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Strategic MineralsAnnouncement

24/01/2018 07:05

RNS Number : 6789C
Strategic Minerals PLC
24 January 2018
Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure
Certain information contained in this announcement would have been deemed inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 until the release of this announcement.
24 January 2018
Strategic Minerals plc
("Strategic Minerals", "SML" or the "Company")
Hanns Camp Cobalt / Nickel Project - Exploration Update 
Strategic Minerals plc (AIM: SML; USOTC: SMCDY),a diversified mineral production and development company,is pleased to announce the results for the 1 metre sampling for the nickel and cobalt targets at Central Australian Rare Earths' ("CARE") tenements at Hanns Camp, Western Australia, east of Laverton. 
Key Highlights
 Confirmation of the 1,000m x 500m extent of the Cobalt - Nickel mineralisation 
 Stronger intersections include:
HCAC004: 10m @ 0.65% Ni and 0.05% Co (0.93% Ni eq. or 0.18% Co eq.) from 9m
HCAC015: 10m @ 0.63% Ni and 0.04% Co (0.83% Ni eq. or 0.16% Co eq.) from 16m
HCAC028: 17m @ 1.20% Ni and 0.07% Co (1.57% Ni eq. or 0.31% Co eq.) from 31m
HCAC029: 4m @ 1.35% Ni and 0.16% Co (2.18% Ni eq. or 0.43% Co eq.) from 17m
HCAC030: 6m @ 0.72% Ni and 0.10% Co (1.24% Ni eq. or 0.24% Co eq.) from 8m 
HCAC039: 3m @ 1.11% Ni and 0.23% Co (2.28% Ni eq. or 0.45% Co eq.) from 37m
HCAC048: 12m @ 1.04% Ni and 0.06% Co (1.36% Ni eq. or 0.27% Co eq.) from 29m
HCAC049: 16m @ 0.93% Ni and 0.07% Co (1.30% Ni eq. or 0.26% Co eq.) from 48m
 Moderate uplift in grade, especially nickel grades, when compared to 4m interval assays
 Maximum 1 metre Nickel equivalent grade of 3.44% Ni Eq. (1.74% Ni and 0.34% Co)
 Identified the existence of komatiite lava channel-facies rocks within the Hanns Camp ultramafic, one of the key requirements for the potential accumulation of nickel sulphides
[1]Nickel and Cobalt equivalent (NiEq. or CoEq.) calculations based on a Nickel price of US$ 5.35 / lb and a cobalt price of US$ 27.1/ lb. 
Chairman of Strategic Minerals, Mr Alan Broome AM, commented:
"The ongoing assaying from the recent air core drilling at Hanns Camp has delivered better than expected results and gives us great confidence as we move into the next phase of exploration. 
"Following his appointment in November 2017, Dr Martin Gole has added a fantastic level of expertise to CARE. The excellent work completed by Dr Gole alongside our geological team has given a whole new perspective on the nickel sulphide resource potential at this exploration project. 
"In light of this recent review of nickel potential, the Board feels justified in undertaking further significant exploration at Hanns Camp over the course of 2018 and expects to be able to fully fund these activities internally." 
CARE Tenements
In 2016, the Company funded a drilling programme at the highly prospective Hanns Camp located within CARE's Laverton Project. In doing so, it acquired 50% of the ownership of CARE from Rarus Limited. Subsequently, in May 2017, the Company acquired the balance of the ownership of CARE, which is now wholly owned by the Company.
CARE holds tenements and has access to mining rights for cobalt, nickel, rare earth elements and gold in these tenements in Western Australia.
The Laverton Project is located in the 'Eastern Yilgarn Craton Nickel Sulphide Province' in Western Australia that is most notable for hosting the Mount Windarra and South Windarra nickel sulphide deposits located 12km west of the Laverton Project which together produced 8.1 million metric tonnes (Mt) at 1.51% nickel (Ni) between 1974 and 1992. Other more recent discoveries located distally north and south along strike of the Laverton Project include;
 Duketon Mining's Rosie Deposit that has a Mineral Resource estimate of 1.74Mt at 1.7% Ni including a best intercept of 5.2 metres at 9.13% Ni, 1.09% copper (Cu) and 2.22grams/ tonne platinum (Pt) from 599.71 metres down hole
 Rox Resources' Fisher East Project (Mineral Resource 3.6Mt at 2.0% Ni) 
 Impact Minerals' Mulga Tank Project which returned a best intercept of 0.25 metres at 3.8% Ni and 0.7% Cu from 212.6 metres down hole
Hanns Camp Cobalt - Nickel Exploration
In September 2017, a 49-hole air core drilling programme was completed across the extent of the known Hanns Camp ultramafic rocks. The drilling targeted a concentration of cobalt and nickel within the lateritic weathering profile. All holes were drilled vertically for a total of 1,915 metres drilled with an average depth of 39m. 
23 of the 49 holes intersected nickel cobalt mineralisation. The initial results of the drilling programme were released to the market on 2 November 2017. The assays as that time were based on 4 metre sample intervals. A follow up, more focussed sampling and assaying campaign was completed on the 1 metre sample intervals in December 2017. The mineralised portions of the 23 holes were resampled and assayed for a total of 261 samples.
The stronger intersections are included below:
 HCAC004: 10m @ 0.65% Ni and 0.05% Co (0.93% Ni eq. or 0.18% Co eq.) from 9m
 HCAC015: 10m @ 0.63% Ni and 0.04% Co (0.83% Ni eq. or 0.16% Co eq.) from 16m
 HCAC028: 17m @ 1.20% Ni and 0.07% Co (1.57% Ni eq. or 0.31% Co eq.) from 31m
 HCAC029: 4m @ 1.35% Ni and 0.16% Co (2.18% Ni eq. or 0.43% Co eq.) from 17m
 HCAC030: 6m @ 0.72% Ni and 0.10% Co (1.24% Ni eq. or 0.24% Co eq.) from 8m 
 HCAC039: 3m @ 1.11% Ni and 0.23% Co (2.28% Ni eq. or 0.45% Co eq.) from 37m
 HCAC048: 12m @ 1.04% Ni and 0.06% Co (1.36% Ni eq. or 0.27% Co eq.) from 29m
 HCAC049: 16m @ 0.93% Ni and 0.07% Co (1.30% Ni eq. or 0.26% Co eq.) from 48m
The resampling has resulted in a moderate increase in the final grades mostly as a result of improved assaying techniques. Over equivalent intervals the NiEq grade has increased by approximately 10%. 
The full results are included in the table at the end of this announcement. 
Hanns Camp Nickel Sulphide Exploration
As previously announced, SML has engaged Dr Martin Gole, an internationally recognised expert in ultramafic hosted nickel sulphides to review the exploration potential of the Hanns Camp Project. This initial review was completed in January 2018. 
In an exciting new development for the Project, Dr Gole has identified the existence of komatiite lava channel-facies rocks within the Hanns Camp ultramafic which is one of the key requirements for the potential accumulation of nickel sulphides. The recent air core drilling was a major contributing factor to this development, with geological and geochemical analysis allowing discrimination of the previously unrecognised channel. This is a highly significant finding and potentially has major implications for nickel sulphide exploration both at Hanns Camp and of other CARE tenements within the district.
SML are currently reviewing the geochemistry of the base of the air core holes and historic electromagnetic (EM) geophysical surveys to further identify and refine potential targets for additional exploration. The Board considers that, during 2018, further substantial exploration is warranted to further test the potential for nickel sulphides. 


Significant Intersections
Table 1 summarises the significant drilling results from the recent air core drilling at Hanns Camp. 
Table 1 Significant Intersections
Hole
Easting
Northing
From
To
Interval
Nickel
Grade (%)
Cobalt Grade (%)
Ni Eq. Grade (%Ni)
Co Eq. 
Grade
(%Co)
HCAC004
452200
6837400
9
19
10
0.65
0.05
0.93
0.18
HCAC006
452100
6837600
16
23
7
0.52
0.08
0.91
0.18
HCAC008
452000
6837800
16
20
4
0.69
0.06
0.99
0.19
HCAC013
451600
6838900
16
21
5
0.74
0.05
0.97
0.19
HCAC014
451500
6839000
20
22
2
0.69
0.10
1.21
0.24
HCAC015
451591
6839094
16
26
10
0.63
0.04
0.82
0.16
HCAC024
451596
6839291
29
30
1
1.66
0.09
2.11
0.42
HCAC025
451511
6839181
29
34
5
0.86
0.08
1.24
0.25
HCAC025
451402
6839099
34
37
3
1.04
0.07
1.36
0.27
HCAC026
451907
6839801
21
24
3
0.62
0.05
0.86
0.17
HCAC027
451799
6839699
12
13
1
0.69
0.07
1.05
0.21
HCAC028
451699
6839598
31
48
17
1.20
0.07
1.57
0.31
HCAC029
451602
6839504
17
21
4
1.35
0.16
2.18
0.43
HCAC030
451403
6839300
8
14
6
0.72
0.10
1.24
0.24
HCAC032
451403
6839300
23
29
6
0.49
0.12
1.10
0.22
HCAC033
451302
6839199
25
28
3
0.70
0.16
1.52
0.30
HCAC037
451504
6839601
32
36
4
0.75
0.08
1.14
0.23
HCAC039
451501
6839793
37
40
3
1.11
0.23
2.28
0.45
HCAC040
451695
6839805
16
19
3
0.88
0.04
1.10
0.22
HCAC041
451600
6839902
12
20
8
No significant assays >0.5% Ni or 0.06% Co
HCAC042
451699
6839991
21
25
4
0.81
0.06
1.11
0.22
HCAC048
451291
6839991
29
41
12
1.04
0.06
1.36
0.27
HCAC049
451398
6839901
48
64
16
0.93
0.07
1.30
0.26
Competent Persons Statement
The Exploration results in this announcement are based on information compiled by Mr. Graeme Purcell, who is a Member of the Australasian Institute of Geoscientists. Mr Purcell is the Principal of Petrichor Geological and is a consultant to the Company. He has sufficient experience relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity he is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person, as defined in the 2012 Edition of the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves and a qualified person as defined in the AIM Note for Mining and Oil & Gas Companies dated June 2009. Mr Purcell has over 20 years' Australia and international experience in exploration for precious and base metals. 
For further information, please contact:
Strategic Minerals plc
+61 (0)414727965
John Peters

Managing Director

www.strategicminerals.net



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Notes to Editors
Strategic Minerals Plc is an AIM-quoted, diversified mineral development and production company with projects in the United States of America, the UK and Australia. The Company is focused on acquiring and developing cash generative, high quality projects which meet local market demand for commodities and utilising this cash flow to undertake value added exploration.
In September 2011, Strategic Minerals purchased its first cash-generating asset; the Cobre magnetite tailings dam project in New Mexico, USA which it brought into production in 2012and which continues to provide a revenue stream for the Company. The portfolio was expanded in January 2016 with the acquisition of shares in Central Australian Rare Earths Pty Ltd, which holds tenements in Western Australia and the Northern Territory that are prospective for cobalt, gold, nickel sulphides and rare earth elements. The Company has since acquired all shares in Central Australian Rare Earths Pty Ltd. In May 2016, an additional exploration asset was acquired when the Company entered into an agreement with New Age Exploration Limited to acquire up to 50% of the Redmoor Tin/Tungsten project in Cornwall, UK. This 50% acquisition was completed in February 2017 and drilling at the project has commenced. The Company is also currently in the process of finalising the acquisition of the Leigh Creek Copper Mine situated in the copper rich belt of South Australia. 

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