- The 2025 winter drill program at the Shaakichiuwaanaan Property is well underway, targeting a minimum of 15,000 m over the January to April period.
- The winter drill program has three primary objectives:
- Extend the high-grade Vega Zone (CV13 Pegmatite) westward along an interpreted structural corridor toward the CV12 Pegmatite,
- Test the highly prospective CV5 to CV13 pegmatite corridor, and
- Complete condemnation drilling at two proposed waste rock pile locations in support of the ongoing Feasibility Study at the CV5 Pegmatite.
- Up to four (4) drill rigs are anticipated to support the winter program.
- Majority of the drill program anticipated to be ground supported, through a combination of all-season and winter road.
- Core assay results remain to be reported for 98 drill holes (31,513 m) from the CV5 Pegmatite completed in fall 2024.
- The Company is on track to provide a Feasibility Study and maiden Ore Reserve Estimate to the market in the third quarter of 2025.
Darren L. Smith, Executive and Vice President of Exploration for the Company, remarks: “2025 will be a less drill intensive year compared to 2024; however, exploration drilling along the CV Trend remains a key component of the Company’s flowthrough spend strategy as the CV5 Pegmatite advances through development. The primary focus for the winter drill program will be further delineation and extension of the CV13 Spodumene Pegmatite, including the high-grade Vega Zone, and supporting the Feasibility and development needs for the CV5 Spodumene Pegmatite.”
Patriot Battery Metals Inc. (the “Company” or “Patriot”) (TSX: PMET) (ASX: PMT) (OTCQX: PMETF) (FSE: R9GA) is pleased to announce it has commenced the 2025 winter drill program at its wholly owned Shaakichiuwaanaan Property (the “Property” or “Project”), located in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay region of Quebec, Canada.
The Shaakichiuwaanaan Property hosts a consolidated (CV5 &) Mineral Resource Estimate1 of 80.1 Mt at 1.44% Li2O Indicated and 62.5 Mt at 1.31% Li2O Inferred. The CV5 Spodumene Pegmatite is accessible year-round by all-season road and is situated approximately 14 km from a major hydroelectric powerline corridor. The CV13 Spodumene Pegmatite is situated <3 km along geological trend of the CV5 Spodumene Pegmatite.
The 2025 winter drill program commenced in late January and is planned to continue through mid-April for an estimated total of 15,000 m of NQ size coring. The program will have three primary objectives (Figure 1):
- Extend the high-grade Vega zone westward, along an interpreted structural corridor, toward the CV12 Pegmatite.
- Test the highly prospective CV13 to CV5 pegmatite corridor.
- Complete condemnation drilling at two proposed waste rock pile locations in support of the ongoing Feasibility Study at the CV5 Pegmatite.
A total of two (2) drill rigs will target the westward extension of the high-grade Vega-Zone and the <3 km corridor between the CV13 and CV5 spodumene pegmatites that remains to be drill tested. Both rigs commenced drilling in late January and are ground supported using a combination of all-season and winter road (Figure 2, Figure 3, and Figure 4). The overarching objective is mineral resource expansion and to demonstrate connectivity between spodumene pegmatite clusters.
An additional two (2) rigs will commence drilling later in February and target condemnation (eliminating the potential for mineralisation) within the area north of the CV5 Pegmatite at the proposed locations of two waste rock piles (Figure 1). The Company has already completed surface sampling and mapping over these areas and anticipate the condemnation drilling to conclude both sites are suitable for such infrastructure development.
The Company has engaged Forage Construction Muskw Inc. (“Muskw”), a Cree owned enterprise, to carry out the diamond drilling services. Muskw was formed in 2024 as a Joint Venture between Forage Fusion Drilling and Saskounan Construction.
The Company remains on track to provide a Feasibility Study and maiden Ore Reserve Estimate to the market in the third quarter of 2025, in addition to an updated Mineral Resource Estimate. Additionally, core assay results remain to be reported for 98 drill holes (31,513 m) from the CV5 Pegmatite completed in fall 2024. Announcement of these results, as well as that of the 2024 summer surface field program, are anticipated to be reported in the coming weeks.
Shaakichiuwaanaan (CV5 & CV13) Mineral Resource Estimate (80.1 Mt at 1.44% Li2O and 163 ppm Ta2O5 Indicated, and 62.5 Mt at 1.31% Li2O and 147 ppm Ta2O5 ppm Inferred) is reported at a cut-off grade of 0.40% Li2O (open-pit), 0.60% Li2O (underground CV5), and 0.80% Li2O (underground CV13) with an Effective Date of August 21, 2024 (through drill hole CV24-526). Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves as they do not have demonstrated economic viability.
Qualified/Competent Person
The information in this news release that relates to exploration results for the Shaakichiuwaanaan Property is based on, and fairly represents, information compiled by Mr. Darren L. Smith, M.Sc., P.Geo., who is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, and member in good standing with the Ordre des Géologues du Québec (Geologist Permit number 01968), and with the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (member number 87868). Mr. Smith has reviewed and approved the technical information in this news release.
Mr. Smith is an Executive and Vice President of Exploration for Patriot Battery Metals Inc. and holds common shares and options in the Company.
Mr. Smith has sufficient experience, which is relevant to the style of mineralization, type of deposit under consideration, and to the activities being undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as described by the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves (the JORC Code). Mr. Smith consents to the inclusion in this news release of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears.
