REG - First Class Metals - Dead Otter Gold Trend

FIRST CLASS METALSAnnouncement

05/09/2024 07:00

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RNS Number : 9664C  First Class Metals PLC  05 September 2024

The information contained within this announcement is deemed to constitute
inside information as stipulated under the retained EU law version of the
Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014 (the "UK MAR") which is part of UK
law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018. The information is
disclosed in accordance with the Company's obligations under Article 17 of the
UK MAR. Upon the publication of this announcement, this inside information is
now considered to be in the public domain.

 

FIRST CLASS METALS PLC

5 September 2024

Dead Otter Gold Trend

 

First Class Metals PLC ("First Class Metals" "FCM" or the "Company") the UK
listed company focused on the discovery of economic metal deposits across its
exploration properties in Ontario, Canada is pleased to provide an exploration
update.

This update follows on from the news release of 24 July 2024 in which FCM
announced the 'upgrade' of the Dead Otter trend within its 100% owned North
Hemlo Property to a high-profile target. The planned stripping and channel
sampling at three locations along the 3.7 km strike identified, has now been
successfully completed.

EXPLORATION PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS:

 

 

·    Stripping and channel sampling have been completed at three locations
along the Dead Otter trend

 

·    Extensive channel sampling at the 19gramme location.

 

o 18 channels cut for 70 samples.

 

·    Channel samples are currently being analysed at a laboratory in
Thunder Bay.

 

·     First assay results are expected within the month, with subsequent
batches of additional results to be received over the coming weeks.  Further
market updates will be provided as results are received, analysed and
interpreted and verified if required.

 

·    Results of 25 total Fire assay of selected 2023 season pulps received

 

·    In addition to the channel sampling in August, 127 coarse residues
from the highly successful 2022/23 sampling programs were submitted for Photon
assay.

 

 

Marc J. Sale CEO First Class Metals Commented:

"The exploration work on the Dead Otter trend continues to deliver positive
results, visually the channels cut show that the 19 grammer is potentially not
an isolated high-grade occurrence. The anticipated results from the stripping
/ sampling will allow a decision to drill specific locations and to expand the
footprint of the mineralised structure with additional stripping along
strike."

 

FURTHER INFORMATION

Dead Otter Trend

·    The Company has confirmed the presence of a discontinuous 3.7km long
gold trend at Dead Otter (open along strike so potentially larger) in the
south of the North Hemlo Property.

 

·    North Hemlo property covers ~90km² and contiguous with the OnGold
property, 35km² and contains the GT Resources JV over West Pickle Lake 7km².

 

·    The Property is only 20km north of Barrick's Hemlo 23 million ounce
gold ("Au") mine.

 

·    The structure forming the Dead Otter trend is considered to be
subparallel to a district scale structure identified in the magnetics that has
similarities to the structure hosting the Barrick Hemlo gold mine, see Figure
1; furthermore, the Dead Otter showing contains significant molybdenum, also a
characteristic of the Hemlo mineralisation.

 

·    Visible gold has been observed in multiple grab samples from the Dead
Otter trend, a grab sample reported 19.6g/t Au with a 13.6g/t Au sample in the
near vicinity.

 

·    Exploration Permit covering the North Hemlo block, including the
3.7km gold trend at Dead Otter was granted in November 2023 and is valid for
three years. The permit allows mechanical stripping and diamond core drilling,
and a drilling operator has successfully reviewed site logistics and access
for a diamond drill rig.

 

·    The Company believes that this work programme will be the last
exploration step that should be required for delineation of actual drill hole
locations.

 

Figure 1 showing the district setting with the vast Barrick Hemlo gold mine on
the south limb and the Dead Otter trend on FCM's 100% owned property
containing the high grade '19gramme' location.

 

North Hemlo Exploration Progress:

A field team, working from Manitouwadge spent five weeks supervising the
clearing and then the channel sampling in three distinct locations on the Dead
Otter trend.

An access trail was cleared to each area which was then stripped - the removal
of the soil and vegetation (over burden). Then the bare rock was pressured
washed before the geologist mapped and marked out the samples for diamond saw
cutting.

At the 19 grammer, 10 separate channels were cut up to 3.1m for a total of 55
samples.

At the historic showing which reported 3.1 g/t gold (Au) and 0.59% molybdenum
(Mo), three channels were cut for cumulative 5 samples.

At the 2.3g/t 'showing' 750m to the southeast a further 5 channels were cut
for 10 samples. Trenches were cleared over the 2.3g/t location as well as 25m
to the east and west.

See figure 2, below for relative locations of channels

Figure 2, showing the Dead Otter trend with details of the location of the
channels and samples

Channel Sampling Process Detailed

Channels samples are taken by cutting two parallel diamond sawn 'groves' in
the rock up to 4cm deep and 4cm wide. The rock between the cut grooves is then
chipped out bagged, see figures 3 to 9 for a sequential account of the
stripping / sampling process.

The programmes were extended at the 19 gramme location with a significant
increase in the number of samples taken, in line with previous announcements
of the expanded stripping programme.

 

 

Figure 3 initial stages of 'stripping': mechanical removal of overburden

Figure 4 overburden removed, bare rock - outcrop revealed

Figure 5 washing off the soil to clean outcrop

Figure 6 The cleaned outcrop is mapped and 'marked-up' for cutting samples

Figure 7 cutting samples with diamond saw.

Figure 8 showing two parallel cuts for sampling

Figure 9 collecting and bagging samples

 

The results from 25 'total pulp assay' whereby up to 500g was assayed, as
compared to the standard 50g Fire Assay, have been received. The results
validate and, in some cases, have enhanced the original results.  These pulps
were submitted as FCM believes there is the potential for 'coarse gold' at
Dead Otter.

Whilst the 'total pulp' assays confirm the previous assays the coarse gold
situation is still not addressed. Hence over 100 samples from the 2022/23
programme were submitted for Photon Assay, these results are anticipated
shortly.

The initial results from the completed stripping programme are expected within
the month with further announcements as deemed appropriate. Depending on the
findings of the Photon Assay results selected samples will be re assayed using
this methodology.

For Further Information:

 

Engage with us by asking questions, watching video summaries and seeing what
other shareholders have to say. Navigate to our Interactive Investor hub here:

https://fcm-l.investorhub.com/link/MP7o0P
(https://fcm-l.investorhub.com/link/MP7o0P)

For further information, please contact:

 

 James Knowles, Executive Chairman  JamesK@Firstclassmetalsplc.com (mailto:JamesK@Firstclassmetalsplc.com)  07488 362641
 Marc J Sale, CEO                   MarcS@Firstclassmetalsplc.com (mailto:MarcS@Firstclassmetalsplc.com)    07711 093532

Novum Securities Limited (Financial Adviser)

 

 David Coffman/ George Duxberry   www.novumsecurities.com (http://www.novumsecurities.com)   (0)20 7399 9400

 

Axis Capital Markets (Broker)

 Lewis Jones/ Ben Tadd    Axcap247.com (http://axcap247.com/)   (0) 203 026 0449

 

NOTES TO EDITORS

Qualified Person

The technical disclosures contained in this announcement have been drafted in
line with the  Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum
standards and guidelines and approved by Marc J. Sale, who has more than
30years in the gold exploration industry and is considered a Qualified person
owing to his status as a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Mining and
Metallurgy.

 

First Class Metals PLC - Background

First Class Metals listed on the LSE in July 2022 and is focused on metals
exploration in Ontario, Canada which has a robust and thriving junior mineral
exploration sector. In particular, the Hemlo 'camp' near Marathon, Ontario is
a proven world class address for gold exploration, featuring the Hemlo gold
deposit operated by Barrick Gold (>23M oz gold produced), with the past
producing Geco and Winston Lake base metal deposits also situated in the
region.

FCM currently holds 100% ownership of seven claim blocks covering over 180km²
along a 150km strike of the Hemlo-Schreiber-Dayohessarah greenstone belt,
exploring for gold, base metals, and rare earth element mineralization. In
addition, FCM is carrying out a joint venture with Palladium One on the West
Pickle Lake Property in the region, a drill-proven ultra-high-grade Ni-Cu
project.

The flagship property North Hemlo had a high-definition low level magnetic
Heli-borne survey flown in April 2022, this was followed with ground
prospecting which ultimately defined the 'Dead Otter Trend' which is a
discontinuous 4.5km gold anomalous trend with a 19.6g/t Au peak grab sample.
This sampling being the highest known assay ever recorded on the North Limb of
Hemlo.

In October 2022 FCM completed the option to purchase the historical high-grade
past-producing Sunbeam gold mine near Atikokan, Ontario, ~15 km southeast of
Agnico Eagle's Hammond Reef gold deposit (3.3 Moz of open pit probable gold
reserves).

FCM acquired the Zigzag Project near Armstrong, Ontario in March 2023. The
property features Li-Ta-bearing pegmatites in the same belt as Green
Technology Metals' Seymour Lake Project, which contains a Mineral Resource
estimate of 9.9 Mt @ 1.04% Li2O. Zigzag was drilled prior to Christmas 2023
and results have now been released.

The significant potential of the properties for precious, base and battery
metals relates to 'nearology', since all properties lie in the same districts
as known deposits (Hemlo, Hammond Reef, Seymour Lake), and either contain
known showings, geochemical or geophysical anomalies, or favourable structures
along strike from known showings (e.g. the Esa project, with an inferred
Hemlo-style shear along strike from known gold occurrences).

 

 

Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements in this announcement may contain forward-looking statements
which are based on the Company's expectations, intentions and projections
regarding its future performance, anticipated events or trends and other
matters that are not historical facts. Such forward-looking statements can be
identified by the fact that they do not relate only to historical or current
facts. Forward-looking statements sometimes use words such as 'aim',
'anticipate', 'target', 'expect', 'estimate', 'intend', 'plan', 'goal',
'believe', or other words of similar meaning. These statements are not
guarantees of future performance and are subject to known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
Given these risks and uncertainties, prospective investors are cautioned not
to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking
statements speak only as of the date of such statements and, except as
required by applicable law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update or
revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise.

 

 

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