Blackrock Confirms New Lithium Discovery at Tonopah North
Blackrock Confirms New Lithium Discovery at
Tonopah North
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 25, 2022) - Blackrock Silver Corp. (TSXV:
BRC) (the "
Company
" or "
Blackrock
") is pleased to announce final drill results from the Company's
first scout exploration drill campaign on its 100% controlled Tonopah North project located in West
Central Nevada along the Walker Lane trend.
These results show the Tonopah North project has significant lithium potential over a considerable area.
A broad lithium zone has been intersected in all drillholes across the Tonopah North project area
encompassing 5,200 acres (2,100 ha).
The lithium bearing zone has an average thickness of 28.1
metres and has been drilled near the surface to a depth of 117.3 metres below the ground.
Based on the
drilling to date, the lithium zone is entirely within the Siebert Tuff, and has a similar profile to the lithium
mineralization encountered at the TLC deposit located 3 kilometres to the northwest. The lithium bearing
zone remains open in all directions.
Highlights:
Lithium values up to 1,217 ppm lithium have been intercepted in drilling, in addition to continuity of
broad zones of mineralization up to 56.4 metres in thickness;
The average thickness of the lithium bearing zone is 28.1 metres;
The lithium bearing zone comes within 8 metres of the surface on the northeast portion of the
property and has been intersected down to 117 metres below the surface.
The mineralization is similar to the nearby TLC lithium deposit owned by American Lithium Corp
which is located 3 kilometres to the northeast of the Company's land holdings.
Andrew Pollard, Blackrock's President and CEO, commented, "Results from our first pass scout drill
program at our Tonopah North project have established significant lithium potential at the project with all
drillholes hitting broad zones of mineralization. With grades up to 1,217 ppm lithium encountered, and
thick zones of mineralization up to 56.4 metres starting near surface, initial results compare quite
favourably to other well-established lithium claystone projects in the area, both directly adjacent to our
project and in the nearby Clayton Valley. Blackrock's project portfolio now consists of the highest-grade
undeveloped silver project in the world
[1]
(with expansion drilling ongoing), in addition to what's emerging
as a potentially significant new lithium discovery right next door.
This positions Blackrock as one of the
most unique companies in the emerging green metals space and provides for significant optionality for
investors as both projects continue to take shape."
The Company completed approximately 9,300 metres of drilling in twenty RC drillholes.
The drilling
originally was to test the gold and silver potential to the west and north of the Company's silver-gold
resource area located at the Tonopah West project; however, drilling of the upper geologic units was
required to reach the underlying precious metal targets.
All drillholes penetrated cover rocks known to host lithium deposits in the region including the TLC
deposit, which is located within five kilometres of the drilling.
A significant zone of lithium-bearing
material was intersected.
Lithium values up to 1,217 ppm lithium within a 23-metre thick section of the
Siebert Tuff was discovered.
The following table summarizes the lithium values above 400 ppm received
from the drill program.
Table 1: Significant Tonopah North drillhole assays using a 400 ppm lithium cut off
Hole ID
From (m)
To (m)
Interval (m)
Lithium (ppm)
TN22-001
NSV
TN22-002
NSV
TN22-003
NSV
TN22-004
36.6
48.8
12.2
457.7
Including
44.2
45.7
1.5
764.8
TN22-005
94.5
105.2
10.7
414.1
TN22-006
48.8
77.7
29.0
481.3
Including
62.5
64.0
1.5
851.9
TN22-007
NSV
TN22-008
NSV
TN22-009
7.6
64.0
56.4
494.4
Including
19.8
21.3
1.5
754.3
TN22-010
NSV
TN22-011
68.6
109.7
41.1
574.6
Including
89.9
93.0
3.0
800.6
TN22-012
61.0
83.8
22.9
650.4
Including
73.2
74.7
1.5
1217.4
Including
76.2
77.7
1.5
948.9
Including
80.8
83.8
3.0
817.8
TN22-013
44.2
62.5
18.3
438.5
Including
57.9
59.4
1.5
822.0
TN22-014
117.3
125.0
7.6
472.4
TN22-015
NSV
TN22-016
NSV
TN22-017
44.2
68.6
24.4
402.6
TN22-018
51.8
80.8
29.0
474.7
Including
67.1
68.6
1.5
967.8
TN22-019
61.0
88.4
27.4
572.6
Including
71.6
74.7
3.0
939.3
TN22-020
73.2
111.3
38.1
518.6
Hole ID
From (m)
To (m)
Interval (m)
Lithium (ppm)
Drilholes TN22-001, -002, -007, -008 -010, -015 and TN22-016 did not return lithium values above the
400-ppm cut-off grade; however, these drillholes intersect significantly anomalous lithium bearing zones
within the Siebert formation.
TN22-001 encountered a 45-metre zone of anomalous lithium grading 113 ppm Lithium.
Similarly, TN22-
002 encountered two 45 metre zones starting at the surface grading 158 ppm and 126 ppm lithium
starting at 3 metres and 60 metres respectively.
TN22-003 encountered three anomalous lithium zones with the best one returning 216 ppm lithium over
88 metres.
TN22-007, -008 and -009 were completed in the northern portion of the claim block.
TN22-007
intersected 21 metres grading 57 ppm lithium within the Siebert Tuff.
TN22-008 cut a 113-metre zone of
anomalous lithium bearing lithologies, but the average grade was 68 ppm lithium.
TN22-007 and TN22-
008 lithium results were below the 400-ppm lithium cut-off grade.
At site TN22-009, anomalous Siebert
Tuff was encountered and returned 56 metres grading 494 ppm lithium.
A northeast oriented fault
structure is postulated between TN22-008 and TN22-009 to account for the rapid increase in lithium
grade.
The fault could act as trapping mechanism for the lithium.
Drillholes TN22-006, -012, -13, -019 and TN22-020 were completed in the center of the project area.
All
had significant zones above the 400 ppm cut-off grade.
TN22-012 returned the highest lithium grade of
1,217 ppm lithium.
The higher grades show a northeast trend that needs additional work to understand
the distribution of the high-grade lithium values encountered.
Figure 1: Tonopah North drillhole location map
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/676/141700_d7d2146c04c4facd_002full.jpg
Table 2: Location information for Tonopah North drillholes reported in this new release
Hole ID
UTM11_NAD27 E
UTM11_NAD27 N
Elevation m
Azimuth
Dip
Total Depth m
TN22-001
476332.4
4216401.4
1727.8
0
-90
762.0
TN22-002
475735.1
4216812.2
1708.4
0
-90
762.0
TN22-003
476141.1
4217608.4
1720.1
0
-90
762.0
TN22-004
476944.8
4217603.3
1742.7
0
-90
762.0
TN22-005
477730.9
4217609.1
1766.5
0
-90
855.0
TN22-006
477358.9
4218401.5
1755.1
0
-90
762.0
TN22-007
478922.2
4218855.4
1809.4
330
-80
762.0
TN22-008
478724.4
4219189.4
1803.4
330
-80
743.7
TN22-009
478552.2
4219529.1
1801.9
330
-80
751.3
TN22-010
475735.6
4217616.3
1708.3
270
-75
762.0
TN22-011
477355.3
4218402.5
1748.7
0
-50
153.9
TN22-012
477359.6
4218400.2
1748.7
180
-50
227.1
TN22-013
476945.3
4217617.4
1738.3
0
-50
182.9
TN22-014
477733.4
4217620.1
1761.0
0
-50
152.4
TN22-015
476538.7
4217612.1
1728.6
0
-90
213.4
TN22-016
476538.6
4217614.7
1728.6
0
-50
135.6
TN22-017
477344.2
4217608.1
1751.4
0
-90
91.4
TN22-018
477344.3
4217610.4
1751.5
0
-50
152.4
TN22-019
477362.2
4218400.2
1748.7
90
-50
152.4
TN22-020
477351.8
4218409.4
1748.6
270
-50
152.4
Quality Assurance/ Quality Control
All sampling is conducted under the supervision of the Company's project geologists, and a strict chain
of custody from the project to the sample preparation facility is implemented and monitored. The reverse
circulation samples are hauled from the project site to a secure and fenced facility in Tonopah, Nevada,
where they are loaded on to American Assay Laboratory's (AAL) flat-bed truck and delivered to AAL's
facility in Sparks, Nevada.
A sample submittal sheet is delivered to AAL personnel who organize and
process the sample intervals pursuant to the Company's instructions.
The reverse circulation, and QA/QC samples are crushed and pulverized, then the pulverized material is
digested and analyzed for Au using fire assay fusion and an Induced Coupled Plasma (ICP) finish on a
30-gram assay split. Silver is determined using five-acid digestion and ICP analysis.
Over limits for gold
and silver are determined using a gravimetric finish.
Data verification of the assay and analytical results
are completed to ensure accurate and verifiable results. Blackrock personnel insert a blind prep blank,
lab blank or a certified standard approximately every 15
th
to 20
th
sample.
Blackrock's exploration activities at the Tonopah North and Tonopah West projects are conducted and
supervised by Mr. William Howald, Executive Chairman of Blackrock. Mr. William Howald, AIPG
Certified Professional Geologist #11041, is a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-
101. He has reviewed and approved the contents of this news release.
About Blackrock Silver Corp.
Blackrock is a junior precious metals focused exploration company that is on a quest to make an
economic discovery. Anchored by a seasoned Board, the Company is focused on its Nevada portfolio of
properties consisting of low-sulphidation epithermal gold & silver projects located along the established
Northern Nevada Rift in north-central Nevada and the Walker Lane trend in western Nevada.
For further information, please contact:
Andrew Pollard, President & CEO
Blackrock Silver Corp.
Phone: 604 817-6044
Email:
Forward Looking Statements
This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities
legislation. Such forward-looking statements concern the Company's strategic plans, the maiden
resource estimate on the Tonopah West project, timing and expectations for the Company's
exploration and drilling programs, estimates of mineralization from drilling, geological information
projected from sampling results and the potential quantities and grades of the target zones. Such
forward-looking statements or information are based on a number of assumptions, which may prove to
be incorrect. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things: conditions in general
economic and financial markets; accuracy of assay results; geological interpretations from drilling
results, timing and amount of capital expenditures; performance of available laboratory and other
related services; future operating costs; and the historical basis for current estimates of potential
quantities and grades of target zones. The actual results could differ materially from those anticipated
in these forward-looking statements as a result of
risk factors, including the ability of the Company to
make payments related to the lease option to purchase the Tonopah West project; the timing and
content of work programs; results of exploration activities and development of mineral properties; the
interpretation and uncertainties of drilling results and other geological data; receipt, maintenance and
security of permits and mineral property titles; environmental and other regulatory risks; project costs
overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses; availability of funds; failure to delineate potential
quantities and grades of the target zones based on historical data, and general market and industry
conditions. Forward-looking statements are based on the expectations and opinions of the Company's
management on the date the statements are made. The assumptions used in the preparation of such
statements, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise
and, as such, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements,
which speak only as of the date the statements were made. The Company undertakes no obligation to
update or revise any forward-looking statements included in this news release if these beliefs,
estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as otherwise required by
applicable law.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the
policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this
release.
[1]
Source: S&P Global; Company reports as of October 22, 2022. AgEq resources and grade reflect only silver and gold (M&I and I) resources
(excludes base metals) for deposits larger than 40 million ounces AgEq.
To view the source version of this press release, please visit
https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/141700