 m copper anomaly located along the strike of the fault, suggesting structural control to the mineralization as is typical at Storm (Figure 4).
Massive chalcocite boulders sampled from the copper gossans returned grades up to 50% Cu (Figure 1 - 50% is the upper detection limit of the assay method used). Massive copper sulfides are commonly associated with large structures in the Southern Graben area, an identical geological setting to the known copper deposits to the north. This new area has been named ‘Hailstorm.'
Follow-up exploration at the Hailstorm Prospect will include RC drilling.
Figure 4: Map of the Southern Graben area showing the location of the Hailstorm Prospect and copper soil geochemistry in relation to the known copper deposits, overlaying aerial photography and major faults.
High-priority EM targets defined at Tornado
The Tornado Prospect is located 5 km along strike from the Storm deposits to the east (Figure 2). It is centred on an area with abundant chalcocite and malachite boulders within a 3.2 km x 1.5 km geochemical copper anomaly. The large copper anomaly shares the same linear trend as the main structural features of the Storm Graben. Most of the anomalous copper samples are located proximal to the interpreted Northern Graben Fault, which is a similar setting to that of the large and laterally extensive Cyclone Deposit.
Exploration at Tornado during 2024 included deep-searching MLEM surveys and RC drilling.
The MLEM survey was conducted over six lines incorporating 115 stations, using a 400 m line-spacing and 100 m station-spacing for a total of 10.9 linear km. The survey aimed to screen the area for high-grade copper sulfides (which are successfully defined by EM at Storm) and to aid in mapping the stratigraphy and structures that could potentially host copper sulfide mineralization.
The survey defined two strong anomalies located within the prospective Allen Bay Formation. The 3D modelling suggests that the EM anomalies may be flat lying and located deeper than the current limit of the recent RC drilling (>150 m vertical depth, Figure 5). The strong positive correlation between the recent MLEM surveys, historical VTEM surveys, and copper mineralization supports the interpretation of the structural setting and deep copper potential at Tornado.
Figure 5: Oblique section view of the drill line at the Tornado prospect looking WNW. The image shows MLEM image (CH18BZ) and geology (map view, top - warmer colours indicating higher conductivity) above 3D inversion shells from the 2011 VTEM survey (cross-section view, bottom - cooler colours indicating higher conductivity). The section location is illustrated in Figure 6.
Historical drill hole AB18-07 was drilled to a downhole depth of 300 m, intersecting brecciated Allen Bay Formation throughout the entire hole and logged visual copper oxide mineralization (0.5% abundance between 19.35 m and 21.2 m downhole). Further to the east, though not covered by the recent MLEM survey, historical drill hole AB18-01/01B also intersected disseminated and veinlet-hosted visual chalcocite between 88.9 m and 110.3 m downhole (0.5 - 1% in abundance). These drill holes have not been assayed.
Five drill holes were completed by the helicopter-portable RC drill, and all holes intersected the prospective Allen Bay Formation. Drill hole SR24-131 was collared in the Douro Formation of the central Tornado graben and only just intersected the Allen Bay Formation at the end of the drill hole, indicating that the central block of the graben may have been faulted downwards approximately 175-200 vertical metres.
Anomalous copper, zinc or silver were observed in all drill holes. The highest copper and silver values were intersected in drill hole SR24-129, located proximal to the northern Tornado graben fault, a similar position to the copper-mineralized historical drill hole AB18-07 as described earlier (Table 2).
Drill hole SR24-133 was drilled 750 m north of the Tornado Graben Fault and intersected a 32 m thick interval of anomalous zinc mineralization from the surface with a maximum value of 1,040ppm Zn. This zonation of a copper mineralized core close to the graben faults (the presumed conduit of the mineralizing fluids) surrounded by peripheral zinc mineralization is typical at Storm.
The Tornado area contains a compelling coincidence of ideal structural and stratigraphic setting, strong gravity and EM anomalies, and copper geochemistry, located just 5 km along strike from Storm. These features rank the area as highly prospective for discovering additional copper mineralization. Follow-up exploration will include RC and deeper diamond drilling.
Visual estimates of mineral abundance, type or habit should never be considered a proxy or substitute for laboratory analyses where concentrations or grades are the factor of principal economic interest. Laboratory assays are required to determine the presence and grade of any contained mineralization within the reported visual intersections of copper sulfides.
Figure 6: MLEM image (CH18BZ) of the Tornado and Blizzard 400 m loop survey overlaying geology and interpreted major faults. Hotter colours indicate higher conductivity.
Drilling confirms copper and zinc at the Tempest Prospect
The Tempest Prospect is located approximately 40 kilometres south of the copper deposits at Storm (Figure 2). The area is defined by a 4km long zone of gossans, with up to 38.2% Cu and 30.8% Zn in surface grab samples (see November 27, 2023, Aston Bay press release).
This area is considered the southern extension of the highly prospective Storm Copper and Seal Zinc horizons. These formations overlap the much older Proterozoic rocks that outcrop in the Boothia Uplift to the west. This geological setting with an unconformity (an ancient weathered surface) between two geological terranes suggests a permeable zone close to potential source rocks, highly prospective for fluid migration and base metal mineralization.
Three shallow reconnaissance exploration drill holes were completed at Tempest in 2025. Each hole reached a downhole depth of 200 m and was designed to test the stratigraphy and potential source of the highly anomalous copper and zinc at the surface (Figure 7).
The drilling confirmed the presence of Storm-style stratigraphy with thick intervals of the Allen Bay Formation. Anomalous copper, silver and zinc were encountered in all three drill holes, with particularly thick intervals of zinc and silver in drill hole SR24-098 (137.3m @ 137ppm Zn, 1.2g/t Ag - Table 2).
Although the high grades of the surface gossans were not replicated with the current drilling, the 4 km strike length of the gossans and thick intervals of zinc and silver in the drilling suggest a significant mineralizing event. Furthermore, the copper deposits at Storm are typically confined to the upper sequence of the Allen Bay Formation near the contact with the Cape Storm Formation. This contact is mapped further east in the Tempest area, suggesting that the current drill holes have intersected the lower, less prospective part of the Allen Bay Formation.
Deep searching ground EM will next be used to screen the area in more detail and to highlight high-priority targets for follow-up drilling.
Figure 7: Map of the Tempest Prospect showing drilling, geochemical sampling locations, rock samples, and lithological unit boundaries overlaying aerial photography.
Hole ID | Prospect | Easting | Northing | RL (m) | Depth (m) | Azimuth | Inclination |
SR24-098 | Tempest | 464948 | 8174283 | 302.8 | 149.4 | 179.71 | -70.5 |
SR24-100 | Tempest | 473230 | 8137717 | 299.7 | 199.64 | 285 | -50 |
SR24-102 | Tempest | 473634 | 8133161 | 296.6 | 199.6 | 109.19 | -45.05 |
SR24-129 | Tornado | 471008 | 8170156 | 295.0 | 199.64 | 180 | -60 |
SR24-130 | Tornado | 471012 | 8170973 | 277.9 | 199.64 | 200.27 | -52.1 |
SR24-131 | Tornado | 470928 | 8169888 | 289.0 | 199.64 | 200.17 | -60.26 |
SR24-132 | Tornado | 470866 | 8169491 | 291.4 | 199.64 | 200.25 | -55.08 |
SR24-133 | Tornado | 470244 | 8171463 | 255.7 | 199.64 | 199.97 | -59.97 |
SR24-134 | Tornado | 470273 | 8169986 | 268.0 | 199.64 | 199.97 | -60.14 |
Table 1: Details for the 2024 regional exploration drill holes.
Hole ID | From (m) | To (m) | Width | Cu ppm | Zn ppm | Ag g/t |
SR24-098 | 0 | 118.87 | 118.87 | 6.5 | 137.3 | 1.2 |
| 128.02 | 143.26 | 15.24 | 5.5 | 64 | 0.6 |
| 146.3 | 150.88 | 4.58 | 5 | 36.7 | 0.8 |
| 188.98 | 190.5 | 1.52 | 5 | 30 | 0.5 |
SR24-100 | 1.52 | 56.39 | 54.87 | 5.1 | 64.4 | 1.0 |
| 57.91 | 65.53 | 7.62 | 5 | 50 | 0.6 |
| 67.06 | 68.58 | 1.52 | 5 | 30 | 0.5 |
| 70.1 | 71.63 | 1.53 | 5 | 40 | 1.0 |
| 73.15 | 76.2 | 3.05 | 5 | 40 | 0.8 |
| 88.39 | 103.63 | 15.24 | 6.5 | 103.9 | 1.5 |
| 105.16 | 108.2 | 3.04 | 5 | 110 | 1.5 |
| 109.73 | 112.78 | 3.05 | 7.5 | 30 | 1.0 |
| 118.87 | 120.4 | 1.53 | 5 | 30 | 2.0 |
| 121.92 | 126.49 | 4.57 | 5 | 30 | 1.0 |
| 137.16 | 140.21 | 3.05 | 5 | 30 | 1.5 |
| 143.26 | 156.97 | 13.71 | 7.2 | 57.8 | 1.4 |
| 182.88 | 188.98 | 6.1 | 6.2 | 42.5 | 1.5 |
SR24-102 | 28.96 | 35.05 | 6.09 | 6.2 | 52.5 | 0.9 |
| 45.72 | 47.24 | 1.52 | 5 | 40 | 1.0 |
| 48.77 | 54.86 | 6.09 | 5 | 35 | 1.0 |
| 65.53 | 67.06 | 1.53 | 5 | 60 | 2.0 |
| 70.1 | 76.2 | 6.1 | 5 | 30 | 1.1 |
| 108.2 | 111.25 | 3.05 | 5 | 35 | 1.0 |
| 115.82 | 117.35 | 1.53 | 5 | 30 | 1.0 |
| 152.4 | 153.92 | 1.52 | 5 | 50 | 1.0 |
SR24-129 | 0.00 | 3.05 | 3.05 | 125.1 | 35.0 | 2.0 |
Incl. | 1.52 | 3.05 | 1.53 | 170.0 | 40.0 | 2.0 |
| 18.29 | 19.81 | 1.52 | 100.0 | 10.0 | 1.0 |
| 53.34 | 59.44 | 6.10 | 177.2 | 17.5 | 1.2 |
Incl. | 54.86 | 57.91 | 3.05 | 289.5 | 15.0 | 1.5 |
| 176.78 | 178.31 | 1.53 | 50.0 | 10.0 | 0.5 |
| 181.36 | 185.93 | 4.57 | 50.0 | 10.0 | 1.0 |
SR24-130 | 0.00 | 1.52 | 1.52 | 50.0 | 30.0 | 1.0 |
| 53.34 | 54.86 | 1.52 | 60.0 | 30.0 | 1.0 |
| 59.44 | 60.96 | 1.52 | 50.0 | 30.0 | 1.0 |
| 64.01 | 65.53 | 1.52 | 50.0 | 60.0 | 1.0 |
| 68.58 | 73.15 | 4.57 | 76.6 | 10.0 | 1.0 |
Incl. | 68.58 | 70.10 | 1.52 | 130.0 | 10.0 | 1.0 |
| 79.25 | 80.77 | 1.52 | 100.0 | 40.0 | 2.0 |
| 88.39 | 89.92 | 1.53 | 50.0 | 50.0 | 1.0 |
SR24-131 | 0.00 | 1.52 | 1.52 | 60.0 | 30.0 | 0.5 |
| 4.57 | 6.10 | 1.53 | 60.0 | 40.0 | 0.5 |
| 7.62 | 9.14 | 1.52 | 50.0 | 50.0 | 0.5 |
SR24-132 | 6.10 | 7.62 | 1.52 | 230.0 | 10.0 | 0.5 |
| 38.10 | 39.62 | 1.52 | 50.0 | 10.0 | 0.5 |
| 56.39 | 64.01 | 7.62 | 66.0 | 12.0 | 0.8 |
Incl. | 60.96 | 62.48 | 1.52 | 100.0 | 10.0 | 0.5 |
| 73.15 | 74.68 | 1.53 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 1.0 |
| 77.72 | 79.25 | 1.53 | 70.0 | 240.0 | 1.0 |
| 166.12 | 169.16 | 3.04 | 95.0 | 85.0 | 1.5 |
Incl. | 166.12 | 167.64 | 1.52 | 140.0 | 160.0 | 2.0 |
| 178.31 | 181.36 | 3.05 | 85.1 | 30.0 | 0.8 |
Incl. | 179.83 | 181.36 | 1.53 | 120.0 | 40.0 | 1.0 |
| 6.10 | 7.62 | 1.52 | 230.0 | 10.0 | 0.5 |
SR24-133 | 0.00 | 3.05 | 3.05 | 120.2 | 686.2 | 0.7 |
Incl. | 1.52 | 3.05 | 1.53 | 170.0 | 1040.0 | 0.5 |
| 7.62 | 9.14 | 1.52 | 90.0 | 480.0 | 0.5 |
| 24.38 | 25.91 | 1.53 | 50.0 | 270.0 | 0.5 |
| 38.10 | 44.20 | 6.10 | 70.0 | 259.9 | 0.5 |
SR24-134 | 32.00 | 33.53 | 1.53 | 90.0 | 110.0 | 1.0 |
| 36.58 | 39.62 | 3.04 | 50.0 | 65.0 | 1.0 |
| 74.68 | 76.20 | 1.52 | 80.0 | 90.0 | 1.0 |
Table 2: Summary of significant drilling intersections for the greenfield regional prospects (>50ppm Cu, 25ppm Zn, 1g/t Ag). The intersections are expressed as downhole widths and are interpreted to be close to true widths.
Details of the delineation drilling and exploration drill holes for the 2024 program are available at https://astonbayholdings.com/news/2024-storm-drill-hole-details/.
Qualified Person
Michael Dufresne, M.Sc., P.Geol., P.Geo., is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this press release.
QA/QC Protocols
The analytical work reported herein was performed by ALS Global ("ALS"), Vancouver, Canada. ALS is an ISO-IEC 17025:2017 and ISO 9001:2015 accredited geoanalytical laboratory and is independent of Aston Bay Holdings Ltd., American West Metals Limited, and the QP.
Samples were subject to 33-element geochemistry by four-acid digestion and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) to determine concentrations of copper, silver, lead, zinc, and other elements (ALS Method ME-ICP61a).
Aston Bay Holdings Ltd. and American West Metals Limited followed industry standard procedures for the work carried out on the Storm Project, incorporating a quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) program. Blank, duplicate, and standard samples were inserted into the sample sequence and sent to the laboratory for analysis. No significant QA/QC issues were detected during the review of the data. Aston Bay Holdings Ltd. and American West Metals Limited are not aware of any drilling, sampling, recovery, or other factors that could materially affect the accuracy or reliability of the data referred to herein.
About the Storm Copper and Seal Zinc-Silver Projects, Nunavut
The Nunavut property consists of 173 contiguous mining claims covering an area of approximately 219,257 hectares on Somerset Island, Nunavut, Canada. The Storm Project comprises both the Storm Copper Project, a high-grade sediment-hosted copper discovery (intersections including 110 m* @ 2.5% Cu from surface and 56.3 m* @ 3.1% Cu from 12.2 m as well as the Seal Zinc Deposit (intersections including 14.4 m* @ 10.6% Zn, 28.7g/t Ag from 51.8 m and 22.3 m* @ 23.0% Zn, 5.1g/t Ag from 101.5 m). Additionally, there are numerous underexplored and undrilled targets within the 120-kilometre strike length of the mineralized trend, including the Tornado copper prospect, where ten grab samples yielded >1% Cu up to 32% Cu in gossans. The Nunavut property is now the subject of an 80/20 unincorporated joint venture with American West (see "Agreement with American West" below for more details).
Storm Discovery and Historical Work
High-grade copper mineralization was discovered at Storm in the mid-1990s by Cominco geologists conducting regional zinc exploration around their then-producing Polaris lead-zinc mine. A massive chalcocite boulder found in a tributary of the Aston River in 1996 was traced to impressive surface exposures of broken chalcocite mineralization for hundreds of metres of surface strike length at what became named the 2750N, 2200N, and 3500N zones. Subsequent seasons of prospecting, geophysics and over 9,000 m of drilling into the early 2000s confirmed a significant amount of copper mineralization below the surface exposures as well as making the blind discovery of the 4100N Zone, a large area of copper mineralization with no surface exposure.
Following the merger of Cominco with Teck in 2001 and the closure of the Polaris Mine, the Storm claims were allowed to lapse in 2007. Commander Resources staked the property in 2008 and flew a helicopter-borne VTEM survey in 2011 but conducted no additional drilling. Aston Bay subsequently entered into an earn-in agreement with Commander and consolidated 100% ownership in 2015. Commander retained a 0.875% Gross Overriding Royalty in the area of the original Storm claims which was purchased by Taurus Mining Royalty Fund L.P. in January 2024.
In 2016 Aston Bay entered into an earn-in agreement with BHP, who conducted a 2,000-station soil sampling program and drilled 1,951m of core in 12 diamond drill holes, yielding up to 16 m* @ 3.1% Cu. BHP exited the agreement in 2017 and retains no residual interest in the project. Aston Bay conducted a property-wide airborne gravity gradiometry survey in 2017 and drilled 2,913 m in nine core holes in the Storm area in 2018, yielding a best intercept of 1.5 m* @ 4.4% Cu and 20.5 m* @ 0.6% Cu.
Agreement with American West
On March 9, 2021, Aston Bay entered into an option agreement with American West Metals Limited (American West) and its wholly owned Canadian subsidiary Tornado Metals Ltd., pursuant to which American West was granted an option to earn an 80% undivided interest in the Project by spending a minimum of CAD$10 million on qualifying exploration expenditures. The parties amended and restated the Option Agreement as of February 27, 2023, to facilitate American West directly earning an interest in the Project alongside its Canadian subsidiary without any change to the overall commercial agreement between the parties. The expenditures were completed during 2023, and American West exercised the option. American West and Aston Bay have formed an 80/20 unincorporated joint venture.
Under the joint venture, Aston Bay shall have a free carried interest until American West has made a decision to mine upon completion of a bankable feasibility study, meaning American West will be solely responsible for funding the joint venture until such decision is made. After such decision is made, Aston Bay will be diluted in the event it does not elect to contribute its proportionate share and its interest in the Project will be converted into a 2% net smelter returns royalty if its interest is diluted to below 10%.
Recent Work
American West completed a fixed loop electromagnetic (FLEM) ground geophysical survey in 2021 that yielded several new subsurface conductive anomalies. A total of 1,534 m were drilled in 10 diamond drill holes in the 2022 season, yielding several impressive near-surface intercepts, including 41m* @ 4.1% Cu as well as 68m of sulfide mineralization associated with a deeper conductive anomaly.
In April 2022, results of beneficiation studies demonstrated that a mineralized intercept grading 4% Cu from the 4100N area could be upgraded to a 54% Cu direct ship product using standard sorting technology. Further beneficiation and metallurgical studies are ongoing.
In April 2023, American West embarked on a spring delineation drilling program using a helicopter-portable RC drill rig as well as conducting gravity and moving loop electromagnetic (MLEM) ground geophysical programs.
The summer 2023 program conducted further delineation drilling of the near-surface high-grade copper zones to advance them toward maiden resource estimates in 2024. Deep diamond drilling during 2023 discovered high-grade copper sulfides up to 2.7% Cu at approximately 300 m vertical depth (ST23-02), suggesting the potential for the discovery of large-scale copper targets at depth.
Diamond drilling of new high-priority deep MLEM targets, RC delineation drilling for resource development and additional geophysical surveys are now underway in the 2024 program. Metallurgical studies and environmental baseline studies are ongoing, with bulk sampling for prefeasibility-level processing planned for summer 2024.
*Stated drill hole intersections are all core length and true width is expected to be 60% to 100% of core length.
About Aston Bay Holdings
Aston Bay is a publicly traded mineral exploration company exploring for high-grade critical and precious metal deposits in Nunavut, Canada and Virginia, USA.
The Company is currently exploring the Storm Copper Property and Cu-Ag-Zn-Co Epworth Property in Nunavut, as well as the high-grade Buckingham Gold Vein in central Virginia. The Company is also in advanced stages of negotiation on other lands with high-grade critical metals potential in North America
The Company and its joint venture partners, American West Metals Limited and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Tornado Metals Ltd. (collectively, "American West"), have formed a 20/80 unincorporated joint venture in respect of the Storm Project property, which hosts the Storm Copper Project and the Seal Zinc Deposit. Under the unincorporated joint venture, Aston Bay shall have a free carried interest until American West has made a decision to mine upon completion of a bankable feasibility study, meaning American West will be solely responsible for funding the joint venture until such decision is made. After such decision is made, Aston Bay will be diluted in the event it does not elect to contribute its proportionate share and its interest in the Storm Project property will be converted into a 2% net smelter returns royalty if its interest is diluted to below 10%.
About American West Metals Limited
AMERICAN WEST METALS LIMITED (ASX: AW1) is an Australian clean energy mining company focused on growth through the discovery and development of major base metal mineral deposits in Tier 1 jurisdictions of North America. The company's strategy is focused on developing mines that have a low-footprint and support the global energy transformation. AW1's portfolio of copper and zinc projects in Utah and Canada include significant existing resource inventories and high-grade mineralization that can generate robust mining proposals. Core to AW1's approach is a commitment to the ethical extraction and processing of minerals and making a meaningful contribution to the communities where its projects are located.
Led by a highly experienced leadership team, AW1's strategic initiatives lay the foundation for a sustainable business which aims to deliver high-multiplier returns on shareholder investment and economic benefits to all stakeholders.
For further information on American West, visit: www.americanwestmetals.com.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Statements made in this news release, including those regarding entering into the joint venture and each party's interest in the Project pursuant to the agreement in respect of the joint venture, management objectives, forecasts, estimates, expectations, or predictions of the future may constitute "forward-looking statement", which can be identified by the use of conditional or future tenses or by the use of such verbs as "believe", "expect", "may", "will", "should", "estimate", "anticipate", "project", "plan", and words of similar import, including variations thereof and negative forms. This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect, as of the date of this press release, Aston Bay's expectations, estimates and projections about its operations, the mining industry and the economic environment in which it operates. Statements in this press release that are not supported by historical fact are forward-looking statements, meaning they involve risk, uncertainty and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although Aston Bay believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements, which apply only at the time of writing of this press release. Aston Bay disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by securities legislation.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
For more information contact:
Thomas Ullrich, Chief Executive Officer
thomas.ullrich@astonbayholdings.com
(416) 456-3516
Sofia Harquail, IR and Corporate Development
sofia.harquail@astonbayholdings.com
(647) 821-1337
SOURCE: Aston Bay Holdings Ltd.
View the original press release on accesswire.com
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Aston Bay and American West Metals Report Assays from Deep Drilling at the Storm Project, Nunavut, Canada
98 metres of copper sulfides reinforce large-scale sediment-hosted copper potential
Highlights:
The 2024 deep drilling program has delivered further evidence of a very extensive laterally oriented deeper copper horizon that covers an area of more than 10 square kilometres ("km 2")and remains open
All three deeper drill holes in the 2024 program - collared approximately 2 km apart from each other - have intersected copper sulfides and prospective stratigraphy within the interpreted deeper copper horizon
The second 2024 deep diamond drill hole (ST24-02) drilled during 2024 has intersected an aggregate of 98.6 metres ("m") of copper sulfide mineralization within multiple horizons
The third 2024 deep diamond drill hole (ST24-03) - targeting a 1,300m x 500m EM anomaly below the Cirrus Deposit - was suspended due to a highly fractured zone on approach to the target EM plates, and will now be completed in early 2025
ST24-03 encountered minor copper sulfides in the upper portions of the drill hole and an extensive zone of fractured carbonate rocks at depth - a highly favourable geological setting for the deposition of copper mineralization
The first 2024 deep diamond drill hole (ST24-01) intersected thick copper sulfides from 311m downhole with grades up to 3.7% copper ("Cu") as reported on September 20, 2024
The large volume of mineralisation in the deeper diamond drilling, particularly in ST24-02, continues to highlight the large lateral and vertical extent of the Storm copper system and the potential for large-scale stratigraphic hosted copper deposits similar to those of the Central African Copperbelt
Additional results from the 2024 campaign to be reported in the coming weeks.
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / October 30, 2024 / Aston Bay Holdings Ltd. (TSXV:BAY)(OTCQB:ATBHF) ("Aston Bay" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on diamond drilling activities at the Storm Copper Project ("Storm" or the "Project") on Somerset Island, Nunavut. The exploration program is being conducted by American West Metals Limited ("American West"), the Project operator. Aston Bay and American West have formed a 20/80 unincorporated joint venture with respect to the Storm Project property, with Aston Bay maintaining a free carried interest until a decision to mine is made upon completion of a bankable feasibility study.
Thomas Ullrich, Chief Executive Officer of Aston Bay, commented :
"It is encouraging to receive confirmation of our geological model with the drill bit. Drilled to test stratigraphy and structure in a little-explored area, ST24-02 encountered a significant amount of sediment-hosted style copper mineralization. While the mineralization at this location is spread out over a wide interval, it nevertheless highlights the pervasive nature of the mineralizing process at Storm and points to the potential where the copper budget of these pervasive fluids can be concentrated in higher-grade zones as in the near-surface copper deposits currently being defined at Storm.
"Our third deep drill hole remains only partially completed due to drilling difficulties at the end of the season. Drilling in the frozen Arctic ground requires salt to be added to the drilling fluid to prevent freezing. Before reaching the target, the drill intercepted a fractured zone, resulting in the loss of the drilling fluid. Unfortunately, it was too late in the season to resupply the salt and other drilling additives necessary to continue the hole this year.
"The targeted anomaly exhibits characteristics of both fault-hosted "Chinook-style" and stratiform-hosted "Cyclone-style" mineralization, making it a very compelling target. I eagerly look forward to completing this drill hole early next year."
Figure 1: Photo of the diamond drilling rig being prepared at the Storm Project, Nunavut, Canada.
OVERVIEW: DRILLING CONTINUES TO EXPAND THE COPPER SYSTEM
The drill holes for the 2024 deep drilling campaign were designed to test key geological targets at Storm and the potential for new zones of copper mineralization within the ‘Deep Copper Horizon' discovered during 2023 (see August 2, 2023, Aston Bay news release).
Drill hole ST24-02 has intersected thick intervals of low-grade copper sulfide mineralization with multiple thin higher-grade horizons. The entire rock package is variably fractured, with copper sulfides occurring as veins and fracture infill. The large volume of mineralization and brecciation highlight a significant mineralization event, and its location within the centre of the Thunder and Corona graben block supports the potential for further discoveries of economic mineralization at depth.
ST24-03 targeted a large Moving Loop EM (MLEM) anomaly below the Cirrus Deposit and Gap Prospect and encountered a large void/fractured zone on approach to the targeted EM plates, which slowed the drilling and prevented the hole from being completed this season. Given the strong correlation between copper sulfide mineralization and MLEM anomalies at Storm, this EM anomaly remains a high-priority drill target for early 2025.
Figure 2: Plan view of the Storm area showing the geological interpretation, known copper deposit outlines, major faults, and deep diamond drill hole locations. All the deeper drill holes have intersected copper at depth within a prospective area of more than ten square kilometres.
DRILL HOLE ST24-02 DETAILS
Drill hole ST24-02 was drilled to a downhole depth of 455m and intersected a combined total of 98.6m of copper sulfide mineralization (Figure 4). The drill hole was designed to test the stratigraphy and structure in the southern areas of Storm, south of the Southern Graben Fault.
In addition to minor copper mineralization hosted within the upper Allen Bay horizons (at the same depth as the known shallow Storm prospects), three main mineralized zones were identified at depth in ST24-02. The mineralization is hosted within abundant sporadic fracturing, variably infilled by copper sulfides averaging 0.1% copper ("Cu") (see Table 2).
The most significant zone of mineralization, from 292m to 324m downhole, is hosted within a bituminous, vuggy, coral dolopackstone-doloboundstone sequence with blebby to veinlet chalcopyrite, chalcocite and bornite with assays up to 0.53% Cu (from 322.5 - 323.5m downhole). The mineralized textures and lithological associations from this zone are consistent with the ‘Deep Copper Horizon' discovered during 2023 and show the persistence of this horizon across multiple fault blocks on the Storm property.
The large volume of visual mineralization within ST24-02 highlights the scale of the copper system at Storm. The proximity of drill hole ST24-02 to the Thunder Prospect and Chinook and Corona deposits provides further evidence that the Allen Bay Formation within the Southern Graben may host high-grade, stratigraphic- and structurally-hosted copper deposits similar to those of the Central African Copperbelt.
Figure 3: Chalcocite (dark grey) and bornite (metallic blue) fracture fill in drill hole ST24-02 at approximately 313.75m downhole (this piece of core is within an interval of 1m @ 0.33% Cu).
Figure 4: NE-SW geological section through ST24-02 looking southeast.
DRILL HOLE ST24-03 DETAILS
Diamond drill hole ST24-03 was designed to target a 1,300m x 500m flat-lying MLEM anomaly (Figure 5 - EM anomaly A1) bounded by a series of large, mostly steeply dipping EM plates (approx. 350m to top, conductance ~40-60S, moderate ~40-60deg S/SW dip, striking ~WNW-ESE) at its the northern edge. The EM anomalies are located below the Cirrus Deposit and the Gap high-grade copper prospect and are interpreted to be proximal to the Southern Graben Fault.
Figure 5: 400m loop MLEM image (CH20BZ) showing anomalies and modelled plates overlying drilling and the geological and structural interpretation of the Storm area. The MLEM anomaly discussed in this release is labelled A1.
ST24-03 has been drilled to a downhole depth of 414m (planned depth of 600-700m) and intersected several zones of fracturing and sporadic copper sulfides (Figure 6). The presence of voids and fractures at the current depth resulted in reduced circulation and the loss of drilling fluids, including the critical salt additive required to prevent freezing in this area of deep permafrost. The drill hole had to be suspended pending the resupply of salt from the Sealift (now delivered) and will be completed as a high priority in early 2025.
Figure 6: NE-SW geological section view through ST24-03 (looking NW) showing the Cirrus Deposit, interpreted Southern Graben Fault and modelled MLEM conductors. Drilling was suspended at 414m depth; the planned drill hole depth is 650-700m, to be completed in early 2025.
The drill hole has not yet intersected the targeted MLEM anomaly, but the results are encouraging. The hole was drilled entirely into lower Allen Bay Formation, the host of the majority of copper mineralization at Storm, and intersected multiple organic-rich horizons and thick zones of oxidized fracturing. One notable zone includes a laminated organic-rich mudstone with fine disseminated pyrite and chalcopyrite veinlets from 178m to 180m depth downhole. Minor copper sulfides were also encountered at 305m downhole as patchy chalcopyrite veinlets and infill to a vuggy shell-fragment dolofloatstone. Organic material and hydrocarbons are critical requirements for the deposition of metals in this mineralizing system, and their presence is encouraging.
Fractures and voids at depth and close to the target area are also positive indicators since permeability and porosity are critical for the open-space filling style of high-grade copper mineralization at Storm.
Also noteworthy is that the orientations of the sub-vertical MLEM plates parallel to and directly below the sub-vertical Southern Graben Fault are suggestive of fault-related mineralization, as seen in the strong EM response at the Chinook and Corona Deposits. The faults may have channelled and focussed the metal-bearing fluids, allowing for more intense mineralization. The sub-horizontal component of the MLEM anomaly A1 may also be suggestive of stratiform mineralization, as seen at Cyclone where an EM anomaly delineates flat-lying bodies of high-grade copper mineralization that are directly adjacent to the Northern Graben Fault (Figure 5).
With such a close fit to the predictive geologic model that has already successfully discovered new zones of copper mineralization combined with the proven robust correlation between MLEM anomalies and high-grade copper mineralization at Storm, the untested portion of this drill hole is a compelling high-priority target for the 2025 drill season.
Hole ID | Prospect | Easting | Northing | RL (m) | Depth (m) | Azimuth | Inclination |
ST24-01 | Graben | 464728 | 8173893 | 289.4 | 385 | 0.3 | -80.1 |
ST24-02 | Expl. | 465600 | 8172675 | 246.2 | 455 | 160 | -75 |
ST24-03 | Expl. | 462772 | 8173627 | 213.7 | 414.11* | 35 | -70 |
Table 1: Details for the 2024 deep diamond drill holes at the Storm Project. Note*, drill hole ST24-03 is pending and will be completed during 2025.
Hole ID | From (m) | To (m) | Width | Cu ppm | Zn ppm | Ag g/t |
ST24-02 | 52.00 | 55.00 | 3.00 | 1402 | 10 | 2.0 |
Including | 53.00 | 53.60 | 0.60 | 6100 | 10 | 2.0 |
| 58.00 | 59.60 | 1.60 | 110 | 10 | 2.0 |
| 72.50 | 76.50 | 4.00 | 203 | 10 | 1.1 |
| 77.00 | 79.00 | 2.00 | 953 | 10 | 1.8 |
Including | 78.00 | 78.50 | 0.50 | 3050 | 10 | 2.0 |
| 81.00 | 84.00 | 3.00 | 140 | 10 | 1.3 |
| 85.00 | 86.50 | 1.50 | 253 | 10 | 1.0 |
| 104.00 | 106.00 | 2.00 | 420 | 10 | 1.5 |
| 107.00 | 112.10 | 5.10 | 176 | 10 | 0.9 |
| 114.50 | 115.00 | 0.50 | 640 | 10 | 2.0 |
| 130.30 | 131.00 | 0.70 | 230 | 10 | 1.0 |
| 132.50 | 133.10 | 0.60 | 270 | 10 | 2.0 |
| 170.00 | 172.00 | 2.00 | 195 | 10 | 1.5 |
| 193.00 | 194.50 | 1.50 | 240 | 10 | 2.0 |
| 195.50 | 196.50 | 1.00 | 2290 | 40 | 1.5 |
Including | 195.50 | 196.00 | 0.50 | 4330 | 60 | 2.0 |
| 201.00 | 202.00 | 1.00 | 220 | 30 | 1.0 |
| 203.50 | 205.00 | 1.50 | 207 | 10 | 1.3 |
| 224.00 | 226.00 | 2.00 | 150 | 10 | 1.0 |
| 250.00 | 251.00 | 1.00 | 140 | 10 | 1.0 |
| 286.00 | 287.50 | 1.50 | 317 | 17 | 1.3 |
| 289.50 | 290.50 | 1.00 | 620 | 10 | 1.3 |
| 292.00 | 300.00 | 8.00 | 256 | 10 | 0.8 |
| 300.50 | 301.50 | 1.00 | 200 | 10 | 1.0 |
| 302.00 | 304.00 | 2.00 | 900 | 15 | 2.0 |
Including | 303.00 | 303.50 | 0.50 | 2560 | 10 | 2.0 |
| 305.00 | 308.00 | 3.00 | 745 | 10 | 1.3 |
Including | 306.50 | 307.00 | 0.50 | 1170 | 10 | 0.5 |
| 310.00 | 316.00 | 6.00 | 935 | 10 | 1.0 |
Including | 311.00 | 311.50 | 0.50 | 1140 | 10 | 2.0 |
And | 313.50 | 314.50 | 1.00 | 3270 | 10 | 0.8 |
| 317.00 | 324.00 | 7.00 | 1628 | 11 | 0.9 |
Including | 322.50 | 323.50 | 1.00 | 5295 | 15 | 0.8 |
| 327.50 | 328.00 | 0.50 | 210 | 10 | 1.0 |
| 330.00 | 333.00 | 3.00 | 110 | 10 | 1.3 |
| 348.00 | 349.00 | 1.00 | 120 | 10 | 2.0 |
| 352.00 | 353.00 | 1.00 | 110 | 10 | 1.0 |
| 366.00 | 367.00 | 1.00 | 110 | 10 | 3.0 |
| 369.00 | 370.00 | 1.00 | 140 | 10 | 1.0 |
| 373.00 | 375.00 | 2.00 | 160 | 10 | 1.0 |
| 377.00 | 380.00 | 3.00 | 110 | 10 | 1.3 |
| 381.00 | 388.00 | 7.00 | 140 | 13 | 1.2 |
| 397.00 | 398.00 | 1.00 | 110 | 10 | 1.0 |
| 399.00 | 401.00 | 2.00 | 105 | 10 | 0.8 |
| 409.60 | 418.00 | 8.40 | 388 | 10 | 1.6 |
Including | 413.00 | 413.35 | 0.35 | 1640 | 10 | 2.0 |
| 421.00 | 424.65 | 3.65 | 542 | 10 | 1.8 |
Including | 422.00 | 423.00 | 1.00 | 1280 | 10 | 2.0 |
ST24-03 | 10.00 | 11.00 | 1.00 | 100 | 20 | 0.5 |
| 24.00 | 26.00 | 2.00 | 135 | 30 | 1.0 |
| 33.00 | 34.00 | 1.00 | 100 | 10 | 0.5 |
| 35.00 | 40.00 | 5.00 | 208 | 10 | 0.7 |
| 41.00 | 42.00 | 1.00 | 120 | 10 | 1.0 |
| 43.00 | 49.00 | 6.00 | 125 | 33 | 1.0 |
| 54.00 | 55.00 | 1.00 | 110 | 10 | 0.5 |
| 56.00 | 57.00 | 1.00 | 590 | 10 | 1.0 |
| 66.00 | 70.00 | 4.00 | 153 | 20 | 0.9 |
| 90.00 | 91.00 | 1.00 | 100 | 10 | 0.5 |
| 96.00 | 97.00 | 1.00 | 120 | 10 | 0.5 |
| 108.00 | 119.00 | 11.00 | 298 | 255 | 0.6 |
| 120.00 | 129.07 | 9.07 | 175 | 182 | 0.5 |
| 130.90 | 133.00 | 2.10 | 105 | 45 | 0.5 |
| 152.00 | 153.98 | 1.98 | 150 | 10 | 0.5 |
| 178.70 | 179.00 | 0.30 | 1900 | 80 | 15.0 |
| 180.04 | 180.82 | 0.78 | 170 | 10 | 2.0 |
Table 2: Summary of recent significant drilling intersections for drill holes ST24-02 and ST24-03. Given the exploratory nature of the drilling a cut-off of 0.01% Cu is used to highlight the presence of copper sulfides. In the absence of copper sulfide or oxides, the dolomite host rocks at Storm typically contain 10-25ppm copper. Diamond drill intersections are all core length and true width is expected to be 60% to 100% of core length.
Details of the delineation drilling and exploration drill holes for the 2024 program are available at https://astonbayholdings.com/news/2024-storm-drill-hole-details/ .
Qualified Person
Michael Dufresne, M.Sc., P.Geol., P.Geo., is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this press release.
QA/QC Protocols
The analytical work reported on herein was performed by ALS Global ("ALS"), Vancouver Canada. ALS is an ISO-IEC 17025:2017 and ISO 9001:2015 accredited geoanalytical laboratory and is independent of Aston Bay Holdings Ltd., American West Metals Limited, 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. Samples were subject to 33 element geochemistry by four-acid digestion and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) to determine concentrations of copper, silver, lead, zinc, and other elements (ALS Method ME-ICP61a). Overlimit values for copper (>10%) and were analyzed via four-acid digestion and ICP-AES (ALS Method Cu-OG62).
Aston Bay Holdings Ltd. and American West Metals Limited followed industry standard procedures for the work carried out on the Storm Project, incorporating a quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) program. Blank, duplicate, and standard samples were inserted into the sample sequence and sent to the laboratory for analysis. No significant QA/QC issues were detected during review of the data. Aston Bay Holdings Ltd. and American West Metals Limited are not aware of any drilling, sampling, recovery, or other factors that could materially affect the accuracy or reliability of the data referred to herein.
About the Storm Copper and Seal Zinc-Silver Projects, Nunavut
The Nunavut property consists of 173 contiguous mining claims covering an area of approximately 219,257 hectares on Somerset Island, Nunavut, Canada. The Storm Project comprises both the Storm Copper Project, a high-grade sediment-hosted copper discovery (intersections including 110m* @ 2.5% Cu from surface and 56.3* @ 3.1% Cu from 12.2m as well as the Seal Zinc Deposit (intersections including 14.4m* @ 10.6% Zn, 28.7g/t Ag from 51.8m and 22.3m* @ 23.0% Zn, 5.1g/t Ag from 101.5m). Additionally, there are numerous underexplored and undrilled targets within the 120-kilometre strike length of the mineralized trend, including the Tornado copper prospect, where ten grab samples yielded >1% Cu up to 32% Cu in gossans. The Nunavut property is now the subject of an 80/20 unincorporated joint venture with American West (see "Agreement with American West" below for more details).
Storm Discovery and Historical Work
High-grade copper mineralization was discovered at Storm in the mid-1990s by Cominco geologists conducting regional zinc exploration around their then-producing Polaris lead-zinc mine. A massive chalcocite boulder found in a tributary of the Aston River in 1996 was traced to impressive surface exposures of broken chalcocite mineralization for hundreds of metres of surface strike length at what became named the 2750N, 2200N, and 3500N zones. Subsequent seasons of prospecting, geophysics and over 9,000 m of drilling into the early 2000s confirmed a significant amount of copper mineralization below the surface exposures as well as making the blind discovery of the 4100N Zone, a large area of copper mineralization with no surface exposure.
Following the merger of Cominco with Teck in 2001 and the closure of the Polaris Mine, the Storm claims were allowed to lapse in 2007. Commander Resources staked the property in 2008 and flew a helicopter-borne VTEM survey in 2011 but conducted no additional drilling. Aston Bay subsequently entered into an earn-in agreement with Commander and consolidated 100% ownership in 2015. Commander retained a 0.875% Gross Overriding Royalty in the area of the original Storm claims which was purchased by Taurus Mining Royalty Fund L.P. in January 2024.
In 2016 Aston Bay entered into an earn-in agreement with BHP, who conducted a 2,000-station soil sampling program and drilled 1,951m of core in 12 diamond drill holes, yielding up to 16m* @ 3.1% Cu. BHP exited the agreement in 2017 and retains no residual interest in the project. Aston Bay conducted a property-wide airborne gravity gradiometry survey in 2017 and drilled 2,913m in nine core holes in the Storm area in 2018, yielding a best intercept of 1.5m* @ 4.4% Cu and 20.5m* @ 0.6% Cu.
Agreement with American West
On March 9, 2021, Aston Bay entered into an option agreement with American West Metals Limited (American West) and its wholly owned Canadian subsidiary Tornado Metals Ltd., pursuant to which American West was granted an option to earn an 80% undivided interest in the Project by spending a minimum of CAD$10 million on qualifying exploration expenditures. The parties amended and restated the Option Agreement as of February 27, 2023, to facilitate American West directly earning an interest in the Project alongside its Canadian subsidiary without any change to the overall commercial agreement between the parties. The expenditures were completed during 2023, and American West exercised the option. American West and Aston Bay have formed an 80/20 unincorporated joint venture.
Under the joint venture, Aston Bay shall have a free carried interest until American West has made a decision to mine upon completion of a bankable feasibility study, meaning American West will be solely responsible for funding the joint venture until such decision is made. After such decision is made, Aston Bay will be diluted in the event it does not elect to contribute its proportionate share and its interest in the Project will be converted into a 2% net smelter returns royalty if its interest is diluted to below 10%.
Recent Work
American West completed a fixed loop electromagnetic (FLEM) ground geophysical survey in 2021 that yielded several new subsurface conductive anomalies. A total of 1,534m were drilled in 10 diamond drill holes in the 2022 season, yielding several impressive near-surface intercepts, including 41m* @ 4.1% Cu as well as 68m of sulfide mineralization associated with a deeper conductive anomaly.
In April 2022, results of beneficiation studies demonstrated that a mineralized intercept grading 4% Cu from the 4100N area could be upgraded to a 54% Cu direct ship product using standard sorting technology. Further beneficiation and metallurgical studies are ongoing.
In April 2023, American West embarked on a spring delineation drilling program using a helicopter-portable RC drill rig as well as conducting gravity and moving loop electromagnetic (MLEM) ground geophysical programs.
The summer 2023 program conducted further delineation drilling of the near-surface high-grade copper zones to advance them toward maiden resource estimates in 2024. Deep diamond drilling during 2023 discovered high-grade copper sulfides up to 2.7% Cu at approximately 300m vertical depth (ST23-02), suggesting the potential for the discovery of large-scale copper targets at depth.
Diamond drilling of new high-priority deep MLEM targets, RC delineation drilling for resource development and additional geophysical surveys are now underway in the 2024 program. Metallurgical studies and environmental baseline studies are ongoing, with bulk sampling for prefeasibility-level processing planned for summer 2024.
*Stated drill hole intersections are all core length and true width is expected to be 60% to 100% of core length.
About Aston Bay Holdings
Aston Bay is a publicly traded mineral exploration company exploring for high-grade critical and precious metal deposits in Nunavut, Canada and Virginia, USA.
The Company is currently exploring the Storm Copper Property and Cu-Ag-Zn-Co Epworth Property in Nunavut, as well as the high-grade Buckingham Gold Vein in central Virginia. The Company is also in advanced stages of negotiation on other lands with high-grade critical metals potential in North America
The Company and its joint venture partners, American West Metals Limited and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Tornado Metals Ltd. (collectively, "American West"), have formed a 20/80 unincorporated joint venture in respect of the Storm Project property, which hosts the Storm Copper Project and the Seal Zinc Deposit. Under the unincorporated joint venture, Aston Bay shall have a free carried interest until American West has made a decision to mine upon completion of a bankable feasibility study, meaning American West will be solely responsible for funding the joint venture until such decision is made. After such decision is made, Aston Bay will be diluted in the event it does not elect to contribute its proportionate share and its interest in the Storm Project property will be converted into a 2% net smelter returns royalty if its interest is diluted to below 10%.
About American West Metals Limited
AMERICAN WEST METALS LIMITED (ASX: AW1) is an Australian clean energy mining company focused on growth through the discovery and development of major base metal mineral deposits in Tier 1 jurisdictions of North America. The company's strategy is focused on developing mines that have a low-footprint and support the global energy transformation. AW1's portfolio of copper and zinc projects in Utah and Canada include significant existing resource inventories and high-grade mineralization that can generate robust mining proposals. Core to AW1's approach is a commitment to the ethical extraction and processing of minerals and making a meaningful contribution to the communities where its projects are located.
Led by a highly experienced leadership team, AW1's strategic initiatives lay the foundation for a sustainable business which aims to deliver high-multiplier returns on shareholder investment and economic benefits to all stakeholders.
For further information on American West, visit: www.americanwestmetals.com.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Statements made in this news release, including those regarding entering into the joint venture and each party's interest in the Project pursuant to the agreement in respect of the joint venture, management objectives, forecasts, estimates, expectations, or predictions of the future may constitute "forward-looking statement", which can be identified by the use of conditional or future tenses or by the use of such verbs as "believe", "expect", "may", "will", "should", "estimate", "anticipate", "project", "plan", and words of similar import, including variations thereof and negative forms. This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect, as of the date of this press release, Aston Bay's expectations, estimates and projections about its operations, the mining industry and the economic environment in which it operates. Statements in this press release that are not supported by historical fact are forward-looking statements, meaning they involve risk, uncertainty and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although Aston Bay believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements, which apply only at the time of writing of this press release. Aston Bay disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by securities legislation.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
For more information contact:
Thomas Ullrich, Chief Executive Officer
thomas.ullrich@astonbayholdings.com
(416) 456-3516
Sofia Harquail, IR and Corporate Development
sofia.harquail@astonbayholdings.com
(647) 821-1337
SOURCE: Aston Bay Holdings Ltd.
View the original press release on accesswire.com
News Provided by ACCESSWIRE via QuoteMedia
Aston Bay and American West Metals Report 42.7m @ 3.1% copper from the surface at the Storm Project, Nunavut, Canada
Thick and high-grade copper intersections from the surface at Chinook
Chinook Deposit delineation drilling:
Drilling at the Chinook Deposit has intersected thick, high-grade, near-surface copper intervals (interpreted as close to true width), including:
-
Drill hole SR24-068:
-
42.7m @ 3.1% Cu, 4.0 g/t Ag from the surface, including,
1.5m @ 7.1% Cu, 60 g/t Ag from 25.9m downhole
-
-
Drill hole SR24-080:
-
35.1m @ 2.7% Cu, 5.8 g/t Ag from 22.9m downhole, including,
9.2m @ 7.3% Cu, 15.3 g/t Ag from 27.4m downhole, and,
3.1m @ 3.9% Cu, 5.5 g/t Ag from 38.1m downhole
-
-
Drill hole SR24-081:
-
29m @ 2.6% Cu, 4.3 g/t Ag from the surface, including,
3.1m @ 11.1% Cu, 1.5 g/t Ag from 1.5m downhole, and,
4.6m @ 4.8% Cu, 5.7 g/t Ag from 21.6m downhole
-
Cyclone Deposit delineation drilling:
Drilling around and within the Cyclone Deposit continues to intersect thick, high-grade copper intervals (interpreted as close to true width), including:
-
Drill hole SR24-117 has intersected:
16.8m @ 1% Cu, 4.0 g/t Ag from 15.2m downhole, and
-
33.5m @ 1.5% Cu, 8.5 g/t Ag from 35.1m downhole, including,
3.1m @ 6.9% Cu, 23.0 g/t Ag from 54.9m downhole
Assays for the remaining Cyclone drill holes are expected in the next 2-4 weeks
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / October 17, 2024 / Aston Bay Holdings Ltd. (TSXV:BAY)(OTCQB:ATBHF) ("Aston Bay" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on drilling activities at the Storm Copper Project ("Storm" or the "Project") on Somerset Island, Nunavut. The exploration program is being conducted by American West Metals Limited ("American West"), the Project operator. Aston Bay and American West have formed a 20/80 unincorporated joint venture with respect to the Storm Project property, with Aston Bay maintaining a free carried interest until a decision to mine is made upon completion of a bankable feasibility study.
Thomas Ullrich, Chief Executive Officer of Aston Bay,commented:
"Storm continues to deliver impressive results from the delineation drilling program conducted by our partners American West. Long intercepts of high-grade copper mineralization from the surface bode well for potential development at the project. We look forward to more drill results in the coming weeks as we work toward calculating the maiden resource for Storm."
Figure 1: Storm Project team geologists Rachel Borg and Jordan Mathieu review the drill core from metallurgical drill hole SM24-02 (see Table 1 for details).
EXCEPTIONAL COPPER INTERSECTIONS FROM THE SURFACE AT CHINOOK
Assay results from drilling at the Chinook Deposit confirm thick and high-grade intersections of copper from the surface and highlight the near-surface, high-grade potential of the deposit (Figure 2). The drill program was designed to inform an upcoming maiden mineral resource estimate for the Storm Project that is currently being constructed to CIM standards.
The shallow, up-dip drilling has intersected outstanding intervals of copper and has increased the thickness of the known mineralization along several drill sections. Drilling on the margins of Chinook has also highlighted its expansion potential, with the deposit remaining open down dip and along strike.
The thick intervals and high grades of the outcropping and near-surface copper mineralization at Chinook support potential open-pit mining of the deposit, reinforcing the development opportunity that Chinook presents as a potential starter mining pit at Storm. Detailed studies continue on a range of mining and development scenarios for the Storm project.
Figure 2: Plan view of the Chinook Deposit showing the interpreted copper mineralized zone and historical and recent drilling, overlying regional geology.
Figure 3: Photo of the Chinook copper deposit area looking north, across the gully from the Lightning Ridge Prospect. The extensive rust-coloured staining indicates an outcropping of copper sulfide. Also visible in the photo are a diamond drilling rig (left, middle) and several white bulk bags used for transporting drill samples.
DRILL HOLE SR24-068 DETAILS
SR24-068 was drilled in the up-dip portion of the Chinook Deposit to a downhole depth of 79.2m (Figure 4), intersecting 43m of intense chalcocite and bornite mineralization from the surface (Table 1). The interval is consistently mineralized with several discrete zones of more intense mineralization grading up to 7.1% Cu (from 25.9m downhole).
The mineralization within the Chinook Deposit is steeply dipping and hosted within the Allen Bay Formation. The geometry and fractured nature of the mineralization within the deposit suggest that it is fault-related. With the immediate Chinook area only being explored to approximately 120m vertical depth, there is outstanding potential to extend the deposit at depth and along strike.
The Chinook Deposit represents one of seven discoveries in the Southern Graben area to date, and there is strong potential for further discoveries within the extensive fault network that delineates the graben.
Figure 4: N-S geological schematic section view through SR24-068 showing the recent drill hole locations, recently received assays and the previous interpretation of the copper mineralized zone (to be updated).
THICK INTERVALS OF COPPER CONTINUE AT CYCLONE
The potential of the Cyclone Deposit is highlighted by the thick and high-grade nature of copper mineralization in these new results, both within and outside the interpreted copper mineralized zone (Figure 5).
Within the mineralized zone, these new drill results from the southeast of the deposit demonstrate the intense copper mineralization that is typically found close to the Northern Graben Fault, a critical structural control on mineralization.
Recent drilling has also hit significant copper mineralization outside of the interpreted zone of copper mineralization at Cyclone. Previous geological interpretations truncated the zone along the Northern Graben Fault (Figure 5). Recent drilling to the southwest of the deposit (see September 27, 2024, Aston Bay news release) confirms that the Cyclone mineralization continues across this structure and is located at depth within the down-faulted stratigraphy of the Central Graben, outside of the previously interpreted mineralized body. With only minimal drilling in this newly identified zone to the southeast, this area remains a highly prospective target for future growth (Figure 6).
Figure 5: Plan view of the Cyclone Deposit showing the interpreted copper mineralized zone and historical and recent drilling overlying regional geology.
DRILL HOLE SR24-117 DETAILS
SR24-117 was drilled in the southeast portion of the Cyclone Deposit to a downhole depth of 100.7m (Table 4) proximal to the Northern Graben Fault.
The mineralization in SR24-117 contains two main zones (16.8m @ 1% Cu, 4.0 g/t Ag from 15.2m and 33.5m @ 1.5% Cu, 8.5 g/t Ag from 35.1m) of intense vein- and fracture-style copper sulfide mineralization, dominantly chalcocite, hosted within fractured dolomite of the Allen Bay Formation.
Copper-rich chalcocite mineralization is usually characterized by significant lateral continuity within Cyclone. Given the proximity to the Northern Graben Fault, it is interpreted that the mineralization is highly likely to continue to the south across the fault, where the extension to the Cyclone mineralization could be located slightly deeper within the Central Graben (Figure 6).
Figure 6: Geological section view at 465,400E showing the interpreted mineralized intervals (>0.2% Cu) for drill hole SR24-117, and the previous interpretation of the copper mineralized zone (to be updated).
PLANNED PROGRAM
On-site drilling activities have concluded for 2024 with substantial news flow expected to continue, including the laboratory assays for the remaining drill holes over the next month and the results of several ongoing studies throughout Q4 2024 and early 2025.
A maiden mineral resource estimate for the Storm Project is currently being constructed to CIM standards for anticipated Q4 2024 release.
ESG, mining, engineering, metallurgical, and economic studies are continuing with Ausenco and Sacre-Davey Engineering.
Hole ID | From (m) | To (m) | Width | Cu % | Zn % | Ag g/t |
SM24-01 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 4.84 | 0.1 | 13.1 |
Including | 3 | 5.38 | 2.38 | 13.41 | 0.4 | 22.8 |
| 38 | 43 | 5 | 0.50 | 0.0 | 1.7 |
| 44 | 59 | 15 | 2.78 | 0.0 | 9.0 |
Including | 46.5 | 55 | 8.5 | 4.54 | 0.0 | 13.8 |
| 60 | 64.5 | 4.5 | 1.34 | 0.0 | 2.1 |
Including | 62 | 63.8 | 1.8 | 2.45 | 0.0 | 3.2 |
| 74.24 | 75.05 | 0.81 | 0.36 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| 77.5 | 79 | 1.5 | 0.59 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
SM24-02 | 6 | 10 | 4 | 0.61 | 0.0 | 3.8 |
| 11.9 | 26 | 14.1 | 4.90 | 0.0 | 7.0 |
Including | 18.4 | 26 | 7.6 | 8.15 | 0.0 | 5.9 |
| 27 | 29 | 2 | 1.08 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| 30.35 | 32.5 | 2.15 | 1.18 | 0.0 | 1.8 |
| 33 | 35 | 2 | 3.88 | 0.0 | 4.0 |
Including | 33 | 34 | 1 | 6.86 | 0.0 | 6.0 |
| 37 | 40 | 3 | 8.81 | 0.0 | 12.2 |
Including | 37 | 38 | 1 | 24.40 | 0.0 | 32.0 |
| 41.5 | 44 | 2.5 | 3.12 | 0.0 | 4.0 |
Including | 41.5 | 42.5 | 1 | 6.30 | 0.0 | 7.0 |
| 51 | 55 | 4 | 3.24 | 0.0 | 3.7 |
Including | 51.85 | 54 | 2.15 | 5.64 | 0.0 | 5.8 |
| 56 | 65 | 9 | 3.76 | 0.0 | 3.1 |
Including | 58 | 59.9 | 1.9 | 10.54 | 0.0 | 6.9 |
and | 63 | 64 | 1 | 2.06 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
| 66 | 69 | 3 | 0.30 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| 71 | 73 | 2 | 0.43 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| 74 | 76 | 2 | 0.49 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| 80 | 81.5 | 1.5 | 1.12 | 0.0 | 0.8 |
| 85.3 | 86 | 0.7 | 2.35 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| 92.5 | 93 | 0.5 | 1.75 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
SR24-068 | 0 | 42.67 | 42.67 | 3.10 | 0.0 | 4.0 |
Including | 25.91 | 27.43 | 1.52 | 7.14 | 0.0 | 6.0 |
SR24-080 | 0 | 1.52 | 1.52 | 0.21 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| 4.57 | 7.62 | 3.05 | 0.41 | 0.0 | 0.5 |
| 9.14 | 21.34 | 12.2 | 0.93 | 0.0 | 1.6 |
Including | 10.67 | 13.72 | 3.05 | 1.76 | 0.0 | 1.5 |
and | 15.24 | 18.29 | 3.05 | 1.12 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
| 22.86 | 57.91 | 35.05 | 2.72 | 0.1 | 5.8 |
Including | 27.43 | 36.58 | 9.15 | 7.28 | 0.5 | 15.3 |
and | 38.1 | 41.15 | 3.05 | 3.90 | 0.0 | 5.5 |
| 62.48 | 68.58 | 6.1 | 0.53 | 0.0 | 1.1 |
Including | 65.53 | 67.06 | 1.53 | 1.04 | 0.0 | 0.5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SR24-081 | 0 | 28.96 | 28.96 | 2.56 | 0.1 | 4.3 |
Including | 1.52 | 4.57 | 3.05 | 11.11 | 0.1 | 1.5 |
and | 7.62 | 10.67 | 3.05 | 2.24 | 0.1 | 5.5 |
and | 21.34 | 25.91 | 4.57 | 4.77 | 0.1 | 5.7 |
| 39.62 | 50.29 | 10.67 | 0.56 | 0.0 | 1.4 |
Including | 48.77 | 50.29 | 1.52 | 1.03 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
| 57.91 | 59.44 | 1.53 | 0.31 | 0.0 | 3.0 |
| 62.48 | 64.01 | 1.53 | 0.26 | 0.0 | 7.0 |
SR24-082 | 0 | 7.62 | 7.62 | 0.61 | 0.0 | 3.0 |
Including | 1.52 | 3.05 | 1.53 | 1.11 | 0.0 | 4.0 |
| 10.67 | 13.72 | 3.05 | 0.45 | 0.0 | 2.5 |
| 19.81 | 28.96 | 9.15 | 2.73 | 0.0 | 2.2 |
| 32 | 35.05 | 3.05 | 0.66 | 0.0 | 24.0 |
SR24-083 | 0 | 18.29 | 18.29 | 2.48 | 0.0 | 16.0 |
Including | 4.57 | 10.67 | 6.1 | 5.37 | 0.0 | 2.8 |
| 22.86 | 27.43 | 4.57 | 0.35 | 0.0 | 3.3 |
| 39.62 | 41.15 | 1.53 | 0.52 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
SR24-084 | 3.05 | 4.57 | 1.52 | 0.60 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
| 7.62 | 9.14 | 1.52 | 0.34 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| 12.19 | 16.76 | 4.57 | 0.78 | 0.0 | 1.3 |
Including | 12.19 | 13.72 | 1.53 | 1.82 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
| 25.91 | 32 | 6.09 | 1.04 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
Including | 27.43 | 28.96 | 1.53 | 3.45 | 0.0 | 3.0 |
| 45.72 | 47.24 | 1.52 | 0.21 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
SR24-085 | 7.62 | 9.14 | 1.52 | 0.43 | 0.0 | 0.5 |
| 10.67 | 12.19 | 1.52 | 0.87 | 0.3 | 1.0 |
| 13.72 | 18.29 | 4.57 | 0.74 | 0.1 | 4.7 |
Including | 16.76 | 18.29 | 1.53 | 1.42 | 0.0 | 10.0 |
SR24-086 | 10.67 | 16.76 | 6.09 | 0.93 | 0.0 | 53.4 |
Including | 10.67 | 13.72 | 3.05 | 1.39 | 0.0 | 83.1 |
| 22.86 | 25.91 | 3.05 | 0.52 | 0.0 | 3.0 |
| 38.1 | 39.62 | 1.52 | 0.21 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
SR24-088 | 54.86 | 56.39 | 1.53 | 0.24 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
SR24-090 | 0 | 1.52 | 1.52 | 0.29 | 0.0 | 3.0 |
| 9.14 | 12.19 | 3.05 | 0.48 | 0.0 | 3.5 |
| 16.76 | 25.91 | 9.15 | 1.05 | 0.0 | 1.3 |
Including | 18.29 | 21.34 | 3.05 | 1.77 | 0.0 | 1.5 |
| 27.43 | 32 | 4.57 | 0.71 | 0.0 | 3.0 |
Including | 28.96 | 30.48 | 1.52 | 1.48 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
| 33.53 | 38.1 | 4.57 | 0.44 | 0.0 | 0.8 |
SR24-092 | 53.34 | 60.96 | 7.62 | 0.41 | 0.0 | 0.9 |
| 64.01 | 65.53 | 1.52 | 0.28 | 0.0 | 0.5 |
Table 1: Summary of recent significant drilling intersections at the Chinook Deposit (>0.2% Cu). The Reverse Circulation ("RC") intersections (SR24* holes) are expressed as downhole widths and are interpreted to be close to true widths. Diamond drill intersections (SM* holes) are all core length and true width is expected to be 60% to 100% of core length.
Hole ID | From (m) | To (m) | Width | Cu % | Zn % | Ag g/t |
SR24-077 | 118.87 | 120.4 | 1.53 | 0.45 | 0.06 | 2 |
SR24-113 | 96.01 | 97.54 | 1.53 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
SR24-114 | 44.2 | 45.72 | 1.52 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| 62.48 | 64.01 | 1.53 | 2.1 | 0.0 | 4.0 |
| 70.1 | 73.15 | 3.05 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 3.5 |
Including | 71.63 | 73.15 | 1.52 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 5.0 |
| 77.72 | 80.77 | 3.05 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
| 100.58 | 102.11 | 1.53 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
SR24-115 | 21.34 | 24.38 | 3.04 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 1.5 |
| 33.53 | 36.58 | 3.05 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 1.5 |
| 47.24 | 48.77 | 1.53 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.5 |
| 62.48 | 64.01 | 1.53 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
| 73.15 | 74.68 | 1.53 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.5 |
| 77.72 | 79.25 | 1.53 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
SR24-116 | 30.48 | 32 | 1.52 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
| 38.1 | 39.62 | 1.52 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| 50.29 | 56.39 | 6.1 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 6.0 |
Including | 53.34 | 56.39 | 3.05 | 1.4 | 0.2 | 9.5 |
| 60.96 | 65.53 | 4.57 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.8 |
| 71.63 | 73.15 | 1.52 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.5 |
| 74.68 | 76.2 | 1.52 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.5 |
| 77.72 | 83.82 | 6.1 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 3.5 |
Including | 77.72 | 79.25 | 1.53 | 2.2 | 0.0 | 8.0 |
SR24-117 | 10.67 | 12.19 | 1.52 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
| 15.24 | 32 | 16.76 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 4.0 |
| 35.05 | 68.58 | 33.53 | 1.5 | 0.1 | 8.5 |
Including | 53.34 | 64.01 | 10.67 | 2.8 | 0.1 | 10.3 |
Including | 54.86 | 57.91 | 3.05 | 6.93 | 0.1 | 23 |
| 77.72 | 83.82 | 6.1 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 4.3 |
SR24-118 | 19.81 | 21.34 | 1.53 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
| 35.05 | 38.1 | 3.05 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1.5 |
| 42.67 | 44.2 | 1.53 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| 68.58 | 74.68 | 6.1 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
SR24-121 | 89.92 | 91.44 | 1.52 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
SR24-122 | 16.76 | 18.29 | 1.53 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.5 |
| 39.62 | 41.15 | 1.53 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 3.0 |
| 47.24 | 48.77 | 1.53 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
| 51.82 | 53.34 | 1.52 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| 76.2 | 79.25 | 3.05 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 2.5 |
SR24-124 | 106.68 | 108.2 | 1.52 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 2.0 |
| 112.78 | 114.3 | 1.52 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
SR24-125 | 114.3 | 115.82 | 1.52 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| 117.35 | 118.87 | 1.52 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| 123.44 | 126.49 | 3.05 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 1.5 |
SR24-127 | 85.34 | 100.58 | 15.24 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 3.5 |
Including | 86.87 | 94.49 | 7.62 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 3.6 |
| 102.11 | 103.63 | 1.52 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
| 105.16 | 109.73 | 4.57 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 5.7 |
SR24-128 | 67.06 | 70.1 | 3.04 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 4.5 |
| 71.63 | 74.68 | 3.05 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 3.5 |
| 80.77 | 82.3 | 1.53 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 6.0 |
| 99.06 | 102.11 | 3.05 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
| 106.68 | 108.2 | 1.52 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
Table 2: Summary of recent significant drilling intersections at the Cyclone Deposit (>0.2% Cu). The Reverse Circulation ("RC") intersections (SR24* holes) are expressed as downhole widths and are interpreted to be close to true widths.
Details of the delineation drilling and exploration drill holes for the 2024 program are available at https://astonbayholdings.com/news/2024-storm-drill-hole-details/.
Qualified Person
Michael Dufresne, M.Sc., P.Geol., P.Geo., is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this press release.
About the Storm Copper and Seal Zinc-Silver Projects, Nunavut
The Nunavut property consists of 173 contiguous mining claims covering an area of approximately 219,257 hectares on Somerset Island, Nunavut, Canada. The Storm Project comprises both the Storm Copper Project, a high-grade sediment-hosted copper discovery (intersections including 110m* @ 2.5% Cu from surface and 56.3* @ 3.1% Cu from 12.2m as well as the Seal Zinc Deposit (intersections including 14.4m* @ 10.6% Zn, 28.7g/t Ag from 51.8m and 22.3m* @ 23.0% Zn, 5.1g/t Ag from 101.5m). Additionally, there are numerous underexplored and undrilled targets within the 120-kilometre strike length of the mineralized trend, including the Tornado copper prospect, where ten grab samples yielded >1% Cu up to 32% Cu in gossans. The Nunavut property is now the subject of an 80/20 unincorporated joint venture with American West (see "Agreement with American West" below for more details).
Storm Discovery and Historical Work
High-grade copper mineralization was discovered at Storm in the mid-1990s by Cominco geologists conducting regional zinc exploration around their then-producing Polaris lead-zinc mine. A massive chalcocite boulder found in a tributary of the Aston River in 1996 was traced to impressive surface exposures of broken chalcocite mineralization for hundreds of metres of surface strike length at what became named the 2750N, 2200N, and 3500N zones. Subsequent seasons of prospecting, geophysics and over 9,000 m of drilling into the early 2000s confirmed a significant amount of copper mineralization below the surface exposures as well as making the blind discovery of the 4100N Zone, a large area of copper mineralization with no surface exposure.
Following the merger of Cominco with Teck in 2001 and the closure of the Polaris Mine, the Storm claims were allowed to lapse in 2007. Commander Resources staked the property in 2008 and flew a helicopter-borne VTEM survey in 2011 but conducted no additional drilling. Aston Bay subsequently entered into an earn-in agreement with Commander and consolidated 100% ownership in 2015. Commander retained a 0.875% Gross Overriding Royalty in the area of the original Storm claims which was purchased by Taurus Mining Royalty Fund L.P. in January 2024.
In 2016 Aston Bay entered into an earn-in agreement with BHP, who conducted a 2,000-station soil sampling program and drilled 1,951m of core in 12 diamond drill holes, yielding up to 16m* @ 3.1% Cu. BHP exited the agreement in 2017 and retains no residual interest in the project. Aston Bay conducted a property-wide airborne gravity gradiometry survey in 2017 and drilled 2,913m in nine core holes in the Storm area in 2018, yielding a best intercept of 1.5m* @ 4.4% Cu and 20.5m* @ 0.6% Cu.
Agreement with American West
On March 9, 2021, Aston Bay entered into an option agreement with American West Metals Limited (American West) and its wholly owned Canadian subsidiary Tornado Metals Ltd., pursuant to which American West was granted an option to earn an 80% undivided interest in the Project by spending a minimum of CAD$10 million on qualifying exploration expenditures. The parties amended and restated the Option Agreement as of February 27, 2023, to facilitate American West directly earning an interest in the Project alongside its Canadian subsidiary without any change to the overall commercial agreement between the parties. The expenditures were completed during 2023, and American West exercised the option. American West and Aston Bay have formed an 80/20 unincorporated joint venture.
Under the joint venture, Aston Bay shall have a free carried interest until American West has made a decision to mine upon completion of a bankable feasibility study, meaning American West will be solely responsible for funding the joint venture until such decision is made. After such decision is made, Aston Bay will be diluted in the event it does not elect to contribute its proportionate share and its interest in the Project will be converted into a 2% net smelter returns royalty if its interest is diluted to below 10%.
Recent Work
American West completed a fixed loop electromagnetic (FLEM) ground geophysical survey in 2021 that yielded several new subsurface conductive anomalies. A total of 1,534m were drilled in 10 diamond drill holes in the 2022 season, yielding several impressive near-surface intercepts, including 41m* @ 4.1% Cu as well as 68m of sulfide mineralization associated with a deeper conductive anomaly.
In April 2022, results of beneficiation studies demonstrated that a mineralized intercept grading 4% Cu from the 4100N area could be upgraded to a 54% Cu direct ship product using standard sorting technology. Further beneficiation and metallurgical studies are ongoing.
In April 2023, American West embarked on a spring delineation drilling program using a helicopter-portable RC drill rig as well as conducting gravity and moving loop electromagnetic (MLEM) ground geophysical programs.
The summer 2023 program conducted further delineation drilling of the near-surface high-grade copper zones to advance them toward maiden resource estimates in 2024. Deep diamond drilling during 2023 discovered high-grade copper sulfides up to 2.7% Cu at approximately 300m vertical depth (ST23-02), suggesting the potential for the discovery of large-scale copper targets at depth.
Diamond drilling of new high-priority deep MLEM targets, RC delineation drilling for resource development and additional geophysical surveys are now underway in the 2024 program. Metallurgical studies and environmental baseline studies are ongoing, with bulk sampling for prefeasibility-level processing planned for summer 2024.
*Stated drill hole intersections are all core length and true width is expected to be 60% to 100% of core length.
About Aston Bay Holdings
Aston Bay is a publicly traded mineral exploration company exploring for high-grade critical and precious metal deposits in Nunavut, Canada and Virginia, USA.
The Company is currently exploring the Storm Copper Property and Cu-Ag-Zn-Co Epworth Property in Nunavut, as well as the high-grade Buckingham Gold Vein in central Virginia. The Company is also in advanced stages of negotiation on other lands with high-grade critical metals potential in North America
The Company and its joint venture partners, American West Metals Limited and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Tornado Metals Ltd. (collectively, "American West") have formed a 20/80 unincorporated joint venture in respect of the Storm Project property, which hosts the Storm Copper Project and the Seal Zinc Deposit. Under the unincorporated joint venture, Aston Bay shall have a free carried interest until American West has made a decision to mine upon completion of a bankable feasibility study, meaning American West will be solely responsible for funding the joint venture until such decision is made. After such decision is made, Aston Bay will be diluted in the event it does not elect to contribute its proportionate share and its interest in the Storm Project property will be converted into a 2% net smelter returns royalty if its interest is diluted to below 10%.
About American West Metals Limited
AMERICAN WEST METALS LIMITED (ASX:AW1) is an Australian clean energy mining company focused on growth through the discovery and development of major base metal mineral deposits in Tier 1 jurisdictions of North America. The company's strategy is focused on developing mines that have a low-footprint and support the global energy transformation. AW1's portfolio of copper and zinc projects in Utah and Canada include significant existing resource inventories and high-grade mineralization that can generate robust mining proposals. Core to AW1's approach is a commitment to the ethical extraction and processing of minerals and making a meaningful contribution to the communities where its projects are located.
Led by a highly experienced leadership team, AW1's strategic initiatives lay the foundation for a sustainable business which aims to deliver high-multiplier returns on shareholder investment and economic benefits to all stakeholders.
For further information on American West, visit: www.americanwestmetals.com.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Statements made in this news release, including those regarding entering into the joint venture and each party's interest in the Project pursuant to the agreement in respect of the joint venture, management objectives, forecasts, estimates, expectations, or predictions of the future may constitute "forward-looking statement", which can be identified by the use of conditional or future tenses or by the use of such verbs as "believe", "expect", "may", "will", "should", "estimate", "anticipate", "project", "plan", and words of similar import, including variations thereof and negative forms. This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect, as of the date of this press release, Aston Bay's expectations, estimates and projections about its operations, the mining industry and the economic environment in which it operates. Statements in this press release that are not supported by historical fact are forward-looking statements, meaning they involve risk, uncertainty and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although Aston Bay believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements, which apply only at the time of writing of this press release. Aston Bay disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by securities legislation.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
For more information contact:
Thomas Ullrich, Chief Executive Officer
thomas.ullrich@astonbayholdings.com
(416) 456-3516
Sofia Harquail, IR and Corporate Development
sofia.harquail@astonbayholdings.com
(647) 821-1337
SOURCE: Aston Bay Holdings Ltd.
View the original press release on accesswire.com
News Provided by ACCESSWIRE via QuoteMedia
Aston Bay and American West Metals Report 22.9m @ 8.5% Cu Intersected at the Storm Project, Nunavut, Canada
Drill results outside of known mineralization confirm the expansion potential
Cyclone resource upgrade and expansion:
Assays confirm that the resource drilling around and within the Cyclone Deposit has intersected further thick high-grade copper intervals including:
-
Drill hole SR24-093 was drilled 75m southof the current known area of mineralization and has intersected:
-
53.3m @ 3.9% copper (Cu), 12.6 grams per tonne (g/t) silver (Ag) from 86.9m downhole, including,
-
22.9m @ 8.5% Cu, 17.8g/t Ag from 86.9m downhole, including,
9.1m @ 14.4% Cu, 21.3g/t Ag from 93m downhole
-
-
-
Drill hole SR24-070 has intersected:
-
45.7m @ 1.9% Cu, 9.4g/t Ag from 35.1m downhole, including,
-
27.4m @ 3.1% Cu, 14.6g/t Ag from 35.1m downhole, including,
15.2m @ 4.2% Cu, 16.2g/t Ag from 35.1m downhole
-
-
-
Drill hole SR24-045 has intersected:
-
57.9m @ 1% Cu, 4.3g/t Ag from 32m downhole, including,
10.7m @ 3.2% Cu, 16.0g/t Ag from 65.5m downhole
-
Sealift and 2025 program preparation:
NEAS cargo ship MV Mitiq has successfully completed the 2024 sealift operation at Storm
The sealift has delivered large quantities of supplies directly on Somerset Island for the 2025 exploration, resource expansion, and development programs, which is expected to save an estimated $4 Million on the 2025 budget
Bulk samples containing copper were also transported offsite via the cargo ship, demonstrating the complete logistics chain for the potential direct shipping product mining operation
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / September 27, 2024 / Aston Bay Holdings Ltd. (TSXV:BAY)(OTCQB:ATBHF) ("Aston Bay" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on drilling activities at the Storm Copper Project ("Storm" or the "Project") on Somerset Island, Nunavut. The exploration program is being conducted by American West Metals Limited ("American West"), who is the operator of the Project. Aston Bay and American West have formed a 20/80 unincorporated joint venture in respect of the Storm Project property, with Aston Bay maintaining a free carried interest until a decision to mine upon completion of a bankable feasibility study.
Thomas Ullrich, Chief Executive Officer of Aston Bay, commented:
"It is exciting to hit such a long interval of high-grade copper outside of the previously known zone of mineralization as we work toward calculation of a maiden resource estimate this fall. This suggests there is more to be found, and it bodes well for additional discoveries and expansion of the known existing mineralization with next year's campaign.
"We congratulate NEAS on the arrival of their cargo ship MV Mitiq into Aston Bay. This sealift is a first for the project that will significantly reduce the cost for both the delineation drilling and exploration diamond drilling programs next year. The successful operation demonstrates that bulk cargo and equipment can be economically transported to the project and that potential products could be delivered to market on the return journey. This will play an important part in future programs and development plans at Storm."
Figure 1: NEAS cargo ship MV Mitiq at anchor in Aston Bay for the Storm Project sealift.
EXCEPTIONAL COPPER INTERSECTIONS CONTINUE AT CYCLONE
Assay results from the latest batch of drill holes have been received and continue to highlight the expansion and upgrade potential of the Cyclone Deposit (Figure 2).
The latest assays have confirmed very thick and high-grade intersections of copper within and outside of the current known mineralization envelope, particularly at the west end and to the south of the deposit. The west end of Cyclone hosts the shallowest and highest-grade copper mineralization within the deposit, considered very favourable for a potential open-pit mining operation in future. The infill drilling also continues to confirm the excellent lateral continuity of the mineralization.
Assays for the remainder of the outstanding drill holes are expected in batches over the coming weeks.
Figure 2: Plan view of the Cyclone Deposit showing the copper mineralized zone outlines and historical and recent drilling, overlain on regional geology.
DRILL HOLE SR24-093 DETAILS
SR24-093 was drilled to the southwest of the Cyclone Deposit and to a downhole depth of 150.9m (Figure 3). The drill hole was designed to follow up other strong copper intersections outside of the known mineralization in the southern area including SR24-009 which intersected 15.2m @ 1.4% Cu, including 1.5m @ 6.4% Cu from 109.7m downhole (See August 15, 2024, Aston Bay news release.
Drill hole SR24-093 intersected 53m of strong chalcocite mineralization (53.3m @ 3.9% Cu) from 86.9m downhole with an intensely mineralized zone and semi-massive sulfide zone between 86.9m and 109.7m downhole averaging 8.5% Cu over 22.9m (Table 1).
The mineralized Allen Bay host rock in SR24-093 is displaced downward relative to the Cyclone Deposit south of the large fault that forms the northern boundary of the Central Graben. The faults that define this large block of down-dropped prospective rock within the Central Graben either host or are spatially associated with the majority of the copper mineralization at Storm. The graben block itself, with the prospective Allen Bay stratigraphic horizon covered by the barren overlying Douro formation at the surface, is little explored. These new intercepts highlight the potential for the Central Graben to host significant copper mineralization concealed at depth.
The large 75m step-out from the previous drilling, thickness, and grade of the copper mineralization are promising for the discovery of additional mineralization to the southwest of the Cyclone Deposit and elsewhere in the large but underexplored Central Graben.
Figure 3: N-S geological schematic section view through SR24-093 and SR24-073 showing the recent drill hole locations, recent assays, and the interpreted zones of copper mineralization..
DRILL HOLE SR24-045 and SR24-070 DETAILS
SR24-045 and SR24-070 are located on the same drill section and have intersected intense copper sulfide mineralization on the margins of the known zones of mineralization at Cyclone (Figure 2).
Mineralization in both drill holes consists of zones of intense vein- and fracture-style copper sulfide mineralization with thick intervals over 3% Cu hosted within fractured dolomite of the Allen Bay Formation.
The dominant copper sulfide mineral observed within the drill holes is chalcocite, with minor bornite and chalcopyrite on the margins of the mineralized intervals and within veins. The mineralogy and intensity of copper mineralization is typically characterized by significant lateral continuity within Cyclone.
Figure 4: Geological section view at 464,850E showing the mineralized intervals (>0.2% Cu) for drill holes SR24-011, SR24-15 and SR24-023, and the interpreted zones of copper mineralization.
SEALIFT - DEMONSTRATION OF COMPLETE LOGISTICS CHAIN
The NEAS cargo ship MV Mitiq has recently completed a sealift operation at the Storm Project. The ship anchored in Aston Bay and has delivered large quantities of aviation and diesel fuel, salt for diamond drilling, lumber, heavy machinery, and other supplies in preparation for the 2025 exploration and delineation drilling program.
The sealift is carried out using large, tugboat-guided barges maneuvered onto a suitable beach (Figure 5), and then off-loaded using large wheeled loaders. Materials are hoisted from the ship to the barges (and vice versa) using large cranes. This system eliminates the need for wharves or other port infrastructure to load and unload cargo (Figures 6 & 7).
The sealift has also demonstrated the loading operations and sent bulk samples of RC chips off-site. The mineralized samples will be used for metallurgical purposes and the process has demonstrated the complete logistics chain for a potential mining operation at the Storm Project: it is envisaged that potential copper direct shipping product would be transported to market in sea containers via sealift on empty ships returning to port on the east coast of Canada.
Whereas the sealift has incurred expenses on the 2024 program, the exercise is expected to save approximately $4m on the 2025 program budget.
Figure 5: Photo of the sealift tug and barging operation underway on Aston Bay, Nunavut.
Figure 6: Offloading of cargo at the Storm Project Marine Loading Area (MLA), on the coast of Aston Bay, Nunavut.
Figure 7: Photo of the Storm Project Marine Loading Area (MLA), on the coast of Aston Bay, Nunavut.
Hole ID | From (m) | To (m) | Width | Cu % | Zn % | Ag g/t |
SR24-043 | 91.44 | 99.06 | 7.62 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.9 |
| 100.58 | 102.11 | 1.53 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| 105.16 | 106.68 | 1.52 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
SR24-045 | 32.00 | 89.92 | 57.91 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 4.3 |
Including | 65.53 | 76.20 | 10.67 | 3.2 | 0.0 | 9.0 |
SR24-049 | 27.43 | 44.20 | 16.76 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.9 |
Including | 27.43 | 35.05 | 7.62 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 4.0 |
| 48.77 | 68.58 | 19.81 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 1.3 |
Including | 65.53 | 67.06 | 1.52 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
SR24-053 | 83.82 | 86.87 | 3.05 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.5 |
SR24-061 | 48.77 | 51.82 | 3.05 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
Including | 42.67 | 45.72 | 3.05 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
and | 50.29 | 51.82 | 1.52 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| 92.96 | 94.49 | 1.52 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| 111.25 | 117.35 | 6.10 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
SR24-063 | 22.86 | 36.58 | 13.72 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 4.0 |
Including | 27.43 | 32.00 | 4.57 | 3.1 | 0.1 | 8.7 |
| 42.67 | 45.72 | 3.05 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 3.0 |
| 50.29 | 51.82 | 1.52 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| 59.44 | 60.96 | 1.52 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| 65.53 | 71.63 | 6.10 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 2.5 |
SR24-067 | 12.19 | 21.34 | 9.14 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| 30.48 | 35.05 | 4.57 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
Including | 30.48 | 32.00 | 1.52 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 2.0 |
| 44.20 | 45.72 | 1.52 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 3.0 |
| 50.29 | 62.48 | 12.19 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 4.6 |
Including | 50.29 | 51.82 | 1.52 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 6.0 |
and | 57.91 | 62.48 | 4.57 | 1.9 | 0.1 | 8.7 |
| 59.44 | 68.58 | 9.14 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
| 73.15 | 74.68 | 1.52 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
SR24-070 | 27.43 | 28.96 | 1.52 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| 35.05 | 80.77 | 45.72 | 1.9 | 0.1 | 9.4 |
Including | 35.05 | 62.48 | 27.43 | 3.1 | 0.1 | 14.6 |
Including | 35.05 | 50.92 | 15.24 | 4.2 | 0.1 | 16.2 |
SR24-071 | 33.53 | 35.05 | 1.52 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 9.0 |
| 65.53 | 82.30 | 16.76 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 3.7 |
Including | 67.06 | 68.58 | 1.52 | 2.3 | 0.0 | 7.0 |
and | 79.25 | 80.77 | 1.52 | 2.9 | 0.1 | 15.0 |
SR24-072 | 59.44 | 67.06 | 7.62 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 3.8 |
Including | 59.44 | 64.01 | 4.57 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 4.7 |
| 71.63 | 74.68 | 3.05 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 3.0 |
| 79.25 | 80.77 | 1.52 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
SR24-073 | 45.72 | 54.86 | 9.14 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 2.7 |
| 65.53 | 82.30 | 16.76 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 3.2 |
Including | 73.15 | 74.68 | 1.52 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 6.0 |
| 86.87 | 88.39 | 1.52 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 4.0 |
SR24-075 | 97.54 | 105.16 | 7.62 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 4.4 |
Including | 97.54 | 99.06 | 1.52 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 7.0 |
SR24-076 | 106.68 | 120.40 | 13.72 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 2.4 |
Including | 109.73 | 112.78 | 3.05 | 2.1 | 0.0 | 5.5 |
| 128.02 | 129.54 | 1.52 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
SR24-087 | 25.91 | 30.48 | 4.57 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1.7 |
| 48.77 | 57.91 | 9.14 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.8 |
Including | 50.29 | 56.39 | 6.10 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 3.8 |
| 76.20 | 88.39 | 12.19 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 2.5 |
Including | 76.20 | 79.25 | 3.05 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 4.0 |
SR24-089 | 9.14 | 10.67 | 1.52 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
| 21.34 | 25.91 | 4.57 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 1.7 |
| 38.10 | 53.34 | 15.24 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 1.5 |
Including | 42.67 | 44.20 | 1.52 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 3.0 |
| 57.91 | 59.44 | 1.52 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| 65.53 | 68.58 | 3.05 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 1.5 |
| 88.39 | 89.92 | 1.52 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 3.0 |
SR24-091 | 16.76 | 24.38 | 7.62 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 2.6 |
| 32.00 | 35.05 | 3.05 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.8 |
| 53.34 | 62.48 | 9.14 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.5 |
| 70.10 | 77.72 | 7.62 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 1.2 |
SR24-093 | 86.87 | 140.21 | 53.34 | 3.9 | 0.3 | 12.6 |
Including | 86.87 | 109.73 | 22.86 | 8.5 | 0.3 | 17.8 |
Including | 92.96 | 102.11 | 9.14 | 14.4 | 0.0 | 21.3 |
Including | 99.06 | 102.11 | 3.05 | 27.7 | 0.0 | 39.0 |
SR24-095 | 39.62 | 41.15 | 1.52 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 3.0 |
SR24-097 | 57.91 | 60.96 | 3.05 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 2.5 |
| 71.63 | 74.68 | 3.05 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
| 85.34 | 86.87 | 1.52 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
SR24-099 | 62.48 | 73.15 | 10.67 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.7 |
| 83.82 | 86.87 | 3.05 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 1.5 |
SR24-101 | 67.06 | 70.10 | 3.05 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 1.5 |
| 86.87 | 89.92 | 3.05 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 1.5 |
| 92.96 | 94.49 | 1.52 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
| 126.49 | 128.02 | 1.52 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 3.0 |
| 140.21 | 141.73 | 1.52 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
SR24-103 | 65.53 | 71.63 | 6.10 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.5 |
| 94.49 | 108.20 | 13.72 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1.9 |
Including | 102.11 | 103.63 | 1.52 | 2.2 | 0.0 | 5.0 |
SR24-105 | 96.01 | 106.68 | 10.67 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 1.1 |
| 112.78 | 114.30 | 1.52 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
SR24-107 | 60.96 | 64.01 | 3.05 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| 100.58 | 103.63 | 3.05 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.8 |
SR24-109 | 118.87 | 120.40 | 1.52 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
SR24-111 | 67.06 | 68.58 | 1.52 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| 97.54 | 99.06 | 1.52 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
SR24-112 | 51.82 | 53.34 | 1.52 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
| 76.20 | 99.06 | 22.86 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 3.4 |
Including | 76.20 | 85.34 | 9.14 | 1.8 | 0.0 | 6.2 |
Table 1: Summary of recent significant drilling intersections at the Cyclone Deposit (>0.2% Cu). The intersections are expressed as downhole widths and are interpreted to be close to true widths.
Details of the delineation drilling and exploration drill holes for the 2024 program are available at https://astonbayholdings.com/news/2024-storm-drill-hole-details/.
Qualified Person
Michael Dufresne, M.Sc., P.Geol., P.Geo., is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this press release.
About the Storm Copper and Seal Zinc-Silver Projects, Nunavut
The Nunavut property consists of 173 contiguous mining claims covering an area of approximately 219,257 hectares on Somerset Island, Nunavut, Canada. The Storm Project comprises both the Storm Copper Project, a high-grade sediment-hosted copper discovery (intersections including 110m* @ 2.5% Cu from surface and 56.3* @ 3.1% Cu from 12.2m as well as the Seal Zinc Deposit (intersections including 14.4m* @ 10.6% Zn, 28.7g/t Ag from 51.8m and 22.3m* @ 23.0% Zn, 5.1g/t Ag from 101.5m). Additionally, there are numerous underexplored and undrilled targets within the 120-kilometre strike length of the mineralized trend, including the Tornado copper prospect where 10 grab samples yielded >1% Cu up to 32% Cu in gossans. The Nunavut property is now the subject of an 80/20 unincorporated joint venture with American West (see "Agreement with American West" below for more details).
Storm Discovery and Historical Work
High-grade copper mineralization was discovered at Storm in the mid-1990s by Cominco geologists conducting regional zinc exploration around their then-producing Polaris lead-zinc mine. A massive chalcocite boulder found in a tributary of the Aston River in 1996 was traced to impressive surface exposures of broken chalcocite mineralization for hundreds of metres of surface strike length at what became named the 2750N, 2200N, and 3500N zones. Subsequent seasons of prospecting, geophysics and over 9,000 m of drilling into the early 2000s confirmed a significant amount of copper mineralization below the surface exposures as well as making the blind discovery of the 4100N Zone, a large area of copper mineralization with no surface exposure.
Following the merger of Cominco with Teck in 2001 and the closure of the Polaris Mine, the Storm claims were allowed to lapse in 2007. Commander Resources staked the property in 2008 and flew a helicopter-borne VTEM survey in 2011 but conducted no additional drilling. Aston Bay subsequently entered into an earn-in agreement with Commander and consolidated 100% ownership in 2015. Commander retained a 0.875% Gross Overriding Royalty in the area of the original Storm claims which was purchased by Taurus Mining Royalty Fund L.P. in January 2024.
In 2016 Aston Bay entered into an earn-in agreement with BHP, who conducted a 2,000-station soil sampling program and drilled 1,951m of core in 12 diamond drill holes, yielding up to 16m* @ 3.1% Cu. BHP exited the agreement in 2017 and retains no residual interest in the project. Aston Bay conducted a property-wide airborne gravity gradiometry survey in 2017 and drilled 2,913m in nine core holes in the Storm area in 2018 yielding a best intercept of 1.5m* @ 4.4% Cu and 20.5m* @ 0.6% Cu.
Agreement with American West
On March 9, 2021, Aston Bay entered into an option agreement with American West Metals Limited (American West), and its wholly owned Canadian subsidiary Tornado Metals Ltd., pursuant to which American West was granted an option to earn an 80% undivided interest in the Project by spending a minimum of CAD$10 million on qualifying exploration expenditures. The parties amended and restated the Option Agreement as of February 27, 2023, to facilitate American West directly earning an interest in the Project alongside its Canadian subsidiary without any change to the overall commercial agreement between the parties. The expenditures were completed during 2023, and American West exercised the option. American West and Aston Bay have formed an 80/20 unincorporated joint venture.
Under the joint venture, Aston Bay shall have a free carried interest until American West has made a decision to mine upon completion of a bankable feasibility study, meaning American West will be solely responsible for funding the joint venture until such decision is made. After such decision is made, Aston Bay will be diluted in the event it does not elect to contribute its proportionate share and its interest in the Project will be converted into a 2% net smelter returns royalty if its interest is diluted to below 10%.
Recent Work
American West completed a fixed loop electromagnetic (FLEM) ground geophysical survey in 2021 that yielded several new subsurface conductive anomalies. A total of 1,534m were drilled in 10 diamond drill holes in the 2022 season, yielding several impressive near-surface intercepts including 41m* @ 4.1% Cu as well as 68m of sulfide mineralization associated with a deeper conductive anomaly.
In April 2022, results of beneficiation studies demonstrated that a mineralized intercept grading 4% Cu from the 4100N area could be upgraded to a 54% Cu direct ship product using standard sorting technology. Further beneficiation and metallurgical studies are ongoing.
In April 2023, American West embarked on a spring delineation drilling program using a helicopter-portable RC drill rig as well as conducting gravity and moving loop electromagnetic (MLEM) ground geophysical programs.
The summer 2023 program conducted further delineation drilling of the near-surface high-grade copper zones to advance them toward maiden resource estimates in 2024. Deep diamond drilling during 2023 discovered high-grade copper sulfides up to 2.7% Cu at approximately 300m vertical depth (ST23-02), suggesting the potential for discovery of large-scale copper targets at depth.
Diamond drilling of new high-priority deep MLEM targets, RC delineation drilling for resource development and additional geophysical surveys are now underway in the 2024 program. Metallurgical studies and environmental baseline studies are ongoing, with bulk sampling for prefeasibility-level processing planned for summer 2024.
*Stated drill hole intersections are all core length, and true width is expected to be 60% to 100% of core length.
About Aston Bay Holdings
Aston Bay is a publicly traded mineral exploration company exploring for high-grade critical and precious metal deposits in Nunavut, Canada and Virginia, USA.
The Company is currently exploring the Storm Copper Property and Cu-Ag-Zn-Co Epworth Property in Nunavut, and the high-grade Buckingham Gold Vein in central Virginia. The company is also in advanced stages of negotiation on other lands with high-grade critical metals potential in North America
The Company and its joint venture partners, American West Metals Limited and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Tornado Metals Ltd. (collectively, "American West") have formed a 20/80 unincorporated joint venture in respect of the Storm Project property, which hosts the Storm Copper Project and the Seal Zinc Deposit. Under the unincorporated joint venture, Aston Bay shall have a free carried interest until American West has made a decision to mine upon completion of a bankable feasibility study, meaning American West will be solely responsible for funding the joint venture until such decision is made. After such decision is made, Aston Bay will be diluted in the event it does not elect to contribute its proportionate share and its interest in the Storm Project property will be converted into a 2% net smelter returns royalty if its interest is diluted to below 10%.
About American West Metals Limited
AMERICAN WEST METALS LIMITED (ASX: AW1) is an Australian clean energy mining company focused on growth through the discovery and development of major base metal mineral deposits in Tier 1 jurisdictions of North America. The company's strategy is focused on developing mines that have a low-footprint and support the global energy transformation. AW1's portfolio of copper and zinc projects in Utah and Canada include significant existing resource inventories and high-grade mineralization that can generate robust mining proposals. Core to AW1's approach is a commitment to the ethical extraction and processing of minerals and making a meaningful contribution to the communities where its projects are located.
Led by a highly experienced leadership team, AW1's strategic initiatives lay the foundation for a sustainable business which aims to deliver high-multiplier returns on shareholder investment and economic benefits to all stakeholders.
For further information on American West, visit: www.americanwestmetals.com.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Statements made in this news release, including those regarding entering into the joint venture and each party's interest in the Project pursuant to the agreement in respect of the joint venture, management objectives, forecasts, estimates, expectations, or predictions of the future may constitute "forward-looking statement", which can be identified by the use of conditional or future tenses or by the use of such verbs as "believe", "expect", "may", "will", "should", "estimate", "anticipate", "project", "plan", and words of similar import, including variations thereof and negative forms. This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect, as of the date of this press release, Aston Bay's expectations, estimates and projections about its operations, the mining industry and the economic environment in which it operates. Statements in this press release that are not supported by historical fact are forward-looking statements, meaning they involve risk, uncertainty and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although Aston Bay believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements, which apply only at the time of writing of this press release. Aston Bay disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by securities legislation.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
For more information contact:
Thomas Ullrich, Chief Executive Officer
thomas.ullrich@astonbayholdings.com
(416) 456-3516
Sofia Harquail, IR and Corporate Development
sofia.harquail@astonbayholdings.com
(647) 821-1337
SOURCE: Aston Bay Holdings Ltd.
View the original press release on accesswire.com
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Silver47 Announces Closing of $23 Million Brokered LIFE Financing, Including Full Exercise of the Over-Allotment Option
Silver47 Exploration Corp. (TSXV: AGA,OTC:AAGAF) (OTCQB: AAGAF) ("Silver47" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the closing of its previously announced brokered private placement (the "Offering") of units (each, a "Unit") at a price of $0.70 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of $23,000,460, including the full exercise of the over-allotment option.
The Offering was led by Research Capital Corporation, as lead agent and sole bookrunner, on behalf of a syndicate of agents, including Eventus Capital Corp. and Haywood Securities Inc. (collectively, the "Agents").
Each Unit is comprised of one common share of the Company (a "Common Share") and one-half of one Common Share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant is exercisable to acquire one Common Share at a price of $1.00 per Common Share until September 16, 2028.
The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering for further exploration work on the Company's projects and for general working capital purposes.
The Units were sold in reliance on the "listed issuer financing exemption" from the prospectus requirement available under Part 5A of National Instrument 45-106 – Prospectus Exemptions, as amended by Coordinated Blanket Order 45-935 – Exemptions from Certain Conditions of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemptions (the "Listed Issuer Financing Exemption"). The securities sold under the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption, including securities issuable upon exercise thereof, are not subject to a hold period in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws, other than those sold to a director of the Company which are subject to a hold period expiring on January 17, 2026 in accordance with the policies of the TSXV Venture Exchange (the "Exchange").
In consideration for the services provided by the Agents in connection with the Offering, Silver47 paid to the Agents an aggregate cash commission of $1,193,175 and issued to the Agents an aggregate of 1,704,536 broker warrants of the Company (the "Broker Warrants"). Each Broker Warrant is exercisable to acquire one Common Share at a price of $0.70 per Common Share until September 16, 2028. In addition, the Company paid an advisory fee of $179,342.80 plus tax and issued 256,204 advisory warrants of the Company on the same terms as the Broker Warrants.
A director of Silver47 acquired 100,000 Units for gross proceeds of $70,000 pursuant to the Offering, and as such the Offering is considered a related party transaction within the meaning of Policy 5.9 of the TSXV Venture Exchange and Multilateral Instrument 61-101 – Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). Neither Silver47, nor to the knowledge of Silver47 after reasonable inquiry, a related party, has knowledge of any material information concerning Silver47 or its securities that has not been generally disclosed. Silver47 has relied on exemptions from the formal valuation and minority approval requirements of sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 in respect of such insider participation, based on a determination that the fair market value of the participation in the Offering by the insider will not exceed 25% of the market capitalization of the Silver47, as determined in accordance with MI 61-101. Silver47 did not file a material change report more than 21 days before the expected closing of the Offering because the details of the participation therein by a related party of Silver47 were not settled until shortly prior to closing of the Offering and the parties wished to close on an expedited basis for business reasons.
This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available.
About Silver47 Exploration Corp.
Silver47 Exploration Corp. is a mineral exploration company, focused on uncovering and developing silver-rich deposits in North America. The Company is creating a leading high-grade US-focused silver developer with a combined resource totaling 236 Moz AgEq at 334 g/t AgEq inferred and 10 Moz at 333 g/t AgEq Indicated. With operations in Alaska, Nevada and New Mexico, Silver47 is anchored in America's most prolific mining jurisdictions. For detailed information regarding the Company's properties, please refer to the technical reports and other filings available on the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.
For more information about the Company, please visit www.silver47.ca.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates:
X: @Silver47co
LinkedIn: Silver47
On Behalf of the Board of Directors
Galen McNamara
CEO & Director
For investor relations:
Giordy Belfiore
604-288-8004
gbelfiore@silver47.ca
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. "Forward-looking information" includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including, without limitation, the intended use of the net proceeds of the Offering, and the anticipated benefits and impacts of the Offering. Generally, but not always, forward-looking information and statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negative connotation thereof or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connation thereof.
Such forward-looking information and statements are based on numerous assumptions, including among others, that the Company will receive final Exchange approval, the price of metals; the costs of exploration and development; the estimated costs of development of the Company's projects; and the Company's ability to operate in a safe and effective manner. Although the assumptions made by the Company in providing forward-looking information or making forward-looking statements are considered reasonable by management at the time, there can be no assurance that such assumptions 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 plans or expectations include, without limitation, risks relating to market conditions; timeliness of final Exchange approval; the risk that actual costs may exceed estimated costs; geological, mining and exploration technical problems; failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); title to properties and management's ability to anticipate and manage the foregoing factors and risks. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information or implied by forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information.
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/266652
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GlobeTrotters Resource Group Inc. Announces Filing of Updated Early Warning Report
GlobeTrotters Resource Group Inc. ("GlobeTrotters" or the "Acquiror") announces that, on September 15, 2025, GlobeTrotters disposed of ownership of an aggregate of 1,428,000 common shares (the "Shares") of Forte Minerals Corp. ("Forte" or the "Issuer") at an approximate price of $0.75 per Share pursuant to certain market sales over the facilities of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Disposition").
Immediately prior to the completion of the Disposition, the Acquiror owned a total of 6,298,333 Shares, representing approximately 9.59% of the issued and outstanding Shares on a non-diluted basis.
Immediately following the completion of the Disposition, the Acquiror owns a total of 4,870,333 Shares, representing approximately 7.42% of the issued and outstanding Shares on a non-diluted basis.
All of the securities held by GlobeTrotters in Forte, including the Shares and the Warrants, are being held for investment purposes. GlobeTrotters may in the future take such actions in respect of its Forte securityholdings as it deems appropriate in light of the market circumstances then existing, including the potential purchase of additional shares of Integra through open market purchases or privately negotiated transactions, a corporate transaction, such as a merger, reorganization or liquidation, involving Forte, or the sale of all or a portion of such holdings in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions to one or more purchasers, or GlobeTrotters may continue to hold its current positions.
A copy of the early warning report relating to the Shares will be available under Forte's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca, and may also be obtained by contacting GlobeTrotters Resource Group Inc. at 604-466-0425. GlobeTrotters' head office is located at 23678 - 108th Loop, Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada, V2W 1B2.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/266623
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Heritage Mining Confirms New Gold Mineralization at the Scattergood Project
(TheNewswire)
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VANCOUVER, BC TheNewswire - September 16, 2025 - Heritage Mining Ltd. (CSE: HML FRA: Y66) (" Heritage " or the " Company ") is pleased to announce the results from its 2025 prospecting program at its Scattergood Project ("Scattergood") (Figure 1, 2). The Company has confirmed surface gold mineralization in close proximity (~4.5km) to Dynasty Gold's Pelham Deposit (Figure 2).
Scattergood Exploration Program Highlights:
-
Gold occurrence in combination with historical geophysics support early indication of similar geologic setting to the bordering Dynasty Gold Pelham Gold Deposit ~182,000oz at 1.37g/t Au (0.45 g/t Cut-Off) NI 43-101 report filed Jan 4, 2022 (Figure 2)
-
Coincident Mag and IP chargeability anomalies (500m by 200m) similar to Dynasty Gold Pelham Gold Deposit, NI 43-101 report filed Jan 4, 2022 (Figure 2)
-
Heritage is planning a broad spaced geochemical orientation program for immediate follow up (Figure 2).
"We are very pleased with the initial exploration results from our Scattergood Project. The Heritage Exploration Team has newly identified surface gold mineralization through prospecting within ~4.5km from a known gold deposit Dynasty Golds, Pelham Deposit. This new discovery is important due to its proximity to the Pelham Deposit, we plan to aggressively evaluate the potential of this area. We look forward to further developing this gold target and providing additional updates on our Ontario Project Portfolio in short order." Commented Peter Schloo, President, CEO and Director of Heritage
Click Image To View Full Size
Figure 1: Heritage Mining Ltd. Ontario Project Portfolio
Click Image To View Full Size
Figure 2: Scattergood Project: Location and Historical Geophysics and Gold Showing in Rock Chips
Scattergood Project
The Scattergood Project totaling ~6,397Ha straddles the lower segment of Wapageisi group volcanic rock and felsic intrusive bodies including the Taylor Lake Stock, Meggisi Pluton, and Scattergood Lake stock as well as numerous late stage minor intrusives. Structurally, the project is complex with the north-northeast trending Taylor Lake Fault and Trout River deformation zone running through parts of the property. Please refer to June 3, 2024 press release for further details.
Discussion of Exploration Potential
The Company undertook a prospecting sampling program over a two-week period collecting 70 rock chip samples from outcrop.
The northeastern Scattergood Project Area displays the following characteristics:
-
Primary structural control: north-south trending structural corridor; regional, crustal-scale. Interpreted primary "highway" for regional fluid flow (Figure 2).
-
Secondary structural control: east west trending deformation zone; hosts gold mineralization within the n-s corridor (Figure 2).
-
Geophysical signature: magnetic and chargeability (IP) highs. Useful for targeting gold mineralization, as these geophysical anomalies can be linked to sulfide and biotite-magnetite alteration (Figure 2).
Conclusion
Initial 2025 prospecting at the Scattergood Project has identified gold mineralization associated with a strong magnetic anomaly and coincident IP chargeability anomaly. A desktop and field review has confirmed structural complexity within the project area. A broad spaced geochemical soil and till orientation program is proposed for immediate follow up.
Qualified Person
Stephen Hughes P. Geo, Strategic Advisor for the Company, serves as a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and has reviewed the scientific and technical information in this news release, approving the disclosure herein.
Heritage Mining adheres to a strict QA/QC protocol for handling, sampling, sample transportation and analyses. Chain-of-custody protocols are designed to ensure security of samples until their delivery at the laboratory.
Heritage Mining Ltd. surface rock chip samples were sent to the ALS assay laboratories in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada and the Company adheres to a strict QA/QC protocol for handling, sampling, sample transportation and analyses. Chain-of-custody protocols are designed to ensure security of samples until their delivery at the laboratory.
Rock chip samples are analysed by Heritage Mining submits samples for gold determination by PhotonAssay to ALS Canada Ltd. (" ALS "). ALS operates under a commercial contract with Heritage Mining.
Rock chip samples are shipped to ALS for sample preparation at their facilities in Thunderbay Ontario. ALS is an ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accredited laboratory for the PhotonAssay method in addition to a variety of diverse metal determination methods.
Analytical Procedures
The ALS procedure for PhotonAssay involves lab applying preparation codes LOG-21 (sample logging via barcode), CRU-31 (fine crushing so that 70% passes through a 2mm screen) and SPL-32a (rotary splitting of a representative ~500g subsample) followed by analytical code Au-PA01 which is a non-destructive gold analysis method using high-energy X-rays with a gold detection range from 0.03 ppm to 350ppm.
After gold assays are returned, Heritage then may choose to perform multi-element assays on selected samples based on the gold results. In these cases, sample preparation codes FND-05 (locate and use remaining crushed material from Au-PA01) and PUL-32m (pulverization so that >85% passes 75 µm screen) are then applied followed by analytical code ME-MS61 (multi-element ICP-MS analysis for base metals, pathfinder elements, lithophile elements and rare earth elements).
________________________________________
Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC)
The program design, QA/QC, and interpretation of results are performed by qualified persons employing a rigorous QA/QC program consistent with industry best practices. Standards and blanks account for a minimum of 10% of the samples, in addition to the laboratories' internal quality assurance programs.
Quality Control data are meticulously evaluated upon receipt from the laboratories for any failures. Appropriate corrective action is taken if assay results for standards and blanks fall outside allowed tolerances. All results disclosed by Heritage Mining have successfully passed the Company's stringent quality control protocols.
The Company does not recognize any factors of drilling, sampling, or recovery that could materially affect the accuracy or reliability of the assay data disclosed. The assay data disclosed in this press release have been verified by the Company's Qualified Person against the original assay certificates.
ABOUT HERITAGE MINING LTD.
The Company is a Canadian mineral exploration company advancing its two high grade gold-silver-copper projects in Northwestern Ontario. The Drayton-Black Lake and the Contact Bay projects are located near Sioux Lookout in the underexplored Eagle-Wabigoon-Manitou Greenstone Belt. The Scattergood project is located ~40km south of Dryden . Both projects benefit from a wealth of historic data, excellent site access and logistical support from the local community.
For further information, please contact:
Heritage Mining Ltd.
Peter Schloo, CPA, CA, CFA
President, CEO and Director
Phone: (905) 505-0918
Email: peter@heritagemining.ca
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This news release contains certain statements that constitute forward looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. These statements relate to future events of the Company. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "seek", "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "forecast", "may", "will", "project", "predict", "potential", "targeting", "intend", "could", "might", "should", "believe", "outlook" and similar expressions are not statements of historical fact and may be forward looking information. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking statements.
Forward looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such risks include, among others, the inherent risk of the mining industry; adverse economic and market developments; the risk that the Company will not be successful in completing additional acquisitions; risks relating to the estimation of mineral resources; the possibility that the Company's estimated burn rate may be higher than anticipated; risks of unexpected cost increases; risks of labour shortages; risks relating to exploration and development activities; risks relating to future prices of mineral resources; risks related to work site accidents, risks related to geological uncertainties and variations; risks related to government and community support of the Company's projects; risks related to global pandemics and other risks related to the mining industry. The Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward‐looking information should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update any forward‐looking information except as required by law.
This document does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, securities of the Company in Canada, the United States, or any other jurisdiction. Any such offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the securities described herein will be made only pursuant to subscription documentation between the Company and prospective purchasers. Any such offering will be made in reliance upon exemptions from the prospectus and registration requirements under applicable securities laws, pursuant to a subscription agreement to be entered into by the Company and prospective investors.
NOT INTENDED FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES
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Prismo Metals Identifies Porphyry Style Mineralization at Silver King
(TheNewswire)
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Vancouver, British Columbia TheNewswire - September 15th, 2025 Prismo Metals Inc. (the " Company " ) (CSE: PRIZ,OTC:PMOMF) (OTCQB: PMOMF) is pleased to report that its exploration team has identified porphyry style mineralization at its Silver King project located outside the town of Superior in Arizona. Given the proximity of the nearby Resolution Copper deposit (a joint venture between Rio Tinto and BHP), the team is excited about the potential of this same style of mineralization identified at surface within the eastern portion of our claim.
" This region is world-class for porphyry systems and base and precious metals, and we believe there is significant untapped potential. Our recent field work at the Silver King mine was successful in identifying several exploration targets apart from the historic silver mine deposit including polymetallic veins, manto replacements and a strongly altered intrusion with stockwork quartz-pyrite veining. Identifying this porphyry style mineralization on the claim block is a very positive development ," said Dr. Craig Gibson , Chief Exploration Officer.
Figure 1 . Map showing Silver King project and nearby mineral deposits.
The Silver King deposit is located three kilometers from the Resolution Copper deposit and the high-grade Magma mine, a former copper and silver producer, located 0.6 to 1.5 kilometers to the southwest Mineralization at Silver King is hosted by the same rock sequence that hosts those two deposits but is exposed at surface and is not covered by the thick sequence of unmineralized volcanic rocks that covers Resolution Copper. From 1911 to 1996 the Magma mine was developed on veins and replacement deposits in the Paleozoic and Precambrian strata and intrusive rocks, producing approximately 27.6 million short tons of ore averaging about 4.9% copper with important quantities of zinc, gold (689K oz) and silver (34.3M oz) (Briggs, 2015), eventually leading to the discovery of the nearby Resolution copper deposit (Fig. 1).
M ineralization similar to that at the Magma mine is exposed in several historic mine workings with abundant oxide copper minerals, mainly malachite, which were developed along a northeast dipping limestone horizon near the contact with a quartz diorite intrusion and quartzite along the same structural and stratigraphic trend of the Magma mine. The largest occurrence, at the Black Diamond mine in the eastern portion of the claim block, was developed on a large outcrop of abundant specular hematite and malachite replacing a limestone bed (Fig. 2) .
Additionally, an erosional window in a regional quartz diorite has exposed a felsic intrusion to the east of the Silver King workings that was identified in historical records and now confirmed by Prismo geologists. This felsic intrusion, previously described as a breccia pipe, is characterized by very strong stockwork quartz-pyrite veining in a quartz-sericite altered host rock. This target contains anomalous metal values in soil samples analyzed with the XRF. According to historical reports it has high salinity fluid inclusions typical of a porphyry system, providing evidence for porphyry mineralization on the Silver King claim package.
Figure 2 . Geologic and land map of the Silver King project showing newly described veins in magenta (Ag-Pb-Zn) and green (Cu-Ag) and replacement mineralization in red. The strongly altered intrusion with stock work quartz-pyrite veining is indicated by the crosshatch.
"Much of the focus of the exploration program to date consisted of a property wide survey of historic mines and prospects surrounding the Silver King workings, " said Gordon Aldcorn, President of Prismo .
" The exploration work has resulted in the identification of several mineralized occurrences on the property, including veins in the vicinity of the Silver King mine, and replacement and skarn mineralization in limestone units of the sedimentary sequence near the contact."
Part of the initial exploration program consisted of a reconnaissance survey of the geology and mineral occurrences as well as a geochemical and alteration mineral survey around the surface expression of the Silver King deposit and a second separate target to the east.
The geochemical survey used a handheld XRF instrument to measure soil samples, and showed discrete anomalies for Cu, Ag, and Sb around the historic glory hole, with the copper geochemistry also associated with the ENE striking Cu bearing vein mentioned previously (Fig. 3). Twenty-nine samples have been submitted to the lab, with an additional fifteen samples from the Ripsey mine.
This initial phase of Prismo exploration on the Silver King project is already generating a better understanding of potential with new structures not fully uncovered in historical mining approaches. This work also helps qualify our upcoming drill program which is currently in the permitting stage and is anticipated to be advanced shortly.
Figure 3 . Soil geochemistry maps for Cu, Ag, and Sb from the Silver King mine. Contours are from values measured in soils by a handheld XRF in the field, with ranges for Cu at 5,619 ppm to 12.5 ppm, Ag at 186 ppm to 1.3 ppm, and Sb at 300 ppm to 3.9 ppm.
Click Image To View Full Size
As previously reported in Primo's news release of August 28, 2025, the Company geologists identified two previously undescribed veins in the area surrounding the historic glory hole developed on the original exposure of high-grade silver at the Silver King deposit. Visual inspection and analysis with a handheld XRF show two distinct veins, one with abundant silver lead and zinc and the other with copper and silver values.
Figure 4 . Location of the Company's projects within the Arizona Copper Belt
Qualified Person
Dr. Craig Gibson, PhD., CPG., a Qualified Person as defined by NI-43-01 regulations and Chief Exploration Officer and a director of the Company, has reviewed and approved the technical disclosures in this news release. The historic data presented in this press release was obtained from public sources, should be considered incomplete and is not qualified under NI 43-101, but is believed to be accurate. The Company has not verified the historical data presented and it cannot be relied upon, and it is being used solely to aid in exploration plans. References to mineralization at the Magma Mine and Resolution Copper deposit is not necessarily indicative of mineralization on the Silver King property.
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(2) Briggs, D., 2015, Superior, Arizona: An old mining camp with many lives, Ariz. Geol Survey Contributed Report CR-15-D, 13p.
About the Silver King and Ripsey Mines
Discovered in 1875, the Silver King mine was one of Arizona's most important historic producers, yielding nearly 6 million ounces of silver at grades of up to 61 oz/t. The Silver King mine sits only 3 km from the main shaft of the Resolution Copper project — a joint venture between Rio Tinto and BHP and one of the world's largest unmined copper deposits with an estimated copper resource of 1.787 billion metric tonnes at an average grade of 1.5% copper (1) . The unique land position is fully surrounded by Resolution Copper's claim block, offering strategic upside. Selected samples from small-scale production in the late 1990s returned grades as high as 644 oz/t silver (18,250 g/t) and 0.53 oz/t gold (15 g/t), indicating that high-grade mineralization remains.
The Ripsey mine is a historic gold-silver-copper producer located about 20 km west of the Hot Breccia project. Historic mine workings consisting of tunnels and shafts on several levels were developed along a vein over about 400 meters of strike length and 160 meters vertically. A small tonnage of mineral was produced by the Optionor in the late 1990's. Limited sampling by Dr. Craig Gibson from the mine workings has yielded 15.9 g/t gold and 275 g/t silver over 0.75 meters and 8.7 g/t gold, 181 g/t silver, 3% copper and 9% zinc over 1 meter. No modern exploration has been carried out at the project, providing significant exploration upside and multiple drill targets.
About Prismo Metals Inc.
Prismo (CSE: PRIZ,OTC:PMOMF) is a mining exploration company focused on advancing its Silver King, Ripsey and Hot Breccia projects in Arizona and its Palos Verdes silver project in Mexico.
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Prismo Metals Inc.
1100 - 1111 Melville St., Vancouver, British Columbia V6E 3V6
Phone: (416) 361-0737
Contact:
Alain Lambert, Chief Executive Officer alain.lambert@prismometals.com
Gordon Aldcorn , President gordon.aldcorn@prismometals.com
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company regarding future events. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as " intends" or " anticipates ", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results " may", " could", " should", " would" or " occur". This information and these statements, referred to herein as "forward‐looking statements", are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without limitation, statements regarding discussions of future plans, estimates and forecasts and statements as to management's expectations and intentions with respect to, among other things: the timing, costs and results of drilling at Hot Breccia.
These forward‐looking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties, and actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things: delays in obtaining or failure to obtain appropriate funding to finance the exploration program at Silver King.
In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, that: the ability to raise capital to fund the drilling campaign at Silver King and the timing of such drilling campaign.
Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial outlook that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. We seek safe harbor.
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Bold Ventures Announces Prospecting and Sampling Results and Mobilizes Crew to Burchell Gold and Copper Project
Bold Ventures Inc. (TSXV: BOL,OTC:BVLDF) (the "Company" or "Bold") is pleased to announce the results of a prospecting and sampling program on its Burchell Gold and Copper Property (the "Property"), located within the Shebandowan Greenstone Belt, approximately 100 km west of Thunder Bay, Ontario. 209 grab samples and 42 channel samples were collected in total. The goal of this phase of work was preparation for a mechanical stripping, sampling and geological mapping program at the 111 Zone gold showing and surroundings. A crew has been mobilized for the mechanical stripping program which will commence immediately.
Highlights from the program include:
- Identification of a 4.5- to 6.5-meter-wide (apparent width) anomalous gold zone at the 111 Zone (see Figure 2) which is open to the southeast and along strike, with one channel sample returning 2.1 g/t Au over 0.5 meters.
- New gold-in-rock anomalies associated with a magnetic low geophysical signature that trends to the southwest and northeast of the 111 Zone (see Figure 1) along a discontinuous 2.9 km gold trend that, in some cases, is associated with base metal pathfinders (Zn, Cu, Pb).
- Verification of gold mineralization at historic trenches in the southwest part of the Property, with one sample returning 3.38 g/t Au.
- New gold-silver showing south of the 111 Zone, with a maximum of 952 ppb Au and 300 ppm Ag.
Prospecting was carried out over a flagged 800 m by 1 km grid centered on the 111 Zone, where grab samples returned from 10 ppb Au up to 68 g/t Au last Fall (see Bold news release dated January 9, 2025), and along strike to the southwest towards the western Property boundary. Additional locations both along and across strike were sampled. Limited channel sampling was carried out where outcrop could be accessed by hand stripping. In total, 42 samples were collected (see Table 2 and Figure 2 for significant channel sample results).
Limited channel sampling at the 111 Zone revealed that the anomalous gold zone is at least 4.5 to 6.5 meters wide (apparent width), open to the southeast, where outcrop exposure terminated under overburden and along strike in both directions. The highest value obtained was 2.1 g/t Au (and 1250 ppm Cu) over 0.5 meters, with 14 samples in the 100-500 ppb Au range. 3 samples also returned 0.1% or greater zinc, with a maximum of 0.27% Zn over 0.7 m (see Table 2 and Figure 2).
Combined with previous geological mapping and sampling (2023 and 2024), airborne electromagnetic and magnetic surveys (2006, 2019), and historical data compilation, the results of this sampling program will guide the mechanical stripping, mapping and sampling program commencing immediately. This first phase will expose a number of locations along an emerging anomalous gold mineralized trend that extends northeast from near the western Property boundary over a distance of approximately 2.9 km to the 111 Zone and beyond (see Figure 1). This trend appears to be associated with a magnetic low geophysical signature and remains open to the eastern boundary of the claim group which has seen very little exploration to date.
Prospecting Results
209 samples were collected during the summer prospecting program. Several new gold-in-bedrock anomalies were identified on or close to the 111 Zone flagged grid (see Figure 1). These occur close to the contacts between mafic metavolcanics and intermediate or felsic metavolcanics. Significant anomalous results include:
- 952 ppb Au (with 260 ppm Ag, 0.44% Pb, 0.18% Zn, and 490 ppm Bi) from a 5 cm quartz vein in sheared diorite, 180 meters south-southeast of the 111 Zone, dubbed the "Winter Gold Occurrence."
- 931 ppb Au (with 300 ppm Ag, 0.54% Pb, 0.19% Zn, and 584 ppm Bi) from the same vein at Winter Gold.
- 706 ppb Au (with 0.17% Zn and 155 ppm Mo) 780 meters west-southwest of the 111 Zone, from altered mafic volcanic rocks.
- 207 ppb Au (with 1.34% Zn and 0.36% Pb) 450 meters west-northwest of the 111 Zone, from quartz sericite schist.
- 412 ppb Au and 1.49% Cu in quartz sericite schist from a location 220 meters northeast of the 111 Zone.
- At the 111 Zone 3 samples returned anomalous zinc values with a maximum of 0.28% Zn.
See Table 1 and Figure 1. New gold-in-rock anomalies are frequently associated with zinc, copper and lead pathfinders, which is consistent with the soil sampling results reported on August 18, 2025. They show that gold and base metal geochemical anomalies tend to cluster near contacts between mafic metavolcanics and felsic or intermediate metavolcanics. A follow up prospecting program is currently underway to explore these soil geochemical anomalies.
Prospecting in the southwest part of the Property also yielded new gold-in-rock anomalies (see Figure 1), which include:
- 371 ppb Au from altered, sheared quartz feldspar porphyry (QFP) in local float, as well as two other samples >100 ppb Au in outcrop and subcrop. This new zone of sheared QFP has been dubbed the "Moosehead Zone" and occurs along the side of a northwest-facing slope on the edge of low ground. This zone is located 2.5 km southwest of the 111 Zone, and like the 111 Zone occurs in a magnetic low.
- 188 ppb Au and 106 ppb Au from altered intermediate volcanic rock and porphyritic rock respectively, from outcrop and talus, approximately 600 meters along strike to the northeast of the Moosehead Zone, along a similar slope indicating that the gold bearing rocks may also continue under overburden to the northwest.
- 288 ppb Au from altered mafic metavolcanic rock and 118 ppb Au from sulphide iron formation, in close proximity to each other approximately 900 meters north-northwest of the Moosehead Zone.
- 125 ppb Au from an angular boulder of intermediate volcanics with quartz-magnetite veining approximately 1.2 km north-northwest of Moosehead.
Sampling of historic trenches in the southwest part of the Property, approximately 600 meters north of the Moosehead Zone, confirmed historic gold mineralization with a highest result of 3.38 g/t Au. This area has yet to be comprehensively mapped, prospected and sampled. See Table 1 and Figure 1.
These showings demonstrate the potential for parallel zones in variable rock types across the Property. They are also all in the general vicinity of the extension of the Kawa Trend of Goldshore Resources (GSHR), along which GSHR reported a grab sample which returned 33.7 g/t Au, 0.64% Zn and 75 ppm Mo (note: the qualified person has been unable to verify results reported by GSHR and these are not necessarily indicative of mineralization present on the Burchell Property). From the southwest end of the Moosehead Zone to the northeastern-most gold anomaly on the 111 grid, a 2.9 km discontinuous gold trend has now been identified. See Figure 1.
An exploration permit which includes backhoe stripping was recently obtained by the Company (see Bold's August 28, 2025 news release), which will allow the Company to expose the 111 Zone and sample the gold-bearing horizon in detail.
Bruce MacLachlan, President and COO of Bold Ventures, said of the results: "It is encouraging that numerous gold anomalies were obtained from our summer prospecting and sampling programs. New gold, silver and base metal showings along a 3 km trend within parallel zones that cross multiple rock types indicate some size potential, most notably at the 111 Zone where we will have the opportunity to expose it by backhoe and sample more thoroughly."
QAQC Protocols
Rock samples were collected, documented and photographed in the field, then placed in sealed bags and delivered to Activation Laboratories (ActLabs) in Thunder Bay, which is an ISO / IEC 17025 accredited laboratory. Rock sample collection is subject to Bold's internal quality assurance / quality control (QAQC) protocols, which include the insertion of blank material and certified reference material into each batch of samples submitted. Rock samples referenced in this news release were analyzed using ActLabs methods 1A2-50, a 50g fire assay with atomic absorption finish, and 1F2, a total digestion with ICP-OES finish for trace elements.
The technical information in this news release was reviewed and approved by Coleman Robertson, B.Sc., P. Geo., the Company's V.P. of Exploration and a qualified person (QP) for the purposes of NI 43-101.
Bold Ventures management believes our suite of Battery, Critical and Precious Metals exploration projects are an ideal combination of exploration potential meeting future demand. Our target commodities are comprised of: Copper (Cu), Nickel (Ni), Lead (Pb), Zinc (Zn), Gold (Au), Silver (Ag), Platinum (Pt), Palladium (Pd) and Chromium (Cr). The Critical Metals list and a description of the Provincial and Federal electrification plans are posted on the Bold Critical and Battery Minerals page.
About Bold Ventures Inc.
The Company explores for Precious, Battery and Critical Metals in Canada. Bold is exploring properties located in active gold and battery metals camps in the Thunder Bay and Wawa regions of Ontario. Bold also holds significant assets located within and around the emerging multi-metals district dubbed the Ring of Fire region, located in the James Bay Lowlands of Northern Ontario.
For additional information about Bold Ventures and our projects, please visit boldventuresinc.com or contact us at 416-864-1456 or email us at info@boldventuresinc.com.
| "Bruce A MacLachlan" Bruce MacLachlan President and COO Direct line: (705) 266-0847 Email: bruce@boldventuresinc.com | "David B Graham" David Graham CEO |
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This Press Release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. When used in this document, the words "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are subject to such risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause our actual results to differ materially from the statements made, including those factors discussed in filings made by us with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties, such actual results of current exploration programs, the general risks associated with the mining industry, the price of gold and other metals, currency and interest rate fluctuations, increased competition and general economic and market factors, occur or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, or expected. We do not intend and do not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law. Shareholders are cautioned not to put undue reliance on such forward-looking statements.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES
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