Tectonic Launches Metallurgical Test Program at Flat GOLD Project, Alaska
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TECTONIC LAUNCHES METALLURGICAL TEST PROGRAM AT FLAT GOLD
PROJECT, ALASKA
VANCOUVER, B.C., September 7 , 2022 – Tectonic Metals Inc. (TECT: TSX -V; TETOF:
OTCQB; T15B: FSE) (the "Company" or "Tectonic") today announced the initiation of a baseline
metallurgical testwork program on the Company’s Flat Gold Project (“Flat”), an intrusion-hosted,
bulk tonnage gold system located in southwestern Alaska, 40km north of the Donlin Gold Project
(“Donlin”), owned equally by Barrick Gold Corporation (GOLD,ABX) and NOVAGOLD Resources
Inc. (NG). Metallurgical samples were selected by Tectonic from historically drilled diamond core
samples with the objective of investigating the potential for f ree-milling gold mineralization at
Flat, and more specifically, within the Chicken Mountain Zone (“CMZ”).
Images detailing the metallurgical testwork and target area may be found here.
Tony Reda, Tectonic President & CEO, commented: “Metallurgical testing is one of the most
critical steps a company can take in successfully transforming an exploration-stage project into a
profitable mining opportunity. The Tectonic business model is predicated on managing risk from
day one onward and kicking off our initial work at Flat with a baseline metallurgy testwork program
definitely embodies that philosophy. At Flat, we are blessed with historical work, including soil
sampling, trenching, and drilling, that suggests the presence of a large mineralizing gold system.
With that box ticked and given our business model, it only makes sense that we de-risk Flat as
quickly as possible with metallurgical testing to add value quickly and provide a tremendous
amount of insight into the processing amenability of the Flat gold mineralization, which in return
will shape how we target and explore Flat going forward.”
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More on the Flat Metallurgical Program
The metallurgical testwork is being undertaken by Base Metallurgical Laboratories, Kamloops,
British Colombia, under the supervision of Tectonic ’s consulting Metallurgist, Mr. Jeet Basi ,
Mining and Mineral Process Engineer, who has over 15 years of technical leadership experience
in global public mining companies, including Newmont, Goldcorp and Teck Resources. Base
Metallurgical Laboratories (“Base Met Labs”) is a fully integrated mineral processing laboratory
located in Kamloops , BC. The facility incorporates metallurgical, mineralogy and analytical
capabilities. This ensures rapid turnaround times on our testwork programs. Base Me t Labs is
backed by experienced metallurgists with regards to flotation and cyanidation process
flowsheet development and interpretation of mineralogical analyses.
Tectonic’s Metallurgical Program focuses on Flat’s Chicken Mountain Zone comprised of
intrusion-related gold mineralization hosted within a zoned monzonitic intrusion, which forms
part of the more extensive Late Cretaceous Flat volcano-plutonic complex intruding Cretaceous-
aged K uskokwim sediments . Forty historic (1997 -1998), mineralized ½ core diamond drill
intervals were collected by Tectonic, representing four target composites of various intrusive
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phases, alteration assemblages and oxidation profiles from the Upper Flat and Ho ly Cross
targets at the Chicken Mountain Zone.
The objective of this metallurgical testing program is to conduct baseline level investigations to
determine the amenability of intrusion-hosted gold mineralization at Flat to conventional
cyanide extraction, flotation recovery, and gravity separation processing options. The scope of
this study consists of feed characterization of each individual sample prior to compositing,
composite head sample characterization, and metallurgical test work on eac h composite
comprising grind calibration, cyanide kinetic leaching , rougher flotation, gravity testing , and
geochemical characterization of test work products.
For each composite, process options will initially be tested at 75 µm and 150 µm target grind
sizes to investigate the effect of grind size on gold recovery.
While extensive placer gold production has been recorded from drainages sourced on Chicken
Mountain, historical metallurgical testing on intrusion-hosted gold mineralization is limited to a
single bottle roll test in 1991 conducted on diamond drill core from a monzonite dyke east of
the main Chicken Mountain mineralized body. The bottle roll test work data on th is sample
indicates that intrusion-hosted gold mineralization at Flat is amenable to direct cyanidation and
showed increasing extractions with decreasing particle size for the sample tested. The sample
tested in 1991 yielded a cumulative gold extraction of 82% for the 200 mesh particle size and
54.0% for the 6 mesh material. Unfortunately, neither the type nor style of the mineralization nor
the representativeness of the material submitted is reported and the application of this historical
met sample to the mineralization at Chicken Mountain is somewhat limiting.
About the Flat Gold Project
The Flat Gold Project is an intrusion-hosted, bulk tonnage gold project located in southwestern
Alaska, just 40km north of the giant Donlin Gold Project, which is owned equally by Barrick and
NOVAGOLD and have set a 2022 budget at Donlin of USD $60 million (see Barrick news release
dated July 28, 2022).
Flat consists of 92,160 acres of mostly Native-owned land belonging to Doyon, Limited, a
leading Alaska’s Native Regional Corporation and the largest private landholder in the State of
Alaska. Doyon and Tectonic have formed a mutually beneficial mineral lease property
agreement covering all aspects of exploration through to production, including royalties and
ESG provisions. The resulting agreement aligns the interests and expectations of both parties
involved, reduces risk, and creates a process that can advance a project from discovery through
development and production to final reclamation.
Flat represents a rare opportunity in a tier one jurisdiction:
• A large-scale, intrusion-hosted gold system with mineralization
• Documented as the 4th largest placer mining district in Alaska with over 1.4Moz of gold
produced via placer mining*
• 55 historical drill holes: mineralization begins at surface, average drill depth is only 100m
vertical, open in all directions
• In close proximity to a world-class gold deposit (Donlin)
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• +4km long, +200ppb gold-in-soil anomaly (open for expansion)
• Historical mineralized trenches, some of which remain untested
• Situated on Native Owned Land with full-scale mineral lease property agreement
covering all aspects of exploration through to production, including royalties and ESG
provisions.
To learn more about Tectonic’s latest acquisition, the Flat Gold Project, click here.
End Note : *Mineral Occurrence and Development Pote ntial Report, Locatable and Salable
Minerals, Being Sea-Western Interior Resource Management Plan, BLM-Alaska Technical Report
60, prepared by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, November
2010
Qualified Person
Tectonic’s disclosure of a technical or scientific nature in this press release has been reviewed,
verified and approved by Peter Kleespies, M.Sc., P.Geo., Tectonic’s Vice President Exploration,
who serves as a Qualified Person under the definition of National Instrument 43-101.
To learn more about Tectonic, please click here.
On behalf of Tectonic Metals Inc.,
Tony Reda
President and Chief Executive Officer
For further information about Tectonic Metals Inc. or this news release, please visit our website
at www.tectonicmetals.com or contact Tony Reda, President & CEO of Tectonic, or Bill Stormont,
Investor Relations, at toll-free 1.888.685.8558 or by email at [email protected].
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Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Certain information in this news release constitutes forward-looking information and statements under applicable securities law. Any
statements that are contained in this news release that are not statements of histori cal fact may be deemed to be forward -looking
statements. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as “may”, “should”, “anticipate”, “expect”, “intend” and
similar expressions.
Forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and is based upon a number of estimates and assumptions of
management at the date the statements are made including, among others, assumptions about future prices of gold and other metal
prices, currency exchange rates and interest rates, fa vourable operating conditions, political stability, obtaining governmental and
other approvals and financing on time, obtaining required licenses and permits, labour stability, stability in market conditi ons,
availability of equipment, accuracy of any mineral resources, successful resolution of disputes and anticipated costs and expenditures.
Many assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of Tectonic, and there is no assurance they will prove
to be correct.
Although Tectonic considers these beliefs and assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may
prove to be incorrect, and the forward-looking statements in this release are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors
that may cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking
statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks, including, without limitation: the Company’s ability to implement its business
strategies; risks associated with mineral exploration and production; risks associated with general economic conditions; adve rse
industry events; marketing and transportation costs; loss of markets; volatility of commodity prices; inability to access sufficient capital
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from internal and external sources, and/or inability to access sufficient capital on favourable terms; industry and governmen t
regulation; changes in legislation, income tax and regulatory matters; competition; currency and interest rate fluctuations; and other
risks.
Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as there can be no assurance that the plans,
intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Such information, although considered reasonable by management
at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking
statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Although Tectonic has attempted to
identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there
may be other factors that cause results not to be as a nticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such
information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such
statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Tectonic does not undertake to
update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
[Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor it's Regulation Service Provider (as that term i s defined in the policies of the TSX
Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.]