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Appia Announces Operational and Drilling Update with New Intersections of 50+ Metres of Anomalous Radioactivity at Alces Lake Rare Earth Property, Northern Saskatchewan

written by Raj Shah | May 18, 2022

May 18, 2022 (Source) – Appia Rare Earths & Uranium Corp. (CSE: API) (OTCQB: APAAF) (FSE: A010) (FSE: A0I.F) (FSE: A0I.MU) (FSE: A0I.BE) (the “Company” or “Appia”) is pleased to provide an update on the Company’s 2022 drilling program at Alces Lake. As previously announced, the winterized camp was opened in early March and drilling has been underway since mid-March. A second drill became operational on May 4 and both drills are operating 24 hours a day.

Highlights:

  • All 2021 assay results are now in-house and being analyzed and evaluated prior to release
  • 24 holes (4,889 metres) drilled to date in 2022 and drilling continues
  • Expansion of WRCB area along strike to the southeast with no boundary found to date
  • Potential discovery on Augier prospect with drilling of thick section of anomalous radioactivity in first three holes (51.2 metres, 70.1 metres and 58 metres). Drilling continues

To the middle of May, 24 holes have been drilled at Alces Lake, totalling 4,889 metres. For comparison, a total of 100 holes were drilled in 2021 at Alces Lake, totalling 8,076 metres. Appia expects that the 2022 program will be a minimum of 12,000 metres to as much as 20,000 metres, all of which will be funded with available cash on hand.

Augier Discovery – early positive indications

The Augier discovery was made in 2021 and was channel sampled. The assay results returned 7 metres of 0.57wt% TREO. This discovery is approximately 1,500 metres directly southeast of the WRCB area and is along a well-defined kilometres-scale structural corridor.

The very first hole drilled into the discovery in 2022 intersected an encouraging 51.2m of anomalous radioactivity beginning at the top of hole. The drilled width of this near-surface anomaly is unprecedented when compared to previous drilling campaigns at Alces Lake. The core has been sampled and submitted for assay. The second hole 22-AUG-002 undercut 22-AUG-001 and confirmed the result, also intersecting 70.1 metres of anomalous radioactivity from the top of the hole. The third hole at 22-AUG-003 explored the strike extent of this trend and intersected 58 metres, starting at a depth of 23 metres. This is the same anomalous radioactive unit as the two previous holes and is on strike 150 metres southeast of 22-AUG-002.

Continued Delineation of the WRCB Discovery

Appia continues to delineate the magnitude of the rare earth elements discovery at WRCB with longer and deeper holes to build on the 2021 information. The results so far are encouraging.

Of the 2022 holes, 19 have been drilled at WRCB and all holes in the WRCB complex have intersected intervals of anomalous radioactivity over drilled widths ranging up to 11.0 metres, some with visible monazite. The 2022 drilling has expanded the WRCB area of interest with identified intervals of anomalous radioactivity up to 120 metres further along strike to the southeast. This has increased the overall length of the trend of anomalous radioactivity in WRCB drill core from 160 metres to 280 metres of strike length, and the program is ongoing. The WRCB area is still open along strike in both the northwest and southeast directions.

Additional 2022 exploration activities at WRCB will include an IP survey over the centre of the WRCB discovery area to evaluate the methods applicable across the property.

Figure 1 – WRCB Area 2022 Drilling Campaign

Cannot view this image? Visit: https://investornews.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/124502_15e53f0844f1d876_005-1.jpg

Figure 1 . Current status of Appia’s 2022 exploration drilling program at WRCB and area. Newly completed 2022 drillholes are shown with white collar points and trace lines over a Thorium distribution map derived from Appia’s 2021 airborne radiometric survey.

To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:
https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/5416/124502_15e53f0844f1d876_005full.jpg.

Table 1. 2022 drillhole details current to May 15, 2022. Location information is presented in NAD 83 / UTM Zone 12N

Hole ID Easting Northing Azimuth Dip Final
Length (m)
22-AUG-001 668119.4 6616898 60 45 298.5
22-AUG-002 668119.4 6616898 60 60 201
22-AUG-003 668193 6616768 60 45 255.25
22-WRC-001 667169.5 6618060 73 45 102
22-WRC-002 667169.5 6618060 73 65 142
22-WRC-003 667160 6617809 73 45 286.75
22-WRC-003b 667160 6617809 73 55 292
22-WRC-004 667082 6617675 73 45 376.75
22-WRC-005 667082 6617675 73 80 420
22-WRC-006 667202 6618019 73 65 101
22-WRC-007 667202 6618019 73 80 108
22-WRC-008 667147.8 6617885 73 45 189
22-WRC-009 667147.8 6617885 73 55 213
22-WRC-010 667147.8 6617885 73 65 198
22-WRC-011 667147.8 6617885 73 75 232
22-WRC-012 667200 6617897 73 46 180
22-WRC-013 667203 6618111 73 45 54
22-WRC-014 667203 6618111 73 60 58
22-WRC-015 667203 6618111 73 75 54
22-WRC-016 667162 6617846 73 53 229
22-WRC-017 667162 6617846 73 45 243
22-WRC-018 667162 6617846 73 60 225
22-WRC-019 667136.4 6617909 73 45 219.75
22-WRC-020 667136.4 6617909 73 55 210.55

 

2021 Drill Results and Metallurgical Program

The Company has now received all 2021 assay results and is currently analyzing and evaluating the information. A summary of the results is expected to be released in the near future. As recently announced, a 900 kg sample has been taken from the property and 600 kg is enroute to SGS Canada’s Lakefield facility in Ontario for crushing and sizing ahead of test work. The remainder of the sample will be shipped at a later date. Upon completion of the preparatory work, the sample will be shipped to CanmetMINING and the test programs will begin to optimize and enhance the development of an Alces Lake Project flowsheet. In addition, Appia has requested proposals for additional airborne and ground radiometric surveys.

Appia commenced drilling at Alces Lake in mid-March 2022 and plans to drill significantly deeper holes compared to the 100 holes (approximately 8,076 metres) drilled in 2021. This is designed to allow Appia to determine continuity at depth and along the identified REE mineralization trends as the company works towards a maiden resource estimate in accordance with NI 43-101 for the area. With high-grade REE mineralization now identified in many locations within an area covering approximately 27 km2 of the Alces Lake block. the Company believes the project has the potential to be a world-class source of high-grade critical rare earth bearing monazite.

About the Alces Lake Project

The Alces Lake project encompasses some of the highest-grade total and critical* REEs and gallium mineralization in the world, hosted within several surface and near-surface monazite occurrences that remain open at depth and along strike.

* Critical rare earth elements are defined here as those that are in short-supply and high-demand for use in permanent magnets and modern electronic applications such as electric vehicles and wind turbines (i.e: neodymium (Nd), praseodymium (Pr), dysprosium (Dy) and terbium (Tb)).

The Alces Lake project is located in northern Saskatchewan, the province that is developing a “first-of-its-kind” rare earth processing facility in Canada (currently under construction by the Saskatchewan Research Council and scheduled to become operational in early 2023). The Alces Lake project area is 35,682 hectares (88,173 acres) in size and is 100% owned by Appia.

To ensure safe work conditions are met for the workforce, the Company has developed exploration guidelines that comply with the Saskatchewan Public Health Orders and the Public Health Order Respecting the Northern Saskatchewan Administration District in order to maintain social distancing and help prevent the transmission of COVID-19.

The metallurgical content in this news release was reviewed and approved by Mr. John Goode, P.Eng, Metallurgical Consultant to Appia’s Board of Directors, and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. The geologic content in this news release was reviewed and approved by Dr. Irvine R. Annesley, P.Geo, Advisor to Appia’s Board of Directors, and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. SRC Geoanalytical Laboratories’ management system operates in accordance with ISO/IEC 17025:2005 (CAN-P-4E), General Requirements for the Competence of Mineral Testing and Calibration Laboratories.

About Appia

Appia is a Canadian publicly-listed company in the rare earth element and uranium sectors. The Company is currently focusing on delineating high-grade critical rare earth elements and gallium on the Alces Lake property, as well as exploring for high-grade uranium in the prolific Athabasca Basin on its Otherside, Loranger, North Wollaston, and Eastside properties. The Company holds the surface rights to exploration for 105,026 hectares (259,525 acres) in Saskatchewan. The Company also has a 100% interest in 12,545 hectares (31,000 acres), with rare earth element and uranium deposits over five mineralized zones in the Elliot Lake Camp, Ontario.

Appia has 123.1 million common shares outstanding, 142.1 million shares fully diluted.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This News Release contains forward-looking statements which are typically preceded by, followed by or including the words “believes”, “expects”, “anticipates”, “estimates”, “intends”, “plans” or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance as they involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. We do not intend and do not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements and shareholders are cautioned not to put undue reliance on such statements.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For further information, please contact:

Tom Drivas, CEO and Director: (cell) 416-876-3957, (fax) 416-218-9772 or (email) [email protected]

Frederick Kozak, President: (cellular) 403-606-3165 or (email) [email protected]

Frank van de Water, Chief Financial Officer and Director, (tel) 416-546-2707, (fax) 416-218-9772 or (email) [email protected]