The Conversation (0)
Trailbreaker Resources Ltd. (TBK.V) (“Trailbreaker” or “the Company”) is pleased to announce the results of the 2022 exploration program at its 100%-owned Atsutla Gold project, located in northwestern British Columbia (BC).
First-pass prospecting on newly staked claims has led to the discovery of high-grade gold mineralization 3.5 km northeast of the Highlands zone, in an area now termed the ‘Snook zone.’ Assays of rock grab samples returned values up to 53.3 g/t gold (Au) from quartz vein talus boulders with galena-bornite-chalcopyrite mineralization.
Twenty-four kilometres east of the Highlands and Snook zones, follow-up prospecting and soil sampling at the Swan zone revealed a new gold-in-soil anomaly. This is located about one kilometre northeast of the 900 m x 700 m multi-element anomaly representing the surface expression of a porphyry centre defined in 2021. This new anomaly is about 559 metres long, with values up to 268 ppb Au. Assays of rock grab samples from the Swan zone yielded values up to 11.7 g/t Au and 212 g/t silver (Ag) (separate samples).
Between the Swan and Snook zones lies a large area of un-explored ground. First-pass prospecting in the Shownektaw Creek area led to the discovery of multiple new gossanous alteration zones within the Christmas Creek Batholith. A grab sample of gossanous talus float returned an assay of 22.1 g/t Au.
The 2022 exploration program also included detailed structural and geological mapping at the four high-grade gold zones discovered and defined in 2021, with a focus on drill target generation. Thirty-one samples were sent for petrographic analysis to aid in determining the nature of the widespread gold mineralization. This independent structural report remains outstanding, and the Company will issue another press release providing the results once received.
Daithi Mac Gearailt, CEO of Trailbreaker, commented, “The Atsutla Gold Project continues to deliver new and exciting discoveries. We have now identified high-grade gold showings across 28 kilometers, spanning multiple lithologies. With these new results and the pending detailed geological report, I am confident that we will have a de-risked drill plan in hand by the end of the year.”
Newly discovered Snook zone
The Snook zone is located 3.5 km northeast of the Highlands zone – a 2021 discovery consisting of multiple high-grade and visible gold showings (>100 g/t Au) across a 750 m x 600 m area (see Map 1 – Atsutla West). A previously identified prominent east-west trending fault (the Snook Fault) defines the southern boundary of the zone and cuts through Snook Lake. At least two generations of quartz veining were identified at the Snook zone. The earlier set comprises steeply dipping sheeted veins which are crosscut by later shallow-dipping veins. Sulphide mineralization consists of variable amounts of pyrite, bornite, chalcopyrite, galena, and arsenopyrite. Galena and arsenopyrite appear to be constrained to the later set of quartz veining. The veining occurs within granodiorite of the early Jurassic Christmas Creek Batholith. Highlights include:
- 53.3 g/t Au from a quartz vein boulder with galena-chalcopyrite mineralization (Photo 1);
- 7.55 g/t Au from an outcrop of sheeted quartz veins typically 5-10 cm wide with chalcopyrite-pyrite mineralization (Photo 2);
- 9.78 g/t Au from a quartz vein boulder with arsenopyrite-pyrite mineralization south of the Snook Fault.
Photos 1 and 2: Snook zone quartz-galena-chalcopyrite boulder assaying 53.3 g/t Au (left) and sheeted quartz-chalcopyrite-pyrite veins assaying 7.55 g/t Au.
An Option Agreement has been signed with Mr. Torrey Fredlund (the “Vendor”) for Trailbreaker to obtain a 100% interest in his ‘Golden Echelon’ claim block located between the Snook and Highland zones. The block consists of one claim covering 132 hectares. Prior to the 2022 exploration program, an agreement was made allowing for Trailbreaker to explore and evaluate the claim block before finalizing an option agreement.
Pursuant to the terms of the Option Agreement and subject to receipt of all regulatory approvals, Trailbreaker can earn a 100% interest in the Property by making staged share issuances totaling 80,000 common shares over three years and a making a one-time cash payment of $25,000 as follows:
- 10,000 common shares on receipt of TSX Venture Exchange approval;
- 10,000 common shares on or before November 16, 2023;
- 10,000 common shares on or before November 16, 2024; and
- 50,000 common shares and $25,000 cash payment on or before November 16, 2025.
The Vendor will retain a 1% Net Smelter Royalty and Trailbreaker has the right to buy back the 1% NSR within a two-year period from the exercise of the option for a cash payment of $50,000 and issuance of 100,000 common shares.
Swan zone follow-up and reconnaissance sampling
The 2022 work program included follow-up and reconnaissance exploration at the Swan zone (see Map 2 – Swan). The Swan zone area was initially staked by Trailbreaker to cover a historical molybdenum-copper porphyry prospect that was discovered in the late 1960s and explored periodically since then. Despite the collection of more than 500 soil and surface rock samples, and the completion of almost 1,000 metres of shallow diamond drilling, no geochemical analysis for gold was done before Trailbreaker staked the area.
In 2021, Trailbreaker identified a 900 m x 700 m gold (Au) – arsenic (As) – silver (Ag) – antimony (Sb) – copper (Cu) – molybdenum (Mo) – lead (Pb) soil anomaly, with multiple gold and silver showings in bedrock. The core of the soil anomaly is located ~1.2 km east of the historical drilling.
Exploration in 2022 led to the discovery of additional gold mineralization within the soil anomaly, whereby assaying of rock grab samples returned values up to 11.7 g/t Au, 212 g/t Ag, and 0.12% Cu. Gold is associated primarily with disseminated and massive arsenopyrite mineralization within a porphyritic leucogranite unit of the Upper Cretaceous Glundebery Batholith.
A reconnaissance soil sample line identified a new 550-metre-long gold anomaly located 1 km east of the main Swan zone anomaly. Assaying of soil samples yielded values up to 268 ppb Au within this new anomaly.
First-pass prospecting was conducted on a ridge 2 km west of the Swan zone, across the valley from where the historic diamond drilling was conducted. Multiple new quartz-arsenopyrite showings were identified, and assays returned values up to 0.79 g/t Au.
About the Atsutla Gold Project
Trailbreaker’s 100%-owned Atsutla Gold project is located 70 km south of the Yukon-British Columbia border and 130 km northwest of the community of Dease Lake, BC. The project covers 40,057 hectares of ground with very limited historic exploration. The project represents a district-scale discovery in an under-explored area of British Columbia.
To date, Trailbreaker has identified five gold zones at Atsutla: The Highlands, Christmas Creek, Snook, Willie Jack, and Swan zones, which span a distance of 28 kilometres. The highest grades occur at the Highlands zone, where grab samples have returned values up to 630 g/t (18.38 oz/ton) gold and 1,894 g/t (55.25 oz/ton) silver. High-grade, vein- and wallrock-hosted copper mineralization has also been discovered in the Highlands, Christmas Creek, and Willie Jack zones, with grab sample assays up to 1.7% copper. For more information and detailed maps, see the Atsutla Gold Project section on Trailbreaker’s website.
Message from the President
“The Atsutla Gold project is district-scale discovery with not only the gold-bearing copper porphyry model at Swan but also a large robust high-grade gold system at the Highlands, Christmas Creek, and Snook zones. We own it 100%, it’s brand-new and begging to be drilled!”
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
Daithi Mac Gearailt
President and Chief Executive Officer
Carl Schulze, P. Geo., Consulting Geologist with Aurora Geosciences Ltd, is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 for Trailbreaker's BC and Yukon exploration projects, and has reviewed and approved the technical information in this release.
For new information about the Company’s projects, please visit Trailbreaker’s website at TrailbreakerResources.com and sign up to receive news. For further information, follow Trailbreaker’s tweets at Twitter.com/TrailbreakerLtd, use the ‘Contact’ section of our website, or contact us at (604) 681-1820 or at info@trailbreakerresources.com.
TRAILBREAKER RESOURCES LTD.
650 W. Georgia Street, #2110
Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada, V6B 4N9
Telephone: 604 681 1820
Facsimile: 604 681 1864
https://www.TrailbreakerResources.com
https://twitter.com/TrailbreakerLtd
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
Statements contained in this news release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "Forward-Looking Information") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-Looking Information includes, but is not limited to, disclosure regarding possible events, conditions or financial performance that is based on assumptions about future economic conditions and courses of action; expectations regarding future exploration and drilling programs and receipt of related permitting. In certain cases, Forward-Looking Information can be identified by the use of words and phrases such as "anticipates", "expects", "understanding", "has agreed to" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "would", "occur" or "be achieved". Although Trailbreaker has attempted to identify important factors that could affect Trailbreaker and may cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in Forward-Looking Information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, if any, Trailbreaker has applied several material assumptions, including the assumption that general business and economic conditions will not change in a materially adverse manner. There can be no assurance that Forward-Looking Information 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 Information. Except as required by law, Trailbreaker does not assume any obligation to release publicly any revisions to Forward-Looking Information contained in this news release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
Equity Metals
Investor Insight
Equity Metals offers investors exposure to high-grade silver and gold discoveries in British Columbia through a dual-track strategy of expanding its flagship Silver Queen resource and advancing the newly acquired Arlington district.
Overview
Equity Metals (TSXV:EQTY,OTCQB:EQMEF,FSE:EGSD) is fast-tracking exploration at its 100 percent owned Silver Queen project in British Columbia, targeting resource expansion and derisking of one of the province's most prospective high-grade polymetallic deposits. Located within the prolific Skeena Arch near the historic Equity Silver and Huckleberry mines, Silver Queen boasts an NI 43-101 compliant resource of 62.8 million ounces (Moz) silver equivalent (indicated) and 22.5 Moz silver equivalent (inferred), with 2024 drilling extending known zones and identifying new mineralized areas.
Complementing this is the Arlington gold-copper-silver project, a newly acquired district-scale, never-before drill-tested project located in southern BC's Greenwood Mining Division. With analogues to historic producers like Phoenix and Buckhorn, Arlington is being aggressively explored with 3,000 meters of drilling underway, focused on delineating high-grade gold-enriched polymetallic mineralization.
Parameters for the NI 43-101 Compliant Mineral Resource Estimate are in the Appendix and in the EQTY News Release, dated Dec 1, 2022
Together, Silver Queen and Arlington offer a balanced exposure to high-grade polymetallic and gold-rich systems. The former provides near-term resource expansion and development optionality, while the latter opens up district-scale discovery potential.
In addition, Equity Metals holds interests in the Monument and WO diamond properties in the Lac de Gras region (Northwest Territories), proximal to the Diavik and Ekati mines, and the La Ronge silica project in Saskatchewan. These projects offer upside optionality for strategic partnerships or asset sales.
Company Highlights
- Flagship High-grade Project – Silver Queen: Over 85 million silver-equivalent ounces defined in the heart of BC's Skeena Arch mineral belt, surrounded by Tier 1 infrastructure and historical producers.
- New Gold Discovery Potential – Arlington project: A district-scale, early-stage gold-copper-silver system with analogues to major past-producing skarn and vein-hosted mines in the region.
- Fully Funded for 2025: 9,000 meters of combined drilling is underway across both Silver Queen and Arlington with assay results expected to drive news flow through Q3 and Q4 2025.
- Experienced Management and Technical Team: Track record of discovery and mine development across North America, including the Penasquito and Eskay Creek mines and the Wind Mountain project.
- Exposure to Critical and Precious Metals: Balanced portfolio spanning silver, gold, copper and diamonds with optionality in battery materials (silica) and critical minerals.
Key Projects
Silver Queen Project
The Silver Queen project is Equity Metals’ 100 percent owned flagship asset located in central British Columbia’s prolific Skeena Arch, approximately 35 km south of Houston. This 18,871-hectare property consists of 17 crown-granted titles and 46 tenure claims in the Omineca Mining Division. Surrounded by past-producing and active mines, including the Equity silver mine, Berg, Endako and Mt. Milligan, the project benefits from established infrastructure such as roads, power and rail access.
Silver Queen hosts a high-grade polymetallic system featuring silver, gold, copper, lead and zinc mineralization. The project is underpinned by a robust NI 43-101 compliant resource estimate (as of December 2022) consisting of 62.8 million ounces (Moz) silver-equivalent (AgEq) in the indicated category grading 565 grams per ton (g/t) AgEq, and 22.5 Moz AgEq in the inferred category grading 365 g/t AgEq. This includes 3.46 million tons (Mt) of indicated resources averaging 189 g/t silver, 2.13 g/t gold, 0.24 percent copper, 0.6 percent lead, and 3.5 percent zinc, and 1.92 Mt of inferred resources grading 167 g/t silver, 0.82 g/t gold, 0.23 percent copper, 0.5 percent lead, and 2 percent zinc.
The mineralization occurs in multiple steeply dipping epithermal vein systems, subdivided into the No. 3, NG-3, Camp and Sveinson veins. Each exhibits distinct metal zonation – the Camp veins are silver-dominant, while the Sveinson, No. 3 and NG-3 show a stronger gold bias. Bonanza grades have been intercepted at multiple locations, including down-hole drill core intervals assaying up to 56,115 g/t silver over 0.3 metres in recent drill results. High sulphide and low sulphide vein environments have both been identified, suggesting a long-lived and multi-phase mineralizing event.
Since late 2020, Equity has completed 52,877 meters of drilling in 146 holes, targeting extensions and new zones of mineralization. In 2024 alone, four target areas – George Lake, Camp North, No. 3 North and Camp-Sveinson – were tested via 17,209 meters across 42 holes. Drilling resulted in the delineation of a 550-metre strike-length for mineralization in the George Lake target and a 400-metre strike-length for mineralization in the No. 3 North target, as well as several extensions of earlier identified veins in the Camp Deposit and a new discovery in the Camp North target. A 6,000-meter 2025 drilling program will further test these zones with updated modeling and resource growth expected in Q3 2025.
Metallurgical testing completed in both 1988 and 2022 yielded positive recoveries: 83 percent gold, 95 percent silver, 93 percent copper, 91 percent lead, and 98 percent zinc. A follow-up metallurgical program is planned to support preliminary development studies. With extensive underground development (~9 km of historic workings) and proximity to key infrastructure, the Silver Queen project is well positioned for advancement toward economic studies and ultimately, a potential strategic transaction.
Arlington Project
The Arlington project is a 3,584-hectare, early-stage exploration asset located in southern British Columbia’s Greenwood Mining Division, approximately 65 km south of Kelowna. The project sits within the prolific Quesnel Terrane and is accessible year-round via Highway 33 and a network of logging roads. The region hosts several historical producers including the Buckhorn, Phoenix, and Beaverdell mines, which have collectively yielded more than 2 Moz gold, 6 Moz silver and 500 Mlb copper.
Arlington encompasses multiple mineral occurrences and at least four deposit styles across a more than 5 km strike length. Historic and recent surface work has confirmed high-grade mineralization with rock samples returning values up to 11.67 g/t gold, 211 g/t silver, and 3.22 percent copper. The 2025 exploration program, currently underway, includes a 3,000-metre drill campaign primarily targeting the Fresh Pots gold-silver anomaly – a large (2 km x 1 km) intrusion-related gold system delineated by multi-element soil geochemistry and magnetic lows.
Other high-priority targets include:
- Rona Porphyry Target: A copper-molybdenum-gold system with pyroxenite intrusive-hosted mineralization. Rock chip assays have returned >1 percent molybdenum, 0.6 g/t gold, and 32.4 g/t silver. The area is characterized by a large copper-nickel soil anomaly and widespread argillic alteration in adjacent sedimentary rocks.
- Arlington Polymetallic Veins: A structurally controlled vein system with documented historic workings. Highlights include Arlington South (11.67 g/t gold, 3.22 percent copper) and Arlington North (1.86 g/t gold, 1.07 percent copper), suggesting vertical metal zonation and potential for stacked vein systems.
- Skarn and Replacement Targets: Notably at the Bru and Arlington zones, analogous to Buckhorn and Phoenix, where gold-copper magnetite skarns produced over 1 Moz historically.
In early 2025, Equity Metals completed a property-wide airborne magnetic/radiometric survey and LiDAR mapping campaign to refine targeting. Soil and till geochemistry, IP surveying and mapping continue across the license area to delineate follow-up drill targets for 2026.
Management Team
Lawrence Page – Chairman and Director
A seasoned mining executive with over four decades of experience, Lawrence Page has helped finance and develop several major discoveries including Penasquito (Mexico), Eskay Creek and Hemlo. He brings strategic oversight and a deep network within the exploration and capital markets community.
Joseph A. Kizis Jr. – President and Director
With over 40 years of mineral exploration experience, Joseph Kizis has been instrumental in advancing gold, silver and base metal projects across North America. He is also president of Bravada Gold and has played key roles in advancing Wind Mountain in Nevada and Homestake Ridge in BC.
Robert W.J. Macdonald – VP Exploration
Robert Macdonald leads Equity Metals’ technical team and brings extensive epithermal and porphyry system expertise. His past project experience includes Homestake Ridge in BC and Cerro Las Minitas in Mexico, and he is the Qualified Person for all technical disclosures.
Killian Ruby – CFO and Director
As president and CEO of Malaspina Consultants and a former senior manager at KPMG LLP, Killian Ruby brings financial discipline, governance strength and tax expertise. He also serves as CFO for several junior resource companies.
John Kerr – Director
A professional engineer with five decades of exploration experience, John Kerr has contributed to the discovery and development of projects such as Santa Fe and Mindora in Nevada, and Frasergold in BC.
Courtney Shearer – Director
Courtney Shearer has served in executive and advisory roles with multiple Canadian mining companies, including San Gold Corporation, where he led strategic evaluations and project planning initiatives.
Arie Page – Corporate Secretary
Arie Page provides legal and corporate compliance support and has served as corporate secretary for numerous public companies within the Manex Resource Group.
Appendix:
Silver Queen Mineral Resource Estimate (NI 43-101 Compliant, Dec. 1, 2022) (C$100 NSR cut-off)
- The current Mineral Resource Estimate was prepared by Garth Kirkham, P.Geo., of Kirkham Geosystems Ltd and Eugene Puritch, P. Eng., FEC, CET and Fred Brown, P, Geo. of P&E Mining Consultants Inc. (“P&E”), Independent Qualified Persons (“QP”), as defined by National instrument 43-101.
- All Mineral Resources have been estimated in accordance with Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and Petroleum (“CIM”) definitions, as required under National Instrument 43-101 (“NI43-101”).
- Mineral Resources were constrained using continuous mining units demonstrating reasonable prospects of eventual economic extraction.
- Silver and Gold Equivalents were calculated from the interpolated block values using relative process recoveries and prices between the component metals and silver to determine a final AgEq and AuEq values.
- Silver and Gold Equivalents and NSR$/t values were calculated using average long-term prices of $20/oz silver, $1,700/oz gold, $3.50/lb copper, $0.95/lb lead and $1.45/lb zinc. All metal prices are stated in $USD. The C$100/tonne NSR cut-off grade value for the underground Mineral Resource was derived from mining costs of C$70/t, with process costs of C$20/t and G&A of C$10/t. Process recoveries used were Au 70%, Ag 80%, Cu 80%, Pb 81% and Zn 90%.
- Grade capping was performed on 1m composites for the No. 3 and NG-3 veins and whole vein composites for the Camp and Sveinson veins. For the No. 3 and NG-3 veins Inverse distance cubed (I/d3) was utilized for grade interpolation for Au and Ag and inverse distance squared (I/d2) was utilized for Cu, Pb and Zn. Inverse distance squared (I/d2) was used for all metals in the Camp and Sveinson veins.
- A bulk density of 3.56t/m3 was used for all tonnage calculations in the No. 3 and NG-3 veins. A variable density with a 3.15 average was used for the Camp and Sveinson veins.
- Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves until they have demonstrated economic viability. Mineral Resource Estimates do not account for a Mineral Resource’s mineability, selectivity, mining loss, or dilution.
- An Inferred Mineral Resource has a lower level of confidence than that applying to an Indicated Mineral Resource and must not be converted to a Mineral Reserve. It is reasonably expected that the majority of Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration.
- All figures are rounded to reflect the relative accuracy of the estimate and therefore numbers may not appear to add precisely.
