Pacific Empire Provides Corporate and Exploration Update
Pacific Empire Provides Corporate and Exploration Update
September 6, 2023 - Vancouver, BC, Canada - Pacific Empire Minerals Corp. (TSXV: PEMC) (“Pacific Empire”,
“PEMC” or the “Company”), a British Columbia copper explorer, is pleased to provide a corporate and exploration
update on its Trident and Pinnacle projects.
Over the past decade Pacific Empire has operated under the “Prospect Generator” business model , where the
Company would acquire projects through staking or through option agreements. The Company would then seek to
attract partners to advance the projects, primarily in the form of diamond drilling . The acquisition of the Trident
Copper-Gold Porphyry P roject marks a significant turning point for the Company and an opportunity to focus
entirely on advancing one highly prospective project toward discovery, while partner-funded exploration continues
at the Company’s Pinnacle Copper-Gold Porphyry Project.
“Acquiring the Trident property is a game changer for the company,” commented Brad Peters, President, and CEO
and Director of Pacific Empire. “This is a property that I had been watching very closely over the past seven years.
Pacific Empire had originall y optioned the then named Col property in 2013 and during 2014 the property was
advanced with partner-funded exploration by Oz Minerals who completed a large IP survey in addition to two
diamond drill holes. In 2015 Oz Minerals dropped the option agreement and returned the project to PEMC but due
to the significant cash payments and exploration expenditures required by Pacific Empire to keep the underlying
option agreement in good standing we were forced to return the property back to the owner.
Over the past seven years I remained in contact with the owner of the property and when it became apparent in
April of 2022 that the claims were potentially going to expire, we came to an agreement where in return for a 2%
NSR on the property Paci fic Empire would acquire a 100% interest in the p roperty. The only problem remaining
was that the claims were still going to expire if there was not a significant amount of work completed immediately
or by filing cash -in-lieu to maintain the claims in good standing with the government. Due to previous pa rtner-
funded exploration on Pacific Empire’s projects over the past seven years we were in the fortunate position of
having a substantial balance in our PAC account and we were able to take advantage of a one-time opportunity to
use our PAC credits to advance the property with the government until 2027. As a result, Pacific Empire now has
a 100% interest in a very prospective gold-enriched copper project with no underlying obligations to property
owners and no government required exploration expenditures for another four years.
The most significant advancement on the property occurred during 2014 when it was recognized that mineralization
encountered in diamond drilling at the A Zone during 2007 and the early 1970’s was not related to a fracture or
shear zone but was directly related to the emplacement of small porphyry intrusions. This observation ha s
significant implications for future exploration programs and is often overlooked when evaluating copper porphyry
prospects. As our Senior Geological Advisor , Paul Johnston put it, “Although it should seem obvious , one of the
most important criteria in evaluating a porphyry prospect is the actual presence of a mineralized porphyry”.
Most importantly, the intrusions dip to the northeast, implying that the source of the mineralized porphyry intrusions
is to the northeast of historical drilling at the A Zone , in an area where there has been no diamond drilling. In
addition, high grade mineralization at the Slide Zone, located approximately 700 metres to the northeast of the A
Zone, appears to be related to the emplacement of a hydrothermal breccia, a common feature related to copper
porphyry systems.
Several prospective target areas have been identified to the northeast of the A Zone and the next step for Pacific
Empire is to complete an airborne Mobile Magneto Tellurics survey over this area. The ability of a Magneto Telluric
survey to outline resistive/cond uctive bodies at a depth up to 1 kilometre will assist greatly in focusing future
diamond drilling.”
Location of Trident & Pinnacle Copper-Gold Porphyry Projects
Forest Fires
The ongoing forest fires in British Columbia have had an impact on our planned exploration activities at the Trident
project. Firstly, we want to extend our thoughts to the communities affected by these fires and extend our gratitude
to the firefighters and emergency personnel working to control the situation.
Safety is our top priority at PEMC. As such, we suspended our exploration activities at the Trident project during
July and August to ensure the safety of our employees and contractors. We have been monitoring the situation to
assess when it will be safe to resume our o perations. Precipitation over the past two weeks appears to have been
successful in subduing fire activity in the area and we anticipate it will be safe to conduct exploration activities
shortly.
The fire that affected the Trident property was the Klawli Lake Fire (Fire No. G50872). The fire was first reported
on June 24, 2023 and reached an extent of 15,943.6 hectares, covering portions of both the Trident and Pinnacle
properties.
Location of Trident & Pinnacle Projects in Relation to 2023 Forest Fires
About the Trident Property
Located approximately 50 km to the southeast of Northwest Copper’s Kwanika Deposit and 50 km to the northwest
of Centerra Gold’s Mt. Milligan Mine, the Trident property covers 6,618 hectares and is accessible by vehicle using
well established logging roads.
Copper mineralization on the property was first discovered by Colin Campbell in 1969, while following up on
anomalous stream sediment samples. The following year Falconbridge Ltd. optioned the property and over the next
two years completed IP and magnetic surveys, geological mapping, soil sampling and diamond drilling. This work
identified the A Zone.
Additional exploration programs were completed by Kookaburra Gold Corp. from 1988 through 1991, Solomon
Resources Ltd. From 2006 through 2008 and PEMC/Oz Minerals Ltd. From 2014 to 2015. All of these programs
completed diamond drilling, geophysical surveys and geochemical sampling.
Mineralization on the property is most significant in three areas, 1) the A Zone, 2) the Slide Zone and 3) Campbell
Trench. Further information and details including updated maps can be found on the Company’s website at
www.pemcorp.ca and in the Corporate Presentation.
The A Zone
At the A Zone, copper-gold mineralization occurs along a strike length of approximately 300 metres at an azimuth
of 120o and where best developed it is approximately 30 meters wide over a length of approximately 175 metres.
This zone was tested by a number of small diameter drill holes by Falconbridge Ltd. in 1971 with the best
intersections assaying 0.84% Cu over 45.7 meters and 0.70% Cu over 51.8 metres (DDH-1971-13 and DDH-1971-
20, respectively). In 2007, Solomon Resources Ltd. followed up with diamond d rilling at the A Zone and
demonstrated that mineralization extended at depth.
Until 2014, mineralization at the A Zone was believed to be associated with a fracture or shear zone, however while
reviewing drill core from the A Zone in 2014, PEMC observed t he presence of very well mineralized porphyry
intrusions that are most likely responsible for the copper-gold mineralization due to their intimate relationship with
quartz-sulphide veining and mineralization.
Trident Property Mineralized Zones
Selected Highlights from Historical Drilling at Col (A Zone)
Year Hole ID Interval (m) Copper % Gold g/t
1971 DDH-1971-9 33.6 0.85 not assayed
1971 DDH-1971-13 45.7 0.84 not assayed
1971 DDH-1971-21 51.8 0.7 not assayed
2007 DDH 2007-1 42 0.67 0.14
incl. 10 1.18 0.34
2007 DDH 2007-2 100 0.59 0.18
incl. 2 0.8 1.05
incl. 2 2.73 0.36
2007 DDH 2007-3 32 0.61 0.317
incl. 2 1.22 1.02
2007 DDH 2007-4 46 0.60 0.28
“It is the shorter intervals that are of particular interest to me as they represent the potential for high-grade copper-
gold mineralization,” commented Brad Peters, President, and CEO of Pacific Empire. “The key now is to identify
where these mineralized porphyry fingers are emanating from, and we believe an airborne Magneto Telluric survey
will be of great value in identifying the much larger, potential source of such mineralization.”
Porphyry intrusion in DDH-2007-2 @ 77m associated with sheeted quartz-sulphide veining
The Slide Zone
One of the more intriguing examples of mineralization on the property can be found at the Slide Zone. Located
approximately 1 km to the northeast of the A Zone, the Slide Zone occurs within Chuchi Lake Succession volcanic
rocks and is characterized by a large area of boulders derived from a steeply dipping fault scarp. Select grab samples
from the area in 2007 returned the following values:
• 17,700 ppm Cu, 948 ppb Au, 16.4 ppm Ag; Sample 96568
• 5,535 ppm Cu, 429 ppb Au; Sample 96571
• 3,739 ppm Cu, 302 ppb Au; Sample 96570
In this area, mineralization styles vary considerably but are characteristic of hydrothermal breccia. This is evidenced
by the presence of mineralized monzonite clasts within the surrounding volcanic rocks in addition to strong epidote-
quartz alteration of the mineralized clasts.
In porphyry deposits, breccias generally occur as steep, pipe -like bodies and are typically formed at the top of, or
immediately adjacent to an intrusion, hosting high -grade ore bodies. Breccia-hosted deposits, such as the Galore
Creek porphyry copper-gold deposit and the Mount Polley porphyry copper-gold-silver deposit are such examples.
Campbell Trench Zone
Located approximately 1 km to the northwest and 200 m higher in elevation, PEMC believes the Campbell Trench
Zone may be representative of a higher level within the porphyry-epithermal spectrum. This area is characterized
by the presence of large quartz veins associated with copper -gold mineralization. Visible gold was observed in
outcrop at this location in 2007.
Visible gold at Campbell Trench from 2007
Pinnacle Property Update
Exploration activities at Pinnacle were also affected by for est fire activity during 2023, however as the situation
improves, we expect partner-funded exploration to continue in 2023.
On June 27, 2023, Teako Minerals Corp. (“Teako”) announced that it had received its drill and road use permits for
exploration at Pinnacle. In addition, Teako announced their intention to perform a 3D IP survey at Pinnacle over
the Aplite Ridge target area. Additional intended work for 2023 also includes soil sampling, geological mapping
and rock sampling to further expand upon work completed in 2021 and 2022. The proposed IP program is designed
to conduct up to 50.4 line-kilometers of survey work which is primarily targeting the Aplite Ridge and immediately
adjacent target areas.
Details of the Drill and Road Use Permits are as follows:
• Diamond drilling, roads and trails permit (June 23, 2023, to June 22, 2028); and
• Road use permit approval (June 6, 2023, to December 31, 2023).
Details of the Option Agreement between Pacific Empire and Teako
Teako may earn a 70% interest in Pinnacle by completing $3,000,000 in exploration expenditures on the project,
paying PEMC an aggregate of $460,000 in cash payments ($ 110,000 paid) and issuing 3,800,000 common shares
(800,000 issued) to PEMC by August 2026. Fol lowing the exercise of the Option, PEMC will retain a 30% free -
carried interest in the Project until the date that Teako publishes a NI 43 -101 compliant Pre -Feasibility Study
("PFS") on the Project. Following completion of the PFS, PEMC and Teako will form a joint venture with Teako
holding a 70% initial interest and PEMC holding a 30% initial interest.
2022 and 2021 Exploration Completed by Teako
Exploration work in 2022 was centered on and around the Aplite Creek Occurrence and comprised extensions of
the 2021 soil grid to the east, expanded UAV drone based magnetic coverage westerly and east from the previous
survey while mapping and rock sampling within the original grid area. It consisted of collecting 427 soil samples
of standard “B” horizon material analyzed by conventional digestion and analytical techniques. A total of 14 grab
rock samples were collected from bedrock exposures.
Results were highly elevated for copper and gold, consistent with the 2021 and historical compiled data. Gold values
returned a high value of 1,830 ppb (10% of samples >20 ppb) and copper values with a high value of 605 ppm (4%
of samples >100 ppm). A total of 14 rock samples were collected and returned low values, except for four samples
collected from bedrock exposures at the Aplite Creek Occurrence where sample results were elevated for copper
and gold (table 1). The area sampled comprises a large, eleva ted rise in topography that lacks outcrop and is
interpreted to be a large till sheet at least several metres thick.
A total of 427 soil samples were collected and returned 42 samples yielding assay values greater than 20 ppb gold
and 17 samples greater than 100 ppm copper in an area void of outcrop and with interpreted modest till cover. Rock
grab samples collected from the Aplite Creek occurrence returned several anomalous sample results. A highlight
was one grab sample that returned 1.4% Cu and 1.7 g/t Au.
Exploration carried out by Teako in 2021 was centered on the Aplite Creek prospect and included collection of 173
soil samples of standard B-horizon and 85 samples collected for mobile metal ion sampling (MMI) analysis. Gold
values from soil sampling in 2021 returned a high value of 1,460 parts per billion (ppb) (24 percent of samples over
20 ppb) and copper values with a high value of 8,010 ppm (26 percent of samples over 100 ppm and 5 per cent over
1,000 ppm). This 2021 sampling, combined with previous soil sampling, induced polarization surveys and the
current magnetic survey, identified a northwesterly trending area of elevated copper and gold soil geochemistry
coincident with magnetic highs and high chargeability over an area of four (4) km by 1.2 km.
The Pinnacle Project is located within the Quesnel Terrane which is characterized by Late Triassic to Early Jurassic
volcanic and sedimentary rocks that have been intruded by various intrusive phases related to the Late Triassic to
Early Jurassic Hogem Intrusive Suite. The property was first explored in the early 1970's following the identification
of anomalous stream sediment samples from reconnaissance prospecting within the central portion of the property
at the Aplite Creek Zone where chalcopyrite and s econdary malachite occur in a calcite -quartz breccia zone that
can be traced for approximately 30 m, and which is approximately 7m in width. Initial geochemical surveys, limited
diamond drilling, and geophysical surveys were completed and confirmed the pre sence of copper and gold
mineralization at Aplite Creek. Highlights of the historical work at Aplite Creek include a diamond drillhole drilled
by BP Resources in 1990 that reported 6m @ 6.4 g/t gold. Since 2014 the property has seen extensive exploration
to the south of the Aplite Creek area including diamond and percussion drilling, induced polarization (“IP”) surveys
and airborne magnetic/EM surveys that have identified several broad areas that exhibit widespread porphyry style
alteration in areas of exte nsive cover. At the Elbow Zone, five of the six diamond drill holes returned anomalous
gold, highlighted by 94 metres grading 0.34 g/t gold in DD15ELB001. At the Sooner Zone, diamond drilling in
2015 encountered broad intervals of anomalous low-level copper associated with sericite-biotite alteration.
“I am very happy that Teako continues to advance the Pinnacle project ,” commented Brad Peters, President and
CEO of Pacific Empire. “Recent logging activities on the Pinnacle project have dramatically improved access to
the Aplite Ridge target area in addition to prospective areas to the north and east. The group at Teako is very
experienced and capable with a wealth of knowledge in porphyry deposits in British Columbia. They have been
able to bring new ideas and insights that add significant value to the project.”
Qualified Person
Kristian Whitehead, P.Geo., serves as a qualified person as defined by NI 43-101 and has reviewed the scientific
and technical information in this news release, approving the disclosure herein.
About Pacific Empire
Pacific Empire is a copper exploration company based in Vancouver, British Columbia and trades on the TSX
Venture Exchange under the symbol PEMC. The Company’s strong portfolio of gold-enriched copper projects in
British Columbia, is the culmination of perseverance through one of the longest bear markets in the resource
industry.
British Columbia is a “Green” copper jurisdiction with abundant hydroelectric power, access and infrastructure in
close proximity to the end market.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD,
“Brad Peters”
President and Chief Executive Officer
Pacific Empire Minerals Corp.
Tel: +1-604-356-6246
www.pemcorp.ca
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.