Eclipse Metals

Historical Drill Core from Ivigtût Project to be Tested to Extend Resource Estimation

Eclipse Metals Ltd (ASX: EPM) (Eclipse Metals or the Company) is pleased to announce a significant development in its Ivigtût multi-commodity REE Project in southwestern Greenland. The Company has been granted access to 1940s-era archived historical diamond drill core, which has demonstrated high-grade rare earth element (REE) results from initial core samples, as released in November 2021.


Highlights

  • Eclipse Metals confirms access to 19,000 metres of historical diamond drill core from the Ivigtût project area in Greenland, including 6 holes drilled to a depth of up to 200m within Gronnedal carbonatite REE mineralisation.
  • The company’s access to this drill core will enhance its mineral resource estimation efforts and act as a guide for future drilling within a 3 km by 800 m section of REE carbonatite footprint as well as within the historic Ivigtût mine.
  • Previous sampling of historical drill core from Gronnedal carbonatite returned high-grade results of up to 22,695 ppm TREO (Total Rare Earth Oxides), with significant europium values (Eu).
  • Assayed samples of drill core from the large quartz target below Ivigtût pit returned silica ranging up to 99.7% SiO2.
  • The historical drill core samples will be exported from a Greenland core-shed to European Laboratory for hyperspectral scanning for elemental analysis, to enhance the existing resource size and better understand the deposit at depth.

Core trays carrying about 2,500 metres of the archived drill core from Ivigtût and Gronnedal are in preparation for export from Greenland for comprehensive analytical assessment by a European Laboratory.

This strategic access will enable Eclipse Metals to minimise the costly process of extensive diamond drilling to increase the current mineral resource estimate (MRE) within Gronnedal and allow it to better plan future drilling programs focusing on the 3 km by 800 m section of REE-bearing ferrocarbonatite and the polymetallic Ivigtût pit. Historical holes at Gronnedal were originally drilled to explore magnetite deposits on contact zones of later intrusive dolerite dykes but also intersected carbonatite carrying light and heavy REE.

Modelling of historical exploration data from the Ivigtût cryolite deposit indicates the presence of a 220 m- wide and 90 m-thick cylindrical body of high silica grade, low-impurity quartz below the pit floor as defined by historical drilling (Figure 6). Laboratory analysis of quartz samples determined it can be further purified with a simple acid wash process to substantially increase the grade to 99.9% SiO2. By removing impurities, this has the potential to make this quartz suitable for the high-tech semiconductor industry, further enhancing the value of this industrial mineral project (Figure 7).

Figure 1: Eclipse Metals’ location map for its MEL2007-45 tenement, showing the historical Ivigtût mine and the Gronnedal prospect, with an inset map that highlights the location of three historical drill holes.

Gronnedal REE Carbonatite

Recent work on Eclipse Metals’ Gronnedal rare earth prospect has demonstrated extensive potential for a large mineralised system. Recent findings, including the Gronnedal mineral resource estimate, suggest that rare earth mineralisation extends over a 5 km by 2 km area, with an initial exploration target focusing on a 3 km by 800 m section of ferrocarbonatite. This mineralisation with the presence of significant deposits of rare earth elements, including notably high ratios of neodymium (Nd) and praseodymium (Pr), positions Eclipse’s Ivigtût Project as a potentially vital contributor to the global supply chain of these critical elements within the European territory.

Figure 2: Eclipse Metals will export sections from these pallets of Gronnedal and Ivigtut core drilled in the 1940s from storage in Greenland to a European Laboratory to use in upgrading its rare earth and quartz resource.

Selected rock-chip samples of core from three of the diamond-cored holes drilled in the Gronnedal carbonatite complex in the 1940s returned very significant analysis for rare earth elements with up to 22,695ppm total rare earth oxides (sample IVT 21 – 3) (Figures 3 and 4), (ASX announcements 15 and 22 November 2021).

Eclipse is now planning to utilise a recently developed, non-destructive procedure to analyse drill core with a cost-effective hyperspectral scan method in Europe. This not only represents substantial future cost- saving but accelerates the timeline for a potential extension of the Gronnedal MRE announced in February 2024, which reported 1.18 million tonnes to a depth of only 9.5 m. The five historical drill holes to be tested range in depth from 58 to 201 m; much deeper than drilling results utilised in the recent MRE.

Recent findings at Gronnedal indicate a large ferrocarbonatite footprint which is significantly mineralised with rare earth elements, including notably high ratios of neodymium (Nd) and praseodymium (Pr) magnetic REE. The grade range for the 3 km by 800 m footprint comprises a notable proportion of magnet REE (neodymium and praseodymium,dysprosium, and terbium), which has the potential to be competitive with other REE projects globally. This positions Eclipse’s Ivigtût project as a potentially vital contributor to the global supply chain of these critical elements.


Click here for the full ASX Release

This article includes content from Eclipse Metals, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.

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Ucore Announces Memorandum of Understanding and Project Collaboration with Cyclic Materials

Ucore Rare Metals Inc. announces:

  • The execution of a memorandum of understanding ("MOU") with Cyclic Materials for the future supply of recycled mixed rare earth oxide ("rMREO"):

    • trial quantities to support its rare earth demonstration program at its RapidSX™ Commercialization and Demonstration Facility in Kingston, Ontario

    • as an intended long-term source for Ucore's developing commercial rare earth element separation and oxide production plants across the United States and Canada

Ucore Rare Metals Inc. (TSXV: UCU) (OTCQX: UURAF) ("Ucore" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the completion of prerequisite conditions to announce the execution of a February 2024, non-binding memorandum of understanding ("MOU") with Cyclic Materials ("Cyclic") for the future supply of recycled mixed rare earth oxides ("rMREO").

Cannot view this image? Visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1119/217640_bc616a52b4da0acf_001.jpg

Figure 1 - The two Canadian companies' demonstration facilities, Cyclic Materials' Hub100 and Ucore's RapidSX™ CDF, are side-by-side in Kingston, Ontario

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1119/217640_bc616a52b4da0acf_001full.jpg

The companies will work together toward determining the potential of a long-term supply agreement, starting with Cyclic Materials supplying trial quantities of rMREO to Ucore's RapidSX™ Commercialization Demonstration Plant. This project received $4.28 million[i] in contribution funding from Natural Resources Canada's ("NRCan") Critical Minerals Research, Development and Demonstration Program ("CMRDD"). This funding was announced on February 5, 2024, with the goal of processing rare earth materials through Ucore's RapidSX™ Commercialization and Demonstration Facility ("CDF") in Kingston, Ontario. The ultimate objective of the MOU is to qualify Cyclic Materials' product in Ucore's process and ensure Ucore's developing North American commercial rare earth oxide production output includes North American recycled content from Cyclic Materials, as Cyclic's capacities scale.

Mike Schrider, P.E., Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Ucore, stated: "Ucore is very pleased to be working with Cyclic Materials on our rare earth demonstration project and as a potential long-term supply partner of our developing commercial rare earth oxide production facilities. Ucore and Cyclic Materials offer a complete Canadian technology solution to alter North America's rare earth supply chain dependence, and we are very pleased to have NRCan's support as we demonstrate these two transformative technologies working together in Kingston, Ontario."

Kunal Phalpher, SVP Corporate Development - Cyclic Materials - "Cyclic Materials roots are in Ontario, and we are very pleased to have this opportunity to support Ucore's project with NRCan as we advance and commercialize our technology. We look forward to contributing to this project to support the development of a domestic supply chain for rare earth elements and magnets required for the energy transition."

# # #

About Ucore Rare Metals Inc.

Ucore is focused on rare- and critical-metal resources, extraction, beneficiation, and separation technologies with the potential for production, growth, and scalability. Ucore's vision and plan is to become a leading advanced technology company, providing best-in-class metal separation products and services to the mining and mineral extraction industry.

Through strategic partnerships, this plan includes disrupting the People's Republic of China's control of the North American REE supply chain through the near-term establishment of a heavy and light rare-earth processing facility in the U.S. State of Louisiana, subsequent Strategic Metal Complexes in Canada and Alaska and the longer-term development of Ucore's 100% controlled Bokan-Dotson Ridge Rare Heavy REE Project on Prince of Wales Island in Southeast Alaska, USA.

Ucore is listed on the TSXV under the trading symbol "UCU" and in the United States on the OTC Markets' OTCQX® Best Market under the ticker symbol "UURAF."

For further information, please visit www.ucore.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements." All statements in this release (other than statements of historical facts) that address future business development, technological development and/or acquisition activities (including any related required financings), timelines, events, or developments that the Company is pursuing are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance or results, and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements.

Regarding any disclosure in the press release above about the US Department of Defense or the Government of Canada Programs and the expected successful progress and resulting milestone payments from these Programs, the Company has assumed that the Programs (including each of their milestones) will be completed satisfactorily. For additional risks and uncertainties regarding the Company, the CDF, the Demo Plant, and ongoing Programs (generally), see the risk disclosure in the Company's MD&A for Q1-2024 (filed on SEDAR on May 28, 2024) (www.sedarplus.ca) as well as the risks described below.

Regarding the disclosure above in the "About Ucore Rare Metals Inc." section, the Company has assumed that it will be able to procure or retain additional partners and/or suppliers, in addition to Innovation Metals Corp. ("IMC"), as suppliers for Ucore's expected future Strategic Metals Complexes ("SMCs"). Ucore has also assumed that sufficient external funding will be found to complete the Demo Plant demonstration schedule and also later prepare a new National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") technical report that demonstrates that the Bokan Mountain Rare Earth Element project ("Bokan") is feasible and economically viable for the production of both REE and co-product metals and the then prevailing market prices based upon assumed customer offtake agreements. Ucore has also assumed that sufficient external funding will be secured to continue the development of the specific engineering plans for the SMCs and their construction. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include, without limitation: IMC failing to protect its intellectual property rights in RapidSX™; RapidSX™ failing to demonstrate commercial viability in large commercial-scale applications; Ucore not being able to procure additional key partners or suppliers for the SMCs; Ucore not being able to raise sufficient funds to fund the specific design and construction of the SMCs and/or the continued development of RapidSX™; adverse capital-market conditions; unexpected due-diligence findings; the emergence of alternative superior metallurgy and metal-separation technologies; the inability of Ucore and/or IMC to retain its key staff members; a change in the legislation in Louisiana or Alaska and/or in the support expressed by the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority ("AIDEA") regarding the development of Bokan; the availability and procurement of any required interim and/or long-term financing that may be required; and general economic, market or business conditions.

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined by the TSXV) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

CONTACTS

Mr. Michael Schrider, P.E., Ucore Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, is responsible for the content of this news release and may be contacted at 1.902.482.5214.

For additional information, please contact:

Mark MacDonald
Vice President, Investor Relations
Ucore Rare Metals Inc.
1.902.482.5214
mark@ucore.com

News Provided by Newsfile via QuoteMedia

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