Drilling Results At From Sunshine Prospect Zone And Bornite Project

VANCOUVER, BC - Trilogy Metals Inc. reported the first set of assay results from this summer’s exploration diamond drilling program at the Bornite Project and the Sunshine prospect, which are part of the Company’s Upper Kobuk Mineral Projects (UKMP) located in the Ambler mining district of Northwest Alaska.All amounts are in USD.

Based on the VTEM geophysical survey that we completed this past spring over the Ambler volcanogenic massive sulphide (“VMS”) belt and from historical drilling, the most recent drilling targeted the Sunshine prospect, which is approximately eight miles (13 kilometers) from the Arctic Project.The assay results reported below for one drill hole from the Sunshine prospect comprises 161 meters of the 1,356-meter six-hole drill campaign at this prospect. Results from the other five holes at Sunshine are pending and will be released later in the year.

The four Bornite drill holes reported below comprise approximately 3,014 meters from the recently completed 7,610-meter drill campaign. All four drill holes contain copper mineralization and were designed as either infill drill holes to the 300 to 400-meter step-out holes completed in 2017 and 2018 or in the case of RC19-0258 to step-out 150 meters to the northwest of the existing mineral resource. In total, there were 10 holes (7,610 meters) drilled at Bornite, 11 holes drilled at Arctic (2,405 meters) and six holes (1,357 meters) drilled at the Sunshine prospect during the 2019 field season.

James Gowans, Interim President and CEO, said, “The four mineralized holes from Bornite show that the Cu-mineralization is continuous throughout the Upper and Lower Reefs.However, we are excited with the results from our recently completed regional exploration program where we have intersected VMS polymetallic mineralization at Sunshine with grades and thicknesses comparable to Arctic.Of particular excitement is the discovery of a new horizon that lies above known sulphide horizons.”

Results for Bornite  at a cutoff grade of 0.5% copper to be comparable with previous drill results released by the Company. All the intersected widths are normal to stratigraphy and therefore can be considered to be true widths. Results at a more selective higher-grade cutoff of 1.5% copper show locally higher-grade intervals. Table 3 shows drill hole locations. 

Mineralization within the Bornite deposit occurs as a series of “Reefs” hosted by both the Upper and Lower Bornite Carbonate sequences separated by generally unmineralized phyllite units. The Cu-Co mineralization at Bornite occurs in three distinct carbonate zones, the Upper Reef, the Lower Reef, and the South Reef. All three zones were drill tested this year.

Mineralization is typically observed as breccia matrix replacement and is generally dominated by chalcopyrite and sometimes by bornite with chalcocite – particularly in the higher-grade zones.Mineralization can also be observed as vein and replacement zones containing chalcopyrite and calcite/dolomite gangue.These styles of mineralization were observed in all holes mentioned in this press release with bornite, chalcocite mineralization observed in RC19-0261, and minority within RC19-0257; and chalcopyrite dominating mineralization observed in RC19-258 and RC19-0259.

At Sunshine, which is located approximately eight miles (13 kilometers) from the Arctic Project, the Company drilled six holes comprising 1,357 meters.

The Sunshine prospect lies within a north-facing alpine cirque west of the Shungnak River and just south of the eastward flowing Sunshine Creek. The Ambler VMS-style mineralization was discovered by Bear Creek Mining Company (BCMC) in 1969 and is exposed on an east trending ridge. The rock units exposed are typical of the Ambler Schist sequence that hosts the Arctic deposit and include quartz +/- feldspar and chlorite schist, graphitic and quartz graphitic schist, marble, and calcareous schist. Massive and semi-massive sulphide mineralization, consisting of chalcopyrite, sphalerite, galena, and tetrahedrite/tennantite, occurs in 0.1 meter to 8-meter bands generally at a contact between graphitic and calcareous schist. Three mineralized horizons, each consisting of two sulphide layers, are limbs of recumbent synformal and anti-formal closures with the anti-formal fold nose eroded away to the northeast and the fold opening to the southwest.

Results for Sunshine at a cutoff grade of 1.5% copper equivalent. All the intersected widths are close to normal to stratigraphy and therefore can be considered to be true widths. Results at a more selective higher-grade cutoff of 2.5% copper equivalent show locally higher-grade intervals.