Taranis Finds Six ‘High-Tech’ By-Product Metals at Thor
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Taranis Resources Inc.
681 Conifer Lane
Estes Park, Colorado
80517
www.taranisresources.com
Taranis Finds Six ‘High-Tech’ By-Product Metals at Thor
Estes Park, Colorado, June 6, 2019 – Taranis Resources Inc. (“Taranis” or the “Company ”)
[TSX.V: TRO] is providing additional information pertaining to the 10,000 tonne bulk-sampling
program at Thor . To date, attention has been focused on the extraction of the main minerals of
interest ( containing Ag, Au, Pb, Zn & Cu) . The C ompany has identif ied six other
elements/metals susceptible to the gravity pre-concentration process and which have potential to
add value to the existing Ag, Au, Pb, Zn, Cu Resource at Thor documented by Roscoe Postle
Associates (“RPA”) in 2013.
Of these six elements/metals, only one has been routinely analyzed during exploration drilling –
antimony. Rubidium, indium, scandium, cesium and strontium require special analytical
procedures and detection limits that are outside the scope of normal exploration work for
precious/base metal deposits . As such, Taranis is p lanning to assess the concentration and
disposition of these additional valuable elements during processing of the 10,000 tonne bulk
sample. The bulk sample is designed to be broadly representative of the main Thor deposit.
Recognition of the content of these metals is important to draft detailed and favo urable smelter
contracts for concentrate products.
Critical and Strategic ‘By-Product’ Commodities
Polymetallic deposits such as Thor can contain significant by-product and trace metals. These
can often be recovered along with the m inerals of primary focus . Recovery and sale of the
elements listed may be possible during downstream processing of the bulk/zinc concentrates
produced.
Supply of materials for high -tech industries has become an important issue, and the criticality of
these products is discussed by the Secretary of Interior in the United States (Executive Order
13817, February 16th, 2018) . The U nited States is a major consumer of these metals and is
heavily reliant on imports of certain mineral commodities vital to the Nation's security and
economic prosperity. This dependency of the United States, Canada and other nations on imports
creates a strategic vulnerability for their economies and militaries to adverse foreign government
action, natural disaster and other events that can disrupt supply of these key minerals.
A total of thirty -five mineral commodities are deemed critical under the definition provided in
the Executive Order. Commodities found at Thor are in bold : Aluminum (bauxite), antimony,
arsenic, barite, beryllium, bismuth, cesium, chromium, cobalt, fluorspar, gallium, germanium,
graphite (natural), hafnium, helium, indium, lithium, magnesium, manganese, niobium, platinum
group metals, potash, the rare earth elements group, rhenium, rubidium, scandium, strontium,
tantalum, tellurium, tin, titanium, tungsten, uranium, vanadium, and zirconium.
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Gravity Concentration of Stockpile Material and Potential Implications for Commercial
Production of By-Product Metals
The 10,000 t onne bulk sample is designed to test the effectiveness and applicability of on -site
gravity pre-concentration to process minerals. This method offers the following advantages:
1) Reduction in volume of material to be transporte d to distant hydrometallurgical facilities
for final upgrading.
2) Elimination of waste rock typically encountered during mining (‘grade control’).
3) Eliminating excess processing infrastructure on site.
4) Reducing the use of water onsite by reusing ~95% of process water.
5) Eliminating the need for any reagents or chemicals onsite.
In order to assess the gravity pre -concentration method, Taranis has conducted Heavy Liquid
Separation (“HLS”) metallurgical testing (Met-Solve(1)) of stockpile d minerals. This method
separates material based on specific gravity. Taranis is currently permitting a plant that will
separate crushed stockpiled material and produce two products onsite. The high specific gravity
product is known as pre-concentrate and contains most of the metals of economic interest , the
remaining portion (over 2/3) is “coarse rejects” and stored onsite. In testing, o ver 94% recovery
of valuable minerals/elements(1) was achieved with minimal crushing (¾” size ) and HLS
processing.
HLS(1) testing indicates that valuable trace elements are upgraded by producing a pre -
concentrate at Thor, and will be present in higher concentrations , typically 3-4X the head grade.
Indium shows less pronounced upgrading in the gravity pre-concentrate.
It is foreseeable that the se trace elements will be further upgraded during hydrometallurgical
processing and could add greater depth to the value of the concentrates sold to smelter . This
requires processing the 10,000 tonne bulk sample to gain more insight. The following discussion
outlines what is currently known of these metals.
Scandium (Sc)
Scandium was analyzed during the ALS -Metallurgy testing in 2014, and this showed a head
grade in the stockpiles of 1.9 ppm Sc. Sc was also found in the zinc concentrate (2.0 ppm). It is
unknown how much Sc reported to the bulk concentrate.
Sc was also measured in the Met Solve HLS testing that utilized a sample from the True Fissure
open pit. This showed similar levels of Sc content, and the HLS -upgraded pre -concentrate
showed a four -fold concentration of Sc. This indicates that Sc is prefer entially found in sulfide
minerals of high specific gravity.
Content Scandium Content (ppm)
True Fissure Stockpile head grade 1.7
HLS Upgrade Concentrate 5.0
Sc is not currently mined in the United States and is produced exclusively as a by-product during
processing of various ores or recovered from previously processed tailings or residues (Sc2O3).
The principal source for Sc metal and Sc compounds into the United States was imports from
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China. The principal uses for Sc in 2018 were in aluminu m aero space alloys and solid oxide
hydrogen fuel cells. Other uses for Sc include ceramics, electronics, lasers and lighting.
Antimony (Sb)
High levels of Sb at Thor are associated with silver-bearing tetrahedrite. Tetrahedrite forms up to
0.29 weight percent of the ALS(3) composite sulfide sample and was preferentially concentrated
in the bulk flotation concentrate.
Flotation Concentrate Product Antimony Content (%)
Bulk Concentrate 0.55
Zinc Concentrate 0.07
Sb content was analyzed by Met -Solve(1) during HLS testing and demonstrated that Sb is
moderately concentrated during gravity processing.
Content Antimony Content (ppm)
True Fissure Stockpile head grade 236.3
HLS Upgrade Concentrate 568.6
In 2018, no marketable antimony was mined in the United States. Sources of the m etal for the
United States include: China, 58%; India, 17%; Vietnam, 6%; United Kingdom, 5%; and other s,
14%. Antimony is used in batteries, semiconductors, alloys and other applications.
Rubidium (Rb)
Rubidium was analyzed during the ALS -Metallurgy(3) testing in 2014, and this showed a head
grade of 27 ppm Rb. Rb is an alkali metal that melts at 39.3 oC. Material for this was sourced
from 36 composite drill core samples drilled by Taranis located in t he Great Northern, True
Fissure and Blue Bell Zones. Rb was also analyzed in the zinc concentrate (1), showing a
concentration of 28.5 ppm. It is unknown how much R b was present in the bulk flotation
concentrate product.
Rb was measured in the Met Solve (1) HLS testing that utilized a sample from the True Fissure
Open Pit. This showed similar levels of Rb content, and the HLS upgraded pre -concentrate
product showed a four-fold concentration of Rb. This indicates that Rb is preferentially found in
sulphides.
Content Rubidium Content (ppm)
True Fissure Stockpile 24
HLS Upgrade Concentrate 94
Rb’s applications include fiber optics, specialty glass, bio -medical applications , quantum
computing, atomic clocks, space propulsion and night vision optics.
Strontium (Sr)
Strontium was analyzed during the ALS test-work(1), and this showed a head grade of 69.5 ppm.
Sr was also measured in the zinc concentrate a t 79.9 ppm showing minimal upgrading . It is
unknown how much strontium reported to the bulk concentrate.
Strontium was also measured in the Met -Solve(3) HLS testing that utilized a sample from the
True Fissure Open Pit. This showed similar levels of S r content, and the HLS upgraded pre -
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concentrate showed a three-fold concentration of Sr. This suggests that Sr will be enriched in the
pre-concentrate.
Content Strontium Content (ppm)
True Fissure Stockpile head grade 7.3
HLS Upgrade Concentrate 20.4
Although deposits of strontium minerals occur widely throughout the United States, none have
been mined since 1959. Domestic production of Sr-carbonate, the principal Sr compound, ceased
in 2006.
Indium (In)
Indium seems to be very zoned in the deposit, with the southern portion of the deposit almost
devoid of In, and th e northern portion enriched. In was analyzed during the ALS -Metallurgy(3)
testing in 2014, and showed a head grade of 6.2 ppm In . M aterial was sourced from 36
composite drill core samples drilled by Taranis located in t he Great Northern, True Fissure and
Blue Bell Zones. This material is representative of the northern half of the Thor deposit.
In content was also analyzed by Met -Solve Laboratories in 2017 (1) using HLS, and the results
appear in the table below.
Content Indium Content (ppm)
True Fissure Stockpile head grade 2.36
HLS Upgrade Concentrate 3.46
Taranis undertook a limited sampling program for indium on some 2018 drill holes on the
southern end of the Great Northern Zone (2). The highest levels of In (2.24 ppm) suggest that In is
associated with sphalerite (15.01% Zn) and galena (3.95% Pb), and In is preferentially found
associated with massive sulfide portions of the deposit in the northern part of Great Northern,
True Fissure and Blue Bell zones.
Cesium (Cs)
Cesium was analyzed during the ALS-Metallurgy(1) testing, and this showed a head grade of 0.85
ppm Cs. Cesium was also measured in the zinc concentrate and this showed 0.72 ppm Cs. It is
unknown how much reported to the bulk concentrate.
Cs was also measured in the Met -Solve(3) HLS testing that utilized a sample from the True
Fissure Open Pit. This showed similar levels of Cs content, and the HLS upgraded pre -
concentrate(2) showed a three -fold concentration of Cs. Cs will be enriched in the pre -
concentrate.
Content Cesium Content (ppm)
True Fissure Stockpile head grade 0.61
HLS Upgrade Concentrate 1.92
Cs is used in research, space propulsion, photoemission, centrifugation , production of drilling
fluids and many other applications.
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Disclaimer
The Company cautions that there are no 43-101 compliant Resource/Reserve estimates of
rubidium, indium, scandium, antimony, cesium or strontium at Thor. RPA did complete a 43-101
compliant Resource estimate on the project in 2013 that focused on silver, gold, l ead, zinc and
copper. The recovery of the trace elements is uncertain at this stage , and i n certain cases, the
presence of these metals c ould incur penalties at the smelter. Determination of the recovery and
value of these metals/elements requires further testing and evaluation . Taranis expects to gain
better understanding of these elements during processing of the 10,000 tonne bulk sample.
About Taranis Resources Inc.
Taranis is an exploration company focused on the development of its 100%-owned Thor project
in southeast British Columbia . The Company has a cl ear strategy that involves the ongoing
growth of the mineral Resource at Thor, and commercial mining of the deposit . For additional
information on Taranis or its Thor project, please visit our website at www.taranisresources.com.
Taranis currently has 66,056,042 shares issued and outstanding ( 77,289,708 shares on a fully -
diluted basis).
Analytical Labs & Qualified Person
(1) Met-Solve Laboratories Inc., 2017, MS1807 – Taranis Resources Inc., HLS Report
(2) MS Analytical Laboratories Inc.
(3) ALS-Metallurgy Kamloops – Metallurgical Assessment of the Thor Project (KM-4127)
Activities at Thor were overseen by John Gardiner (P.Geol.) who is a Qualified Person under the
meaning of Canadian N ational Instrument 43 -101 and has supervised the preparation and
approved the scientific and technical disclosure in this News Release.
TARANIS RESOURCES INC.
Per: John J. Gardiner (P. Geol.),
President and CEO
For further information contact:
John J. Gardiner
681 Conifer Lane
Estes Park, Colorado
80517
Phone: (303) 716-5922
Cell: (720) 209-3049
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