Clean Air Metals (TSX-V:AIR) plans to begin a 1,600m drilling program at the Thunder Bay North Critical Minerals Project in Ontario, Canada.
Drilling will comprise 10 holes between 100m and 185m at depth each, targeting near-surface zones within the current deposit to define its lateral continuity and tonnage potential.
The Thunder Bay North Project has a mineral resource measuring 14 million tonnes @ 1.31g/t platinum, 1.37g/t palladium, 0.41% copper, and 0.25% nickel, according to a June report.
Each target has a single, existing intersection. These results include 51m @ 5.02 grams per tonne (g/t) platinum, 4.84g/t palladium, 1.18% copper, and 0.56% nickel; and 23.5m @ 4.2g/t platinum, 3.8g/t palladium, 0.85% copper, and 0.39% nickel.
The program is expected to begin early this month.
Clean Air Metals also completed a detailed assessment of existing geological and geophysical data and resource models for the project.
The company says the key findings of this review include known high-grade intersections at the project have a regular periodicity that is believed to be related to flow processes similar to those associated with alluvial gold deposits.
Clean Air Metals also found applying tighter drilling spacing within these areas could result in an increased tonnage and grade. Concurrently, ‘plums’ within both deposits are not easily detectable with available geophysical data, and Clean Air says there is an opportunity to improve data density and depth penetration.
CEO Mike Garbutt says new insights have led to refining the geological template for Thunder Bay North.
“The upcoming drilling program is a critical step in the company’s plan to significantly improve the Thunder Bay North Project economics by fully defining the highest value mineralisation within the Current and Escape deposits,” Garbutt says.
Results from the upcoming drilling program will be used to develop an exploration plan designed to discover new zones, as well as a resource delineation program to increase the resources contained in these areas.
Clean Air adds that it will also help guide the location for a potential bulk sample, pending the submission and approval of an advanced exploration permit.
Clean Air Metals is an explorer and developer focused on advancing its wholly owned Thunder Bay North Project, which comprises two deposits only 2.5km apart.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Clean Air Metals
