Planned Port Facility Improvements at Marathon to Enhance Logistics of 890Mt Prairie Lake Critical Minerals & Phosphate Project
Toronto, February 16, 2023 – Nuinsco Resources Limited (“Nuinsco” or the “Company”) (CSE: NWI) today provided information reported by the Peninsula Harbour Authority on planned port development at the town of Marathon, Ontario. The planned improvements will enhance the logistical position and add to the development potential of the Company’s Prairie Lake Critical Minerals and Phosphate Project located approximately 50 kilometres northwest of Marathon, Ontario, Canada (“Prairie Lake” or the “Project”) and the proposed port facility.
Recently the Peninsula Harbour Port Authority, responsible for oversight and development of the Marathon port project, announced that it is advancing the Marathon project – the aim of which is to see the re-opening of deep-water port facilities at Marathon. A concept study has been completed that included a site assessment, marine terminal conditions, site access, on-site infrastructure, environmental conditions, dock configuration, and cost estimates. The Board of Directors of the Port Authority will now review the recommendations from the study to inform a corporate business plan which will make the Port operational. This work is expected to be completed by the end of Q3 2023.
“The significance of additional infrastructure development within the region surrounding the Prairie Lake project, particularly with regard to movement and supply of critical minerals, is of course a significant bonus for the Project,” said Paul Jones, Nuinsco’s CEO. “The port development at Marathon would see deep-water port facilities available to the project six times closer than they currently are. The project is already exceptionally well located with respect to logistical attributes, such as roads, rail and power, and the recent report from the Peninsula Harbour Port Authority is more good news.”
The Prairie Lake project is a large, well located resource of critical minerals in North America. It is a potential source of elements needed for applications in transportation, power distribution, green technologies and a host of others including agriculture. It is of immense value to a secure critical minerals supply chain; an issue identified by numerous governments in the recent past and addressed with incentives and programs to encourage development of the critical minerals sector. The Project is located near the north shore of Lake Superior, putting it in close or easily accessible reach of:
- The towns of Marathon and Terrace Bay and other smaller villages, able to supply a local workforce.
- Paved Highways 17 and 11.
- Canadian Pacific Railway and Canadian National Railway networks.
- High capacity (230kV) electrical power transmission line.
- Only 50km from the Marathon deep water port project. Deep-water ports are also located at Thunder Bay and Sault Ste. Marie, able to handle ocean going ships.
Laura Giroux, P.Geo, Chief Geologist, acts as Nuinsco's Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101. Ms. Giroux has reviewed and approved the technical contents of this news release.
About Nuinsco Resources Limited
Nuinsco Resources has over 50 years of exploration success and is a growth-oriented, multi-commodity mineral exploration company focused on prospective opportunities in Canada and internationally. Currently the Company has four properties in Ontario – the high-grade Sunbeam gold property near Atikokan currently optioned by First Class Metals PLC, the Dash Lake gold property near Terrace Bay, the large multi-commodity (rare-earths, niobium, tantalum, phosphate) Prairie Lake project near Terrace Bay, and the Zig Zag Lake property (lithium, tantalum) near Armstrong. In addition, Nuinsco has an agreement for gold exploitation at the El Sid project in the Eastern Desert of Egypt.
Prairie Lake Project Pit Constrained Mineral Resource Estimate(1-6)
Rare Earth Oxides | Niobium | Phosphate | |||||||||||
Class | Cut-Off | Tonnes | Nd2O3 | Pr6O11 | Sc2O3 | CeO2 | La2O3 | Sm2O3 | Ta2O5 | Y2O3 | TREO | Nb2O5 | P2O5 |
NSR C$/t | M | g/t | g/t | g/t | g/t | g/t | g/t | g/t | g/t | kg/t | % | % | |
Indicated | 30 | 15.6 | 344 | 96 | 15 | 754 | 300 | 58 | 28 | 100 | 1.67 | 0.16 | 3.71 |
Inferred | 30 | 871.8 | 409 | 82 | 18 | 905 | 388 | 79 | 17 | 127 | 2.01 | 0.10 | 3.39 |
*TREO = Total Rare Earth Oxides: neodymium, Nd2O3 ; praseodymium, Pr6O11; scandium, Sc2O3; Cerium, CeO2; lanthanum, La2O3; samarium, Sm2O3; yttrium, Y2O3.
A full description of methodology used to estimate the Prairie Lake project Mineral Resource Estimate is contained in the NI 43-101 compliant Technical Report, effective date 31 May 2022 prepared by P&E Mining Consultants Inc. that is filed on SEDAR.
1. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.
2. The estimate of Mineral Resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, taxation, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues.
3. The Inferred Mineral Resource in this estimate has a lower level of confidence than that applied to an Indicated Mineral Resource and must not be converted to a Mineral Reserve. It is reasonably expected that the majority of the Inferred Mineral Resource could potentially be upgraded to an Indicated Mineral Resource with continued exploration.
4. The Mineral Resources were estimated in accordance with the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM), CIM Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves, Definitions (2014) and Best Practices Guidelines (2019) prepared by the CIM Standing Committee on Reserve Definitions and adopted by the CIM Council.
5. US$ Metal prices used were $80/Kg Nd2O3, $80/Kg Pr6O11, $1,500/Kg Sc2O3, $50/Kg Nb2O5, $250/t P2O5, $1.35/Kg CeO2, $1.35/Kg La2O3, $3.50/Kg Sm2O3, Nil$/t Ta2O5 and $13.00/kg Y2O3, 0.78 FX all with combined process recoveries and payables of 50%, except P2O5 at 75%.
6. The constraining pit optimization parameters were C$2.50/t mining cost for all material, C$25/t process cost, C$5/t G&A cost and 45-degree pit slopes with a C$30/t NSR cut-off.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This press release contains forward-looking statements or information (collectively, “FLI”) within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. FLI is based on expectations, estimates, projections and interpretations as at the date of this press release.
All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are FLI that involve various risks, assumptions, estimates and uncertainties. Generally, FLI can be identified by the use of statements that include words such as “seeks”, “believes”, “anticipates”, “plans”, “continues”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “expects”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “projects”, “predicts”, “proposes”, "potential", “targets” and variations of such words and phrases, or by statements that certain actions, events or results “may”, “will”, “could”, “would”, “should” or “might”, “be taken”, “occur” or “be achieved.”
FLI herein includes, but is not limited to: future drill results; the Company’s ability to convert Inferred Mineral Resources into Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources; environmental matters; stakeholder engagement and relationships; parameters and methods used to estimate the Mineral Resource Estimates (each an “MRE”) at the Fenelon and Martiniere properties (collectively the “Deposits”); the prospects, if any, of the Deposits; future drilling at the Deposits; and the significance of historical exploration activities and results.
FLI is designed to help you understand management’s current views of its near- and longer-term prospects, and it may not be appropriate for other purposes. FLI by their nature are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such FLI. Although the FLI contained in this press release is based upon what management believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure shareholders and prospective purchasers of securities of the Company that actual results will be consistent with such FLI, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, and neither the Company nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any such FLI. Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake, and assumes no obligation, to update or revise any such FLI contained herein to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by law. Unless otherwise noted, this press release has been prepared based on information available as of the date of this press release. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on the FLI or information contained herein.
Furthermore, should one or more of the risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in FLI.
Assumptions upon which FLI is based, without limitation, include: the ability of exploration activities to accurately predict mineralization; the accuracy of geological modelling; the ability of the Company to complete further exploration activities; the legitimacy of title and property interests in the Deposits; the accuracy of key assumptions, parameters or methods used to estimate the MREs; the ability of the Company to obtain required approvals; the results of exploration activities; the evolution of the global economic climate; metal prices; environmental expectations; community and non-governmental actions; and any impacts of COVID-19 on the Deposits, the Company’s financial position, the Company’s ability to secure required funding, or operations. Risks and uncertainties about the Company’s business are more fully discussed in the disclosure materials filed with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada, which are available at www.sedar.com.
Information Concerning Estimates of Mineral Resources
The disclosure in this press release and referred to herein was prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 which differs significantly from the requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). The terms "Measured Mineral Resource", "Indicated Mineral Resource" and "Inferred mineral Resource" used in this press release are in reference to the mining terms defined in the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum Standards (the "CIM Definition Standards"), which definitions have been adopted by NI 43-101. Accordingly, information contained in this press release providing descriptions of our mineral deposits in accordance with NI 43-101 may not be comparable to similar information made public by other U.S. companies subject to the United States federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder.
Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of Mineral Resources will ever be converted into reserves. Pursuant to CIM Definition Standards, "Inferred Mineral Resources" are that part of a Mineral Resource for which quantity and grade or quality are estimated on the basis of limited geological evidence and sampling. Such geological evidence is sufficient to imply but not verify geological and grade or quality continuity. An Inferred Mineral Resource has a lower level of confidence than that applying to an Indicated Mineral Resource and must not be converted to a Mineral Reserve. However, it is reasonably expected that the majority of Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration. Under Canadian rules, estimates of Inferred Mineral Resources may not form the basis of Feasibility or Pre-Feasibility studies, except in rare cases. Investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an Inferred Mineral Resource is economically or legally mineable. Disclosure of "contained ounces" in a Mineral Resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations; however, the SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute "reserves" by SEC standards as in place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures.
Canadian standards, including the CIM Definition Standards and NI 43-101, differ significantly from standards in the SEC Industry Guide 7. Effective February 25, 2019, the SEC adopted new mining disclosure rules under subpart 1300 of Regulation S-K of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "SEC Modernization Rules"), with compliance required for the first fiscal year beginning on or after January 1, 2021. The SEC Modernization Rules replace the historical property disclosure requirements included in SEC Industry Guide 7. As a result of the adoption of the SEC Modernization Rules, the SEC now recognizes estimates of "Measured Mineral Resources", "Indicated Mineral Resources" and "Inferred Mineral Resources". Information regarding Mineral Resources contained or referenced in this press release may not be comparable to similar information made public by companies that report according to U.S. standards. While the SEC Modernization Rules are purported to be "substantially similar" to the CIM Definition Standards, readers are cautioned that there are differences between the SEC Modernization Rules and the CIM Definitions Standards. Accordingly, there is no assurance any Mineral Resources that the Company may report as "Measured Mineral Resources", "Indicated Mineral Resources" and “Inferred Mineral Resources" under NI 43-101 would be the same had the Company prepared the Mineral Resource Estimates under the standards adopted under the SEC Modernization Rules.
To learn more, please visit www.nuinsco.ca or contact: | |||
Paul Jones, CEO | Sean Stokes, Executive VP | Cathy Hume, Consultant | Instagram: @nuinscoresources |
paul.jones@nuinsco.ca | sean.stokes@nuinsco.ca | cathy@chfir.com | Twitter: @NWIResources |