Equity Metals Commences Phase III drilling at the Silver Queen Property, B.C.
Equity Metals Corporation (TSX.V: EQTY) (“Equity”) reports today that the previously announced Phase III 4,000-metre drill program is underway on the Silver Queen Property, B.C., with the program focusing on the southeastern portion of the high-grade, gold-enriched No. 3 and NG-3 veins.
Assay results from eight core holes drilled during Phase II, completed in December 2020 as a follow up to a successful Phase I exploration program at the Camp Vein as well as an initial drill test of the nearby No. 5 Vein, are still pending with receipt of all assay data anticipated by the end of February.
Figure 1. Longitudinal Section of the No. 3 & NG-3 veins showing NSR distribution, pierce-points of the 2020 current and 2021 Phase III drill holes.
In other news, the company has initiated a ‘tow-mag’ survey (magnetometer survey pulled by snowmobile) at a 50m line spacing on two claims on the Monument Diamond project. The claims are located to the north of the leases that make up the main tenures of the property and the new survey will link up with existing magnetics over the main portion of the property. In addition to completing our magnetics coverage, this work will meet our exploration and assessment requirements for these claims and set the stage for follow-up surveying if new targets are identified.
About Silver Queen Project
The Silver Queen Project is a premier gold-silver property with over 100 years of historic exploration and development located adjacent to power, roads and rail with significant mining infrastructure that was developed under previous operators Bradina JV (Bralorne Mines) and Houston Metals Corp. (a Hunt Brothers company). The property contains an historic decline into the No. 3 Vein, camp infrastructure and a maintained Tailings Facility.
The Silver Queen Property consists of 45 mineral claims, 17 crown grants, and two surface crown grants totalling 18,852ha with no underlying royalties. Mineralization is hosted by a series of epithermal veins distributed over a 6 sq km area. Most of the existing resource is hosted by the No. 3 Vein, which is traced by drilling for approximately 1.2km and to the southeast transitions into the NG-3 Vein close to the buried Itsit porphyry.
An initial NI43-101 Mineral Resource Estimate (see Note 1 below) was detailed in a News Release issued on July 16th, 2019, and using a CDN$100 NSR cut-off, reported a resource of:
- Indicated – 244,000ozs AuEq: 85,000ozs Au, 5.2Mozs Ag, 5Mlbs Cu, 17Mlbs Pb and 114Mlbs Zn; and
- Inferred – 193,000ozs AuEq: 64,000ozs Au, 4.7Mozs Ag, 5Mlbs Cu, 16Mlbs Pb and 92Mlbs Zn.
More than 20 different vein structures have been identified on the property, forming an extensive network of zoned Cretaceous- to Tertiary-age epithermal veins. The property remains largely under explored.
About Equity Metals Corporation
Equity Metals Corporation is a Manex Resource Group Company. Manex provides exploration, administration, and corporate development services for Equity Metals’ two major mineral properties, the Silver Queen Au-Ag-Zn-Cu project, located in central B.C., and the Monument Diamond project, located in Lac De Gras, NWT.
The Company owns 100% interest, with no underlying royalty, in the Silver Queen project, located along the Skeena Arch in the Omineca Mining Division, British Columbia. The property hosts high-grade, precious- and base-metal veins related to a buried porphyry system, which has been only partially delineated. The Company also has a controlling JV interest in the Monument Diamond project, NWT, strategically located in the Lac De Gras district within 40 km of both the Ekati and Diavik diamond mines The project owners are Equity Metals Corporation (57.49%), Chris and Jeanne Jennings (22.11%); and Archon Minerals Ltd. (20.4%). Equity Metals is the operator of the project.
The Company also has royalty and working interests in other Canadian properties, which are being evaluated further to determine their value to the Company.
- The 2019 Silver Queen Resource Estimate was prepared following CIM definitions for classification of Mineral Resources and identified at a CDN$100/NSR cut-off, an indicated resource of 815Kt averaging 3.2g/t Au, 201g/t Ag, 1.0% Pb, 6.4% Zn and 0.26% Cu and an inferred resource of 801Kt averaging 2.5g/t Au, 184g/t Ag, 0.9% Pb, 5.2% Zn and 0.31% Cu. Grade capping on Ag and Zn was performed on 0.75m to 1.24m length composites. Au, Cu and Pb required no capping. ID3 was utilized for grade interpolation for Au and Ag while ID2 was utilized for Cu, Pb and Zn. Grade blocks were interpreted within constraining mineralized domains using and array of 3m x 1m x 3m blocks in the model. A bulk density of 3.56 t/m³ was used for all tonnage calculations. Approximate US$ two-year trailing average metal prices as follows were used: Au $1,300/oz, Ag $17/oz, Cu $3/lb, Pb $1.05/lb and Zn $1.35/lb with an exchange rate of US$0.77=C$1.00.
The C$100/tonne NSR cut-off grade value for the underground Mineral Resource was derived from mining costs of C$70/t, with process costs of C$20/t and G&A of C$10/t. Process recoveries used were Au 79%, Ag 80%, Cu 81%, Pb 75% and Zn 94%. AuEq and AgEq are based on the formula: NSR (CDN) = (Cu% * $57.58) + (Pb% * $19.16) + (Zn% * $30.88) +(Au g/t * $39.40) + (Ag g/t * $0.44) - $78.76.
Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves, do not have demonstrated economic viability and may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues. Inferred Mineral Resources have a lower level of confidence than Indicated Mineral Resources and may not be converted to a Mineral Reserve but may be upgraded to an Indicated Mineral Resource with continued exploration. The Mineral Resources were estimated using the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM), CIM Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves, Definitions and Guidelines.
The Mineral Resource Estimate was prepared by Eugene Puritch, P.Eng., FEC, CET and Yungang Wu, P.Geo., of P&E Mining Consultants Inc. (“P&E”) of Brampton, Ontario, Independent Qualified Persons (“QP”), as defined by National Instrument 43-101. P&E Mining suggests that an underground mining scenario is appropriate for the project at this stage and has recommended a CDN$100/tonne NSR cut-off value for the base-case resource estimate.
Robert Macdonald, MSc. P.Geo, is VP Exploration of Equity Metals Corporation and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. He is responsible for the supervision of the exploration on the Silver Queen project and for the preparation of the technical information in this disclosure.
On behalf of the Board of Directors
“Joseph Anthony Kizis, Jr.”
Joseph Anthony Kizis, Jr. P.Geo
President, Director, Equity Metals Corporation
For further information, visit the website at www.equitymetalscorporation.com; or contact us at 604.641.2759 or by email at ir@mnxltd.com.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include the timing and receipt of government and regulatory approvals, and continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. Equity Metals Corporation does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by applicable law.