Fireweed Announces Positive Metallurgical Test Results
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NEWS RELEASE
May 15th, 2018 TSXV: FWZ
Fireweed Announces Positive Metallurgical Test Results
Vancouver, British Columbia: FIREWEED ZINC LTD. (“Fireweed” or the “Company”) (TSXV: FWZ)
is pleased to announce positive result s from metallurgical tests conducted as part of the Preliminary
Economic Assessment (“PEA”) work underway for the Macmillan Pass Zinc Project, Yukon. Base
Metallurgical Laboratories of Kamloops, BC, performed the test work under supervision by Fireweed’s
PEA contractor, JDS Energy and Mining, Inc. (“JDS”).
Highlights
Excellent metallurgical results based on the most extensive and representative work to date.
The “global” composite zinc concentrate graded 58% Zn at 89% Zn recovery. The “global” lead
concentrate contained 61% Pb at 75% Pb recovery.
The zinc results compare favorably to a 2012 test program which resulted in concentrate
containing 58% Zn at 80% recovery.
High quality, low iron concentrate is expected to be attractive to smelters.
“The results give us confidence that the Macmillan Pass project will produce concentrates
desirable to potential traders and global sm elter customers,” commented Brandon Macdonald,
CEO. “These results confirm and improve upon past metallurgical studies and will help inform
the economics in our upcoming PEA. We expect to announce PEA results in the coming weeks.”
Table 1. Summary of Macmillan Pass Global (65% Tom + 35% Jason) Composite Metallurgical Results
Product Grade Metal Recoveries (%)
Zinc % Lead % Silver g/t Lead Zinc Silver
Feed 7.3 3.2 44 100 100 100
Lead Concentrate* 8.9 61.5 688 75 55 9
Zinc Concentrate* 58.4 2.2 88 7 89 22
*Note: Lead and Zinc are a weighted average from Lock Cycle Tests BL0236 LCT45 cycles D&E
Description of Metallurgical Test Work
This new work not only extended cove rage into previously untested de posit zones, but also included test
procedures, such as dense media separation (DMS) tests, not undertaken in prior programs.
Core were selected from eight drill holes spatially, mineralogically and grade representative of the known
deposit zones. Drill core was large, HQ size core (61. 1 mm (2.4 inch) diameter). Total sample weight was
553.5 kg (1,220 lbs), including 5% hanging-wall and footwall waste rock dilution.
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For the first phase of testing, the eight core were combined into five composite samples: two from the
Tom West zone, one from Tom East and two fro m Jason Main. This phase included mineralogy,
comminution and flotation tests.
A second set of three composites was then prepared from the five phase one composites. These three
composites represent both the major deposits, Tom (combined West and East), Jason Main, and a
“global” sample made up of a 65% Tom and 35% Jason blend, representative of the total projected project
production across both deposits. This second set of co mposite samples underwent locked cycle testing to
determine recovery and concentrate grades close to what would be expected in an operating plant.
Analyses for other elements in the concentrates, and tailing filtration tests, were also completed.
Mineralogy
Tests revealed acceptable liberation of sphale rite and galena at a primary grind of P 80 50 µm (80%
passing through a 50 micron mesh).
Comminution
Comminution test work determined the grinding energy required to liberate lead and zinc minerals prior
to flotation, and abrasion testing to determine mill and grinding media wear characteristics:
The composites tested had SAG Circuit Specific Energy (SCSE) values of 7.82 and 9.2 kWh/t.
Bond ball mill work index (BWi) tests at a siev e size of 106 µm showed the material to be
moderately soft with BWi values ranging from 8.8 to 14.0 kWh/t.
Abrasion index results averaged 0.27 g.
These low specific energy and bond work indices predict relatively low energy consumption for grinding.
Locked Cycle Testing (LCT)
LCT simulates a continuous, stable, processing plant flotation circuit. The LCT employed a conventional
flotation flowsheet at a target primary grind size of P 80 50 µm. Regrinding was included in both the lead
and zinc circuits, with grind sizes of 15 µm and 25 µm respectively. The LCT45 results for the global
blend sample had an average lead concentrate grade of 61% Pb at 75% Pb recovery, and an average zinc
concentrate grade of 58% Zn at 89% Zn recovery.
Other Elements
The iron levels are low, at about 1.5%, a feature desi red by zinc smelters. De leterious element levels
were generally low, except for mercury at 155 ppm and silica at 4% in the global zinc concentrate. Either
or both may incur modest smelter penalties. See Appendix for values of other elements in concentrates.
Conclusions
The Tom and Jason deposits reacted well to conventional flotation concentration processing. The global
material, simulating blending of feed from Tom and Jason zones, also reacted well, revealing no material
issues with blending Tom and Jason mineralization. This ability to blend material will allow flexibility in
planning mining and processing scenarios. Concentrate recoveries and grades were all excellent. Details
of these metallurgical tests will be presented in the pending PEA report.
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Future Metallurgical Plans
Additional metallurgical work is planned for 2018 to build and improve on these results. Objectives of
future work will include:
1. Build up of a full geometallurgical block model to better predict recoveries, concentrate grades
and general optimization and coordination of mining and processing operations.
2. Better understand variability in lead and silver metallurgical performance. Additional test work
will be performed to optimize and improve lead performance.
3. Further optimize the concentrates to improve their specifications.
Technical information directly related to the metallurgical work in this news release has been reviewed
and approved by Kelly McLeod, P.Eng., Senior Process Engineer for JDS Energy & Mining Inc. and a
‘Qualified Person’ as defined under Canadian National Instrument 43-101. Other technical information
(not directly related to the metallurgical work) has been reviewed and approved by Brandon Macdonald,
P.Geo, a ‘Qualified Person’ as defined under Canadian National Instrument 43-101.
Definitive Option Agreements Signed
Further to the Company’s news release dated Marc h 27, 2018 announcing the signing of letter option
agreements with Constantine Metal Resources Ltd./Carlin Gold Corporation and Golden Ridge Resources
Ltd. for large neighbouring claimblocks, Firewe ed is pleased to announ ce that definitive option
agreements have been signed and TSX Venture Exchange approval received for both options.
About Fireweed Zinc Ltd.: Fireweed Zinc is a public mineral ex ploration company focused on zinc and
managed by a veteran team of mi ning industry professionals. The Company is advancing its large 470
km2 Macmillan Pass Project in Yukon, Canada, whic h is host to the 100% owned Tom and Jason zinc-
lead-silver deposits with recently announced new Mineral Resources (see Fireweed news release dated
January 10, 2018 for details) and a pending PEA ec onomic study. The project also includes option
agreements on large blocks of adjacent claims (MAC, MC, MP, Jerry, BR and NS) which cover projected
extensions of mineralization from the Jason area a nd areas where previous exploration identified zinc,
lead and silver geochemical anomalies in critical host geology.
Additional information about Fire weed Zinc and its Macmillan Pass Project, can be found on the
Company’s website at www.FireweedZinc.com and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com .
ON BEHALF OF FIREWEED ZINC LTD.
“Brandon Macdonald”
CEO & Director
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation S ervices Provider (as that term is defined in the
policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains “forward-looking” statem ents and information relating to the Company and the
Macmillan Pass Project that are based on the beliefs of Company management, as well as assumptions made by and
information currently available to Company management. Such statements reflect the current risks, uncertainties and
assumptions related to certain factors including but not limited to, without limitations, exploration and development
risks, expenditure and financing requirements, general economic conditions, changes in financial markets, the ability
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to properly and efficiently staff th e Company’s operations, the sufficiency of working capital and funding for
continued operations, title matters, First Nations relati ons, operating hazards, political and economic factors,
competitive factors, metal prices, relationships with ve ndors and strategic partners, governmental regulations and
oversight, permitting, seasonality and weather, technol ogical change, industry practices, and one-time events.
Additional risks are set out in the Company’s prospectus dated May 9, 2017 and filed under the Company’s profile
on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Should any one or more risks or uncertainties materialize or change, or should any
underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results an d forward-looking statements may vary materially from
those described herein. The Company does not undertake to update forward ‐looking statements or forward ‐looking
information, except as required by law.
APPENDIX: SELECTED LEAD AND ZINC CONCENTRATE ELEMENT ANALYSIS RESULTS**
Element Symbol Units Analytical
Method
Global Lead
Concentrate
Global Zinc
Concentrate
Zinc Zn % AR‐AA 8.3 58.2
Lead Pb % AR‐AA 63.8 2.2
Silver Ag g/t AR‐AA 688 88
Antimony Sb ppm AR‐ICP 642 32
Arsenic As ppm AR‐ICP 152 24
Bismuth Bi ppm AR‐ICP <2 4
Carbon C % Leco 2.4 0.68
Cadmium Cd ppm AR‐ICP 488 1870
Cobalt Co ppm AR‐ICP 24 20
Chromium Cr ppm AR‐ICP 93 54
Copper Cu ppm AR‐ICP 195 712
Iron Fe % AR‐AA 1.6 1.4
Mercury Hg ppm AR‐ICP 40 155
Manganese Mn ppm AR‐ICP 69 168
Molybdenum Mo ppm AR‐ICP 21 6
Nickel Ni ppm AR‐ICP 71 36
Selenium Se ppm AR‐ICP 46 < 5
Silica SiO2 % FUS‐Na2O2 ‐ICP 2.37 3.98
Sulfur S % FUS‐Na2O2 ‐ICP 16 30.8
Vanadium V ppm AR‐ICP 58 29
**Note: Concentrates analyses from Lock Cycle Test BL0236 LCT45 cycle E