Appia Announces Commencement of Its 2023 Exploration and Drilling Programs at Its Alces Lake Project in Saskatchewan
Appia Announces Commencement of Its 2023
Exploration and Drilling Programs at Its Alces
Lake Project in Saskatchewan
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - May 29, 2023) -
Appia Rare Earths & Uranium Corp. (CSE: API)
(OTCQX: APAAF) (FSE: A0I0.F) (FSE: A0I0.MU) (FSE: A0I0.BE) (the "Company" or
"Appia")
announces the initial mobilization of its field crew at its 100%-owned Alces Lake Rare Earth
Elements (REES) Property, Northern Saskatchewan.
"The 2023 work season will be highly focussed on determining high priority drill targets along the
mineralized structural corridor leading SSE from the Magnet Ridge for upwards of +20 kms," stated
Stephen Burega, President of Appia. "Targets will be chosen based on their radiometric signature, and
followed-up by extensive ground-truthing with spectrometers and a handheld XRF unit to ensure our drill
campaign tracks the continuity of mineralization controlled by this important structural corridor. It is hoped
that new surface zones will contain high-grade REE mineralization as well as near surface bulk tonnage
variable-grade mineralization will be discovered with the potential to increase total volume/tonnage on
the property."
Based on our 2022 drilling results and new geophysical interpretation of the data, the Company will
embark on a 5-phase program comprising an aggressive prospecting & sampling program, followed up
by selective drilling of priority targets, and airborne gravity-magnetics-radiometrics at 100 m line spacing
of 2 the identified high priority areas on the property (the eastern structural corridor and Alces Lake
North).
Mobilization of the field crew will take place over the next 2 weeks.
VP Exploration Irvine R. Annesley is pleased that these airborne radiometrics/magnetics/3D gravity
gradiometer surveys will be undertaken to fully delineate, characterize, and interpret this distinct
structural corridor. He expects that "Our increasing understanding of the complex lithological and
structural context of the Alces Lake REE minerals system, adjacent to/within the main structural corridor,
will ultimately enhance our potential for the discovery of additional mineralized zones at depth along this
mylonitic shear zone."
"The Alces Lake Property contains variable grade REE mineralization; including high-grade with some
of the highest-grade total REE mineralization in the world and hosted within a number of surface and
near surface occurrences that remain open at depth and along strike," stated VP Exploration Irvine
Annesley. "The United States and Canadian governments are actively pursuing critical REE resources to
build a domestic REE supply chain within North America, and hope to see the Alces Lake project as part
of the answer to this demand."
Planned 2023 Exploration Program
The Exploration Program is scheduled to start in early June and is planned to include the following 5
phases:
Phase I
Helicopter-supported detailed regional ground prospecting, mapping, and sampling of the
structural corridor area
Helicopter-supported detailed regional ground prospecting, mapping and sampling over historic
REE occurrences of the Alces Lake North area
Phase II
5,000 m of helicopter-supported diamond drilling of 1) priority targets following the strike extension
south-southeast from the Wilson, Richard, Charles, Bell, Ivan, Dylan, Dante, and AMP zones
through the Magnet Ridge Zone for ~20 kms, 2) the southern extension of The Magnet Ridge Zone
(delineation drilling), and 3) reconnaissance drilling on priority regional geological/geophysical
targets in the Western Anomaly area;
Phase III
Airborne gravity-magnetics-radiometrics (AGG) geophysical survey of the structural corridor
(Figure 1) at 100 m line spacing o map the REE minerals system
of the structural corridor area
from surface to depth in order to prioritize drill targets;
Phase IV
Airborne gravity-magnetics-radiometrics (AGG) geophysical survey of Alces Lake North at 100 m
line spacing to map the REE minerals system of Alces Lake North from surface to depth in order to
prioritize drill targets;
Phase V
Mineralogical/petrological characterization (IRAP study) of the major REE zones/subzones at
WRCB-Ivan-Dylan-Dante and Magnet Ridge to understand/interpret the enigmatic complex
minerals system at Alces Lake. Note: PhD research indicates that the mineralization is protracted
and pulsed over ~90 Ma (~90 million years of sustained anatectic melting to produce the low- to
high-grade REE mineralization at Alces Lake).
Exploration permits for the proposed Phases I and II are approved, and those of Phases III and IV will be
submitted shortly.
Background on Alces Lake
In 2022, the Company completed an aggressive 17,500 m diamond drilling campaign of 1) the WRCB
extension at depth and southwards, 2) new targets at Magnet Ridge and Magnet Ridge West, and 3)
some regional Western Anomaly targets. Targets were identified primarily through the interpretation of
The Company's 2021 Airborne Radiometric (U, Th, K) survey in conjunction with its 2021 and 2022
prospecting results.
Ongoing work at Alces Lake is following up on a distinct structural corridor (mylonitic shear zone),
identified in 2019 from magnetic/gravity worms and from legacy GSC mapping data, that forms the
eastern limb of a major fold structure that hosts the low- to high-grade mineralized vein system (known as
the WRCB-Ivan-Dylan-Dante Zones). The mineralized zones (vein system) on surface average 15 to 50
m in width and are composed of individual veins, pods, and boudins which range from one to 10's of
metres in thickness. Veins, pods, and boudins are discontinuous and heterogeneous in composition to
~250 m depth and follow a linear to anastomosing (branching) structural geometry. This REE mineral
system extends SSE along strike for at least 4 - 5 kilometres to Magnet Ridge. The limits of this
mineralized system have not been established along strike or along dip, and therefore its extension
remains unknown. However, the associated structural corridor that borders (and includes) the
mineralization system is identified readily on Lidar and Google Earth images (macroscale) and can be
followed for at least 25 km (Figure 1).
Comprehensive interpretation and modeling of the WRCB and Magnet Ridge mineralized zones have
indicated that follow-up geophysical and geochemical surveys are necessary along and across the
highest-priority areas of a major structural corridor (2.5 - 4.0 km-wide mylonitic shear zone) that extends
south-southeast from the main mineralized zones at WRCB-Ivan-Dylan-Dante to Magnet Ridge and then
for another 20 to 25 km (Figure 1).
The origin and implications of this heterogeneous mylonitic shear zone (e.g. an old suture zone stitched
by multiple orogenies of Paleoproterozoic age) remain unknown at this time. The proposed high-
resolution airborne geophysical surveys will facilitate delineation and mapping of REE mineralized
(monazite-bearing) pegmatites and associated biotite schists (glimmerites) adjacent to and within this
structural corridor to establish new drill targets. The petrophysical characteristics (i.e. density,
radiometric, and magnetic properties) of monazite and associated REE minerals will be maximized as a
vectoring tool(s) for finding new targets (i.e. by utilizing the leading edge geophysical exploration
technology at optimal line spacing/orientation).
Figure 1. Location of Alces Lake NNW-SSE-trending structural corridor (mylonitic shear zone): a) Lidar
and b) Google Earth (Poliakovska et al., 2019).
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5416/167869_appia1en.jpg
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 that enable modern electronic applications such as electric vehicles and wind
turbines.
The "magnet metals" rare earths are neodymium (Nd), praseodymium (Pr), dysprosium (Dy)
and terbium (Tb).
The Alces Lake project area is 38,522.43 contiguous hectares (95,191.00 acres) in size and is 100%
owned by Appia.
The technical content in this news release was reviewed and approved by Dr. Irvine R. Annesley, P.Geo,
Vice President Exploration, and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.
About Appia Rare Earths & Uranium Corp
Appia is a publicly traded Canadian 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 113,837.15 hectares (281,297.72 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 130.5 million common shares outstanding, 143.5 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)
Stephen Burega, President: (cellular) 647-515-3734 or (email)
Irvine R. Annesley, Ph.D., P.Geo., Vice-President Exploration: (tel.) (416) 546-2707 or (email)
To view the source version of this press release, please visit
https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/167869