Blue Sky Uranium Corp. (TSX-V:BSK) (FSE:MAL2)
(OTC:BKUCF),
("Blue Sky" or the "Company") is
pleased to announce the initial independent mineral resource
estimate for the Ivana Deposit at the Company’s 100% owned Amarillo
Grande uranium-vanadium project, in Rio Negro Province, Argentina.
Highlights
- Inferred mineral resource estimate of 23.9 million tonnes
averaging 363 parts per million (“ppm”) U308 containing 19.1
million pounds of U3O8 at a 100 ppm uranium
cut-off.
- Mineralization at Ivana is hosted by loosely consolidated
sediments from surface to 24 metres depth; it is expected that
resources would be extracted via open-pit methods
- Metallurgical and beneficiation test work in progress to
provide additional data for a maiden Preliminary Economic
Assessment in 2018
- The Ivana deposit remains open for expansion
- Additional resource potential exists in the Ivana area and
throughout the 140-km long trend at the Amarillo Grande
project
“This first resource estimate represents the
biggest uranium discovery in Argentina in the last 40 years and it
represents for Blue Sky a major step towards our goal of defining a
low-cost regional-size uranium producing district,” commented
Nikolaos Cacos, Blue Sky President & CEO. “We are excited to
move forward with a preliminary economic assessment this year,
particularly as the project remains open for expansion.”
A NI 43-101 Technical Report supporting
disclosure of this mineral resource and containing additional
details will be filed by Blue Sky on SEDAR within 45 days of this
press release.
Results from ongoing metallurgical studies and
preliminary beneficiation studies are expected by the end of the
first quarter. This data will contribute to a Preliminary
Economic Assessment (PEA) for the Ivana deposit, which is expected
to be completed before the end of the year.
The arcuate (“C”) shape of the Ivana deposit is
believed to represent a preserved sector of a regional mineralized
redox-front, which often include more than one deposit. Therefore,
follow-up drilling programs will test for lateral extensions to the
currently defined deposit, as well as previously recognized local
targets identified by airborne and hand-held radiometric surveys
and geological modeling.
Ivana Location, Geology and
Metallurgy
The Ivana deposit is located in the southernmost
of three target areas that comprise the Amarillo Grande
Uranium-Vanadium project. The project has year-round
access through a well-maintained gravel road, and is in a semi-arid
area with low rainfall and population density. Mineralization
was first identified at Ivana after field follow-up of a 2010
regional high-resolution airborne radiometric and magnetic
survey.
The Ivana deposit displays characteristics of
surficial-type and sandstone-type “roll front” uranium-vanadium
deposits. Mineralization at Ivana includes primary coffinite and
uraninite, in pore spaces of poorly-consolidated sandstones and
conglomerates, in addition to peripheral secondary carnotite, which
occurs interstitially to and coats pebbles and clasts in loosely
consolidated sandstones and conglomerates. The Amarillo
Grande project is believed to have district-scale potential for
discovery of similar styles of mineralization.
The deposit is characterized by two stacked
zones of uranium mineralization, the upper zone and the lower
zone. The two zones occur together through most of the
deposit but there are localized areas where only one zone is
present. The upper zone averages 2.7 metres in thickness,
with a maximum of 10 metres, while the lower zone has a maximum of
20 metres and has an average thickness of 6.2 metres. Plan
view of the modelled Ivana deposit can be found here:
https://www.blueskyuranium.com/assets/docs/nr/2018MAR05_Ivana_Modelling_Blocks_MAP1.pdf
Preliminary metallurgical and beneficiation
studies for Ivana are underway and expected to be completed by the
end of the first quarter of 2018. Initial alkaline leach
testing on composite samples with carnotite-mineralization resulted
in recovery of 95% of the uranium in 2 hours (see news release
dated January 22, 2018). Ongoing metallurgical
testing includes initial work on coffinite (+uraninite) mineralized
material, as well as physical beneficiation assessments. The
beneficiation testing is similar to that carried out previously on
samples from the Anit target area of the Amarillo Grande project
(see release dated February 7th, 2011). The Anit preliminary
beneficiation test work demonstrated that a very simple wet
screening method could be utilized to reject unmineralized coarse
clastic material, producing a lower-mass higher-grade concentrate
containing a high percentage of the insitu uranium.
Mineral Resource Estimate
Details
Mineral resources, which are not mineral
reserves, do not have demonstrated economic viability. The estimate
of mineral resources may be materially affected by environmental,
permitting, legal, title, taxation, sociopolitical, marketing, or
other relevant issues. The quantity and grade of reported Inferred
resources are uncertain in nature and there has been insufficient
exploration to classify these inferred resources as Indicated or
Measured, and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in
upgrading them to an Indicated or Measured category.
|
Table 1. Mineral Resource Statement for the
Ivana Deposit, Amarillo Grande Project, February 28,
2018 |
|
Inferred Resources – Base Case at 100 ppm
Uranium cut-off grade |
Zone |
Tonnes (t) |
U (ppm) |
V (ppm) |
U3O8 (ppm) |
U308 (%) |
Contained U308 (lb) |
Upper |
3,200,000 |
132 |
131 |
156 |
0.016 |
1,100,000 |
Lower |
20,700,000 |
335 |
105 |
395 |
0.040 |
18,000,000 |
Total |
23,900,000 |
308 |
109 |
363 |
0.036 |
19,100,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Notes to Table 1:1. Mineral
Resources are not Mineral Reserves and do not have demonstrated
economic viability.2. The Mineral Resources in this
estimate were not constrained within a conceptual pit shell owing
to the shallow nature of the deposit (0 to 24 m) and blocks above
cut-off being reasonably contiguous. 3. The 100 ppm
uranium cutoff grade is based on operative costs of $12/t, a price
of $50/lb U3O8, and a process recovery of 90%. A density of
1.84 was applied.4. It is reasonably expected that the
majority of Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to
Indicated Mineral Resources with continued
exploration. 5. The resource was estimated within
distinct zones of elevated uranium concentration occurring within
the host sediments. Vanadium is associated with uranium and is
estimated within the same zones. There is no indication that
Vanadium occurs outside of the elevated uranium zones in the Ivana
deposit area in sufficient concentrations to justify developing
estimation domains focused on Vanadium.
The mineral resource estimate in Tables 1 &
2 has been prepared by Bruce M. Davis, FAusIMM, BD Resource
Consulting, Inc., and Susan Lomas, P.Geo., Lions Gate Geological
Consulting Inc. who are both independent Qualified Persons as set
forth by National Instrument 43-101 (“NI 43-101”). The overall
effective date of this resource estimate is February 28, 2018.
Mineral resource estimates are made from a 3D
block model based on geostatistical applications using commercial
mine planning software (Geovia Gems, Version 6.7.4). The block
model has a nominal block size measuring 50 x 50 x 2 m and utilizes
data derived from 427 drill holes in the Ivana Deposit. The
resource estimate was generated using reverse circulating (RC)
drill hole sample assay results and the interpretation of a
geological model which relates to the spatial distribution of
uranium and vanadium. Interpolation characteristics were
defined based on the geology, drill hole spacing, and
geostatistical analysis of the data. The effects of potentially
anomalous high-grade sample data are controlled by top cuts and
limiting the distance of influence during block grade
interpolation. The grade models have been validated using a
combination of visual and statistical methods. The resources were
classified according to their proximity to the sample data
locations and are reported, as required by NI 43-101, according to
the 2014 CIM (Canadian Institute of Mining) Definition Standards
for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves. Model blocks estimated
by three or more drill holes spaced at a maximum distance of 200
metres are included in the Inferred category. The estimate of
Inferred mineral resources is reported without a limiting pit shell
due to the shallow nature of the deposit (from 0 to 24 metres below
surface) and the majority of blocks above cut-off are reasonably
contiguous. Additional information about the resource
modeling methodology will be available in an NI 43-101 technical
report within 45 days of this news release.
|
Table 2. Sensitivity of Resources to Cut-Off
Grade |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
U Cut-off (ppm) |
Zone |
Tonnes (t) |
U (ppm) |
V (ppm) |
U3O8 (ppm) |
U308 (%) |
Contained U308 (lb) |
50 |
Upper |
10,800,000 |
88 |
108 |
104 |
0.010 |
2,500,000 |
50 |
Lower |
30,900,000 |
248 |
97 |
293 |
0.029 |
19,900,000 |
50 |
Total |
41,700,000 |
207 |
100 |
244 |
0.024 |
22,400,000 |
|
100 |
Upper |
3,200,000 |
132 |
131 |
156 |
0.016 |
1,100,000 |
100 |
Lower |
20,700,000 |
335 |
105 |
395 |
0.040 |
18,000,000 |
100 |
Total |
23,900,000 |
308 |
109 |
363 |
0.036 |
19,100,000 |
|
150 |
Upper |
400,000 |
223 |
192 |
263 |
0.026 |
200,000 |
150 |
Lower |
15,200,000 |
413 |
115 |
487 |
0.049 |
16,300,000 |
150 |
Total |
15,600,000 |
408 |
117 |
481 |
0.048 |
16,500,000 |
|
200 |
Upper |
200,000 |
326 |
243 |
384 |
0.038 |
200,000 |
200 |
Lower |
11,600,000 |
487 |
123 |
574 |
0.057 |
14,700,000 |
200 |
Total |
11,800,000 |
485 |
125 |
571 |
0.057 |
14,900,000 |
|
250 |
Upper |
100,000 |
367 |
257 |
432 |
0.043 |
100,000 |
250 |
Lower |
9,300,000 |
552 |
132 |
651 |
0.065 |
13,400,000 |
250 |
Total |
9,400,000 |
550 |
134 |
649 |
0.065 |
13,400,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Quality Assurance and Quality
Control
The resource estimation was based on 427 RC
drill holes, representing 6,577 metres of drilling with one metre
samples. The drilling was completed in two phases starting in
January 2017 and finishing in January 2018. Only 2 holes were
inclined, and 425 holes were vertical. Bedding and mineralized
horizons are approximately horizontal so vertical samples are
believed to represent true thickness. The resource area is
typically covered by drill holes on a 100 x 100 metre spacing,
however holes on the periphery of the deposit were spaced as much
as 400 metres apart. A summary of hole locations and significant
intervals for the 427 RC holes can be viewed here:
https://www.blueskyuranium.com/assets/docs/nr/2018MAR5_Amarillo_Grande_IVANA_Total_Drill_Summary_TABL.pdf
The drilling program was carried out using an
Roc L8 and FlexiROC D65 drill rigs from Atlas Copco, ore-control
track-mounted rigs adapted to RC with double and triple cyclone,
respectively, to reduce the dust loss during sampling and automatic
sampling. The difficulties encountered n casing every hole, due to
the presence of very poorly or unconsolidated sediments, resulted
in limited gamma probe surveying of drill holes. Approximately half
of the holes were surveyed by a senior geophysicist using a natural
gamma probe previously calibrated at the Comisión Nacional de
Energía Atómica facility (Atomic Energy National Commission,
CNEA). Samples were sent to Bureau Veritas Minerals of
Mendoza, Argentina for preparation by drying, crushing to 80%
passing 10 mesh and then pulverizing a 250g split to 95% passing
150 mesh. Pulps were sent to Bureau Veritas Commodities
Canada Ltd. for analysis of 45 elements by means of Inductively
Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) following a four-acid
digestion (MA-200). Samples over 4,000ppm uranium are
re-assayed, after phosphoric acid leach, by Inductively Coupled
Plasma Electron Spectrometry (ICP-ES). Approximately every 10th
sample a blank, duplicate, or standard sample was inserted into the
sample sequence for quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC)
purposes.
Qualified Persons
The results of the Company's drilling program
were reviewed, verified (including sampling, analytical and test
data) and compiled by the Company's geological staff under the
supervision of David Terry, Ph.D., P.Geo. Dr. Terry is a
Director of the Company and a Qualified Person as defined in
National Instrument 43-101. The contents of this news release
have been reviewed and approved by Dr. Terry.
The mineral resource estimate and associated
information in this news release was prepared under the direction
of Bruce Davis Ph.D., F.AusIMM, of BD Resource Consulting Inc. and
Susan Lomas P.Geo of Lions Gate Geological Consulting Inc. Based on
education, work experience relevant to this style of mineralization
and deposit type, and membership in a recognized professional
organization, both Dr. Davis and Ms. Lomas are independent
Qualified Persons (QP) within the requirements of NI 43-101 for the
purposes of the mineral resource estimate contained in this
release. Both Dr. Davis and Ms. Lomas have reviewed and
approved this news release.
About the Amarillo Grande
ProjectThis new 140-kilometre-long uranium district was
first identified, staked and underwent preliminary exploration by
Blue Sky from 2007 to 2012 as part of the Grosso Group’s strategy
of adding alternative energy focus to its successful portfolio of
metals exploration companies. The proximity of several major
targets suggests that if resources are delineated at more than one
area a central processing facility would be envisioned. The area is
flat-lying, semi-arid and accessible year-round, with nearby rail,
power and port access.
The near-surface mineralization, ability to
locally upgrade, amenability to leaching and central processing
possibility suggest a potentially low-cost development
scenario.
For additional details on the project and
properties, please see the Company’s
website: www.blueskyuranium.com
About Blue Sky Uranium
Corp.Blue Sky Uranium Corp. is a leader in uranium
discovery in Argentina. The Company's objective is to deliver
exceptional returns to shareholders by rapidly advancing a
portfolio of surficial uranium deposits into low-cost producers.
Blue Sky has the exclusive right to over 434,000 hectares (equiv.
to 1,072,437 acres) of property in two provinces in Argentina. The
Company’s flagship Amarillo Grande Project was an in-house
discovery of a new district that has the potential to be both a
leading domestic supplier of uranium to the growing Argentine
market and a new international market supplier. The Company is a
member of the Grosso Group, a resource management group that has
pioneered exploration in Argentina since 1993.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
“Nikolaos Cacos”
______________________________________Nikolaos Cacos, President,
CEO and Director
For further information please contact:
Corporate Communications Tel: 1-604-687-1828 Toll-Free:
1-800-901-0058
Email: info@blueskyuranium.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Blue-Sky-Uranium-Corp-707824632726892Twitter: https://twitter.com/blueskyuranium1YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ux-mpiwb40LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/11295733/Google+: https://plus.google.com/109353535505284295980RSS: https://www.blueskyuranium.com/feed
This news release contains forward-looking
information which is not comprised of historical facts.
Forward-looking information involves risks, uncertainties and other
factors that could cause actual events, results, performance,
prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those
expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward
looking information in this news release includes, but is not
limited to, Blue Sky’s objectives, goals or future plans,
statements regarding the estimation of mineral resources,
exploration results, potential mineralization, exploration and mine
development plans, timing of the commencement of operations and
estimates of market conditions. Factors that could cause actual
results to differ materially from such forward-looking information
include, but are not limited to, failure to convert estimated
mineral resources to reserves, capital and operating costs varying
significantly from estimates, the preliminary nature of
metallurgical test results, delays in obtaining or failure to
obtain required governmental, environmental or other project
approvals, political risks, uncertainties relating to the
availability and costs of financing needed in the future, changes
in equity markets, inflation, changes in exchange rates,
fluctuations in commodity prices, delays in the development of
projects and the other risks involved in the mineral exploration
and development industry, and those risks set out in Blue Sky’s
public documents filed on SEDAR. Although Blue Sky believes that
the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking
information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance
should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of
the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that
such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. Blue
Sky disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any
forward-looking information, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by
law. We advise U.S. investors that the SEC's mining guidelines
strictly prohibit information of this type in documents filed with
the SEC. U.S. investors are cautioned that mineral deposits on
adjacent properties are not indicative of mineral deposits on our
properties. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation
Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX
Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or
accuracy of this release.
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