FINAL ASSAYS CONFIRM HIGH NICKEL SULPHIDE DISCOVERY AT CORCEL PROJECT
Eurobattery Minerals AB (Nordic Growth Market: "BAT"; “the Company”) a growth company in the mining and exploration industry with the vision to help Europe become self-sufficient in ethical battery minerals, today announces the final results for sulphide mineral tests at the nickel, cobalt, copper Castriz prospect in Galicia, northwest Spain. In the larger Corcel project, Castriz is one of three primary prospects together with Monte Mayor and Monte Castello.
Key points:
- Final assay results received from nickel sulphide (Ni•S) assays on mineralised samples from recent drilling at the Castriz prospect in northwest Spain confirm significant nickel sulphide discovery at Castriz.
- Analytical methods that detect nickel sourced from sulphide minerals has shown that 75% to 85% of the total nickel from the main mineralised intervals previously reported is from sulphide minerals.
- Assay highlights include:
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- 21m @ 0.26% Ni•S from 78m and 12m @ 0.41% Ni•S from 129m, including 3m @ 0.64% Ni•S from 132m (19DD0001)
- 24.5m @ 0.26% Ni•S from 14.5m, including 12.5m @ 0.31% Ni•S from 14.5m (19DD0002)
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- 24.35m @ 0.31% Ni•S from 182.5m, including 9.0m @ 0.40% Ni•S from 191.5m (19DD0003)
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- Nickel grades considered to be of economic grade with 0.15% Ni a common cut-off grade for open pit resources.
- Prospective area confirmed for over 700m in strike length and approximately 700m in width with mineralisation commencing at surface to vertical depth of 200m. This makes Castriz potentially amenable to low-cost, open pit bulk mining.
- Samples submitted for more detailed mineralogy studies and QEMSCAN analysis to determine sulphide species and mineral liberation characteristics.
A total of 129 samples from four different drill holes from the 2019 Castriz drilling were analysed by ALS Global[1] in Perth, Australia, using methods for analysing the proportion of nickel in a rock sourced from sulphide minerals. Nickel sulphide, also known as Class 1 nickel, is the preferred mineral for producing the intermediate products required for electric battery applications. The latest results from across previously reported intervals confirms most of the nickel is sourced from economic sulphide minerals.
– The final assay results confirm Castriz to be a significant nickel sulphide discovery. With these results, we have taken a large step forward in our ambition to become a producer of battery minerals and thus a significant contributor to the foundation of the battery value chain in Europe. We will now look into different development scenarios at Castriz, including mineral processing and mining studies, said Roberto García Martínez, CEO of Eurobattery Minerals.
Summary of final nickel-in-sulphide assay results
The analytical method utilised, referred to by ALS Global as ME-ICP09, is specifically applicable for assessing the proportion of nickel sulphide. In conjunction with total nickel analysis (ME-ICP61), which gives total nickel contents of the rock, it is possible to assess the proportion of economic sulphide nickel versus non-economic nickel contained in silicate minerals.
The final assay results confirm that most of the nickel in the samples submitted is attributable to nickel sourced from economic sulphide minerals (Table 1). Nickel in the main mineralised intervals is sourced 75-85% from sulphide minerals. The Company is extremely encouraged about the potential size of the mineral system discovered, which measures at least 700m in strike and 700m in width based on limited drilling completed so far. Importantly, mineralisation commences from surface to a depth of over 200m, making the ore body potentially amenable to low cost, open pit mining.
Table 1. Nickel-in-sulphide assays from drilling at Castriz prospect.
| Hole ID | From (m) | To (m) | Int (m) | ME-ICP61 | ME-ICP09 | % Ni-in- | |
| Total | Sulphide | sulphide vs | |||||
| Ni ppm | Ni ppm | total Ni | |||||
| 19DD0001 | 45.00 | 147.00 | 102.00 | 0.28 | 0.21 | 75% | |
| incl. | 78.00 | 147.00 | 69.00 | 0.30 | 0.23 | 75% | |
| incl. | 78.00 | 99.00 | 21.00 | 0.35 | 0.26 | 76% | |
| and | 129.00 | 141.00 | 12.00 | 0.48 | 0.41 | 85% | |
| incl. | 132.00 | 135.00 | 3.00 | 0.69 | 0.64 | 93% | |
| 19DD0002 | 3.00 | 114.00 | 111.00 | 0.21 | 0.18 | 84% | |
| incl. | 14.50 | 39.00 | 24.50 | 0.30 | 0.26 | 86% | |
| incl. | 14.50 | 27.00 | 12.50 | 0.36 | 0.31 | 87% | |
| 19DD0003 | 131.50 | 206.85 | 75.35 | 0.24 | 0.21 | 86% | |
| incl. | 182.50 | 206.85 | 24.35 | 0.34 | 0.31 | 89% | |
| incl. | 191.50 | 200.50 | 9.00 | 0.44 | 0.40 | 90% | |
| 19DD0004 | 6.80 | 35.60 | 28.80 | 0.20 | 0.12 | 60% | |
| 178.85 | 251.30 | 72.45 | 0.20 | 0.14 | 71% |
Next steps
Samples are currently being analysed at SGS’s Canadian facilities for more detailed mineralogy studies and QEMSCAN analysis to determine sulphide species and mineral liberation characteristics. The results of these studies will be used in assessing the economics of potential development scenarios at Castriz.
For further information, please contact:
Roberto García Martínez, CEO
E-mail: roberto@eurobatteryminerals.com
Website: https://eurobatteryminerals.com/en/
This information is the sort of information that the company is obliged to disclose under the EU market abuse regulation. The information was submitted by the above contact person for publication on 22 June 2020 at 08:00 CEST.
About Eurobattery Minerals
Eurobattery Minerals is a mining and prospecting company focused on battery minerals such as nickel, cobalt, copper and rare earth elements. Business activities and operations are conducted exclusively in Europe with a focus on Finland, Spain and Sweden. The Company has one mining licence and eight exploration licences. The headquarters are located in Stockholm.
Augment Partners AB, e-mail: info@augment.se, phone: +46 8 505 651 72, is the company’s Mentor.
[1] ALS Global is the leading full-service provider of analytical geochemistry services to the global mining industry.