Highland provides Update of Exploration Work in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, USA
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Highland provides Update of Exploration Work
in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, USA
Longueuil, Canada, November 21, 2017. Highland Copper Company Inc. (TSX-V: HI) (the
“Company”) is pleased to provide an update on the exploration work currently underway on its
100% owned UPX Minerals Property located in the Upper Peninsula, Michigan, USA.
Highlights:
• Encouraging first field exploration season completed, with field activities continuing
into the winter months;
• Multiple new nickel-copper massive sulphide targets generated from state-of-the-art
geophysical interpretation;
• Rock and soil sampling from Ishpeming Greenstone belt returned anomalous gold
values, including from areas with no previously known gold mineralization;
• Overburden sampling program underway in area with potential for banded iron
formation gold mineralization.
In May 2017, UPX Minerals, a wholly owned subsidiary of Highland Copper, acquired from Rio
Tinto a mineral property in the central Upper Peninsula of Michigan with an area of about 1,800
square kilometers (447,000 acres) – the “UPX Property” . The UPX Property covers several
Precambrian geological domains with known potential for nickel -copper massive su lphide
deposits, gold deposits, and sediment -hosted base metal deposits. For each of these geological
domains, the exploration team has carried out a systematic compilation of historical data and is
developing exploration targets with ongoing geological ma pping, rock and soil samp ling
programs, and interpretation of 5,500 km² of high-resolution magnetic data covering the full extent
of the UPX Property.
Nickel-Copper Massive Sulphide Exploration
The potential for significant nickel-copper massive sulfide deposits on the UPX Property has been
demonstrated by discovery of the Eagle and Eagle East deposits, currently being mined by Lundin
Mining. Prior to the UPX acquisition, Rio Tinto identified and partially evaluated eight targets for
this deposit type within the UPX Property area. Sulphide-bearing ultramafic rocks were intersected
by drill holes in two of the target areas. The historical drill core is under review at the Company’s
new core facility in the city of Marquette.
In addition to the eight previou sly known targets, Highland has indepen dently generated over 20
new targets by processing the high -resolution magnetic data with state-of-the-art 3D inversions.
Follow-up fieldwork and drilling is planned in 2018.
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Ishpeming Greenstone Belt Gold Exploration
The Ishpeming greenstone belt is located in the southwestern extension of the Wawa -Abitibi
geological Subprovince, which hosts several world-class gold and base metal deposits in Ontario.
The UPX Property covering this belt extends from around Marquette t o both the west and
northwest, with a surface area of over 250 km2 (see Figure 1). Although numerous historical gold
prospects and three small mines have been discovered in the Ishpeming greenstone belt, there has
been minimal exploration during the past 30 years.
The Company has begun an evaluation program consisting of geological mapping , rock chip
sampling and a soil geochemistry survey. To date, 655 rock samples and 1,400 soil samples have
been collected. From the available assay results of 534 rock chip samples on outcropping quartz
veins and shear zones, 24 samples were returned with values greater than 1 g/t gold. This includes
one sample from a 20 cm wide quartz vein with an assay of 135 g/t gold, from an area with no
previously known gold mineralization.
Gold mineralization encountered so far is typical of the Canadian Shield, with gold being spatially
associated with felsic porphyries and/or shear zones located close to major structures that transect
the belt (see Figure 2). Higher grade gold mineralization often occurs within broader alteration
zones that include sericitization, silicification, carbonatization and sulphidation.
Very few of these mineralized zones have been evaluated through drilling or any modern
exploration methods and the Company is planning both overburden and diamond drilling programs
targeting shear-hosted mineralization this winter.
Paleoproterozoic Gold Exploration
The UPX Property includes over 210,000 acres of mineral title within the Paleoproterozoic-aged
rocks of the Marquette Range Supergroup. These rocks host the Marquette I ron Range that has
been producing iron ore for over 150 years. Although there are historical reports of gold, silver
and copper mineralization in these rocks, little modern exploration has taken place for any of these
metals.
Highland has commenced geological mapping and systematic outcrop sampling, and has carried
out a reinterpretation of the magnetic survey data that covers this region. Although the majority of
assays are still pending, five “grab” samples of waste rock from old iron mine workings and
outcrops have returned assay values between 1 and 5 g/t gold. Twenty-four glacial till samples
were recently collected from sites located down-ice from the potential host rocks , with results
expected by the end of 2017. Additional areas for overburden sampling will be defined during the
winter months, with drilling planned for the 2018 field season.
Sediment-hosted Base Metal Exploration
Previous explorers found several large glacial boulders with zinc and copper mineralization in the
southern part of the UPX Property. Glacial overburden covers much of the area and discouraged
further exploration at the time. Available public geological maps and proprietary high-resolution
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geophysical data confirm the presence of bedrock formed by sedimentary sequences of a
geological environment typical of Mount Isa type base metal deposits. Highland plans to conduct
overburden drilling up-ice from the mineralized boulders to attempt to discover their source rocks.
Outlook
Highland is very encouraged by the results of the exploration work done so far in the UPX
Property. Several base metal and gold targets have been generated and the Company is considering
multiple alternatives to fund and advance its exploration plans, including funding it internally and
through joint venture agreements . The long-term exploration goal is that mineral deposits
discovered in the area will create a pipeline of projects and provide a sustainable resource base for
the Company.
Sampling and Analysis
All sample preparation and analyses has been carried out at accredited ALS Chemex laboratories,
in either Thunder Bay, Vancouver or Reno. Gold analysis for rock samples has been carrie d out
using a 30g fire assay method with an ICP finish. Over limit samples containing greater than 10g/t
gold were re-assayed using a gravimetric finish. Gold analyses for soil samples have been carried
out using an aqua regia digest and low level ICP finish. Following Highland’s standard procedures,
a full suite of field duplicates (for soil samples), laboratory duplicates, and certified reference
materials have been analyzed with each batch of samples.
The sampling results presented above are preliminary in nature and not conclusive evidence of the
likelihood of the occurrence of a mineral deposit.
Qualified Person
The technical information in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Carlos Bertoni,
P. Geo, Vice President Exploration of Highland, and a qualified person under Canadian National
Instrument 43-101.
ABOUT HIGHLAND
Highland Copper Company Inc. is a Canadian exploration company focused on exploring and
developing copper projects in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, U.S.A. Highland is fully financed
to complete the Copperwood Project feasibility study update, which is the Company’s main
priority, and which is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2018. The Company has
459,148,153 common shares issued and outstanding. More information about the Company is
available on the Company’s website at www.highlandcopper.com and on SEDAR at
www.sedar.com.
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements (within the meaning of applicable
Canadian securities legislation) that are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties
that could cause actual results to vary materially from targeted results and objectives. Specifically,
this press release includes forward-looking statements regarding the Company’s objectives to
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complete and be able to fund, within the schedule mentioned or at all, planned e xploration
programs on the UPX P roperty and to complete the Copperwood feasibility study. These
forward-looking statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results
to differ, including, without limitation, the availability of required funds to finance all required
expenditures, the results of the various work programs and studies, receipt of all necessary permits,
and all s uch risks and uncertainties described in Highland’s management’s discussion and
analysis, press release s and other filings made by Highland from time to time with securities
regulatory authorities. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on
information available to the Company as of the date hereof, and the Company undertakes no
obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by 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.
For further information, please contact:
Mr. Denis Miville-Deschênes, President & CEO
David Charles, Manager, Investor Relations
Tel: 1.450.677.2455
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.highlandcopper.com
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