BWR Exploration Recognizes Platinum,Palladium/Gold Potential TORONTO, Feb. 15, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BWR Exploration Inc. (TSX.V: BWR) (“BWR” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce the receipt of precious metal assays from exploratory drill holes completed in 2021 (see press release dated September 20, 2021) on its wholly-owned Vendme Sud Property, located in the Abitibi Region of Northern Quebec, approximately 30 km. north of Val d’Or. The 2021 drill program by BWR was designed to investigate and substantiate historical nickel and copper mineralization at various locations on the property, however there was also historical reference to the presence of platinum and palladium in a few of the historical holes within the project area. The 2021 drill program confirmed nickel and copper mineralization of sufficient grade that warranted further scrutiny, prompting the investigation into whether there was any related precious metals present, the recent 2022 analytical results have confirmed that some of the mineralized subvolcanic intrusive mafic units also contain precious metals.
As reported in September, 2021, two holes tested the “A Zone”; the first hole of the program encountered a mineralized core length interval of 37.8 meters (from 65.5m to 103.3m) that averaged 0.34% Copper and 0.27% Nickel in hole BWR-V-21-01 drilled at -50 degrees, while undercut hole BWR-V-21-02 from same location, drilled at -60 degrees encountered a similarly wide 41.7 meter core length interval (from 79.9m to 121.6m) averaging 0.21% Copper and 0.12% Nickel. Approximately 1 kilometer to the west, the fourth hole of the 2021 drill program tested the “C Zone”, encountering a 14.7 meter core length interval (from 90m to 104.7m) averaging 0.15% Copper and 0.18% Nickel. Selected sample intervals from these three holes, where initial assays for Nickel and/or Copper exceeded a threshold value of 0.5% for either metal, were submitted for precious metal analysis to test for the presence of Gold, Platinum and Palladium. 12 samples met the threshold selection criteria, and all returned anomalous values for precious metals.
The 2021 drill program by BWR successfully substantiated the two holes that were drilled 6 decades ago (in 1962) by Canadian Shield Corporation Inc. that originally identified the historical “A Zone” in that the earlier results were found to be very comparable to BWR’s recent drill results of holes BWR-V-21-01 and BWR-V-21-02. The historical “C Zone” is located approximately 1 km to the west of the “A Zone” where drilling in 1963 identified similar mineralization for the “C Zone” as at the “A Zone”. BWR completed hole BWR-V-21-04 at the approximate location of the earlier hole also confirming the tenor of mineralization encountered in 1963 by Canadian Shield.
PGM discussion for Holes BWR-V-21-01, BWR-V-21-02 and BWR-V-21-04
BWR’s first two holes in 2021, intersected the “A Zone” that appears to be a steeply dipping sub-volcanic assemblage of rhyolite lenses intercalated with intermediate to mafic or perhaps ultramafic metavolcanics. BWR’s fourth hole tested the “C Zone” located about 1 km due west of the “A Zone”.
Hole BWR-V-21-01 between 65.5m and 103.3m downhole is described as mafic to ultramafic rock, with moderate to strong chlorite alteration, encapsulating a weakly silicified, chlorite altered possible rhyolite lense between 79.75m and 88.85m down-hole, followed downhole by mafic to ultramafic, well chloritized rock continuing to 103.3m. Gold, Platinum and Palladium occur in the V4 unit (mafic to ultramafic) as well as in the silicified V1 unit (rhyolite) identified in the drill logs.
Hole BWR-V-21-02 between 79.9m and 121.6m downhole is described as silicified rhyolite tuff between 29.85m and 82m, with moderate chloritization between 78.4 to 82m, then there is a gradual contact with an ultramafic unit between 82m and 89.85m downhole, then another gradual lower contact with well silicified almost chert-like fine grained rhyolite tuff between 89.85m and 117.15m with several mafic volcanic lenses between 101.8m and 112.5m, followed by ultramafic rock between 117.95m to 122.7m. Gold, Platinum and Palladium occur in the V4 unit (mafic to ultramafic) as well as the silicified V1 unit.
Hole BWR-V-21-04 intersected a series of rhyolite tuffs intercalated and intruded by intermediate to mafic units, followed by an ultramafic assemblage of komatiite and peridotite. Mineralization in this hole appeared very similar to the mineralization observed in the first two holes located 1000 metres east in the “A Zone”. Hole BWR-V-21-04 between 83.55m and 123.6m downhole is described as an ultramafic rock, possibly komatiite, soft and very strongly chloritized. Gold, Platinum and Palladium occur in the V4 unit.
The presence of PGM’s (platinum, palladium, and gold) associated with the nickel and copper suggest that a base and precious metal mineralizing event may be related to a nearby magmatic intrusion encompassing and partially assimilating a felsic volcanogenic assemblage, creating a hybrid VMS-MMS complex environment, that may host deposits of nickel, copper and PGM’s.
Further exploration work along with desk studies are currently being planned, to continue the investigation into the economic significance of the Vendme Sud Nickel – Copper project, now that some mineralized zones are confirmed to contain precious metals. The plans will likely include a continuation of the affirmation of earlier drill results with additional drill tests in the area of known mineralization, as well as geophysical surveying using magnetic, electromagnetic and gravity ground surveys to further identify exploration targets to depth.
Sampling protocol and security for samples
Minroc Management Limited’s senior geologist Francis R. Newton (B.Sc.) as project geologist, was tasked with managing the drill project and selecting the samples for the additional precious metals analyses. The core was originally logged and cut in a secure site, owned, and operated by Services MNG, in Val d’Or, Qubec during the summer of 2021. Minroc Management Limited rented a core shack from Services MNG where Minroc geologists logged the core. Samples were cut with a diamond saw by Services MNG staff, under the supervision of Francis R. Newton, P. Geo, and half of the core for each sample interval placed in labelled plastic bags along with a sample tag for each individual sample. Samples were delivered to ALS Minerals in Val d’Or for processing and analysis, after analysis sample pulps were securely stored. Once at the lab, the samples were originally tested using “ME-ICP41a – Intermediate Level Aqua Regia” for multi-element analysis. Samples returning 0.5% Cu and/or 0.5% Ni or greater met the threshold criteria for further analysis and were recovered from secure storage and submitted for further in house analysis using PGM ICP-24 methodology for gold, platinum, and palladium. Assay results for PGM’s were received in mid-February 2022.
Mr. Francis Newton, P.Geo (OGQ#2129), in collaboration with Mr. Neil Novak P. Geo. are responsible for and have reviewed the technical disclosure of this release. Mr. Newton as an independent qualified person pursuant to NI 43-101 guidelines for technical disclosure, and Mr. Novak as a qualified person (not independent) pursuant to NI 43-101 guidelines both approve the technical content of this press release.
BWR Exploration Inc.
BWR Exploration Inc. is a public company focused on exploring for base and precious metals, with its flagship Little Stull Lake Gold Project in NE Manitoba along with other exploration projects in Northern Ontario, and Northern Quebec, Canada. Management of BWR includes an accomplished group of exploration/mining specialists with many decades of operational experience in the junior resource sector in Canada and abroad. There are 101,442,461 shares currently issued.
https://www.bwrexploration.com
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