American Pacific Reports Significant Increase in Contained Copper with Updated Mineral Resource Estimate for its Palmer Copper-Zinc VMS Project in Southeast Alaska
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 20, 2025) - American Pacific Mining Corp (CSE: USGD) (OTCQX: USGDF) (FSE: 1QC1) ("American Pacific" or "the Company") is pleased to report an updated Mineral Resource Estimate ("MRE") and for the 100% owned Palmer VMS Project ("Palmer", or the "Project"), located in Southeast Alaska. The Company commissioned SRK Consulting (U.S.) Inc. ("SRK") to assess and update the Mineral Resource Estimate ("MRE") for the Palmer Project.
2025 MRE Highlights:
Indicated: 4.77 million tonnes at 1.69% copper, 5.17% zinc, 0.14% lead, 28.4 g/t silver, 0.29 g/t gold, 20.6% barite (3.5% copper equivalent or 13.2% zinc equivalent)
16% increase in contained copper (24 million pounds) and 14% increase in copper grade
178.0 million pounds of copper, 543.0 million pounds of zinc, 14.2 million pounds of lead, 4.4 million ounces of silver, 43.9 thousand ounces of gold, and 980.4 thousand tonnes of barite (BaSO4)
Inferred: 12.00 million tonnes at 0.57% copper, 3.92% zinc, 0.47% lead, 66.3 g/t silver, 0.33 g/t gold, 25.5% barite (3.1% copper equivalent or 8.9% zinc equivalent)
22% increase in contained copper (28 million pounds)
151.5 million pounds of copper, 1,036.4 million pounds of zinc, 125.2 million pounds of lead, 25.6 million ounces of silver, 128.1 thousand ounces of gold, and 3,054.2 thousand tonnes of barite (BaSO4)
"This updated mineral resource estimate marks a major Project milestone now that American Pacific has secured 100% ownership of the Palmer VMS Project. Infill and geotechnical drilling over the last several years has been successful in increasing our confidence in the known deposits and we are thrilled to see significant increases in the in-situ copper estimate, in addition to an overall increase in contained tonnes for the Project," stated CEO, Warwick Smith
Table 1: Palmer Project Mineral Resource Estimate Average Value (effective date January 13, 2025)
Classification
Zone
Domain
Mass Mt
Average Grade
Metal Equivalent
Cu
Zn
Pb
Ag
Au
BaSO4 (6)
ZnEq(7)
CuEq(8)
%
%
%
g/t
g/t
%
%
%
Indicated
SW(3)
Zone_1
2.75
2.15
5.20
0.11
25.7
0.33
20.5
14.9
3.9
Zone_2
2.02
1.08
5.12
0.17
32.1
0.23
20.7
10.8
2.8
Total
4.77
1.69
5.17
0.14
28.4
0.29
20.6
13.2
3.5
Inferred
RW(3)
RW
1.68
0.71
3.50
0.47
46.5
0.31
30.2
8.5
2.2
SW(3)
Zone_1
1.30
1.79
4.93
0.18
34.4
0.39
24.9
13.7
3.6
Zone_2
0.89
0.87
4.32
0.15
26.2
0.20
14.4
9.0
2.4
Zone_3
2.78
0.65
3.64
0.09
21.2
0.21
17.6
7.2
1.9
AG(4)
AG (JAG)
5.13
0.15
4.04
0.83
96.7
0.40
29.3
8.5
3.8
AG (Nunatak)
0.22
0.16
0.25
0.20
434.7
0.57
47.3
15.3
7.0
Total
12.00
0.57
3.92
0.47
66.3
0.33
25.5
8.9
3.1
See Mineral Resource "Notes"
Table 2: Palmer Project Mineral Resource Estimate Contained Metal (effective date January 13, 2025)
Classification
Zone
Domain
Mass Mt
Contained Metal
Cu
Zn
Pb
Ag
Au
BaSO4 (6)
M lbs
M lbs
M lbs
K oz
K oz
K t
Indicated
SW(3)
Zone_1
2.75
130.2
315.4
6.6
2,275
28.8
562.8
Zone_2
2.02
47.9
227.6
7.7
2,078
15.1
417.6
Total
4.77
178.0
543.0
14.2
4,353
43.9
980.4
Inferred
RW(3)
RW
1.68
26.2
129.9
17.6
2,516
16.9
509.2
SW(3)
Zone_1
1.30
51.0
140.8
5.1
1,432
16.4
323.2
Zone_2
0.89
17.2
85.0
2.9
754
5.9
128.6
Zone_3
2.78
39.5
222.7
5.4
1,895
18.9
489.1
AG(4)
AG (JAG)
5.13
16.8
456.7
93.3
15,942
66.0
1,500.9
AG (Nunatak)
0.22
0.8
1.2
1.0
3,049
4.0
103.1
Total
12.00
151.5
1,036.4
125.2
25,587
128.1
3,054.2
Mineral Resource Notes:
(1) Mineral Resources, which are not Mineral Reserves, do not have demonstrated economic viability. The deposits have been classified as Indicated and Inferred based on confidence in the geological model, drill spacing. The estimate of Mineral Resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, market or other relevant issues. The quantity and grade of reported Inferred Resources are uncertain in nature and there has not been sufficient work to define these Inferred Mineral Resources as Indicated or Measured Resources. There is no certainty that any part of a Mineral Resource will ever be converted into reserves.
(2) Mineral resources are reported using an assumed NSR which includes prices, recoveries, and payabilities cut-off grade based on metal price assumptions*, variable metallurgical recovery assumptions**, mining costs, processing costs, general and administrative (G&A) costs and variable NSR factors. Mining (US$41.3), processing (US$23.92) and G&A costs (US$11.77) and Sustaining Capital (US$15.92) totaling US$92.9/t for Underground Mining.
(*) Metal price assumptions considered for the calculation of Metal Equivalent grades are: Gold (US$/oz 2,100.00), Silver (US$/oz 28.0), Copper (US$/lb 4.50), Lead (US$/lb 0.95) and Zinc (US$/lb 1.50)
(**) Cut-off grade calculations assume variable metallurgical recoveries as a function of grade and relative metal distribution. Average metallurgical recoveries are: SW/RW Zones: Gold (76.1%), Silver (90.2%), Copper (90.3%), Lead (82.9%) and Zinc (89.2%), AG Zone: Gold (66.0%), Silver (91.0%), Copper (54.8%), Lead (83.4%) and Zinc (94.8%).
(3) NSR Calculation for SW/RW Domains: NSR= $77.25 x %Cu + $20.32 x %Zn + $9.64 x %Pb + $0.64 x g/t Ag + $43.07 x g/t Au
(4) NSR Calculation for AG Domain: NSR = $49.04 x %Cu + $22.25 x %Zn + $10.14 x %Pb + $0.70 x g/t Ag + $37.77 x g/t Au
(5) The resources are considered to have potential for extraction using underground methodology and constrained by mineable shapes. Resources are presented undiluted and in situ and are considered to have reasonable prospects for economic extraction.
(6) Barite as reported is shown for economic potential but has not been used in the NSR value at this stage.
(7) ZnEq defined by equation SW & RW = NSR value per block / $20.32; AG = NSR value per block / $22.25 (Note Barite has been excluded from the ZnEq and NSR calculations)
(8) CuEq defined by equation SW & RW = NSR value per block / $77.25; AG = NSR value per block / $49.04 (Note Barite has been excluded from the ZnEq and NSR calculations)
(9) Mineral Resources are based on validated data, which have been subjected to QA/QC analysis, using capped, composited samples at 2m. Estimation has been completed using a combination of Ordinary Kriging and Inverse Distance estimation methodologies and classified based on confidence in the underlying data and drill spacing. Mineral resource tonnages have been rounded to reflect the precision of the estimate.
(10) The mineral resources were estimated by Benjamin Parsons, BSc , MSc Geology, MAusIMM (CP) #222568 of SRK, a Qualified Person.
SRK used available drilling information from exploration programs with assays from 2006 through to 2024 in this significant update to the consolidated MRE since June 3, 2019. The new effective date of the MRE for the Palmer Project is January 13, 2025.
The updated MRE is based on the Project database provided to SRK containing 284 diamond drillholes for a total of 96,485 metres of drilling with 16,717 samples. The database contains 241 diamond drillholes (82,132 metres) within the mineralized boundaries prepared for the MRE.
The mineralization for the estimate was defined in three main domains including the South Wall ("SW") and RW domains (Palmer Deposit) and the AG domains (AG Deposit). These domains were developed using the findings from data quality, drillhole spacing, the interpreted geological continuity, interpreted structural and continuity of grades within the mineralized lenses. SRK has classified portions of the Project into the Indicated and Inferred mineral resources categories based on a review of the variograms, statistical support to the confidence of the estimates.
SRK's scope was limited to updating the Palmer Project mineral resource estimate and providing a NI43-101 Technical Report. No additional work was completed by SRK on the other prospects including CAP, HG, MHC, Boundary or Christmas Creek prospects. There remains significant discovery potential on the Palmer property including further expansion of the known mineralized prospects.
A technical report is being prepared for the updated MRE in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 ("NI43-101") and will be available on the Company's website and filed on SEDAR within 45 days of the date of this news release.
Qualified Person Statement
Ben Parsons, Principal Consultant (Resource Geology) with SRK prepared the updated MRE for Constantine Mining LLC, a 100% owned subsidiary of the Company, according to CIM Definition Standards and will be supported by a NI 43-101 independent report which will be published and filed on the Company's website and SEDAR profile within 45 days. Mr. Parsons is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. The NI 43-101 independent report will include detailed information on the key assumptions, parameters and methods used to estimate the mineral resources.
The technical information in this news release regarding the Palmer Project has been reviewed and approved by Michael Vande Guchte, P.Geo., Vice President of Exploration for the Palmer Project and a Qualified Person (QP) as defined by National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.
Figure 2: Projected Long Section (looking north) and Projected Cross Section (looking west): Palmer Deposit
American Pacific Mining Corp. is a precious and base metals explorer and developer focused on opportunities in the Western United States. The Company has two flagship assets: the Palmer Project, a Volcanic Massive Sulphide-Sulphate (VMS) project in Alaska and the Madison Project, a past-producing copper-gold project in Montana. For the Madison transaction, American Pacific was selected as a finalist in both 2021 and 2022 for 'Deal of the Year' at the S&P Global Platts Metals Awards, an annual program that recognizes exemplary accomplishments in 16 performance categories.
Also, in American Pacific's asset portfolio are high-grade, precious metals projects located in key mining districts in Nevada, USA, including the Ziggurat Gold Project and the Tuscarora Gold-Silver District. The Company's mission is to grow by the drill bit, strategic partnerships, and M&A.
On behalf of the American Pacific Mining Corp Board of Directors:
Warwick Smith, CEO & Director Corporate Office: Suite 910 - 510 Burrard Street Vancouver, BC, V6C 3A8 Canada
