Trilogy Metals Initiates Work to Establish Cobalt Resource Estimate for the Bornite Project in Alaska, USA
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News Release
Trilogy Metals Initiates Work to Establish Cobalt Resource Estimate
for the Bornite Project in Alaska, USA
May 3, 2018 - Vancouver, British Columbia – Trilogy Metals Inc. (TSX/NYSE
American: TMQ) (“Trilogy Metals” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that work has
been initiated to estimate a cobalt resource for the Bornite Project. Preliminary results from
our on-going geometallurgical studies demonstrate our understa nding of cobalt mineralogy
and distribution to the point that warrants initiating a cobalt resource estimate, which, when
established, would be in addition to the coppe r resource for the Bornite deposit. The work
has been focused on examining metallurgical products from both the in-pit resource area and
the higher-grade below-pit copper resource area at Bornite along with classic petrographic
and microprobe work.
Highlights of the geometallurgical study are as follows:
Initial metallurgical and geometallurgical work on in-pit and below-pit samples
concluded that cobalt is found primarily within three mineral species: cobaltiferous
pyrite, cobaltite, and carrollite.
A majority (+80%) of the cobalt is found in pyrite which preferentially reports to the
copper tails. Further test work will be forthcoming on producing a cobaltiferous pyrite
concentrate.
At a 100ppm cutoff, cobalt assays range from 0.01% to 0.04% Co and includes
intervals such as: 18.44m of 0.35% Co (RC-34), 36.85m of 0.1% Co (RC11-0187),
and 6.79m of 0.42% Co (RC11-0184).
Geometallurgical and metallurgical studies are ongoing to better understand
mineralogic distribution and metallurgical response.
Rick Van Nieuwenhuyse, President and CEO of Trilogy Metals commented, “It has become
imperative that the United States secure its own sources of critical minerals. We have known
that cobalt occurs with copper mineralization at Bornite for some time. With the completion
of our metallurgical work related to copper, we decided to put forth further effort to
understand how the cobalt was distributed. No w that we have established from our initial
test work that ~80% to 90% of the cobalt reports to the copper tails as cobaltiferous pyrite,
we will complete flotation test work to concentrate cobalt into a pyrite-rich flotation product
that can be considered for further upgrading and recovery of cobalt metal at the Bornite site.”
Mr. Van Nieuwenhuyse continued, “With the market interest in finding significant cobalt
sources outside of the Congo – where child labor and worker exploitation have been
highlighted by Amnesty International and others as problematic for the Auto and Electric
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Battery Industries, defining a large, North American cobalt resource has become a priority for
the Company. With cobalt currently trading over $40 per pound, we believe the cobalt
potential at Bornite could be significant and is worth pursuing. We look forward to reporting
a maiden cobalt resource next quarter now that our QAQC work has been completed.”
Cobalt was recently identified by the United States of America as 1 of 35 critical mineral
commodities. On February 16, 2018, U.S. Depa rtment of the Interior issued a notice
presenting a draft list of 35 mineral commodities deemed critical pursuant to Executive Order
13817 issued on December 20, 2017, “A Federa l Strategy To Ensure Secure and Reliable
Supplies of Critical Minerals”. See the notice, which contains the draft list of critical mineral
commodities on the Federal Register at the following link:
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/02/16/2018-03219/draft-list-of-critical-
minerals).
A “critical mineral” as defined by the Executive Order is a mineral identified to be (i) a non-
fuel mineral or mineral material essential to the economic and national security of the United
States, (ii) the supply chain of which is vulnerable to disruption, and (iii) that serves an
essential function in the manufacturing of a product, the absence of which would have
significant consequences for the U.S. economy or national security.
The notice states: “These commodi ties merit considerations in furthering the policy of the
Federal Government to reduce the Nation's vulnerability for the security and prosperity of the
United States”. The critical minerals list was developed with input and information from the
U.S. Geological Survey (“USGS”), the Department of Defense and other U.S. Government
agencies. Trilogy Metals is also entering into a Technical Assistance Agreement with the USGS
to research the distribution of critical elements in the carbonate-hosted Bornite copper
deposit, particularly Germanium (Ge), Rhenium (Re), Gallium(Ga), and Cobalt (Co), which
enables the USGS to assess the potential for the United States’ critical mineral resources.
The draft list of critical minerals specifically identifies cobalt as a critical metal because of its
use in rechargeable batteries such as in electr ic vehicles and to hard en steel in jet engines
and other high-tech applications. Based on th e U.S. Department of the Interior’s and the
USGS’s publication titled “Mineral Commodity Summaries 2018”, the Democratic Republic of
the Congo continues to be the world’s leading source of mined cobalt, with 58% of cobalt
production in 2017 coming from the Congo – an unreliable source because of significant
political unrest. China was the world’s leading consumer of cobalt, with nearly 80% of its
consumption being used by the rechargeable ba ttery industry. The report continues that
“Growth in world refined cobalt supply was forecast to increase at a lower rate than that of
world cobalt consumption, which was driven ma inly by strong growth in the rechargeable
battery and aerospace industries”.
Bornite Project
As previously announced by the Company on April 19, 2016, a NI 43-101 compliant resource
estimate was filed for the Bornite deposit. † At a base case 0.5% copper cutoff grade, the
Bornite Project is estimated to contain in-pit Indicated Resources of 40.5 million tonnes at
1.02% Cu and Inferred Resources of 84.1 millio n tonnes at 0.95% copper. At a base case
1.5% copper cutoff grade, the Bornite Projec t is estimated to contain below-pit Inferred
Resources of 57.8 million tonnes at 2.89% coppe r. Preliminary work shows that although
† See “Amended and Restated NI43-101 Technical Report on the Bornite Project, Northwest Alaska,
USA” with an effective date of April 19, 2016 and a release date of October 12, 2017 available on the
Company’s website and under the Company’s profile on www.sedar.com.
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cobalt is broadly associated with copper minera lization, cobalt does not have a one-to-one
correlation. It mostly occurs as a cloud of cobaltiferous pyrite in and around the copper
mineralization.
Cobalt composites using a 100ppm cut-off grad e include 6.79m of 0.42 % Co in drill hole
RC11-0184 and 18.44m of 0.35% Co in drill hole RC-34 within the in-pit resource area (see
Table 1). Cobalt composites from the below pit resource area include 36.85m of 0.1% Co
from drill hole RC11-0185 and 21.23m of 0.23% Co from drill hole RC12-0198 (see Table 2).
We will continue to work on understanding the controls of the higher grade cobalt zones.
Figure 1 highlights the locations of these cobalt intercepts. A ll of the ranges of potential
quantity and grade contained in this news release are conceptual in nature. There has been
insufficient exploration to define a mineral resour ce and it is uncertain if further exploration
will result in the target being delineated as a mineral resource.
Table 1: Co Intercepts Within Pit
Drill hole From (m) To (m) Length (m) Co% Cu%
RC11-0184 327.43 334.22 6.79 0.42 28.98
RC-34 292 310.44 18.44 0.35 26.81
RC11-0185 182.88 191.84 8.96 0.09 3.32
RC13-0219 442.5 468.48 25.98 0.06 1.82
RC11-0182 212.01 230.9 18.89 0.19 3.433
Table 2: Co Intercepts Below Pit
Drill hole From (m) To (m) Length (m) Co% Cu%
RC11-0187 458.79 495.64 36.85 0.10 12.07
RC12-0198 631.65 652.88 21.23 0.23 3.86
RC12-0200 572.46 595.57 23.11 0.21 2.67
RC13-0213 347.45 349.27 1.82 0.38 3.36
RC13-0237 321.02 374.86 53.84 0.03 1.69
RC13-0224 653.03 721.94 68.91 0.02 2.15
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Figure 1: Significant Bornite Cobalt Intercepts
QAQC Program
The drill program and sampling protocol is managed by qualified persons employed by Trilogy
Metals. The diamond drill holes are typically collared at HQ diameter drill core and reduced to
NQ diameter during the drilli ng process. Samples are collec ted using a 0.2-meter minimum
length and a 2.5-meter maximum length. Three quality control samples (one blank, one
standard and one duplicate) are inserted into each batch of 20 samples. The drill core is sawn,
with half sent to ALS Minerals in Fairbanks for sample preparation and the sample pulps
forwarded to ALS's North Vancouver facility for analysis. ALS Minerals, North Vancouver, B.C.
Canada facility is certified as ISO 9001:2008 and accredited to ISO / IEC 17025:2005 from
the Standards Council of Canada. A third party has completed a QAQC review on all historic
(where data was present) and recent cobalt analytical work. The analytical method for cobalt
quantification is multi-element ICP with mass spectroscopy. The QAQC review shows overall
very strong precision and accuracy for coba lt results for the 2011 to 2017 Bornite assay
results.
The cobalt mineral resource estimate is be ing prepared by Bruce M. Davis, FAusIMM, BD
Resource Consulting, Inc., and Robert Sim, P.Geo., SIM Geological Inc. who are both
independent Qualified Persons as set forth by National Instrument 43-101.
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Qualified Person
Andrew W. West, Certified Professional Geologist, Exploration Manager for Trilogy Metals Inc.,
is a Qualified Person as define d by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. West has reviewed and
verified the technical information in this news release and approves the disclosure contained
herein.
About Trilogy Metals
Trilogy Metals Inc. is a metals exploration company focused on exploring and developing the
Ambler mining district located in northwestern Alaska. It is one of the richest and most-
prospective known copper-domina nt districts located in one of the safest geopolitical
jurisdictions in the world. It hosts world-class polymetallic VMS deposits that contain copper,
zinc, lead, gold and silver, and carbonate repl acement deposits which have been found to
host high grade copper mineralization. Exploration efforts have been focused on two deposits
in the Ambler mining district - the Arctic VMS deposit and the Bornite carbonate replacement
deposit. Both deposits are located within the Company's land package that spans
approximately 143,000 hectares. The Company has an agreement with NANA Regional
Corporation, Inc., a Regional Alaska Native Corporation that provides a framework for the
exploration and potential development of the Ambler mining district in cooperation with local
communities. Our vision is to develop the Am bler mining district into a premier North
American copper producer.
Company Contacts
Rick Van Nieuwenhuyse Elaine Sanders
President & Chief Executive Officer Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
604-638-8088 or 1-855-638-8088
# # #
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes certain "forward-looking inform ation” and "forward-looking
statements” (collectively "forward-looking stat ements”) within the meaning of applicable
Canadian and United States securities legislation including the United States Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than stat ements of historical fact,
included herein, including, without limitation, the future price of copper and cobalt, the
estimation of mineral reserves and mineral resources, the realization of mineral reserve and
mineral resource estimates, the market for cobalt, the timing and amount of estimated future
production, costs of production, capital expenditures, costs and timing of the development of
projects, the results or prospects of testing an d studies, the identification of cobalt as a
critical mineral commodity, completion of test work and other research relating to the
distribution of critical elements in the carbonate-hosted Bornite copper deposit, world refined
cobalt supply and consumption, the potential future development of Bornite, the exploration
and potential development of the Ambler mining district in cooperation with local communities
and the development of the Amble mining dist rict into a premier North American copper
producer, are forward-looking statements. Forw ard-looking statements are frequently, but
not always, identified by words such as "expects”, "anticipates”, "believes”, "intends”,
"estimates”, "potential”, "possible”, and simi lar expressions, or st atements that events,
conditions, or results "will”, "may”, "could”, or "should” occur or be achieved. These forward-
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looking statements may includ e statements regarding perceived merit of properties;
exploration plans an d budgets; mineral reserves and re source estimates; work programs;
capital expenditures; timelines; strategic plans; market prices for precious and base metals;
or other statements that are not statements of fact. Forwar d-looking statements involve
various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to
be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated
in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from
the Company's expectations in clude the uncertainties involv ing success of exploration,
development and mining activities, permitting timelines, requirements for additional capital,
government regulation of mining operations, environmental risks, unanticipated reclamation
expenses; mineral reserve and resource estimates and the assumptions upon which they are
based; assumptions and discount rates bein g appropriately applied to the PFS; our
assumptions with respect to the likelihood and timing of the AMDIAP; capital estimates; prices
for energy inputs, labour, materials, supplies an d services the interpretation of drill results,
the need for additional financing to explore and develop properties and availability of financing
in the debt and capital markets; uncertainties involved in the interpretation of drilling results
and geological tests and the estimation of rese rves and resources; the need for cooperation
of government agencies and native groups in the development and operation of properties as
well as the construction of the access road; the need to obtain permits and governmental
approvals; risks of construction and mining projects such as accidents, equipment
breakdowns, bad weather, non-compliance wi th environmental and permit requirements,
unanticipated variation in geological structures, metal grades or recovery rates; unexpected
cost increases, which could include significan t increases in estimated capital and operating
costs; fluctuations in metal prices and cu rrency exchange rates; and other risks and
uncertainties disclosed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
November 30, 2017 filed with Canadian securities regulatory authorities and with the United
States Securities and Exchange Commission and in other Company reports and documents
filed with applicable securities regulatory authorities from time to time. The Company's
forward-looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections on the date the
statements are made. The Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking
statements or beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as
required by law.
Cautionary Note to United States Investors
This press release has been prepared in accord ance with the requirements of the securities
laws in effect in Canada, which differ from th e requirements of U.S. securities laws. Unless
otherwise indicated, all resource and reserv e estimates included in this press release have
b e e n p r e p a r e d i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h C a n a d i a n N a t i o n a l I n s t r u m e n t 4 3 - 1 0 1 S t a n d a r d s o f
Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”) and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy
and Petroleum (CIM)—CIM Defini tion Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves,
adopted by the CIM Council, as amended (“CIM De finition Standards”). NI 43-101 is a rule
developed by the Canadian Securities Administrators which establishes standards for all public
disclosure an issuer makes of scientific and technical information concerning mineral projects.
Canadian standards, including NI 43-101, differ significantly from th e requirements of the
United States Securities an d Exchange Commission (SEC), and resource and reserve
information contained herein may not be comparable to similar information disclosed by U.S.
companies. In particular, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the term
"resource” does not equate to the term "reserves”. Under U.S. standards, mineralization may
not be classified as a "reserve” unless th e determination has been made that the
mineralization could be economically and legally produced or extracted at the time the reserve
determination is made. The SEC's disclosure stan dards normally do not permit the inclusion
of information concerning "measured mineral re sources”, "indicated mineral resources” or
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"inferred mineral resources” or other descriptions of the amount of mineralization in mineral
deposits that do not constitute "reserves” by U.S. standards in documents filed with the SEC.
Investors are cautioned not to assume that a ll or any part of “measured” or “indicated
resources” will ever be converted into “reser ves”. Investors should also understand that
"inferred mineral resources” have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and
great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. Under Canadian rules, estimated
"inferred mineral resources” may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies
except in rare cases. Disclosure of "contained ounces” in a resource is permitted disclosure
under Canadian regulations; however, the S EC normally only permits issuers to report
mineralization that does not constitute "reserves” by SEC standards as in-place tonnage and
grade without reference to unit measures. The requirements of NI 43-101 for identification of
"reserves” are also not the same as those of the SEC, and reserves reported by Trilogy Metals
in compliance with NI 43-101 may not qualify as "reserves” under SEC standards. Arctic does
not have known reserves, as defined under SEC Industry Guide 7. Accordingly, information
concerning mineral deposits set forth herein may not be comp arable with information made
public by companies that report in accordance with U.S. standards.