XXIX announces a 20-Hole Drill Program at Saddle Zone aiming to expand Opemiska's high-grade copper resource.
5.9% Copper Over 11m Follow-up drilling to extend high-grade mineralization recent hit
Unlocking New Resource Potential - Aims to convert waste to ore, add a minable zone, and increase tonnage.
Strengthening Opemiska's Economics - Supporting the upcoming PEA with new mineralization data.
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 10, 2025) - XXIX Metal Corp. (TSXV: XXIX) (OTCQB: QCCUF) (FSE: 5LW0) ("XXIX" or the "Company") is pleased to announce a 20-hole drill program at the Saddle Zone, a key target within the Opemiska open pit. This program seeks to build on the 2024 Mineral Resource Estimate, which outlines Measured & Indicated Resources: 2.09 billion lbs of copper equivalent * in 97.5 million tonnes, including 1.75 billion lbs of copper, 845,000 ounces of gold, and 5.5 million ounces of silver. And Inferred Resources: 157 million lbs of copper equivalent * in 11.0 million tonnes. This drilling aims to expand high-grade mineralization and further enhance Opemiska's resource potential.
This follow-up drill program at the Saddle Zone building on the success of the initial scout drilling, highlighted an impressive intersection of 5.94% Copper Equivalent over 11 metres, as reported in the Company's January 6, 2025 news release. This program is designed to expand on the high-grade zone within the Opemiska open pit, as defined in the 2024 Mineral Resource Estimate.
While XXIX has completed its internal scoping study for Opemiska, the Company is electing to undertake this additional drill program prior to commissioning its Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA). The results from this drill program have the potential to expand the current resource model by converting what is currently considered waste material into ore, thus enhancing both the engineering and economics of the project.
Unlocking Additional Resource Potential in the Saddle Zone
The Saddle Zone lies between the Perry and Springer Zones. This drill program aims to investigate the zone's mineralization and its potential for expansion. Should the program be successful, it could increase the overall tonnage, add a new minable zone, and potentially deepen the existing pit. Additionally, the program will provide critical insights into an under-drilled area with several non-interpreted mineralized intervals.
"The follow-up program is an important next step for XXIX," said Charles Beaudry. P.Geo., géo. and Director of XXIX. "Building on the initial discovery of 5.94% Copper Equivalent over 11 metres, we see potential for extending this high-grade zone. Successfully identifying additional mineralization would benefit the Opemiska project, enabling both resource growth and improvements to project economics."
New Interpretation of the Saddle Zone
Results from this program indicate the presence of a structurally controlled, mineralized envelope entrained into a northwest trending fault. The new interpretation of the mineralization represents upside to Opemiska's current resource model by adding scale and converting previously interpreted waste into ore. Additionally, previous drilling on the Saddle Zone shows mineralization outside of the known vein at the Saddle Zone. Future drilling at the Saddle Zone will assist in interpreting the mineralization in and outside of the vein, ultimately creating additional mineralized envelopes that can positively impact future economics at the Opemiska copper project.
Advancing Toward the PEA
This drill program will provide key data that may be incorporated into Opemiska's resource model ahead of the PEA. Confirming additional mineralization in the Saddle Zone would represent an opportunity to enhance the project's scale and economics by converting previously identified waste into ore.
Drilling is expected to begin this month, with results expected to be released as they become available.
About XXIX Metal Corp. XXIX is advancing its Opemiska and Thierry Copper projects, two significant Canadian copper assets. The Opemiska Project, Canada's highest-grade copper resource, spans 13,000 hectares in Quebec's Chapais-Chibougamau region, with strong infrastructure and nearby access to the Horne Smelter. A January 2024 resource update reported a 16% increase in contained Copper Equivalent (CuEq) and a 10% grade boost, including 87.3 million tonnes at 0.93% CuEq (Measured & Indicated) and additional out-of-pit resources. The Thierry Project hosts two past-producing ore bodies, one of which was mined underground for six years, producing 5.8Mt @ 1.13% Cu, 0.14% Ni between 1976 - 1982 by UMEX Inc. Historically, the copper concentrate was shipped to the Horne Smelter in Rouyn-Noranda, QC. Significant infrastructure is already in place, with the Thierry property accessible via an all-season road, an airport within 5km, a provincial power grid within 8km, and nearby rail. With these two high-potential projects, the Company has solidified its position as a key player in the Canadian copper sector and has established itself as one of Eastern Canada's largest copper developers.
QP Statement The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Charles Beaudry, P.Geo and géo., Director of XXIX Metal, a Qualified Person, as defined in "National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects." For the exploration undertaken by XXIX Metal, all assay batches are accompanied by rigorous Quality Assurance procedures, including the insertion of standards and blanks and verification assays in a secondary laboratory. All the core received from the drill is split in half, bagged and sent to ALS-Global facilities in Val d'Or, Quebec for sample preparation and then the pulps are shipped to AlS-Global's Vancouver laboratory or some other location in the world for analysis using ALS-Global's standardized ISO-compliant methods, all of which are listed in the laboratory certificates provided with the assay results. The remaining half core along with the rejects and the pulps returned from the laboratory are securely stored at QC Copper's facilities in Chapais, Quebec. Quality Control results, including the laboratory's control samples, are evaluated immediately on reception of batch results and corrections are implemented immediately if necessary. All drill collars are surveyed and positioned in UTM coordinates. Collars are oriented using a gyroscopic north-finding system and downhole deviations surveys are done with a single-shot gyroscopic instrument at 30 to 50m intervals.
For further information, please contact: Stephen Stewart, Chief Executive Officer Phone: 416.644.1567 Email: info@oregroup.ca
Forward Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements. When used in this document, the words "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "seek", "propose", "estimate", "expect", and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Many factors could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to vary from those described in this news release. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in this news release as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Specific forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements pertaining to the commencement of trading of the Common Shares on the TSXV under the new name and new stock ticker. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of the risk factors set forth above and elsewhere in this news release. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. These statements are given only as of the date of this news release. The Company does not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise, except as required by law.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
(*) CuEq % = Cu % + (Au g/t x 0.54) + (Ag g/t x0.007)
