2 August
2024
Strategic Minerals
plc
("Strategic Minerals" or the "Company")
New significant mineralised
intervals identified outside of current Redmoor MRE, positive grab
sample results
&
New mineral rights
agreement
Strategic Minerals plc (AIM: SML;
USOTC: SMCDY), a producing mineral company, is pleased to update
shareholders on the current progress at its 100% owned subsidiary
Cornwall Resources Limited ("CRL"). CRL is continuing to develop
the Redmoor Project through a process of relogging and sampling its
drillcore, and other operations. CRL is pleased to provide an
update following receipt from ALS Laboratories, Loughrea, Ireland,
of assay results from the first batch of samples including
the identification of new zones of
potentially economic W-Sn-Cu mineralisation within the Redmoor
Deposit and outside of the current Mineral Resource Estimate
("MRE") and the delineation of newly identified mineralised
structures. CRL also announces the completion of a new mineral
rights agreement.
Highlights:
·
Assay data
confirms the identification of four new mineralised zones from
laboratory results from 194 new diamond drillcore samples, across 3
diamond core drillholes from CRL's 2019 drilling.
·
Including newly
identified potentially economic W-Sn-Cu-mineralisation within the
Sheeted-Vein-System ("SVS"); results include:
o Tungsten trioxide grades of
0.94% WO3 over 4.12m from 606.75m and 0.81%
WO3 over 1.5m from 305.15m in CRD032, and 0.55%
WO3 over 1.45m from 561.71m in CRD031;
and
o elevated Tin concentrations
up to 0.25% Sn over 1.39m from 552.55m from drillhole CRD032
(all intervals reported as
downhole width).
·
The assay data
also includes newly identified intercepts of potentially economic
mineralisation outside of the Redmoor SVS,
including:
o Copper grades up to 1.19% Cu
over 1.65m from 360.40m in CRD031; and
o Copper and Tin grades of
0.46% Cu and 0.24% Sn over 1.28m from 516.90m in CRD029
(all intervals reported as
downhole width).
·
The results
confirm that CRL's drillholes contain additional zones of
mineralisation at Redmoor from those previously reported, as
extensions or additional mineralised zones within the Redmoor SVS
and new intercepts outside of the SVS.
·
4,900m of CRL
drillcore has been re-logged to date, from 7 drillholes,
representing 35% of drillcore from all previous CRL
drillholes.
·
Assay results
have also been received for three grab samples previously collected
during reconnaissance mapping of the Tamar Valley Licence
(previously reported in RNS dated 9 May 2024), with sample
CRL24042301 returning grades of 1.72% Sn and 0.26% WO3
and sample CRL24042302 returning a grade of 1.19%
WO3.
·
CRL has signed a
new Exploration Licence and Mining Option, effective August 2024,
with a third major mineral rights owner for all mineral rights they
own in East Cornwall, including 5.46 km² of registered minerals rights in the Tamar Valley area, in and
around CRL's existing exploration footprint, further strengthening
CRL's mineral rights position in the historically mined and highly
prospective Tamar Valley Mining District.
Commenting, Dennis Rowland, Project Manager of CRL,
said:
"I am pleased to see that these
first results confirm our assumption that there is potential upside
at Redmoor from reviewing our existing drillcore with fresh eyes
and improved methodologies. This low-cost process is expected to
deliver further positive results.
"The geological team continues to
relog and sample at pace with a second batch of samples already
shipped for analysis, and a third batch in preparation. We expect
to report results and ship new samples at regular intervals moving
forward until completion of this project.
"It is expected that following
completion of this program of works that both the understanding of
the Redmoor deposit will have increased, leading to improved future
drill targeting, and an assessment made for the potential for an
update to Redmoor's existing mineral resource estimate based on new
results and the improved understanding of the deposit."
Commenting, Peter Wale, Director of CRL,
said:
"CRL is happy to secure a third
mineral rights agreement within the Tamar Valley Mining District
for mineral rights that complement CRL's two previous agreements.
These rights are within and around CRL's already existing
exploration footprint and include historic mining
prospects.
"The conclusions thus far on the
relogging work have potentially material implications for both our
existing mineral resource and beyond.
"I am also particularly excited by
our first grab sample results, confirming both high grade tin and
tungsten from the Tamar Valley Licence area, which forms part of
the area CRL licenced from the Duchy of Cornwall earlier this
year.
"CRL would also like to thank Paul
Gribble, of Geologica, for his previous support as CP, and wish him
well for his retirement."
Redmoor Project - Re-Logging
and Sampling of CRL Drillcore
CRL's geologists are progressing in
reverse order through the Redmoor drillholes beginning at CRD032.
This is to approach the programme in a methodical and logical
manner and as such is unbiased to the tenor of mineralisation
previously logged and assayed in the holes. Due to an increase in
the variety and amount of data being collected, all holes are
treated as new, allowing CRL's geologists to create a new dataset
which is viewed as being a step change improvement on data
previously collected.
Coupled with new sampling and reviews
of other relevant datasets, this programme is expected to lead to
an updated geological model for Redmoor and the potential for an
update to Redmoor's existing MRE. These tasks will be reviewed and
then undertaken following completion of the re-logging and sampling
campaign. The process is currently over 30% complete and continues
to advance at pace.
The first batch of samples shipped to
ALS Loughrea, Ireland, have now been analysed and have returned
promising results. These results have highlighted newly defined
zones of significant SVS mineralisation from three CRL drillholes,
some of which contain elevated and potentially economic
mineralisation, WO3 grades of 0.94% over 4.12m from
606.75m and 0.81% over 1.5m from 305.15m in CRD032, 0.55%
WO3 over 1.45m from 561.71m in CRD031 and elevated Sn
concentrations up to 0.25% over 1.39m from 552.55m in CRD032
(Table. 1, a). CRL has also identified mineralised extensions
adjacent to previously sampled zones. The Company believe that
these results confirm that there is further potential upside from
this relogging project.
In addition to the identification of
further SVS W-Sn-Cu-mineralisation, different structures and zones
of mineralisation have been sampled throughout this re-logging and
sampling process, resulting in the identification of additional
grading intersections within non-SVS structures, including copper
grades up to 1.19% Cu over 1.65m from 306.40m in CRD031 (Table 1,
b).
Results also include zones of
mineralisation which have returned promising grades of copper (Cu)
coupled with zinc (Zn) and silver (Ag), subject to further test
work during the resampling campaign, and a review of CRL and
historical datasets, there is potential to review the possibility
of the inclusion of other payable metals into a future modelling
exercise and MRE update.
Table 1:
Highlights of sampled intervals returned from recently received
results showing interval lengths and subsequent assay results for
WO3+Sn+Cu.
(a) Redmoor SVS Mineralised
Intercepts
|
DH I.D
|
Sample(s)
|
From
|
To
|
Interval*
(m)
|
Cu
%
|
Sn
%
|
WO3 %
|
CRD031
|
CRL004366
|
561.71
|
563.16
|
1.45
|
0.14
|
0.01
|
0.55
|
CRD032
|
CRL003809
|
305.15
|
306.65
|
1.50
|
0.05
|
0.00
|
0.81
|
CRD032
|
CRL003820-22
|
561.24
|
565.76
|
4.52
|
0.08
|
0.05
|
0.19
|
|
incl.
|
562.35
|
564.30
|
1.95
|
0.02
|
0.04
|
0.33
|
CRD032
|
CRL003839 +
CRL003841**
|
606.75
|
610.87
|
4.12
|
0.08
|
0.04
|
0.94
|
(b)
Non-SVS Mineralised
Intercepts
|
CRD029
|
CRL004336
|
516.90
|
518.18
|
1.28
|
0.46
|
0.24
|
0.03
|
CRD031
|
CRL004352
|
360.40
|
362.05
|
1.65
|
1.19
|
0.02
|
0.03
|
CRD031
|
CRL003858
|
436.78
|
437.48
|
0.70
|
0.89
|
0.18
|
0.16
|
CRD031
|
CRL003898
|
590.47
|
591.55
|
1.08
|
0.06
|
0.02
|
0.27
|
CRD032
|
CRL003814
|
552.55
|
553.94
|
1.39
|
0.04
|
0.25
|
0.06
|
Notes:
* Sample intervals show downhole
lengths of intercepts intervals and not true widths.
** Sample CRL003840, not included in
interval. This is a QAQC Sample.
Of these newly sampled intervals,
four intercepts are above the cut-off grade parameters used in the
current Redmoor MRE (see: JORC 2012MRE in footnotes). These
mineralised structures will be studied further and integrated into
the Redmoor mineralisation model and evaluated for their continuity
and economic potential.
The re-logging, sampling and
modelling of newly obtained and interpreted geological data has
improved the understanding of the Redmoor Deposit, with better
knowledge of the controls on tin and tungsten mineralisation along
with lode-style mineralisation that is independent of the main SVS
hosted MRE. Based upon these encouraging results from this initial
batch of geochemical assay results, CRL's geologists continue to
undertake the re-logging and sampling process and are continually
refining and updating the Redmoor Deposit model, with the objective
of a future update to the Redmoor MRE. As part of this future MRE
update, the metal equivalents calculations will be reviewed, this
is both necessary to highlight the importance of tungsten to the
project, but also to fairly represent the increased commodity
prices.
A second batch of 65 diamond
drillcore samples from two further re-logged drillholes were
dispatched to ALS Laboratories, Loughrea, Ireland, at the end of
June. Additional samples for a third batch have been identified and
are being prepared for dispatch and analysis.
Completion of Additional
Mineral Rights Agreement
Following CRL's recent announcement
of a major new Mineral Rights agreement with the Duchy of Cornwall
(RNS dated 20 March 2024), CRL is pleased to announce the signing
of an additional mineral rights agreement, effective August 2024,
with a third mineral rights owner to lease certain mineral rights
in east Cornwall, including 546 hectares (5.46 km²) of His Majesty's Land Registry
registered mineral rights in the historically mined and highly
prospective Tamar Valley Mining District, within and around CRL's
existing exploration footprint. The terms of the exploration
licence and lease require CRL to pay an annual rent to the mineral
rights owner, and subject to conversion to a Mining Lease a net
smelter return royalty on production of any minerals recovered from
the leased area.
These rights further strengthen
CRL's mineral rights position within the area and, including
registered mineral rights, increase CRL's total mineral rights
operating area to 91.67
km². This agreement is for an initial
exploration period with a term of 5 years, with an option to renew
for a further 5 years if required and includes an option to convert
to a Mining Lease(s) at any time within the licence period, subject
to necessary project milestones and permission being in place. CRL
also gains the right to aid in the registration of additional
mineral rights in east Cornwall, owned by the mineral rights owner,
and to add these to CRL's operating area.
Exploration activities will
initially focus on continuing a low-cost, high-impact, regional
exploration and targeting program being undertaken across CRL's
licence areas.
Tamar Valley Licence Area-
Local Engagement and Reconnaissance Programme
Exploration and reconnaissance
mapping is continuing within the Tamar Valley Licence Area (TVL),
with numerous outcrop samples having been collected and currently
analysed as part of a study to assess the prospectivity of the
licence with respects to its numerous historical deposits and
previously understudied targets. A limited number of grab samples
collected from a mineralised outcrop were sent to ALS Laboratories,
with one sample returning 1.72% Sn and 0.26% WO3 and a
second sample returning a grade of 1.19% WO3 (Table
2).
Table 2:
Highlights of outcrop rock chip sampling in the TVL
Area.
Sample
|
Sample Type
|
Cu %
|
Sn %
|
WO3 %
|
CRL24042301
|
Rock
Chip
|
0.09
|
1.72
|
0.26
|
CRL24042302
|
Rock
Chip
|
0.00
|
0.01
|
1.19
|
CRL's geologists continue to review
and evaluate historical data, along with incorporating newly
acquired data into exploration models and future exploration pans.
CRL is continuing to digitise and model geological and geochemical
data from the 'Plantation Vein' target that was previously drilled
between the late 1960s and early 1980s, and partially exploited
between the late 1950s and early 1960s.
About
Cornwall Resources Limited
https://www.cornwallresources.com
Cornwall Resources Limited ("CRL")
is a wholly owned subsidiary of Strategic Minerals Limited ("SML")
(AIM: SML; USOTC: SMCDY). SML bought into CRL in 2016, and in 2019
completed the purchase of the project. CRL is focussed on advancing
the high-grade, underground Redmoor Tungsten-Tin-Copper Project,
through a current relogging and sampling campaign of CRL drillcore,
and work towards securing further funding to advance Redmoor, as
well as exploring its significant and highly prospective minerals
rights licence areas in east Cornwall, Southwest
England.
CRL through mineral rights
agreements, with Redmoor Minerals Limited, The Duchy of Cornwall,
and a third mineral rights owner, has exclusive access to a mineral
rights operating area of 91.67 km² in the highly prospective and
historically mined Tamar Valley Mining District. CRL is undertaking
regional and targeted exploration activities to develop critical
minerals resources.
The Redmoor Project is situated
within the historically significant Tamar Valley Mining District,
yet the sheeted vein system ("SVS") which forms the basis of CRL's
inferred resource is unmined. CRL's most recent, JORC-compliant,
Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate ("MRE") for Redmoor utilised a
comprehensive archive of historical data and combined this with
information from the completion of two exploration campaigns, in
2017 and 2018, which encompassed 32 drillholes for 14,000m of
diamond core drilling. Based on this high-grade resource, an
updated Scoping Study, published in 2020 shows that Redmoor has
potentially economic viability as a new, underground
mine.
JORC Compliant (2012) Inferred
Mineral Resource Estimate published 14 February 2019, as summarised
below:
Cut-off (SnEq%)
|
Tonnage (Mt)
|
WO3
%
|
Sn
%
|
Cu
%
|
Sn Eq1
%
|
WO3 Eq
%
|
>0.45 <0.65
|
1.50
|
0.18
|
0.21
|
0.30
|
0.58
|
0.41
|
>0.65
|
10.20
|
0.62
|
0.16
|
0.53
|
1.26
|
0.88
|
Total Inferred Resource
|
11.70
|
0.56
|
0.16
|
0.50
|
1.17
|
0.82
|
1 Equivalent metal calculation
notes; Sn(Eq)% = Sn% x 1 + WO3% x 1.43 + Cu% x 0.40.
WO3(EQ)% = Sn% x 0.7 +
WO3
+ Cu% x 0.28. Commodity price assumptions: WO3 US$
33,000/t, Sn US$ 22,000/t, Cu US$ 7,000/t. Recovery assumptions:
total WO3 recovery 72%, total Sn recovery 68% & total Cu
recovery 85% and payability assumptions of 81%, 90% and 90%
respectively
Subject to receipt of necessary
funding, CRL has in place all necessary permissions for drill
programs for further significant exploration of the Redmoor
Tungsten-Tin-Copper resource.
Competent Person
Statement:
Information in this announcement pertaining to Reporting of
Sampling Techniques and Data and Exploration Results has been
reviewed and approved by Mr James McFarlane, BSc (Hons), MSc, MCSM,
CGeol FGS, FNEIMME, CEng QMR FIMMM, RPGeo MAIG, FIQ . Mr McFarlane
holds a BSc with Honours from The University of Wales, Aberystwyth
in Environmental Earth Science and an MSc in Mining Geology from
Camborne School of Mines, University of Exeter, he is also a Master
of the Camborne School of Mines (MCSM). Mr McFarlane is a Fellow
and Chartered Geologist with the Geological Society of London
(CGeol FGS), a Chartered Engineer (CEng) and Fellow of the
Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (FIMMM) through which
he is also Qualified for Minerals Reporting (QMR). Mr McFarlane is
a Member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists (MAIG), and
through which is Registered Professional Geoscientist in the joint
fields of Mining and Mineral Exploration (RPGeo). Mr McFarlane is
also a Fellow of the Institute of Quarrying (FIQ). Mr McFarlane is
General Manager for Europe, Middle East and Africa for Mining Plus
UK Limited and has been retained by the Cornwall Resources Limited
to provide independent technical support. Mr McFarlane has
sufficient experience relevant to the style of mineralisation and
type of deposit under consideration, and to the activity which he
is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined by the
2012 Edition of the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration
Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves (the JORC Code) and
under the AIM Rules.
- Note for Mining and Oil
& Gas Companies, which outline standards of disclosure for
mineral projects. Mr McFarlane consents to the inclusion in this
announcement of the matters based on this information in the form
and context in which it appears. Mr McFarlane confirms that the
Company is not aware of any new information or data that materially
affects the information included in the relevant market
announcements, and that the form and context in which the
information has been presented has not been materially
modified.
Notes to
Editors
Strategic Minerals
plc:
https://www.strategicminerals.net
Strategic Minerals plc is an
AIM-quoted, profitable operating minerals company actively
developing projects tailored to materials expected to benefit from
strong demand in the future. It has an operation in the United
States of America along with development projects in the UK and
Australia. The Company is focused on utilising its operating cash
flows, along with capital raisings, to develop high quality
projects aimed at supplying the metals and minerals likely to be
highly demanded in the future.
In September 2011, Strategic
Minerals acquired the distribution rights to the Cobre magnetite
tailings dam project in New Mexico, USA, a cash-generating asset,
which it brought into production in 2012 and which continues to
provide a revenue stream for the Company. This operating revenue
stream is utilised to cover company overheads and invest in
development projects aimed at supplying the metals and minerals
likely to be highly demanded in the future.
In May 2016, the Company entered
into an agreement with New Age Exploration Limited and, in February
2017, acquired 50% of the Redmoor Tin/Tungsten project in Cornwall,
UK. The bulk of the funds from the Company's investment were
utilised to complete a drilling programme that year. The drilling
programme resulted in a significant upgrade of the resource. This
was followed in 2018 with a 12-hole 2018 drilling programme has now
been completed and the resource update that resulted was announced
in February 2019. In March 2019, the Company entered arrangements
to acquire the balance of the Redmoor Tin/Tungsten project which
was settled on 24 July 2019 by way of a vendor loan which was fully
repaid on 26 June 2020.
In March 2018, the Company completed
the acquisition of the Leigh Creek Copper Mine situated in the
copper rich belt of South Australia and brought the project
temporarily into production in April 2019. In July 2021, the
project was granted a conditional approval by the South Australian
Government for a Program for Environmental
Protection and Rehabilitation (PEPR) in relation to mining of its
Paltridge North deposit and processing at the Mountain of Light
installation. In late June 2022, an updated PEPR, addressing the
conditions associated with the July 2021 approval, was
approved.