Hudbay Minerals Inc T.HBM

Rockcliff's Penex Historical, Solid Graphite Result.

[javaman12]

As most of us probably now know, larger flake graphite is an extremely valuable commodity that is used in the production of lithium batteries and for other useful purposes.

A historical drill hole on Rockcliff's Penex property intercepted a region of near solid graphite of some unknown consistency.

" ...Thick (67m) near solid graphite in single historical drill hole adjacent to 2.6 km long untested VMS target..."

https://rockcliffmetals.com/site/assets/files/3663/penex-slides.pdf

Graphite deposits directly associated with VMS deposition are very unusual occurences. However, carbon containing magmas, caused by ancient oceanic subduction events containing sediments of carboniferous material, may later create VMS deposits, containing large flake graphite, especially when the usual volcanic venting of carbon containing gasses, has been blocked by "sub-volcanic or hypabyssal intrusions."

Smaller flake or less valuable microcrystalline graphite (amorphous) ore is more often found in vein deposition or in metamorphosed coal seams.

"...Abstract: Massive graphite deposition resulting in volumetrically large occurrences in volcanic environments is usually hindered by the low carbon contents of magmas and by the degassing processes occurring during and after magma emplacement. In spite of this, two graphite deposits are known worldwide associated with volcanic settings, at Borrowdale, UK, and Huelma, Spain. As inferred from the Borrowdale deposit, graphite mineralization resulted from the complex interaction of several factors, so it can be considered as an example of self-organized critical systems. These factors, in turn, could be used as potential guides for exploration. The key factors influencing graphite mineralization in volcanic settings are as follows: (1) an unusually high carbon content of the magmas, as a result of the assimilation of carbonaceous metasedimentary rocks; (2) the absence of significant degassing, related to the presence of sub-volcanic rocks or hypabyssal intrusions, acting as barriers to flow; (3) the exsolution of a carbon-bearing aqueous fluid phase; (4) the
local structural heterogeneity (represented at Borrowdale by the deep-seated Burtness Comb Fault); (5) the structural control on the deposits, implying an overpressured, fluid-rich regime favouring a focused fluid flow; (6) the temperature changes associated with fluid flow and hydration reactions, resulting in carbon supersaturation in the fluid, and leading to disequilibrium in the system. This disequilibrium is regarded as the driving force for massive graphite precipitation through irreversible mass-transfer reactions. Therefore, the
formation of volcanic-hosted graphite deposits can be explained in terms of a self-organized critical system."

"..It must be emphasized that graphite from the two known volcanic-hosted deposits is as highly crystalline as the highest quality graphite currently mined in vein-type deposits associated with granulite terranes (e.g. in Sri Lanka or India; Luque et al. 1998). Therefore, volcanic-hosted deposits constitute potential sources of graphite for new technological applications that demand high
quality graphite.."


"...Most microcrystalline graphite deposits are formed by sub-
greenschist to greenschist contact metamorphism or regional
metamorphism of coal seams. Microcrystalline deposits consist mainly of small graphite particles intergrown with impurities. Typical deposits are stratiform or lens-shaped; beds may be deformed and/or repeated by folding and faulting. Pinching and swelling of beds is common. Deposits may consist
of several beds, each up to a few metres thick. They may be
exposed for hundreds of metres along strike. The ore contains
from 30 to 95% graphite and, in many cases, more than 80%."

https://eprints.ucm.es/id/eprint/17593/1/269_1.pdf

https://cmscontent.nrs.gov.bc.ca/geoscience/publicationcatalogue/Paper/BCGS_P2015-03-19_Simandl.pdf

The Penex property is located near a region with known VMS deposition. But only drilling may determine whether this thick region of graphite deposition is VMS, vein, or amorphous in nature. The thick and almost solid graphite mineralization found here may well, just turn out to be amorphous micro-crystalline rock, holding little commercial value.

We will have to see what the drilling campaign may find, if this hole is actually retested. Otherwise, perhaps the present campaign may find some mineralized deposition, further along in strike, but of a graphitic nature, similar to that found at the Bur deposit.

              The drilling results from Penex will be very interesting to see!

What other, even more pleasant surprises, may yet await us, during this present drilling campaign?

                                              All the best! Java