Vancouver, B.C. – April 4, 2023 – MOLTEN METALS CORP. (the “Company”) (CSE: MOLT) (FSE: Y44) (ISIN: CA60872A1066) is pleased to announce the results from the work undertaken by Resourceful Geoscience Solutions, to model & digitize historical diamond drilling and mine workings at Molten’s West Gore antimony project as stated on December 12, 2022.
Digitization of mine
Historical mine workings in the Main Zone and Berggren Shaft were digitized into triangulated solids by georeferencing historical long sections against locations of mine shafts recorded in Nova Scotia government databases. Main Zone and Berggren Shaft workings are depicted below.
Figure 1. Vertical long sectional view of digitized mine workings. West Gore Main Zone and Berggren shaft. Looking 021 degrees.
Historical drilling information
Since production ceased in 1917 six exploration drilling programs have taken place.
Year | Operator | Drill holes |
1958 | Canadian Alumina Corp. | 5 |
1964 | Talisman Mines | 6 |
1974 | NS Dept. of Natural Resources | 16 |
1985 | Durham Resources | 19 |
1987 | Durham Resources | 6 |
2013 | Great Atlantic Resources | 2 |
Drillhole collar information for the 1964 Talisman Holes was recovered without the logs and geochemical analyses. Additionally, drilling by the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources was done for informational purposes and no geochemical samples were taken.
Figure 2. Map of historical mining infrastructure and Diamond Drilling location at West Gore. Coloured Base map shows ownership distribution of mineral exploration licenses.
Of the programs outlined above, the 1985 drilling by Durham resources was the most meaningful. That program of drilling saw the company achieve a number of significant results outlined below. The intervals reported are composite grades calculated from original Durham resources drill logs and analytical certificates as filed for assessment work with the Nova Scotia department of Energy and Mines in 1986 and 1987, reports “ar_me_1986_012” and “ar_me_1987-050”. Reported significant composites are defined as those meeting 0.1% Sb over a minimum drilled length of one metre with no more than 3 metres of consecutive material below 0.1% Sb.
Hole ID | From (m) | To (m) | Drilled Length (m) | % Sb | g/t Au |
South of Berggren Shaft | |||||
8503 | 65.84 | 69.49 | 3.65 | 3.2 | 0.83 |
8505 | 81.69 | 92.05 | 10.36 | 0.96 | 0.2 |
South of Berggren Brook Shaft | |||||
8512 | 72.54 | 73.79 | 1.25 | 11.6 | 0.98 |
8516 | 65.53 | 68.12 | 2.59 | 1.7 | 4.2 |
8516 | 71.45 | 74.37 | 2.92 | 1.06 | 0.96 |
8701 | 96.56 | 103.63 | 7.07 | 3.4 | 10.6 |
8702 | 135.79 | 137.92 | 2.13 | 1.5 | 1.96 |
8703 | 143.56 | 147.52 | 3.96 | 0.3 | 0.23 |
8704 | 16.37 | 17.37 | 1 | 0.13 | 0.09 |
8705 | 137.33 | 139.54 | 2.32 | 0.87 | 2.8 |
Durham Resources exploration program focused on exploring south along the strike of the main zone with five holes spaced at intervals of 100 metres. These holes intersected the mineralized structure at a consistent shallow elevation. Durham Resources also explored the 200 metre strike length immediately South of the Berggren Brook shaft, drilling up to 100 metres vertically below surface with intercepts spaced approximately 25 metres apart.
Digitization and review of historical drill logs has allowed for the development of an exploration model of the historically exploited mineralized veins. Current interpretations suggest that historical drilling of the Brook Vein was completed in a down dip orientation. These interpretations and modern exploration tools may afford Molten Metals an opportunity to explore the targets more effectively than past operators.
Figure 3. Representative cross section of Durham Resources drilling through the Brook Vein. The figure illustrates the down dip orientation of the Durham diamond drilling.
Hole_ID | UTM Nad 83 Zone 20 | Length (m) | Dip | Azimuth (True) | ||
Easting | Nothing | Elevation | ||||
8701 | 437495 | 4992171 | 130 | 154.8 | 63 | 0 |
8702 | 437532 | 4992130 | 133 | 152.9 | 50 | 0 |
8703 | 437574 | 4992132 | 132 | 156 | 58 | 0 |
8704 | 437617 | 4992116 | 134 | 186.8 | 54 | 0 |
8705 | 437671 | 4992097 | 134 | 171.4 | 63 | 0 |
8706 | 437725 | 4992081 | 134 | 185.2 | 49 | 0 |
8510 | 438381 | 4992250 | 150 | 152.4 | 45 | 0 |
8511 | 437086 | 4993050 | 67 | 106.7 | 45 | 0 |
8512 | 437487 | 4992154 | 132 | 100.6 | 45 | 0 |
8513 | 437424 | 4992182 | 131 | 100.6 | 45 | 0 |
8514 | 437111 | 4992753 | 93 | 100.6 | 45 | 0 |
8515 | 437515 | 4992110 | 135 | 137.2 | 45 | 0 |
8516 | 437547 | 4992134 | 132 | 99.06 | 45 | 0 |
8517 | 437576 | 4992089 | 136 | 128.02 | 45 | 0 |
8518 | 437607 | 4992107 | 134 | 94.5 | 45 | 0 |
8519 | 437517 | 4992151 | 131 | 94.5 | 45 | 0 |
8501 | 437878 | 4992394 | 136 | 152.4 | 45 | 20 |
8503 | 437975 | 4992382 | 140 | 100.6 | 45 | 20 |
8504 | 437878 | 4992639 | 123 | 100.6 | 45 | 20 |
8502 | 437781 | 4992667 | 115 | 97.54 | 45 | 20 |
8505 | 438073 | 4992350 | 143 | 100.6 | 45 | 20 |
8506 | 437878 | 4992639 | 123 | 137.2 | 69 | 20 |
8507 | 438171 | 4992324 | 146 | 135 | 45 | 20 |
8508 | 437928 | 4992619 | 126 | 99.1 | 45 | 0 |
8509 | 438274 | 4992311 | 148 | 100.6 | 45 | 20 |
Historical stockpiles & tailings
Historical accounts detail that mining at West Gore was suspended during the first world war when a ship load of Antimony Ore enroute to Wales for processing was torpedoed and sunk. The loss of this revenue bankrupted the mining company and operations were suspended, with suspected run-of-mine (ROM) material being left at surface awaiting processing. Historical analytical evaluations of surface stockpiles, tailings and dumps are favorable but unverified. As such, Molten Metals is preparing work plans to characterize the tonnage, grade and processability of historical stockpiles, rock dumps, and tailings in the 2023 season.
2022 Grab Sampling
On Saturday December 10, 2022, a RGS field team visited West Gore and collected 16 grab samples from piles of rocky spoils in the vicinity of the Berggren shaft, south of the West Gore Main Zone for the purpose of characterizing the historically exploited mineralization. A total of 15 samples contained visible stibnite mineralization and one sample consisted of intensely sericite altered country rock. Although these samples are limited, due to unknown source locations and are not considered to be representative, the results do have some important insights discussed in detail below.
Sample Number | Sb % | Au g/t | As % | Pb % | Ag g/t |
247202 | 10.70 | 2.71 | 0.241 | 0.21 | 0.31 |
247214 | 7.14 | 11.85 | 0.236 | 2.76 | 18.20 |
247212 | 5.65 | 2.60 | 0.378 | 0.18 | 0.44 |
247213 | 4.47 | 13.70 | 0.314 | 3.34 | 16.75 |
247215 | 3.92 | 13.10 | 0.575 | 0.79 | 5.14 |
247211 | 2.57 | 2.83 | 0.394 | 0.23 | 0.38 |
247203 | 2.23 | 2.92 | 0.475 | 0.10 | 0.20 |
247216 | 1.63 | 7.37 | 0.260 | 0.07 | 0.61 |
247210 | 1.33 | 1.70 | 0.269 | 0.57 | 1.44 |
247204 | 0.64 | 1.59 | 0.223 | 0.11 | 0.19 |
247208 | 0.51 | 0.51 | 0.087 | 0.90 | 2.23 |
247209 | 0.39 | 0.90 | 0.140 | 0.58 | 0.83 |
247205 | 0.02 | 0.36 | 0.049 | 0.00 | 0.02 |
247207 | 0.02 | 0.14 | 0.028 | 0.01 | 0.01 |
247206 | 0.01 | 0.48 | 0.087 | 0.00 | 0.05 |
247201 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.003 | 0.00 | 0.02 |
Regardless of these samples’ limited statistical validity, they signal anomalous abundances of silver (Ag) present and potentially significant abundances of lead (Pb). The strong positive correlation between Ag and Pb indicates that the source of lead is likely Galena (PbS) which is not typically discussed in historical characterizations of the mineral assemblage.
Arsenic occurs in relatively small abundances. Average arsenic concentration in all samples above 1% antimony being 0.35%. However, there is no significant strength in the correlation between antimony and arsenic, indicating that Stibnite and Arsenopyrite occur relatively independently. Gold and arsenic are strongly correlated indicating that Arsenopyrite is the source of gold. Bearing in mind that this is a small population of samples, it does appear that the Au/As correlation breaks down at grades above 5g/t Au indicating that gold may occur freely at higher grades.
There is no significant correlation noted between gold and antimony determinable from the available data and a larger population of samples would be required to robustly evaluate this relationship.
Sample Number | Sample Type | UTM Nad 83 Zone 20 | |
Easting | Northing | ||
247201 | grab sample | 437887.7 | 4992449 |
247202 | grab sample | 437969.8 | 4992427 |
247203 | grab sample | 437968.7 | 4992434 |
247203 | grab sample | 437967 | 4992427 |
247205 | grab sample | 437986.1 | 4992429 |
247206 | grab sample | 437989.4 | 4992419 |
247207 | grab sample | 437980.9 | 4992426 |
247208 | grab sample | 437978.8 | 4992428 |
247209 | grab sample | 437979.2 | 4992426 |
247210 | grab sample | 437978.5 | 4992426 |
247211 | grab sample | 437969.2 | 4992427 |
247212 | grab sample | 437969.5 | 4992428 |
247213 | grab sample | 437891.5 | 4992450 |
247214 | grab sample | 437886.8 | 4992447 |
247215 | grab sample | 437886.6 | 4992449 |
247216 | grab sample | 437887 | 4992448 |
Management comments on the findings
Molten Metals President and CEO Lara Smith commented: “These are very encouraging preliminary results. It validates our thesis of acquiring West Gore & its exploration potential given the high-grade intercepts & low arsenic, but also the possibility of creating early cash flow by processing the historic stockpile material, which may occur prior to any drilling & mining permits. Given current Canadian reclamation laws, Molten Metals is investigating the financial support available from the local government to remove these stockpiled materials and enhance the environmental condition of the West Gore site.
We’re currently exploring the best options to move forward, as we first need to verify the contents of the dumps by trenching them & doing aerial LIDAR scans to estimate the tonnage. Molten Metals’ board of experienced mining and processing professionals will use this data to determine the most economical way to extract value from the mineralized rock and tailings; either by shipping it directly, processing it ourselves or sending it to a nearby third party processing plant.
The company is still planning the financial viability and exploration benefits of undertaking a 2,000 metre exploration program as suggested by our geology team, as a modern diamond drilling exploration program has never been undertaken at West Gore.”
About Molten Metals Corp
Molten Metals Corp. is a mining company exploring for and developing antimony projects. Antimony is a critical element with many industrial applications. For further information, please refer to the Company’s disclosure record on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) or contact the Company by email at brooklyn@moltenmetalscorp.com or by telephone at 778.918.2261.
Qualified Person
The Company’s disclosure of technical or scientific information in this press release has been reviewed and approved by David Murray P.Geo, Consultant Geologist to the Company. Mr. Murray is a Qualified Person as defined under the terms of National Instrument 43-101.
For Additional Information Please Contact
Brooklyn Reed
Corporate Secretary
Molten Metals Corp.
778.918.2261
Email: brooklyn@moltenmetalscorp.com
Forward-Looking Information
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This release includes certain statements that may be deemed “forward-looking statements”. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words “expects”, “plans”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “intends”, “estimates”, “projects”, “potential” and similar expressions, or that events or conditions “would”, “may”, “could” or “should” occur. Although Molten Metals believes that the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not a guarantee of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, weather, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company’s management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management’s beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.