REG - Focus Xplore PLC - Exploration Programme Update

Focus XploreAnnouncement

22/05/2025 14:30

For best results when printing this announcement, please click on link below:
https://newsfile.refinitiv.com/getnewsfile/v1/story?guid=urn:newsml:reuters.com:20250522:nRSV8416Ja&default-theme=true

RNS Number : 8416J  Focus Xplore PLC  22 May 2025

22 May 2025

 

Focus Xplore PLC

('Focus Xplore' or the 'Company')

 

Exploration Programme Update

 

Second field team commences field activities in Northwestern Ontario and
positive initial observations by first field team

 

Focus Xplore PLC (AIM: FOX), the strategic energy and critical minerals
exploration and development company, is pleased to provide an update on its
exploration programmes in Ontario, Canada. A second field team has commenced
geological prospecting, mapping and sampling activities at the Company's
Burrows Projects. This follows commencement of exploration programmes by a
first team at the Company's Ellie and Bay Road Projects last week and where
felsic intrusions and pegmatitic features are confirmed.

Patrick Cullen, Chief Executive Officer of Focus Xplore, commented:

"We are pleased to develop early momentum on our critical minerals portfolio
in Ontario, where we have commenced work on properties prospective for lithium
and for rare earth elements, specifically the 'magnet metals' dysprosium and
neodymium.

 

We are focused on making pegmatite-hosted discoveries. Pegmatites that host
lithium-bearing minerals are sometimes exposed in the field so there is
possibility to make an exciting discovery at an early stage - we've seen this
happen in Ontario and elsewhere in the past - so we want to cover as much
ground as possible. Secondly, we will gather a body of geological data which
will serve to direct our efforts as the field season progresses and to vector
towards discovery. We will also input the new data into the AI system we are
working with to enhance its targeting capabilities going forward.

 

Initial communications from the ground crews indicate that we've successfully
targeted features which we interpreted from raw LiDAR data and whist working
with our AI consultants in preparation for the 'boots on the ground' work.
Felsic intrusions were identified at Bay Road and the northern sections of
Ellie with pegmatitic occurrences confirmed at both properties. I'm looking
forward to providing detailed updates in the next week or so as we begin to
receive and compile data from this exciting phase of work."

 

ABOUT THE BURROWS, BAY ROAD AND ELLIE PROJECTS

The Burrows Projects were acquired as part of the acquisition of 31 Explore
Ltd as announced on 10 February 2025 and comprise three properties covering
2,400 hectares (ha) in an under-explored area outlined by the Ontario Survey
as a target for grassroots lithium exploration(1). Elevated lithium and
caesium are known from deep lake sediment assays and the local geology is
recognised as having potential to host lithium-bearing pegmatites(2). Historic
drilling in the 1970s(3,4) within 2 km of the projects intersected 5
metre-thick pegmatites, but these were not assayed for lithium.

The Bay Road Project covers 425 ha directly south of the fertile White Otter
Batholith and is prospective for rare earth elements (REE). The property is
centred on 6 km of felsic intrusive rock(5) mapped by the Ontario Geological
Survey. The intrusive feature has a spatial relationship with highly anomalous
REE(6,7,8) in lake sediment assays, specifically the 'magnet metals'
dysprosium and neodymium used in the manufacture of modern permanent magnets.

The Ellie Project covers 530 ha along trend from a felsic dyke(5), with highly
anomalous lithium in lake sediment results(6,9) immediately to the northeast.
Anomalous lithium, beryllium and niobium in lake sediment results are evident
in other nearby lakes. The project is located on the south-western flank of
the Eye-Dashwa Intrusion, an Archean granodiorite. Kenorland Mineral's (TSXV:
KLD) Algoman gold and lithium project lies adjacent to the south.

REFERENCES

1: Paju, G.F. 2019. Beardmore to Geraldton: A grassroots look for lithium in a
prolific gold camp; in Report of Activities 2018, Resident Geologist Program,
Thunder Bay North Regional Resident Geologist Report: Thunder Bay North
District; Ontario Geological Survey, Open File Report 6352, p.55-71.

2: Bradley, D.C., McCauley, A.D., Stillings L.M., 2017, Mineral-Deposit Model
for Lithium-Cesium-Tantalum Pegmatites, USGS.

3: Hudson Bay Exploration & Development Co Ltd, 1973, Hudson Bay
Exploration And Development Company Limited, Final Report On Exploration,
Exploration Assistance Agreement. Geraldton - Beardmore Area, Thunder Bay
Mining Division - Ontario, Longlac Project; Contract No. Gb-25 (Assessment
Report Number: 42E15NE8354 ).

4: Moly-Ore Mines Ltd, 1965, Report on Diamond Drilling Program on Moly Ore
Mines Limited, Burrows Lake Property, Area of Burrows Lake, Port Arthur Mining
Division, (Assessment Report Number: 42E15NW0002).

5: Santaguida, F., 2001, Ontario Geological Survey, Precambrian Geology
Compilation Series - Quetico Sheet, 2000 Series Map (M2663).

6: Dyer, R.D., 1999, Lake Sediment and Water Geochemistry Data from the
Atikokan-Lumby Lake Area, Northwestern Ontario (MRD043).

7: Jackson, J.E. 2003, Lake Sediment Geochemical Data from the Ignace Survey
Area, Northwestern Ontario: Operation Treasure Hunt (MRD118).

8: Dyer, R.D., Burke, H.E. 2012, Lake Sediment and Water Geochemical Data
from the Mine Centre Area, Northwestern Ontario (MRD296).

9: Jackson, J.E., 2001, Lake Sediment and Water Geochemical Data from the
Shebandowan Lake Area, Northwestern Ontario (MRD076).

QUALIFIED PERSON STATEMENT

The technical information contained in this disclosure has been reviewed and
approved by Mr Nick O'Reilly (MSc, DIC, MIMMM QMR, MAusIMM, FGS), who is a
qualified geologist and acts as the Qualified Person under the AIM Rules -
Note for Mining and Oil & Gas Companies. Mr O'Reilly is a principal
consultant working for Mining Analyst Consulting Ltd which is providing
independent technical review to Focus Xplore PLC.

GLOSSARY

Archean - or Archaean, describes the geological period from 4,000 million
years ago to 2,500 million years ago.

Batholith - type of igneous intrusion

Critical mineral - while there is no universally accepted definition of a
critical mineral, it is commonly agreed that critical minerals have specific
industrial, technological or strategic applications for which there are few
viable substitutes. These minerals are economically important and can be
subject to supply risk.

Felsic intrusion - is an intrusion of igneous rock that is predominantly
composed of felsic minerals, such as quartz, feldspar, and muscovite.

Granodiorite - is a coarse-grained intrusive igneous rock similar to granite,
but containing more plagioclase feldspar than orthoclase feldspar- orthoclase
is primarily a potassium feldspar, while plagioclase is a sodium and calcium
feldspar.

LiDAR - Light Detection and Ranging is a remote sensing method that uses light
in the form of a pulsed laser to measure ranges (variable distances) commonly
used to generate precise, three-dimensional information of the elevation of
the Earth's surface.

Pegmatite - an igneous rock with a very coarse, irregular texture that forms
during the final stage of a magma's crystallisation.

This announcement contains inside information as stipulated under the Market
Abuse Regulations (EU) no. 596/2014.

**ENDS**

 

Enquiries:

 

 Patrick Cullen                      info@focusXplore.com                Focus Xplore PLC                                                                Chief Executive Officer
 James Biddle                        +44 (0) 207 628 3396                Beaumont Cornish Limited                                                        Nominated Adviser

 Roland Cornish
 Jason Robertson                     +44 (0) 207 374 2212                First Equity Limited                                                            Corporate Broker
 Corporate Website: www.focusXplore.com (http://www.focusXplore.com)     LinkedIn: Focus Xplore PLC (https://www.linkedin.com/company/focus-xplore-plc)  X: @focusXplore (https://x.com/focusxplore)

 

 

Beaumont Cornish Limited ("Beaumont Cornish") is the Company's Nominated
Adviser and is authorised and regulated by the FCA. Beaumont Cornish's
responsibilities as the Company's Nominated Adviser, including a
responsibility to advise and guide the Company on its responsibilities under
the AIM Rules for Companies and AIM Rules for Nominated Advisers, are owed
solely to the London Stock Exchange. Beaumont Cornish is not acting for and
will not be responsible to any other persons for providing protections
afforded to customers of Beaumont Cornish nor for advising them in relation to
the proposed arrangements described in this announcement or any matter
referred to in it.

 

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact
rns@lseg.com (mailto:rns@lseg.com)
 or visit
www.rns.com (http://www.rns.com/)
.

RNS may use your IP address to confirm compliance with the terms and conditions, to analyse how you engage with the information contained in this communication, and to share such analysis on an anonymised basis with others as part of our commercial services. For further information about how RNS and the London Stock Exchange use the personal data you provide us, please see our
Privacy Policy (https://www.lseg.com/privacy-and-cookie-policy)
.   END  MSCFLFFVEEIFFIE