Mr. Shawn Westcott of Ophir Metals reports
OPHIR METALS SAMPLES 14.2% CS2O AND 2.35 G/T AU IN OUTCROP AT PILIPAS PROPERTY, JAMES BAY, QUEBEC
Ophir Metals Corp. has released final results from the 2024 summer surface sampling program at the Pilipas lithium property, located in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay region in Quebec. The project is located proximal to an existing hydroelectric power line that flanks the property to the east and an all-season road that crosses the western side of the property.
Highlights:
- 14.2 per cent cesium oxide (Cs2O) returned in grab sample of pegmatite outcrop (herein termed the HW3 showing or pegmatite) located proximal to the Billy Diamond Highway:
- Cesium is interpreted to be present in the mineral pollucite;
- Cesium is considered a critical mineral that is used in chemical and electrical applications and is essential for 5G telecommunications;
- Sample also returned 0.71 per cent lithium oxide (Li2O);
- 2.35 grams per tonne gold and 1.92 grams per tonne gold returned in outcrop sampling from the southwestern portion of property returned;
- Inaugural drill program completed at Pilipas targeting the HW1 and HW2 lithium pegmatites with completion of 23 drill holes totalling 3,065 metres:
- Assays pending for all drill holes.
"As we eagerly await the results from the drill program at Pilipas, we are incredibly excited to see an outcrop sample return 14.2 per cent cesium oxide from its overlimit analysis. Cesium is extremely valuable and critical for use in 5G telecommunications and other high-tech and industrial applications. The result, coupled with the known spodumene-bearing pegmatites and elevated gold values, further prove the multicommodity potential at Pilipas," stated Shawn Westcott, chief executive officer of Ophir Metals.
The 2024 prospecting, mapping and rock sampling program was completed on June 29, 2024, with a total of 494 grab samples collected (437 outcrop samples and 57 boulder samples). Samples were collected from all encountered pegmatite outcrops and select boulders, regardless of visual mineralization. To date, results for 492 samples have been received from the lab. Following receipt of the results, several samples were selected from the data set to be to be reanalyzed for gold due to a noted correlation between elevated gold and molybdenum, with one sample also ran for cesium overlimit analysis.
Approximately 4.2 kilometres northwest of the HW1 showing, a grab sample returned 14.2 per cent Cs2O and 0.71 per cent Li2O in outcrop (HW3 pegmatite). The outcrop is approximately 20 metres in length by 12 metres in width and is located approximately 60 metres east of the Billy Diamond Highway and, therefore, is immediately proximal to existing infrastructure. The cesium is interpreted to be present in the mineral pollucite, which is typically associated with highly fractionated rare element pegmatites. The sample has been sent for mineralogical testing at SGS Lakefield for verification. The company is planning a follow-up program of mapping and sampling in and around the cesium discovery to better constrain its surface dimensions.
The high-grade cesium discovery identifies an additional zone of LCT-type (lithium/cesium/tantalum) mineralization on the property, along with the two confirmed spodumene-bearing showings (HW1 and HW2) and multiple locations in the eastern portions of the property with extremely elevated LCT pathfinder elements such tantalum (see news release dated Aug. 7, 2024). Collectively, these results demonstrate the propertywide potential for LCT-type mineralization at Pilipas.
Two grab samples collected in the southwestern portion of the property also returned gold values of 2.35 grams per tonne gold and 1.92 grams per tonne gold in outcrop. The two samples were sourced from two separate pegmatite outcrops spaced approximately 500 metres apart that also returned elevated molybdenum results of 2.39 per cent molybdenum and 0.17 per cent molybdenum, respectively.
Inaugural drill program
Subsequent to the summer surface program, the company completed a diamond drill program at the property targeting the HW1 and HW1 spodumene pegmatite outcrops exposures. The program concluded in mid-September for a total of 23 holes (3,065 metres). The company is eagerly awaiting analytical results.
Quality assurance/quality control
All samples were collected in the field using a hammer, chisel and/or a battery-operated diamond-bladed angle grinder. Locations were obtained using a hand-held GPS (Global Positioning System) or tablet with samples placed in prelabelled sample bags. Metal tags with the sample numbers and flagging tape were left at each sample location. Samples were securely transported by field staff to SGS Canada's laboratory in Radisson, Que., for standard sample preparation (code PRP90), which includes drying at 105 C, crushing to 90 per cent passing two millimetres, riffle splitting 250 grams and pulverizing to 85 per cent passing 75 microns. The pulps were then shipped to SGS Canada's laboratory in Burnaby, B.C., where they were subsequently analyzed for multielement (including lithium and tantalum) using sodium peroxide fusion with ICP-AES/MS finish (code GE_ICM91A50). Gold analysis was performed using gold by fire assay (code GE_FAA30V5) and cesium overlimit analysis completed by acid digest for alkaline elements (code GC_AAS49C). A quality assurance/quality control protocol was incorporated into the program and included the insertion of certified reference material at and silica blanks at a rate of approximately 5 per cent and 5 per cent, respectively. SGS Canada is independent of the company.
Management cautions that prospecting surface rock samples and associated assays, as discussed herein, are selective by nature and represent a point location and therefore may not necessarily be fully representative of the mineralized horizon sampled.
The company considers the Pilipas property to host significant potential for spodumene pegmatite due to its favourable greenstone geological setting, regional faulting, shear zones and hinge fold, as well as anomalous geochemistry and numerous documented occurrences of tourmaline in white pegmatites.
Qualified person
The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Nathan Schmidt, PGeo, senior geologist for Dahrouge Geological Consulting Ltd., a registered special authorization holder with Ordre des Geologues du Quebec (AS-10512) and a qualified person under National Instrument 43-101 on standards of disclosure for mineral projects.
About the Pilipas lithium project
In December, 2023, the company entered into an option agreement with Azimut Exploration Inc. to earn 70-per-cent interest in the Pilipas property consisting of 135 claims totalling 7,100 hectares situated within the La Grande subprovince (Archean Superior province). It is primarily underlain by volcano-sedimentary rocks (greenstone) of the Lower Eastmain greenstone belt: conglomerate, sandstone, basalts and felsic to intermediate tuffs. Two regional northwest-southeast dextral faults transect the southwestern and northeastern parts of the property.
About Ophir Metals Corp.
Ophir Metals is a diversified mineral exploration company focused on the exploration and development of the Pilipas and Radis lithium properties in James Bay, Quebec, and the past-producing Breccia gold property located in Lemhi county, Idaho.
Ophir holds an option to earn a 100-per-cent interest in the Radis property over a three-year period from Eastmain Resources Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Fury Gold Mines Ltd.; an option to earn a 70-per-cent interest in the Pilipas property over a three-year period from Azimut Exploration; and an option to earn a 100-per-cent interest in the Breccia property.
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