Strategic Metals Reports High-Grade Copper, Cobalt and Gold Mineralization at its Batt Property, Yukon
Strategic Metals Reports High-Grade Copper, Cobalt and Gold Mineralization at its Batt
Property, Yukon
Vancouver, B.C. – November 30, 2022 – Strategic Metals Ltd. (TSX -V:SMD) is pleased to announce
results from its wholly owned Batt property, which covers volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) and
overprinting epigenetic vein and fracture hosted, copper, cobalt, gold ± silver ± zinc mineralization.
Highlights include:
• 0.71% Cu, 0.21% Co and 1.18 g/t Au over 5.7 m from a hand trench through oxidized and
deformed volcanic and intrusive rocks;
• 2.18% Co and 2.37 g/t Au over 0.5 m from an outcropping shear zone;
• 8.72% Cu, 0.24% Zn, 19.9 g/t Ag and 488 ppm Co over 1 m within strongly silicified basalt
with localized semi-massive to massive sulphides;
• 19.7% Cu and 41 g/t Ag from large, angular massive chalcopyrite boulder: and,
• 1.46% Co and 1.43 g/t Au over 0.5 m from a quartz-carbonate vein.
The Batt property is located about 68 km south of the town of Haines Junction in southwestern Yukon and
20 km west of the Haines Road (Figure 1). The property lies within the Traditional Territory of Champagne
and Aishihik First Nations, with whom Strategic has a signed Exploration Benefits Agreement.
VMS-style mineralization has been identified at several localities o n the property, hosted within a thick
package of basalt containing minor intermediate to felsic tuff and volcaniclastic rocks. Geological mapping
and prospecting within the northeastern part of the property have identified mineral showings and large
areas of chlorite, sericite and epidote altered basalt, thick jasper/magnetite exhalite horizons and massive
magnetite lenses, all of which are indicative of VMS-style mineralization (Figure 2).
At the MS zone, a 2 m thick lens of massive to semi -massive pyrite and chalcopyrite returned 1.3% Cu
and 175 ppm Co over 2 m. The lens is covered by talus along strike in both directions. About 350 m to
the southwest of the sulphide lens, a zone of highly silicified basalt containing a 0.5 m massive sulphide
layer and stringers of sulphide was chip sampled and returned 8.72% Cu, 0.24% Zn, 488 ppm Co and
19.9 g/t Ag over 1 m.
Approximately 3.8 km to the southeast of the MS zone, a quartz -sulphide breccia and stockwork zone
cutting through strongly sericite and chlorite altered basalt returned 4.01 g/t Au, 0.51% Cu and 700 ppm
Co over 2 m . This zone is interpreted as representi ng part of a plumbing system, such as those that are
typically found beneath sulphide horizons within VMS deposits.
One kilometre south-southwest of the MS zone, soil geochemical sampling has identified a 400 m by 300
m multi-element anomaly that contains values up to 0.58% Cu, 0.42% Zn and 180 ppm Co (Figures 3-5).
This is a new discovery that has not yet been mapped or prospected.
Approximately 800 m southeast of the MS zone, several large (0.4 x 0.3 x 0.5 m) angular boulders of
massive sulphide in float make up the Boulder zone, where a chalcopyrite, pyrite and quartz boulder
returned 19.7% Cu and 41 g/t Ag , and a pyrrhotite and pyrite bearing boulder returned 0.2% Cu and
0.18% Co. By following the boulders upslope, a subcrop of semi -massive chalcopyrite and pyrite in a
quartz breccia was discovered and a sample from this subcrop returned 2.2% Cu with 8.0 g/t Ag . This
area has not been systematically evaluated because of thick talus cover.
Figure 1. Location of the Batt property, southwest Yukon.
Figure 2. A) Sericite altered basalt breccia with sulphide clast (black circle). B) Jasper/magnetite, quartz
and epidote infill between pillows. C) Quartz -sulphide breccia and stockwork interpreted as a feeder to
possible overlying VMS mineralization (4.01 g/t Au, 0.51% Cu, 700 ppm Co over 2m ). D) Massive
chalcopyrite and pyrite boulder from the Boulder zone (19.7% Cu and 41 g/t Ag).
Figures 3-5. Soil geochemistry from the Batt property showing multi-element geochemical anomaly (red
circle). The Main Ridge, MS and Boulder zones are shown for reference.
At the Main Ridge zone epigenetic quartz and quartz-carbonate veins have been identified in brittle shears
and fractures developed within the volcanic sequence and younger intrusive rocks (Figure 6). These veins
host significant copper, cobalt and gold mineralization and range from 0.3 to 5 m in width. Two large
structures have been identified within the Main Ridge zone, and two mineral showings, Rosie and Saddle,
have been exposed in bedrock where the structures cross areas of outcrop and shallow talus. The Rosie
showing is characterized by quartz and quartz -carbonate veins and associated shears, developed along a
strike length of 230 m. Highlights of chip sampling along the Rosie structure includes:
• 0.44 g/t Au, 0.75% Cu and 609 ppm Co over 4.5 m;
• 1.43 g/t Au and 1.46% Co over 0.5 m;
• 3.2% Cu, and 233 ppm Co over 1.3 m;
• 0.25 g/t Au, 1.33% Cu and 145 ppm Co over 5 m; and
• 2.3 g/t Au, 0.79% Cu and 1.03% Co over 0.3 m.
A sm all shear zone in the hangingwall of the main Rosie structure was observed to host thin quartz -
carbonate veins. Sampling across this zone returned 2.37 g/t Au and 2.18% Co over 0.5 m.
Figure 6. Generalized geology of the Main Ridge zone.
The Saddle showing is located approximately 100 m northeast of the Rosie showing and is characterized
by quartz and quartz-carbonate veins developed within strongly sheared volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks
over a strike -length of at least 150 m. Deformation and veini ng seen within the main Saddle structure
ranges from 0.3 m to several meters in width. Chip sampling from a hand trench dug across the Saddle
structure averaged 1.71 g/t Au, 0.35% Cu and 1375 ppm Co over 3.3 m. Another chip sample, taken 10
m upslope from the hand trench, returned 4.45 g/t Au, 0.434% Cu and 503 ppm Co over 1 m. A quartz
vein developed within a shear located in the hanging wall of the Saddle structure, 50 m along strike of the
hand trench, returned 4.52 g/t Au, 1.39% Cu and 673 ppm Co over 0.3 m.
A hand trench dug in the area between the Rosie and the Saddle showings revealed strongly deformed and
altered gabbroic to mafic volcaniclastic rocks with thin quartz and quartz -carbonate veinlets deve loped
along foliation. Chip sampling from this trench returned 1.18 g/t Au, 0.71% Cu and 2088 ppm Co over
5.7 m.
The sampled exposures on the Main Ridge are surrounded by talus, so the extent of the mineralization is
not known at this time.
The VMS mineralization at the Batt is hosted in volcanic stratigraphy of Wrangellia and is constrained in
age to Latest Devonian to Earliest Mississippian. These are the same as the tectonic setting and age for the
VMS mineralization found at the Myra Falls deposits on Vancouver Island (Figure 5).
Work to date at Batt has concentrated on the Main Ridge zone and adjacent areas in the northeastern portion
of the property. Volcanic stratigraphy that has the potential for hosting VMS mineralization continu es to
the south where a minimal amount of work has occurred. Potential for additional epigenetic copper, cobalt
and gold discoveries exists throughout the property.
Figure 7. Tectonic and stratigraphic framework for the Batt property and Myra Falls VMS deposits on
Vancouver Island.
Analytical work was done by ALS Minerals, with sample preparation in Whitehorse, Yukon and assays and
geochemical analyses in North Vancouver, British Columbia. All rock samples were analyzed for gold by