Fireweed Zinc Announces New Targets & 2019 Exploration Plans
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NEWS RELEASE
May 21, 2019 TSXV: FWZ
Fireweed Zinc Announces New Targets & 2019 Exploration Plans
Vancouver, British Columbia: FIREWEED ZINC LTD. (“Fireweed” or the “Company”) (TSXV: FWZ)
is pleased to announce plans for its 2019 exploration program on the Macmillan Pass Zinc Project in
Yukon, Canada. The Company anticipates that the drilling campaign will start in June and will include
both greenfield targets and step-out drill targets.
Highlights
• 2019 plans for at least 2000 m core drilling and 1000 m of RC drilling
• Drilling of prospective greenfield targets to test for new deposits on the 544 km 2 property, with
emphasis on the Fertile Corridor
• Drilling of step -out drill targets with strong upside potential at Tom North , Tom East, Jason
North and End Zone
• Continued field exploration including geophysical, geochemical and geological mapping surveys
CEO Statement
Fireweed CEO Brandon Macdonald stated “I am very excited about our 2019 exploration plans as we
continue to build the Macmillan Pass Project through both expansion of one of the largest undeveloped
zinc resources in the world and exploration for new discoveries on our under -explored district -scale
property.
“Our 2018 work program generated many exceptional greenfield targets. New prospective geophysical
and geochemical anomalies have been outlined along part of the Fertile Corridor, a trend already known
to host large mineralized systems including the Tom and Jason deposits, as well as the End Zone and
Boundary Zone . We believe there is strong potential for discovery of another large zinc deposit in the
district and have designed our 2019 exploration program using state-of-the-art technologies successfully
tested in 2018 to locate it while at the same time carrying out step -out drilling to expand the large known
resources.”
2019 Drill Program
A number of compelling drill targets have been generated based on Fireweed’s 2017 and 2018
exploration results and re-interpretation of historic data. The 2019 drill program will test the highest
priority targets: those where exploration success is deemed most likely to result in either the greenfield
discovery of a new zinc- lead-silver deposit, or in the expansion of known zones that could have a
significant impact on project economics. To test as many targets as possible at the lowest cost, Fireweed
will employ a n innovative small reverse circulation (RC) drill with a minimal environmental impact to
rapidly test targets with a series of short holes recovering samples from overburden and short bedrock
intervals. RC samples will be analysed in the field for zinc, lead, silver and other elements with a portable
XRF analyser allowing for immediate follow up of results . The RC drill results will then be used to rank
targets for testing with the larger conventional core drill. The core drill will also be employed for step-out
holes on known zones of mineralization. The targets planned for drill testing in 2019 are described below.
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2019 Greenfield Drill Targets
The 2019 greenfield targets have potential for significant new discoveries (Map 1). These are new targets
generated by Fireweed over the past two years. Most are in areas where bedrock is concealed by
overburden and have never been drilled. Many of the targets are located along the F ertile Corridor, a belt
of critical host geology that straddles a major synsedimentary structure, the Hess Fault Zone, and i s
deemed highly prospective for shale -hosted zinc-lead-silver mineralization. Four large zinc systems are
located within the Fertile Corridor, including the Tom and Jason deposits.
Priority targets are described below. Other greenfield targets identified on the property will be further
evaluated in the field this summer with the objective of developing additional drill targets.
Target A and Target B
These newly defined , strong coincident gravity-magnetic high anomalies west of End Zone are located
within the Fertile Corridor (Map 2). The anomaly at Target B is also marked by conventional B/C horizon
lead-in-soil anomalies1. RC drilling is initially planned to test these anomalies.
Target G
A 2.5 kilometer long lead-in-soil anomaly1 (the David Anomaly) has been outlined in the northern part of
the property (see Map 1) through compilation of historic data and field investigations by Fireweed crews
in 2018. Th e area is deemed highly prospective, as it is located adjacent to a major fault structure, the
MacMillan Fault, and hosts abundant bedded barite showings which can act as a trap for zinc -lead-silver
bearing fluids.
In 2018, in the eastern part of the David Anomaly at Target G, Fireweed crews discovered coarse zinc -
lead-silver mineralization hosted in barite. A grab sample from loose surface rocks assayed 14.39% lead,
4.42% zinc and 312 g/t silver.
Plans for 2019 include a surface mapping and sampling progr am over the length of the large anomaly
followed by drilling of the most prospective sections.
Target K
A moderate SGH2 soil anomaly (Map 3) was detected west of End Zone on the Fertile Corridor trend. RC
drilling is initially planned to test this anomaly.
Target R
Coincident strong gravity -magnetic highs and a moderate SGH2 soil anomaly (Maps 2,3) were detected
north of the Tom deposits near the access road. An initial core drill hole is planned to test this anomaly.
Target S
A large, strong gravity anomaly has been detected south of the Jason deposits (Map 2). This anomaly was
partially defined in 2018 and will be fully outlined early in the 2019 field season with additional gravity
surveying to better target 2019 drill holes.
2019 Step-Out Drill Targets
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Interpretation of drill data from 2017 and 2018, in addition to the re-interpretation of historic data, has led
to the generation of new targets that represent either potential extensions to known, high-grade zones, or
highlight potential new zones that may occur near surface in the vicinity of the Tom and Jason deposits.
Tom North Drill Target
Interpretation of historic drilling and trenching results immediately north of the Tom West deposit has led
to the delineation of a new step-out drill target with large upside potential: Tom North. Six shallow holes
drilled at Tom North in 1951-52 plus one additional hole in 1978 returned assays up to 5.05% zinc and
1.80% lead over 19.9 m (see other drill results on Map 4 )3. Firew eed drilling elsewhere at Tom
demonstrated that many early historic drill results under-reported grades due to poor core recoveries (see
examples in 2017 and 2018 Fireweed drilling news releases). Mapping and 2018 exploration data suggest
that Tom North may be an extension of Tom West separated by a fault.
The Tom North target has been traced in sparse historic drill holes and trenches over a strike length of
600 m and only to shallow depths of about 50 m. Fireweed plans to drill the continuation of Tom North to
depth to test its potential for mineralization amenable to open -pit mining and to test for thicker
mineralization that is similar to the adjacent Tom West Zone1.
Tom East Expansion Target
Tom East is one of the highest grade zones on the property. In 2018, drilling extended the zone to depth
with the deepest hole intersecting 16.4 m grading 21.14% zinc, 13.55% lead and 243 g/t silver (Figure 5;
see Fireweed news release dated September 20, 2018 for details ). The zone remains open for expansion
with plans to continue testing its depth extension by core drilling in 2019.
Jason North Target
Jason North is a new untested drill target located immediately north of the Jason Main Deposit . It was
defined through re -interpretation of historic data , and confirmed by soil sampling in 2018. The Jason
Main and Jason South Zones are interpreted to be the same zone connected by a syncline fold at depth
(Figure 6). A second zone with high grade historic dri ll intersections, Lower Jason South, occurs 20-30 m
below the Jason South Zone and may similarly project around the syncline fold to a location north of
Jason Main (Jason North). The Jason North area is marked by a strong lead-in-soil anomaly1, a strong
basal overburden historic RC drill lead -in-soil anomaly, and a strong, double -peaked geophysical
electromagnetic conductor consistent with a steeply -dipping conductive mineralized body. Despite its
location close to the Jason Main Deposit, Jason North has never been drilled.
Boundary Zone and End Zone Targets
Fireweed is currently evaluating data from two other large known zones of mineralization at End Zone
and Boundary Zone (Map 1). These zones contain significant zinc-lead-silver mineralization that has been
drilled but not yet classified as mineral resources. Pending the results of these studies, Fireweed may drill
additional holes to evaluate and test extensions of these zones.
2019 Field Exploration Plans
Test gravity surveys in 2018 showed prominent anomalies over the Tom and Jason deposits, and
demonstrated that properly controlled and corrected ground gravity surveys are an effective tool to detect
zinc mineralization on the property. These successful tests were fol lowed by expanded gravity surveys
which detected several prominent new gravity anomaly targets that will be drill tested for mineralization
in 2019 as described above. Geophysical p lans for 2019 include extending gravity surveying west along
the Fertile Co rridor, completion of the gravity grid in the Target S area south of Jason and additional
gravity surveying in the Tom deposits area. An airborne LiDAR topographic survey of the entire property
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will be completed in 2019 to improve corrections applied to gr avity data for exploration and new target
definition as well as aid engineering and environmental studies.
Continued soil geochemical surveys are planned for select areas of the property and extensive geological
mapping will be carried out this summer to advance Fireweed’s understanding of the geological controls
on mineralization and further delineate highly prospective areas.
Technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Gilles Dessureau, P.Geo,
Vice President, Exploration and a ‘Qualified Person’ as defined under Canadian National Instrument
43-101.
Amendment to Golden Ridge Option Agreement
The Company has signed an amendment to the option agreement with Golden Ridge for the NS and BR
claims at Macmillan Pass. The amendment reduces the cash payment and increases the number of shares
for the option payment due in May 2019. The number of shares issued change s from 75,000 to 121,875,
while the cash payment to Golden Ridge i s reduced from $75,000 to $37,500. In al l other respects, the
option agreement remains unchanged. This amendment is subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval.
About Fireweed Zinc Ltd. (TSXV : FWZ): Fireweed Zinc is a public mineral exploration company
focused on zinc and managed by a veteran team of mining industry professionals. The Company is
advancing its district-scale 544 km2 Macmillan Pass Project in Yukon, Canada, which is host to the 100%
owned Tom and Jason zinc -lead-silver deposits with current Mineral Resources and a PEA economic
study (see Fireweed news releases dated January 10, 2018, and May 23, 2018, respectively, and reports
filed on www.sedar.com for details) as well as the Boundary Zone and End Zone which have significant
zinc-lead-silver mineralization drilled but not yet classified as mineral resources. The project also
includes option agreements on large blocks of adjacent claims (MAC, MC, MP, Jerry, BR and NS) which
cover exploration targets in the district where previous and recent work identified zinc, lead and silver
prospects, and geophysical and geochemical anomalies in prospective host geology.
Additional information about Fireweed Zinc and its Macmillan Pass Zinc Project can be found on the
Company’s website at www.FireweedZinc.com and at www.sedar.com.
ON BEHALF OF FIREWEED ZINC LTD.
“Brandon Macdonald”
CEO & Director
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.
Cautionary Statements
This news release may contain “forward -looking” statements 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 limitati ons, exploration and development
risks, expenditure and financing requirements, general economic conditions, changes in financial markets, the ability
to properly and efficiently staff the Company’s operations, the sufficiency of working capital and fundin g for
continued operations, title matters, First Nations relations, operating hazards, political and economic factors,
competitive factors, metal prices, relationships with vendors and strategic partners, governmental regulations and
oversight, permitting, seasonality and weather, technological change, industry practices, and one -time events.
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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 and forward -looking statements may vary materially from
those described herein. The Company does not under take to update forward ‐looking statements or forward‐ looking
information, except as required by law.
Notes on Sampling and Analyses
The 2018 geochemical sampling programs were carried out using industry best practices. Conventional B - and C-
horizon soil s amples were collected on 200 m by 50 m grid lines. Samples were collected with a shovel, placed in
kraft paper bags and dried in camp. Samples were sent to the Bureau Veritas preparation laboratory in Whitehorse,
Yukon where the samples were further dried and sieved to recover the - 230 mesh (sub 63 micron) fraction pulp for
analysis. Pulps were then shipped to the Bureau Veritas laboratory in Vancouver for modified aqua regia digestion
(1:1:1 HNO 3:HCl:H2O) followed by 37 element Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (“ICP -MS”)
analyses which included zinc, lead and silver results. Bureau Veritas (Vancouver) is an independent, international
ISO/IEC 17025:2005 accredited laboratory.
SGH (spatiotemporal geochemical hydrocarbon) soil sampling is a new geochemical technology used at Macmillan
Pass in 2018 for the first time. SGH soil samples were collected on 200 m by 50 m grid lines mainly along the
Fertile Corridor. Samples were collected with a shov el, placed in plastic ziplock bags and stored in camp. Samples
were sent to Activation Laboratories (“Actlabs”) in Ancaster, Ontario, where they were processed using Actlabs
proprietary SGH technology and interpreted for “SEDEX” type massive sulphide deposits to generate SEDEX Score
values. Actlabs states that the designated hydrocarbons detected are from the decomposition of bacteria that use the
target mineralization as a food source and provide forensic identification of the mineralization at depth. Actl abs
(Ancaster) is an independent, international ISO/IEC 17025:2005 accredited laboratory.
Rock samples were collected in the course of 2017 and 2018 field work as needed. Samples are sent to the Bureau
Veritas (formerly Acme Labs) preparation laboratory in Whitehorse, Yukon where the samples were crushed and
pulverized to 85% passing 200 mesh size pulps. A 250 -gram split of each pulp wa s then sent to the Bureau Veritas
laboratory in Vancouver, B.C. and analyzed by 1:1:1 Aqua Regia digestion followed by Inductively Coupled Plasma
Mass Spectrometry (ICP -ES/ICP-MS) multi-element analyses (BV Code AQ270). All samples were also analyzed
by lithium borate fusion and X- ray fluorescence analysis (XRF) finish (BV Code LF725). Over -limit Pb (>25.0%)
and Zn (>24.0%) were analyzed by lithium borate fusion with XRF finish (BV Code LF726). Bureau Veritas
(Vancouver) is an independent, international ISO/IEC 17025:2005 accredited laboratory.
A rigorous Quality Assurance \Quality Control program was implemented for the soil and rock sampling programs.
Field duplicates and certified reference materials were inserted in the sample stream at the rate of 1 in 20 samples.
Internal laboratory duplic ates were analyzed to ensure that precision fell within acceptable levels for exploration
data.
Footnotes:
1. Exploration using soil geochemistry in the Macmillan Pass area focuses more on lead-in-soil anomalies
rather than zinc-in-soil anomalies because zinc is more mobile in the surface soils and as such its
occurrence is widespread and not necessarily indicative of nearby mineralization, whereas lead is less
mobile and is more typically detected in elevated amounts closer to bedrock mineralization
2. Spatiotemporal geochemical hydrocarbon (SGH) soil sampling is a new geochemical method described in
the Note on Sampling and Analysis section above. SGH SEDEX score values re-interpreted by Fireweed
are shown on Map 3.
3. Historic drill results for Tom North reported in this news release are taken from historic reports prepared by
previous operators and are not NI43-101 compliant and should not be relied upon. Neither the Company or
the Qualified Person has done sufficient work to verify these results but is including them for information
purposes to explain the basis for the exploration target and plans for additional drilling.
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MAP 1: MACMILLAN PASS MINERALIZATION AND TARGETS
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MAP 2: MACMILLAN PASS PROPERTY GRAVITY ANOMALIES MAP
Multiple new drill targets defined in overburden covered areas
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MAP 3: MACMILLAN PASS PROPERTY SGH2 SOIL RESULTS
New drill targets defined with deep geochemistry