FDR Australia - Wallal Drill Clearance & Update

RNS Number : 2527E

Power Metal Resources PLC

27 October 2022

 

27 October 2022

Power Metal Resources PLC

("Power Metal" or the "Company")

FDR Australia - Wallal Drill Clearance & Update

Power Metal Resources plc (LON:POW),  the London listed exploration company seeking large-scale metal discoveries across its global project portfolio, provides an update to shareholders in respect of its interests in the Paterson Province of Western Australia (the "Paterson Interests") held through its 62.12% subsidiary First Development Resources PLC ("FDR") which is seeking a planned listing on the London capital markets.

This update relates specifically to the Wallal Project ("Wallal" or the "Project"), one of three Paterson Province projects held by FDR and includes the Wallal Tenements (E45/5816, E45/5853 and E45/5880) (the "Tenements").

Highlights

· The Heritage Clearance Survey at Wallal, completed under the supervision of the Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation and the Nyangumarta people in September 2022 has confirmed site establishment works for drilling may now proceed.

· FDR have immediately mobilised an operational team to site to the  eastern magnetic bullseye anomaly identified during the in-depth desktop review (the "Eastern Anomaly) to establish access and to prepare the drilling pad, enabling the commencement of diamond drilling which is expected to follow immediately after the listing of FDR in the London capital markets.

· The Phase I diamond core drilling programme has been designed to initially test the Eastern Anomaly, which is interpreted to consist of two lobes which result in a distinct target area of approximately 2.5km x 2.5km, targeting a large-scale gold-copper discovery.

Tristan Pottas Chief Executive Officer of First Development Resources plc commented:

"The completion of the Heritage Clearance Survey provides FDR with the final approval required to proceed with the Phase I diamond core drilling programme at FDR's flagship Wallal Project in the Paterson province.

I would personally like to thank all the key stakeholders and consultants who have helped us get to this decisive point in the evolution of FDR, particularly the Nyangumarta people and Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation.

On receipt of the final report, we have immediately engaged the services of an earthworks contractor to prepare the site to enable our drilling partner DDH1 to commence drilling at the earliest convenience following our planned UK listing."

Paul Johnson Chief Executive Officer of Power Metal Resources plc commented:

"Without question this is an exciting time for the Power Metal and FDR teams as we close in on listing, an event which will be followed with drilling at Wallal targeting a large-scale gold-copper discovery. 

From day one to date, FDR have demonstrated their intention to deploy capital immediately into the ground to improve the understanding of the various targets across their project portfolio. This is a mindset that I expect to continue after the planned UK listing."

FURTHER INFORMATION

FIGURE 1: Paterson Province Tenement Map

FIGURE 2: Wallal Geophysical Anomaly Map

FIGURE 3: 3D View to the North of the Eastern Anomaly

The diagrams and images presented above may be viewed on FDR's website and may be reached through the following link:

https://firstdevelopmentresources.com/project/wallal-project/

Further photographs and videos are and will be available on FDR's website gallery section, through the following link:

https://firstdevelopmentresources.com/investor-centre/gallery/

WALLAL HERITAGE CLEARANCE SURVEY

The Heritage Clearance Survey (the "Survey") was completed at Wallal between 12-15 September 2022. The original Survey request which included a detailed description of the Phase I diamond core drilling programme and site-specific maps was submitted to Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation ("YMAC") by the Company's appointed Exploration Manager on 31 January 2022. The Survey is a required precursor to the planned Phase I diamond core drilling programme at the company's Wallal project located in the Paterson Province of Western Australia.

The Survey was completed in accordance with Section 18 of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 and in accordance with the terms of the Heritage Agreement in place with YMAC as agent for the Nyangumarta Warrarn Aboriginal Corporation.   The Survey was undertaken with the full involvement of Nyangumarta representatives. As native title holders the Nyangumarta possess rights and interests according to traditional law and custom including the right to be fully informed about activities on their country and to speak about their country.

The Survey team, appointed by YMAC, included representatives from Nyangumarta, a YMAC archaeologist, a consulting anthropologist, and members of FDR senior management team. Two 400m x 400m areas were surveyed covering the two planned drill locations designed to initially test the Eastern anomaly ("Area A") and the secondary target, the Border anomaly ("Area B"). In addition to the drill sites, the Survey also covered the route of new tracks necessary to access the drill locations.  At both drill locations additional east-west orientated survey grids (measuring 2.73km x 4km at Area A and 1.27km x 4km at Area B) were delineated to facilitate potential future on-ground geophysical surveys.

Following the Survey, the Nyangumarta representatives asserted that the work programme proposed at Area A and Area B, was clear of ethnographic and archaeological sites or concerns and that the proposed works programme could proceed.

SITE ESTABLISHMENT AND ACCESS

Following receipt of the Heritage Clearance Survey Report a team led by the FDR's Exploration Manager has been mobilised to Wallal to prepare the site in preparation for drilling which is scheduled to commence immediately following FDR's proposed UK listing.  

To enable site works to proceed efficiently, the existing access track which links the drilling sites to the well-maintained Nyangumarta Highway, will require minor earthwork improvements and the drill pads and camp accommodation areas will be levelled and prepared ahead of drill contractor mobilisation

Both the access and the drill pad location were surveyed during the recent Heritage Clearance Survey. Site clearance is expected to take approximately three days to complete.

WALLAL PHASE I DIAMOND CORE DRILLING PROGRAMME

FDR's Phase I diamond core drilling programme has been designed in conjunction with Perth based consultancy Resource Potentials Pty Ltd ("Resource Potentials"). The programme is targeting the Proterozoic basement rocks below the Permian Grant Group which are believed to host the sources of the magnetic bullseye anomalies identified during the completion of an in-depth review of all geological and geophysical data associated with the Wallal project area.

Three magnetic bullseye anomalies were identified in the review, the Western, Eastern and Border anomalies. The magnetic bullseye anomalies are of particular interest due to their possible geological similarities to the regionally significant Havieron discovery (Greatland Gold - Newcrest Joint venture).

The Havieron deposit is coincident with a magnetic bullseye anomaly detected by an airborne magnetic survey and has a similar amplitude to Wallal, approximately 100nanoTesla ("nT") for the Eastern Anomaly and 80nT for Havieron.

The Phase I diamond core drilling programme has been designed to initially test the Eastern Anomaly. The Eastern Anomaly is interpreted to consist of two lobes which result in a distinct target area of approximately 2.5km x 2.5km. An estimate of depth of the cover sequence has been used to constrain the modelled depth of approximately 800 metres to the top of the Eastern magnetic source body.

The Phase I diamond core drilling programme will consist of a minimum of two sub-vertical boreholes totalling approximately 2,720 metres, which will be drilled using rotary open hole to about 150 metres downhole depth and then full core drilling techniques there onwards.

Depending on ground conditions encountered, it is expected that the holes will be commenced using reverse circulation drilling techniques, followed by 83mm (PQ3) or 61.1mm (HQ3) diameter core with a 50.5mm (NQ2) tail to total depth. The parameters for the planned boreholes are set out in Table 1:

Table 1: Planned Wallal Phase I diamond core drillhole parameters

Drillhole ID	Easting	Northing	Azimuth (°)	Dip (°)	Nominal depth ( m)
DH1	260325	7780690	90	80	1,220
DH2	259850	7780772	270	80	1,500

QUALIFIED PERSON STATEMENT

The technical information contained in this disclosure has been read and approved by Mr Nick O'Reilly (MSc, DIC, MIMMM, MAusIMM, FGS), who is a qualified geologist and acts as the Qualified Person under the AIM Rules - Note for Mining and Oil & Gas Companies. Mr O'Reilly is a Principal consultant working for Mining Analyst Consulting Ltd which has been retained by Power Metal Resources PLC to provide technical support.

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) 596/2014 as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 ("MAR"), and is disclosed in accordance with the Company's obligations under Article 17 of MAR.

For further information please visit   https://www.powermetalresources.com/  or contact:

Power Metal Resources plc
Paul Johnson (Chief Executive Officer)	[phone]
SP Angel Corporate Finance (Nomad and Joint Broker)
Ewan Leggat/Charlie Bouverat	[phone]
SI Capital Limited (Joint Broker)
Nick Emerson	[phone]
First Equity Limited (Joint Broker)
David Cockbill/Jason Robertson	[phone]

NOTES TO EDITORS

Power Metal Resources plc - Background

Power Metal Resources plc (LON:POW) is an AIM listed metals exploration company which finances and manages global resource projects and is seeking large scale metal discoveries.

The Company has a principal focus on opportunities offering district scale potential across a global portfolio including precious, base and strategic metal exploration in North America, Africa and Australia.

Project interests range from early-stage greenfield exploration to later-stage prospects currently subject to drill programmes.

Power Metal will develop projects internally or through strategic joint ventures until a project becomes ready for disposal through outright sale or separate listing on a recognised stock exchange thereby crystallising the value generated from our internal exploration and development work.

Value generated through disposals will be deployed internally to drive the Company's growth or may be returned to shareholders through share buy backs, dividends or in-specie distributions of assets.

Exploration Work Overview

Power Metal has multiple internal exploration programmes completed or underway, with results awaited.  The status for each of the Company's priority exploration projects is outlined in the table below.

Project	Location	Current POW %	Work Completed or Underway	Results Awaited
Athabasca Uranium	Canada	100%	Ground exploration programme complete at 3 properties.  Preliminary planning for work in Spring/Summer 2023 is ongoing.	Assay results from samples collected during fieldwork.
Molopo Farms	Botswana	c.53%#	T1-6 conductor target drilling underway. Further MLEM surveys planned over additional AEM targets identified.	Drill programme updates and findings from further MLEM survey work.
Tati Project	Botswana	100%	RC drilling and sampling of mine dumps complete.	Review of mine dumps sampling and assay results from RC drill programme.

^#  subject to completion of acquisition announced 18.5.22 interest will increase to 87.71%

Exploration work programmes may also be underway within Power Metal investee companies and planned IPO vehicles where Power Metal has a material interest, the findings from which will be released on their respective websites, with simultaneous updates through Power Metal regulatory announcements where required.  These interests are summarised in the table below:

Company	Status/Operations	Link
First Class Metals PLC	Investment - POW 27.91% Exploration in the Schreiber-Hemlo region of Ontario, Canada	www.firstclassmetalsplc.com
First Development Resources PLC	Planned IPO - POW 62.12% Exploration in Western Australia and the Northern Territory of Australia	www.firstdevelopmentresources.com
Golden Metal Resources PLC	Planned IPO - POW 83.13% Exploration and development in Nevada, USA	www.goldenmetalresources.com
Kavango Resources PLC	Investment - POW 14.03% (subject to completion of Kanye Resources disposal announced 8.7.22 and issue of Kavango shares e.g. financing announced 24.10.22) Exploration in Botswana	www.kavangoresources.com
New Ballarat Gold PLC	Planned IPO - POW 49.9% Exploration in the Victoria Goldfields of Australia	A new website is currently in development which will be found at   www.newballaratgoldcorp.com . In the interim further information in respect of NBGC can be found at: https://www.powermetalresources.com/project/victoria-goldfields/ .
Uranium Energy Exploration PLC	Planned IPO - POW on listing estimated 40-55% Uranium exploration in the Athabasca region of Canada	www.uraniumenergyexploration.com

 

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