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PANTHER METALS
PLC
("Panther" or the "Company")
(Incorporated in the Isle of
Man with company number 009753V)
30 December 2024
Dotted Lake: Uncovering
Discovery of Gold & VMS Near Hemlo
Panther Metals PLC (LSE:PALM) the
company focused on mineral exploration in Canada, is pleased to
announce that drill core assay results confirm a 1.2km long
open-ended gold trend and the intersection of high grade zinc/gold
VMS style1 mineralisation at the Dotted Lake Project
("Dotted Lake" or the "Project"), the 100% owned exploration
property situated on the north limb of the Schreiber-Hemlo
Greenstone Belt in Ontario, Canada.
The first batch of assay results
from the Phase 1 Diamond Drilling Programme comprise downhole
intersections from drillhole DL24-001 which has returned highly
anomalous gold, silver, zinc and base metal assays at Target D on
the southern shore of Lampson Lake (Figure 1, Table 1).
Drill core assay results are by ALS Laboratories
methods ME-MS61r (4 acid multielement package) and PGM-ICP23 (Pt,
Pd and Au by fire assay and ICP-AES finish)2.
Interpretation is currently ongoing with the findings outlined
below.
Darren Hazelwood, CEO, commented:
"Below the overburden of Dotted Lake, a large
mineralised system has, until now, remained largely undisturbed,
only providing small glimpses of its potential at surface. The
assay results from the first of five drill holes, have confirmed
our greatest hopes and theories: gold over a widening area, and a
VMS system containing high grade zinc and gold optimally located
between the Geco VMS mine to the north and Barrick's Hemlo gold
mine to the south.
We
are systematically building our understanding of the Project and at
every turn our confidence grows. Our visuals of the core were
encouraging, resulting in the drill rig being left on site, and
this first batch of assay results has already confirmed that our
confidence wasn't misplaced. Discussions are underway with our
Project partners and we look forward to providing further updates
regarding plans to utilise the frozen ground of winter and the
drill rig on site as we accelerate this Project."
Results and Analysis - Uncovering a
Discovery of Major Gold Trend and VMS System
·
Multielement analysis of drill hole assay results
show strong correlation between gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc
and barium indicating the mineralisation is linked to a
volcanic-associated submarine hydrothermal system as associated
with a metamorphosed volcanogenic massive sulphide ("VMS") style of
mineralisation (see Figure 2 and Figure 3).
·
Significant downhole gold
intersections:
o 0.5m
@ 1.15 g/t Au from 11.8m;
o 4.5m @ 0.64g/t
Au from 156.3m, including
§ 0.9m @ 1.55g/t Au, 1.4g/t Ag
& 2.08% Zn from 156.3m (Figure
2); and
o 1.0m
@ 0.53 g/t Au & 1.24 g/t Ag from 105.0m.
·
Significant downhole zinc
intersections:
o 5.5m @ 1.21 %
Zn from 155.3m including
§ 2.7m @ 2.42% Zn
from 155.3m and
§ 1.0m @ 3.8% Zn
from 155.3m (Figure 2)
·
Zinc intersections in DL24-001 are located 1.2km
south-west of the Fairservice Zinc Showing (Figure 1) where
high-grade zinc (12% Zn with 2.2 g/t Au) is considered to represent
remobilised and metamorphosed VMS mineralisation. Zinc and gold are
closely associated together in DL24-001 and also correlate well
with conventional magnetic inversion domain boundaries in the
magnetic susceptibility model (Figure 4).
·
The large metamorphosed VMS-style Geco deposit,
located 30km north of Dotted Lake near Manitouwadge, was mined by
Noranda from 1954 to 1995 and produced 49.4 Mt of ore grading 1.86%
Cu, 3.78% Zn, 50.04 g/t Ag.
·
Gold trend now extends for 1.2km and is open in
both directions. Intersections in DL24-001 correlate with an
open-ended 750m long gold in-soil anomaly, offset from the western
end of the 1.2km gold in soil anomaly which extends westwards from
the Panther 2021 drill hole which intersected over 9 separate gold
intervals grading up to 2.57g/t Au3, and from trench
Tr-10-4 which returned gold samples up to 18.9g/t Au.
·
DL24-001 intersected predominantly seafloor
volcano-sedimentary derived metavolcanic packages. Ultramafic
intrusions were not intersected, with these bodies interpreted from
the magnetisation vector inversion ("MVI") Magnetic Susceptibility
Model to be possibly located at a greater depth below Lampson Lake
(see Figure 5).
·
The current programme is subject to a pause as
further assay results are awaited. The drill rig is remaining on
site to allow for a speedy mobilisation to site in early 2025 on
the back of positive results, in keeping with Panther Metals stated
intention to accelerate our fieldwork.
Table 1: Diamond Drillhole DL24-001 Details
Drillhole
ID
|
Easting
|
Northing
|
Elevation
(m)
|
Azimuth
(degrees)
|
Dip
(degrees)
|
Depth
(m)
|
DL24-001
|
589455
|
5416139
|
397
|
330
|
45
|
329
|
Notes: Coordinates projection: UTM
Zone 16N NAD83 Datum.
Figure 1: DL24-001 Drill Hole Location with Surface Gold and
Zinc Anomalies / Trends and Lineaments
Figure 2: Photography of DL24-001 Drill Core over the interval
from 155.3m to 160.8m downhole depth which returned 4.5m @ 0.64g/t
Au from 156.3m and 5.5m @ 1.21 % Zn from 155.3m.
Photograph markup shows additional high grade
intervals such as 1.0m @ 3.80 % Zn & 1.06 g/t Ag from 155.3m,
0.9m @ 1.55 g/t Au. 1.40 g/t Ag & 2.08 % Zn from 156.3m, 0.8m @
1.07 % Zn from 157.2m and 1.5m @ 0.66 g/t Au from
159.3m.
A:
|
B:
|
Figure 3: Diamond Drill Hole DL24-001 Multielement
Correlations (A & B) Supports VMS Style Mineralisation
Source. Note: For illustration
purposes zinc concentration is capped at 10,000 ppm in figure 2 B;
actual zinc concentrations exceed 38,000 ppm Zn.
|
A:
|
B:
|
Figure 4: DL24-001 Drill Hole Lithology4 over
Conventional Magnetic Inversion Magnetic Susceptibility Model,
with: (A) Gold Intersections; (B) Zinc Assay
Traces. Gold and zinc
mineralisation display good correlation with conventional magnetic
inversion domain boundaries.
|
A:
|
B:
|
Figure 5: DL24-001 Drill Hole Lithology4 over
Magnetisation Vector Inversion (MVI) Magnetic Susceptibility Model,
with: (A) Gold Intersections; (B) Zinc Assay Traces.
Gold and zinc mineralisation does not display
strong correlation with MVI domain boundaries. The lightest
pink in the MVI model may be correlates with underlying ultramafic
intrusive.
|
Reference Notes
1:
'VMS style' relates to metamorphosed volcanogenic
massive sulphide ("VMS") style of mineralisation
associated with a volcanic-associated submarine hydrothermal system.
2: Four-acid
digestion paired with Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry
(ICP-MS) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission
Spectrometry (ICP-AES) with rare earth element (REE) analytes
included. Four-acid multi-element analysis is an effective tool in
mineral exploration because of its ability to provide a full
pathfinder element suite as well as a cost-effective proxy for
mineralogy. A four-acid digestion utilises a combination of nitric,
perchloric, and hydrofluoric acids with a final dissolution stage
using hydrochloric acid. This digestion breaks down most silicate
and oxide minerals allowing for the "near-total" recovery of most
minerals and analytes.
3: Diamond
drill hole PAN21_DL_001, which was drilled directly below
Tr-10-4, returned over five intersections grading
up to 2.57g/t Au, with 11 intersections greater than 0.5g/t Au
(announced 22 January 2022) and with 19 intersections greater than
0.2g/t Au between 14m and 341m downhole depth. PAN21_DL_001
downhole gold intersections:
o Five intersections >
1g/t Au:
0.9m @ 1.73 g/t Au from 47.3m
1.0m @ 1.05 g/t Au from 122.2m
1.0m @ 1.59 g/t Au from 136.2m
1.0m @ 1.04t Au from 158.2m
1.1m @ 1.4 g/t Au from 228.3m (inc. 0.5m @ 2.57 g/t Au from
228.3m)
o Eleven Intersections
>0.5g/t Au, including two 2m wide composites:
2m
@ 0.87 g/t Au from 122.2m ( inc. 1m @ 1.05 g/t Au from
122.2m)
2m
@ 0.96 g/t Au from 158.2m ( inc. 1m @ 1.04 g/t Au from
158.2m)
4: Lithology
codes shown in figures 2 & 3:
APLT
|
Aplite
|
BRXF
|
Breccia Fault
|
DIOR
|
Diorite
|
FLTZ
|
Fault Zone
|
FQHP
|
F-spar Quartz Hornblende
Porphyry
|
FQPO
|
F-spar Quartz Porphyry
|
FSPO
|
Feldspar Porphyry
|
GABR
|
Gabbro
|
IVOL
|
Intermediate Metavolcanic
|
LMPR
|
Lamprophyre
|
MDST
|
Mudstone
|
MSED
|
Metasediment
|
MVOL
|
Mafic Metavolcanic
|
NCOR
|
No Core
|
OVB
|
Overburden
|
QV
|
Quartz-Vein
|
ULMF
|
Ultramafic
|
UNKN
|
Unknown (TBC)
|
For further information please
contact:
Panther Metals PLC:
Darren Hazelwood, Chief Executive
Officer:
+44(0)
1462 429 743
+44(0) 7971 957 685
Brokers:
Tavira Financial
Limited
Christopher James
Kipling
+44(0) 203 833 3743
SI Capital Limited
Nick
Emerson
+44(0) 1438 416 500
Axis Capital Markets
Limited
Ben Tadd
Lewis
Jones
+44 (0)20 3026 0449
Notes to Editors
Panther Metals PLC is an exploration
company listed on the main market of the London Stock Exchange.
Panther is focussed on the discovery of commercially viable mineral
deposits. The Company's operational focus is on established mining
jurisdictions with the capacity for project scalability. Drill
targets are assessed rapidly utilising a combination of advanced
technologies and extensive geological data to decipher potential
commercial viability and act accordingly. Panther's current
geological portfolio comprises of three highly prospective
properties in Ontario, Canada.
Obonga Project
Panther Metals acquired the Obonga
Greenstone Belt in July 2021 and have already identified five
prospective primary targets: Wishbone, Awkward, Survey, Ottertooth
and Silver Rim. A successful Phase 1 drilling campaign at Wishbone
in Autumn 2021 revealed the presence of significant VMS-style
mineralised systems on the property - the first such discovery
across the entire greenstone belt. Intercepts include 27.3m of
massive sulphide in hole one, and 51m of sulphide-dominated
mineralisation in hole two. Both drill holes contained multiple
lenses. Anomalous high-grade copper in lake sediment close to the
target area has also been identified, increasing confidence in the
prospectivity of the location.
Awkward is a highly anomalous
magnetic target, interpreted to be a layered mafic intrusion and
magmatic conduit based on mapped geology and airborne geophysics.
Historic sampling in the area returned anomalous platinum and
palladium (Pt, Pd) values, while historic drilling on the periphery
of the target intersected non-assayed massive sulphide and copper
(assumed to be chalcopyrite), non-assayed disseminated pyrite and
chalcopyrite in coarse gabbro, and non-assayed 'marble cake' gabbro
(matching the description of the Lac des Iles Mine varitexture
gabbro ore zone).
Two additional named targets, Survey
and Ottertooth, both displays further coincident magnetic and
electromagnetic anomalies and are adjacent to the contact between
intrusive and extrusive mafic rocks. Historic drilling at Survey
intersected several meters of massive sulphides in multiple
intersections (main parts of the anomaly remain untested) while
Ottertooth remains untested in its entirety.
Dotted Lake Project
Panther Metals acquired the Dotted
Lake Project in July 2020, it is situated approximately 16km from
Barrick Gold's renowned Hemlo Gold Mine. An extensive soil
programme conducted in 2021 identified numerous gold and base metal
targets, all within the same geological footprint. Following the
installation of a new trail providing direct access to the target
location, an initial drilling programme in Autumn 2021 confirmed
the presence of gold mineralisation within this system with
anomalous gold continuing along strike and present within the
surrounding area.
Fulcrum Metals Plc
Fulcrum Metals PLC (LON: FMET) is an
AIM listed exploration company which finances and manages
exploration projects focused on Canada, widely recognised as a top
mining jurisdiction.
Fulcrum's strategy is to focus on
discovery and commercialisation of its Projects through targeted
exploration programmes. The primary focus is to make an economic
discovery on the flagship Schreiber-Hemlo Properties and
establishing the prospectivity of its wider Ontario and
Saskatchewan portfolio with a view to securing potential joint
venture and/or acquisition interest.
Panther Metals Plc own 12.38% of the
issued share capital of Fulcrum Metals Plc and a 2% NSR on the Big
Bear project.
Conclusion
Panther Metals understand that the
commercial realities of building an exploration company requires
expertise in geology, finance, and the markets within which they
operate. The Company's extensive network of industry leaders allows
it to meet these objectives. Ultimately however, drilling success
is the only route to discovery: the fundamental objective of any
exploration company. Once Panther's world-class geological team
identify the anomalies, they work hard to get drilling. The drill
hole is the only place where substantial and sustained capital
growth originates and it's with that operational focus Panther
Metals will continue to advance.