Focus Graphite intersects 82.91 metres at 13.81% Cg at the Lac Tétépisca project in Québec All seven deep definition holes drilled along strike of MOGC deposit intersected significant
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | July 11, 2024
TSX Venture Exchange: FMS
____________________________________________________________________________
Focus Graphite intersects 82.91 metres at 13.81% Cg at the
Lac Tétépisca project in Québec
All seven deep definition holes drilled along strike of MOGC deposit intersected significant
graphitic mineralization
Kingston, Ontario, July 11, 2024 – Focus Graphite Inc. (TSXV: FMS; OTCQX: FCSMF;
FRANKFURT: FKC) (Focus Graphite or the Company) announces that additional results from
the 2022 exploration and definition drill program at its Manicouagan-Ouest Graphitic Corridor
(MOGC) flake graphite deposit returned significant graphitic mineralization, demonstrated
excellent continuity at depth, and showed potential for expansion. Significant mineralization is
defined as a graphitic carbon (Cg) grading a minimum of 5.0% over at least 6.0 metres true
thickness with internal dilution set at a maximum of 7.0 metres consecutive and no external
dilution.
“We’ve now processed results of all 27 definition holes drilled along strike of our MOGC graphite
deposit in 2022, a key milestone on our path to delivering an updated mineral resource estimate
for our Lac Tétépisca project,” said Marc Roy, Focus Graphite’s President and CEO.
“Significant graphitic mineralisation has now been intersected at vertical depths ranging from
160 to 300 metres in all but one 50-metre spaced sections along a 950-metre strike length of
our MOGC deposit. This demonstrates the excellent continuity of the mineralization at depth as
well as the potential to extend the deposit below a vertical depth of 200 metres,” added Mr. Roy.
The MOGC flake graphite deposit is part of Focus Graphite’s 100% owned Lac Tétépisca
graphite project, which is located southwest of the Manicouagan Reservoir in the Côte-Nord
administrative region of Québec, on the Nitassinan of the Pessamit Innu First Nation. The
MOGC is defined by a linear 1.5 km long geophysical magnetic-electromagnetic anomaly that
trends N035°. It has a pit-constrained Indicated Resource of 59.3 million tonnes (Mt) grading
10.61% Graphitic Carbon (Cg) for an estimated content of 6.3 Mt of natural flake graphite (in-
situ), and an Inferred resource of 14.9 Mt grading 11.06% Cg for an estimated content of 1.6 Mt
of natural flake graphite.
This maiden resource—which positions the MOGC as one of the most significant flake graphite
discoveries in Québec of the 2000s—is detailed in the NI 43-101 Technical Report Mineral
Resource Estimate Lac Tétépisca Graphite Project, Québec, which was prepared by DRA
Americas Inc. and is dated April 4, 2022. It is available on www.sedarplus.ca/ on the Company’s
profile.
2022 exploration and definition drill program
Focus Graphite completed 14,900.5 metres of core drilling at the Lac Tétépisca project between
March 3 and November 17, 2022. The main objectives of the exploration and definition drilling
program were to:
• conduct systematic definition drilling along strike of the MOGC deposit to convert Inferred
mineral resources to the Indicated category and expand total mineral resources
• identify new satellite graphite deposits within a 5 km radius of the MOGC deposit.
To date, the Company has received and released analytical results for the 27 definition holes
drilled along strike of the MOGC deposit, while analytical results for the first 11 exploration holes
drilled at the Southwest MOGC target have been received and disclosed. Analytical results for
the remaining 47 exploration drill holes from Southwest MOGC and West Limb are pending.
Today’s news release covers seven deep definition holes drilled along a 950-metre strike length
of the MOGC flake graphite deposit to a minimum vertical depth of 300 metres vertical depth
(Table 1, Figure 1) and six exploration holes drilled at the nearby Southwest MOGC target
(Table 2, Figure 1).
Please consult the Company’s website at www.focusgraphite.com/ for previous news releases
containing analytical highlights from the 2022 exploration and deep definition drilling program at
the Lac Tétépisca project, as well as applicable location maps.
MOCG Deposit definition drill results
Drilling completed at MOCG in 2022 totaled 6,640.2 metres and included:
• seven deep definition vertical HQ-diameter holes drilled to a minimum 300-metre length
• 19 high angled holes drilled to a minimum vertical depth of 200 metres
• one short hole drilled at moderate angle (LT-22-173A).
Highlights from the seven deep definition drill holes, which all returned significant graphitic
mineralization, include:
Hole LT-22-176
• drilled at 300o/-88o to a vertical depth of 309.00 metres on Section L6+50S in the central
sector of the Manicouagan Ouest Graphitic Corridor (MOGC) graphite deposit
• intersected 82.91 metres (true thickness) grading 13.81% Cg (from 138.50 to 267.00 metres
core length) including
o 70.93 metres (true thickness) grading 15.24% Cg (from 154.10 to 263.85 metres core
length).
Hole LT-22-177
• drilled at 300o/-88o to a vertical depth of 324.00 metres on Section L5+00S in the central
sector of the MOGC graphite deposit
• intersected 86.38 metres (true thickness) grading 11.68 % Cg (from 157.55 to 291.95 metres
core length) including
o 22.05 metres (true thickness) grading 18.05% Cg (from 167.90 to 202.60 metres core
length), and
o 33.02 metres (true thickness) grading 13.44% Cg (from 223.05 to 273.90 metres core
length).
Hole LT-22-174
• drilled at 300o/-88o to a vertical depth of 321.00 metres on Section L9+50S in the central
sector of the MOGC graphite deposit
• intersected 82.90 metres (true thickness) grading 10.82% Cg (from 81.50 to 225.95 metres
core length) including
o 10.57 metres (true thickness) grading 12.29% Cg (from 105.50 to 124.50 metres core
length, and
o 29.85 metres (true thickness) grading 17.23 % Cg (from 141.90 to 193.95 metres core
length.
Hole LT-22-175
• drilled at 300o/-88o to a vertical depth of 384.00 metres on Section L8+50S in the central
sector of the MOGC graphite deposit
• intersected 112.28 metres (true thickness) grading 8.93% Cg (from 164.30 to 338.35 metres
core length) including
o 24.42 metres (true thickness) grading 18.97% Cg (from 188.10 to 226.05 metres core
length), and
o 14.10 metres (true thickness) grading 11.08% Cg (from 267.00 to 288.60 metres core
length).
Southwest MOCG exploration drill results
Drilling at the Southwest MOGC target consisted of 18 exploration holes totalling 2,838.8
metres, and results from six exploration holes drilled at the western end of the target are being
reported today (Table 2). Only one drill hole intersected significant graphitic mineralization:
Hole LT-22-166
• drilled at 360°/-45° to a vertical depth of 135.39 metres on Section L10+50SW, intersected
9.11 metres (true thickness) grading 6.08% Cg (from 86.80 to 96.80 metres core length).
The graphitic zones so far intersected at the Southwest MOCG target are thinner than those in
the MOGC deposit and are not located at the same stratigraphic levels. Detailed structural 3-D
modelling is underway to try to connect the MOGC deposit with the SW MOGC target.
West Limb target exploration drill results
Drilling at the West Limb target consisted of 29 exploration holes totalling 5,421.6 metres.
Results from drilling at this target are still outstanding and will be released once the Company
has received and processed them.
Figure 1
Location of the drill holes and drill hole sections discussed in today’s news release
Table 1
Highlights from the final seven drill holes from the 2022 deep definition core drilling
program at the MOGC deposit
Significant
intersections Graphitic
Hole True Core True carbon
Drill hole Grid line/ Azimuth Plunge length depth From To length thickness grade
ID Station (degrees) (degrees) (m) (m) (m) (m) (m) (m) (% Cg)
LT-22-173* L10+50S 315 -88 315.0 313.36 61.80 181.80 120.00 73.05 8.11
- - - - - Including: 139.80 181.80 42.00 25.35 13.39
LT-22-174 L9+50S 300 -88 321.0 320.43 81.50 225.95 144.45 82.19 10.82
- - - - - Including: 105.50 124.50 19.00 10.57 12.29
- - - - - Including: 141.90 193.95 52.05 29.85 17.23
LT-22-175 L8+50S 300 -88 384.0 380.31 164.30 338.35 174.05 112.28 8.93
- - - - - Including: 188.10 226.05 37.95 24.42 18.97
- - - - - Including: 267.00 288.60 21.60 14.10 11.08
LT-22-176 L6+50S 300 -88 309.0 306.79 138.50 267.00 128.50 82.91 13.81
- - - - - Including: 154.10 263.85 109.75 70.93 15.24
LT-22-177 L5+00S 300 -88 324.0 321.48 157.55 291.95 134.40 86.38 11.68
- - - - - Including: 167.90 202.60 34.70 22.05 18.05
- - - - - Including: 223.05 273.90 50.85 33.02 13.44
LT-22-178 L3+50S 300 -88 354.0 352.90 157.85 302.40 144.55 83.65 9.90
- - - - - Including: 157.85 194.00 36.15 20.92 16.75
- - - - - Including: 234.35 251.05 16.70 9.66 13.31
- - - - - Including: 261.10 268.35 7.25 4.20 19.16
LT-22-179 L2+50S 300 -88 306.0 305.81 126.10 283.10 157.00 86.95 8.96
- - - - - Including: 127.85 171.25 43.40 24.04 14.04
- - - - - Including: 221.40 232.90 11.50 6.37 16.87
* Revised highlights following the reanalysis of selected drill core samples.
Table 2
Highlights from the six exploration holes drilled at the Southwest MOGC target in 2022
released today
Significant intersections Graphitic
Azimuth Plunge Hole True total Core True carbon
Drill hole Grid line/ length depth From To length thickness grade
ID Station (degrees) (degrees) (m) (m) (m) (m) (m) (m) (% Cg)
LT-22-163 L12+25SW 18 -45 204.0 148.19 No significant intercepts (<5% COG over 6.0 m true thickness)
LT-22-164 L12+25SW 18 -45 153.0 108.48 No significant intercepts (<5% COG over 6.0 m true thickness)
LT-22-165 L10+50SW 360 -45 159.0 112.45 No significant intercepts (<5% COG over 6.0 m true thickness)
LT-22-166 L10+50SW 360 -45 198.0 135.39 86.80 96.80 10.00 9.11 6.08
LT-22-167 L8+75SW 10 -45 150.0 104.21 No significant intercepts (<5% COG over 6.0 m true thickness)
LT-22-168 L8+75SW 10 -45 201.0 152.50 No significant intercepts (<5% COG over 6.0 m true thickness)
Notes:
(1) True thicknesses are reported in this news release and are based on the local dip of the mineralised envelope as
calculated on 3-D model. Core descriptions, sampling information and analytical results were captured in Geotic™
core logging software, and then exported to LeapFrogtm software for three-dimensional (3-D) rendering. The 3-D
mineralisation envelope of MOCG has an azimuth of N035.5° and dips at -58.5° to the south-east. The drill holes
crosscut the envelope of the main mineralised zone's strike (80°) and dips (60o) at high angle.
(2) “Best intercepts” and “significant graphitic mineralisation” are defined as Cg grading a minimum of 5.0% over at
least 6.0 m with internal dilution set at a maximum of 7.0 m consecutive and no external dilution. “Best sub-
intercepts” are defined as Cg grading a minimum of 10.0% over 6.0 m with same limitations on dilution. The 5% cg
and 10% Cg cut-offs are used solely to delineate the extent of the mineralised envelopes corresponding to “Best
intercepts” and “Best sub-intercepts”, respectively. Economic cut-offs based on geological, metallurgical, mining, and
economic factors, parameters and considerations will be determined as part of the mineral resource estimate update
planned for the Lac Tétépisca project later through subsequent technical studies.
(3) Barren core intervals within the mineralised envelope of the MOGC that were not analysed are considered as
0.0% Cg internal dilution.
(4) Analyses were performed by Activation Laboratories of Ancaster, Ont., an ISO/IEC 17025:2005 certified facility
using combustion in induction furnace and infrared spectrometry (code 5D - C Graphitic) and are reported as
graphitic carbon (Cg) and total sulphur.
(5) QA/QC program: IOS introduced 15.4% reference samples, including certified and internal reference materials,
duplicates, and blank samples. Ten percent of the drill core samples were duplicated and analyzed by COREM for
graphitic, total, organic and inorganic carbon as well as total sulphur. The same 10% of the drill core samples were
also analysed by ACTLABS Laboratories of Ancaster, Ontario (ISO/IEC 17025:2005 with CAN-P-1579) for for trace
metals by ICP-MS after aqua-regia digestion.
2022 drill program: design, operation, and quality control
The 2022 drilling program was designed and operated by IOS Géosciences Inc. (IOS) of
Saguenay, Québec, under the supervision of Table Jamésienne de Concertation Minière
(TJCM) of Chibougamau, Québec, acting as technical adviser to the Company. Drilling was
performed by Forage G4 of Val-d'Or, Québec using a single drill rig.
Sample preparation and analysis
Starting in March 2022, drill core boxes for each hole were packaged by sequential numbers
onto pallets in the field by IOS personnel and then shipped by truck every two weeks to IOS’s
facilities in Saguenay where they are currently archived. Sampling has been conducted with a
diamond saw, with NQ-diameter core from the Southwest MOGC and West Limb targets being
halved, while all HQ-diameter core from the MOGC deposit was quartered. Sample preparation
work at IOS consisting of crushing and grinding and the insertion in the sample sequences of
QA/QC samples. A total of 1,005 pulverized splits from the currently disclosed set of drill holes
were sent to Activation Laboratories in Ancaster, Ontario (ISO/IEC 17025:2005 with CAN-P-
1579) for graphitic carbon (code 5D - C Graphitic) and total sulphur analysis (code 4F – S) using
an Electra induction furnace with infrared spectroscopy. A subset of 10% of samples was
analyzed for 35 trace element analysis using ICP-OES and ICP-MS after an aqua-regia
digestion at Activation Laboratories (Code 1E2 - Aqua Regia). This brings the total number of
core samples analyzed under the project to more than 9,800, excluding reference materials and
duplicates.
Quality Assurance / Quality Control
The analytical quality control program for the Lac Tétépisca project has been implemented by
an IOS-certified chemist and is identical to the one used for previous drill programs at Lac
Tétépisca and at the Company’s Lac Knife project. Under the QA/QC program, the current set
of analyses included 108 duplicates of the core samples, or about 10 % of the samples, which
were analyzed by COREM for graphitic carbon duplicated analyses (code LSA-M-B10), total
sulphur (code 4F – S), total carbon (code LSA-M-B45), organic carbon (code LSA-M-B58) and
inorganic carbon (code LSA-M-B11). A total of 155 reference materials (about 15.4%) were
inserted in the sample sequences, either certified or internal reference material samples (CDN-
GR1, CMRI12, Oreas-723, OREAS-724, OREAS-725, CGL-003, CGL-004, NCS-DC-60119,
NCS-DC-60120), duplicates (quarter-split core or grinding duplicates), and preparation and
analyses blanks.
Qualified Persons
The technical content disclosed in this news release was reviewed and approved by Réjean
Girard, P.Geo. (QC), President of IOS Geosciences Inc., a consultant to the Company, and a
qualified person as defined under National Instrument NI-43-101.
Mr. Marc-André Bernier, géo. (QC), P.Geo. (ON), M.Sc., Senior Geoscientist for Table
Jamésienne de Concertation Minière, a consultant to the Company and a Qualified Person as
defined under National Instrument (NI) 43 – 101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects
has reviewed and approved the non-technical content this news release.
About the Lac Tétépisca Graphite Project
Focus Graphite’s 100%-owned Lac Tétépisca Graphite Project is located in the Southwest
Manicouagan reservoir area of the Côte-Nord region of Québec, one of North America’s leading
emerging flake graphite districts. The project lies on the Nitassinan of the Pessamit Innu First
Nation, 234 km north-northwest of the city of Baie-Comeau, an industrial city located where the
Manicouagan River intersects the north shore of the St. Lawrence River. It comprises two
contiguous properties, Lac Tétépisca and Lac Tétépisca Nord. Together, the two properties
form a block of 126 map-designated claims (total area: 6,785.14 ha). Focus purchased a 100%
unencumbered interest of the mineral rights in the 67 CDC claims constituting the original Lac
Tétépisca property from a third party in August 2011. The Lac Tétépisca Nord property was
map-staked by the Company in 2012. The Lac Tétépisca Project is accessible year-round by
way of a network of secondary gravel roads that extend north from Highway 389, 10 km to the
south of the Manic 5 hydroelectric power station.
From 2014 to 2021, Focus tested the Manicouagan-Ouest Graphitic Corridor with 106 drill holes
drilled over a 1.4 km strike length (total: 16,468 metres). The drilling formed the basis of a NI 43-
101 maiden mineral resource estimate (MRE) for the Lac Tétépisca graphite project with the
MRE technical report filed on SEDAR (www.sedarplus.ca/) on April 5, 2022. The mineral
resource estimate, prepared by DRA Global Limited’s Montréal office, includes a pit-constrained
Indicated resource for the MOGC prospect at the Lac Tétépisca project of 59.3 million tonnes
(Mt) grading 10.61% Graphitic Carbon (Cg) for an estimated content of 6.3 Mt of natural flake
graphite (in-situ), and an Inferred resource of 14.9 Mt grading 11.06% Cg for an estimated
content of 1.6 Mt of natural flake graphite.
Additional maps of the Lac Tétépisca property showing the location of the MOGC graphite
deposit, along with updated drill sections, are available on the Company’s website at
www.focusgraphite.com.