BeMetals Reports Batch of High-Grade Zinc and Precious Metal Underground Drilling Results at Polymetallic South Mountain Project in Idaho

ACCESS Newswire
08 Oct 2019, 21:01 GMT+10

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / October 8, 2019 / BeMetals Corp. ('BeMetals' or the 'Company') (TSX-V:BMET) (OTCQB:BMTLF) is pleased to announce the first batch of borehole analytical drill results from its underground drill program at the Company's high-grade South Mountain Zinc-Silver Project ('South Mountain' or the 'Project') in southwestern Idaho, U.S.A. This batch of recently received results represents sampling of boreholes; SM19-003, SM19-005 and SM19-006 (See Figures 1 & 2). The drilling program is ongoing with further mineralized zones from other boreholes under geological logging, sampling and laboratory analysis. Further batches of borehole analytical results will be released as they become available.

DRILLING HIGHLIGHTS:

Borehole SM19-006: intersected 15.70 metres grading 21.27% Zinc ('Zn'), 147 grams per tonne ('g/t') Silver ('Ag'), 8.04 g/t Gold ('Au'), 0.77% Lead ('Pb'), and 0.30% Copper ('Cu')

Borehole SM19-005: intersected 11.23 metres grading 7.97% Zn, 128 g/t Ag, 1.20 g/t Au, 0.91% Pb, and 0.24% Cu

Borehole SM19-003: intersected 24.17 metres grading 11.12% Zn, 267 g/t Ag, 3.44 g/t Au, 3.75% Pb, and 0.29% Cu

Including: 9.60 metres grading 11.74% Zn, 437 g/t Ag, 5.99 g/t Au, 8.68% Pb, & 0.38% Cu
Including: 13.26 metres grading 11.77% Zn, 169 g/t Ag, 1.88 g/t Au, 0.54% Pb, & 0.25% Cu

Note: ALS Global completed the analytical work with the core samples processed at their preparation facility in Reno, Nevada, U.S.A. All analytical and assay procedures are conducted in the ALS laboratory in North Vancouver, BC. Reported widths are drilled core lengths as true widths are unknown at this time. It is estimated based upon current data that true widths might range between 60-80% of the drilled intersection. Intervals and included intervals cut offs are based upon visual contacts of massive sulphide units with no more than 1.35m of internal dilution.

John Wilton, President, CEO and Director of BeMetals stated, 'We are pleased with this first batch of underground borehole results. They support the significant high-grade nature of the deposit, and again show the robust grades in both silver and gold associated with the base metal mineralization. Notably these results relate to boreholes drilled both above (SM19-006) and below (SM19-003/005) the Sonneman level adit in an extensive area of mineralization known as the DMEA zone (See Figure 2). This illustrates the up and down plunge potential to extend the mineralized bodies that form the deposit with further drilling to expand the high-grade resource base during future work plans.

The contacts of the massive sulphide bodies generally provide a clear visual boundary to the high-grade mineralization into either marble or skarn units. This could provide an important effective marker to guide any future mining of the deposit and limit dilution of the high-grade material.

The phase 1 drilling program is progressing well towards the goals of testing the drilling strategy and targeting from the existing underground infrastructure. It is also identifying areas of potential extensions to the mineralization.'

CURRENT PHASE 1 DRILLING AT SOUTH MOUNTAIN PROJECT

The principal objective of the ongoing drill program at South Mountain is to test potential extensions to the mineralized zones and confirm the grade distribution of the current polymetallic mineral resource estimate. To date, the Company has completed 11 underground boreholes for a total of approximately 1,060 metres of this 2,500-metre program. Table 1 below shows the results received from; SM19-003, 005 and 006. Table 2 provides the drill hole co-ordinates, azimuth and dip.

Boreholes SM19-003, 005 and 006 returned significant intersections of massive sulphide comprised predominantly of pyrrhotite, sphalerite, galena, arsenopyrite and chalcopyrite. The massive sulphide intersections and grade intervals are depicted on Figures 1 & 2. These massive sulphides generally appear hosted within the marble but in some cases are also in contact with skarn units in the DMEA area (See figure 2). The massive sulphide zones have sharp contacts into the host units. Borehole SM19-004 intersected mostly skarn and marble units with an approximately 2.40 metre wide interval of massive sulphides that has not yet been sampled.

Table 1. SM19-003 to SM19-006 Drill Holes: Analytical and Assay Results

Borehole ID & Zone	From (m)	To (m)	Core Interval (m)	Zn %	Ag g/t	Au g/t	Pb %	Cu %
SM19-003: Interval 1	51.18	75.35	24.17	11.12	267	3.44	3.75	0.29

Including	51.18	60.78	*9.60*	*11.74*	*437*	*5.99*	*8.68*	*0.38*

Including	62.09	75.35	*13.26*	*11.77*	*169*	*1.88*	*0.54*	*0.25*

SM19-003: Interval 2	77.60	81.24	3.64	9.74	331	1.94	1.11	0.34

SM19-005	75.13	86.37	11.23	7.97	128	1.20	0.91	0.24

SM19-006	28.01	43.71	15.70	21.27	147	8.04	0.77	0.30

Note: Reported widths are drilled core lengths as true widths are unknown at this time. It is estimated based upon current data that true widths might range between 60-80% of the drilled intersection. Intervals and included intervals cut offs are based upon visual contacts of massive sulphide units with no more than 1.35m of internal dilution. (Note: See details below in QA/QC section).

Figure 1: Plan View of the Sonneman & Laxey Levels, South Mountain Deposit, showing locations of rib-sampling, priority target zones, planned boreholes, and completed borehole results; SM19-003,004,005 & 006 (SM19-002 previously reported)

Figure 2: 3D Perspective View looking north-north-east, showing locations of rib-sampling, priority target zones, and completed borehole results SM19-003,004,005 & 006, (SM19-002 previously reported)

Table 2: Drill Hole Azimuth, Dip and Collar Co-ordinates

Hole ID	Azimuth Degree	Dip Degree	End of hole Length (m)	East (ft)	North (ft)	Elevation (ft)
SM19-003	152	-47	99.97	231,176	394,120	6,868
SM19-004	175	-58	119.79	231,176	394,120	6,868
SM19-005	175	-53	98.45	231,176	394,120	6,868
SM19-006	320	+61	58.67	231,148	393,978	6,860

QUALITY ASSURANCE AND QUALITY CONTROL PROCEDURES

The project employs a rigorous QC/QA program that includes; blanks, duplicates and appropriate certified standard reference material. All samples are introduced into the sample stream prior to sample handling/crushing to monitor analytical accuracy and precision. The insertion rate for the combined QA/QC samples is 10 percent or more depending upon batch sizes. ALS Global completed the analytical work with the core samples processed at their preparation facility in Reno, Nevada, U.S.A. All analytical and assay procedures are conducted in the ALS facility in North Vancouver, BC. The samples are processed by the following methods as appropriate to determine the grades; Au-AA23-Au 30g fire assay with AA finish, ME-ICP61-33 element four acid digest with ICP-AES finish, ME-OG62-ore grade elements, four acid with ICP-AES finish, Pb-OG62-ore grade Pb, four acid with ICP-AES finish, Zn-OG62-ore grade Zn, four acid digest with ICP-AES finish, Ag-GRA21-Ag 30g fire assay with gravimetric finish.

The technical information in this news release for BeMetals, has been reviewed and approved by John Wilton, CGeol FGS, CEO and President of BeMetals, and a 'Qualified Person' as defined under National Instrument 43-101.

THE SOUTH MOUNTAIN PROJECT

South Mountain is a polymetallic development project focused on high-grade zinc and is located approximately 70 miles southwest of Boise, Idaho (see Figure 3). The Project was intermittently mined from the late 1800s to the late 1960's and its existing underground workings remain intact and well maintained. Historic production at the Project has largely come from high-grade massive sulphide bodies that remain open at depth and along strike. According to historical smelter records, approximately 53,642 tons of mineralized material has been mined to date. These records also indicate average grades; 14.5% Zn, 363.42 g/t Ag, 1.98 g/t Au, 2.4% Pb, and 1.4% Cu were realised. Thunder Mountain Gold Inc. purchased and advanced the project from 2007 through 2019, with expenditures into the project of approximately US$12M. The current mineral resource estimate of the deposit is detailed in Table 3 below and the Company expects to provide a revised mineral resource update following a phase 2 drilling program in 2020.

The Project is largely on and surrounded by private surface land, and as such, the permitting and environmental aspects of the Project are expected to be straightforward. Permits are in place for underground exploration activities and BeMetals does not anticipate significant barriers to any future development at the Project.

Figure 3: Project Location Map