VR Resources confirms enriched magnet-REE apatite with new metallurgical results from Hecla-Kilmer, and signs MOU with Novamera. NR-23-24
VR RESOURCES LTD.
1500 – 409 Granville St.
Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6C1T2
Tel: 778-731-9292; [email protected]
TSX.V: vrr www.vrr.ca
VR Resources confirms enriched magnet-REE apatite with new metallurgical
results from Hecla-Kilmer, and signs MOU with Novamera.
NR-23-24
December 13, 2023 , Vancouver, B.C.: VR Resources Ltd. (TSX.V: VRR, FSE: 5VR; OTCQB: VRRCF), the
"Company", or “VR”, is pleased to report results from ongoing metallurgical work for rare earth element
mineralization (REE) at the company’s Hecla-Kilmer (“H-K”) project in northern Ontario.
New chemical data from laser ablation ICP-MS on the Hole 13 bulk sample confirms that the phosphate
mineral apatite is uniquely enriched in REE. The apatite plays a dual role in REE mineralization: its crystal
structure is uniquely enriched in REE, and; it has small inclusions of the phosphate mineral monazite
with ~60 wght% TREO and parasite/synchysite fluorocarbonate minerals with ~30 wght% TREO.
Apatite contains around 80% of all REE mineralization at H-K, with an average concentration of
7.3% TREO;
Permanent magnet REEs (PMREO) are up to 25% of TREO in the apatite, and are enriched in
neodymium compared to the finer grained REE-bearing minerals monazite and parisite;
Over 75% of remaining REE mineralization occurs as small inclusions of monazite and parasite
within apatite vein crystals and in apatite-fenite wallrock alteration;
Carbonatites are a source of pure, clean magmatic phosphate used in electric vehicle batteries,
and the apatite in the 461 m intersection in Hole 13 averages 37% P2O5, starting at surface.
Electron microprobe images of apatite with monazite inclusions are shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2.
Drill core photos are in Figure 3. They show the apatite-biotite-magnetite mineralogy found at high-
grade TREO zones across Hecla-Kilmer, from Pike Zone to the South Rim located some 2.5km away.
Figure 4. Potassic phoscorite mineralization at Pike Zone is concentrated in steeply dipping
veins in Hole 13, within a broad alteration envelope containing +0.5% TREO and 2% phosphate;
Figure 5. Mineralization at South Rim shows the same correlation between TREOs and apatite
as it does in Hole 13 at Pike Zone, and it can be traced along a controlling east-west structure.
From VR’s CEO, Dr. Michael Gunning, “REE mineralogy is crucial towards the economic viability of any
REE deposit. The strongest recoveries are generally achieved from simple phosphate mineralogies, as
opposed to complex mineralogy amongst silicate or refractory minerals, augmented further by coarse-
grained minerals compared to fine grained, and Hecla-Kilmer is clearly heading down both pathways. As
such, we intend to advance the Phase I mineralogy work now complete at SGS to Phase II beneficiation
studies in Q1 2024 in order to evaluate apatite - fluorocarbonate mineral separation and concentration.
The new data reported here clarify the importance of apatite for the REE hydrothermal system at H-K:
First, at 7.3% TREO, the apatite is uniquely enriched in REEs overall compared to other
carbonatite deposits, and especially in neodymium which is used in electric vehicle motors;
Second, with 25% Magnet REO, the REE mineralization at H-K is uniquely enriched compared to
most carbonatite deposits, and especially in the heavy rare earths (HREE), which like neodymium
are essential in permanent magnets, yet there is no domestic HREE production in North America;
Third, the apatite is both coarse grained and crystalographically pure compared to apatite in
sedimentary-hosted phosphate deposits;
VR RESOURCES LTD.
1500 – 409 Granville St.
Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6C1T2
Tel: 778-731-9292; [email protected]
TSX.V: vrr www.vrr.ca
Finally, it is the sheer volume and abundance of the phosphate mineral within the overall
hydrothermal system at H-K that should not be overlooked, as the phosphate itself adds value to
the polymetallic mineralization given its increasing role in battery technology variants for EV’s.
We consider these new chemical data from the laser ablation ICP-MS robust because they are consistent
with the preliminary results we received from an array of state-of-the-art technologies utilized from the
very beginning of our exploration in 2020, including whole-core XRF scanning by GeologicAI, QEMSCAN
and TIMA mineralogy by SGS, lithium-borate fusion ICP-MS geochemistry for trace REE detection by ALS,
and scanning electron microprobe analyses of individual mineral grains by RGS Inc. in London, Ontario.
Further, and perhaps even more important, the new REE mineral chemistry data are consistent across
2.5 km of the polyphaser igneous complex at H-K, from South Rim to Pike Zone.
Based on these results, we are excited to embark on a partnership with Novamera Inc. to explore the
potential of their innovative, surgical mining technologies on the large-footprint REE+P+Nd hydrothermal
system which comes to bedrock surface at H-K. We believe this collaboration could help unlock the
unusual PMREO value in the REE veins at Hecla-Kilmer, and contribute positively to minimizing the
environmental impact of the project in the lower James Bay region. In ongoing collaboration with SGS,
and potentially with the SRC in Saskatchewan for REE extraction, we look forward to the journey with
Novamera to evaluate if H-K can contribute to the growing demands of the energy transition economy.
Finally. I wish to convey my sincere appreciation to the Ontario MNDM for the recognition and support of
our Hecla-Kilmer project through the OJEP critical metals exploration program. The grants awarded to
Hecla-Kilmer continue to make a material difference to our ability to advance this discovery.
Bulk Sample
REE critical metals were discovered at Hecla-Kilmer in the very first reconnaissance drill program in
2020, with 24 holes completed to-date across the multiphase alkaline igneous complex. Drill hole
locations and key REE intersections are summarized in Figure 6.
Crushed drill core assay rejects from the 461 metre intersection of continuous REE mineralization in Hole
013 were submitted to the SGS Lakefield laboratory in Ontario in May as a bulk sample for a mineralogical,
beneficiation and metallurgical study. SGS is a recognized world leader in mineralogical and metallurgical
studies on REE mineral systems. The intersection used for the bulk sample includes:
361 m @ 0.96 % TREO(1) of which 20% are PMREO(2) and 2% P2O5 and including:
o 39 m @ 2.01 % TREO with 22% as PMREO.
The new chemical data on apatite are from TESCAN Integrated Mineral Analyzer (TIMA) analyses. Eight
initial representative samples spanning the 361 metres of REE mineralization were crushed, sorted and
analyzed with TIMA for elemental and mineral mapping of grains ahead of beneficiation studies.
Technical Information
Summary technical and geological information for the Company’s various exploration properties is
available at the Company’s website at www.vrr.ca.
VR submits sawn drill core samples for geochemical assay to the ALS Global Ltd. (“ALS”) laboratory
facilities in Timmins or Thunder Bay , Ontario, with final geochemical analytical work done at the ALS
VR RESOURCES LTD.
1500 – 409 Granville St.
Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6C1T2
Tel: 778-731-9292; [email protected]
TSX.V: vrr www.vrr.ca
laboratory located in North Vancouver, BC., including lithium borate fusion, ICP-MS and ICP-AES analyses
for base metals, trace elements and full-suite REE analysis, and gold determination by atomic absorption
on fire assay. Analytical results are subject to industry -standard and NI 43 -101 compliant QAQC s ample
procedures, including the systematic insertion of sample duplicates , blanks and certified reference
material (CRM) done both externally on the project site by the Company and internally at the laboratory
by ALS, as described by ALS.
Technical information for this news release has been prepared in accordance with the Canadian regulatory
requirements set out in National Instrument 43 -101. Justin Daley, P.Geo., VP Exploration and a non -
independent Qualified Person oversees all aspects of the Company’s mineral exploration projects, and the
content of this news release has been reviewed on behalf of the Company by the CEO, Dr. Michael
Gunning, P.Geo., a non-independent Qualified Person.
About the Hecla-Kilmer Property
The Hecla-Kilmer complex is located 23 km northwest of the Ontario hydro-electric facility at Otter Rapids,
the Ontario Northland Railway, and the northern terminus of Highway 634 which links the region to the
towns of Cochrane and Kapuskasing to the south, itself located on the northern Trans-Canada Highway.
The H-K property is large. It consists of 224 mineral claims in one contiguous block approximately 6 x 7
km in size and covering 4,617 hectares. The property is owned 100% by VR. There are no underlying,
annual lease payments on the property, nor are there any joint venture or back-in interests. Hecla-Kilmer
is located on provincial crown land, with mineral rights administered by the Ontario Ministry of Northern
Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry (“MNDM”). There are no annual payments, but the
MNDM requires certain annual exploration expenditures and reporting. The property falls within the
traditional territories of the Moose Cree and Taykwa Tagamou First Nations.
About VR Resources
VR is an established junior exploration company based in Vancouver (TSX.V: VRR; Frankfurt: 5VR; OTCQB:
VRRCF). VR evaluates, explores and advances opportunities in copper, gold and critical metals in Nevada,
USA, and Ontario, Canada, and most recently, a kimberlite breccia pipe discovery in northern Ontario. VR
applies modern exploration technologies and leverages in-house experience and expertise in greenfields
exploration to large-footprint mineral systems in underexplored areas/districts. The foundation of VR is
the proven track record of its Board in early-stage exploration, discovery and M&A. The Company is well-
financed for its mineral exploration and corporate obligations. VR owns its properties outright and
evaluates new opportunities on an ongoing basis, whether by staking or acquisition.
About Novamera
Novamera is a surgical mining technology company that has developed data -driven hardware and
software solutions that pinpoint, map, navigate and extract high value narrow vein deposits. Novamera’s
precision drilling products integrate with conventional drilling equipment to enable mining companies to
quickly and sustainably mine various metal and mineral deposits that are otherwise uneconomic due to
size, geometry, and orientation. The process has large scale environmental and social impacts to support
ESG targets and improve social licence. Requiring a small footprint with no blasting, and with immediate
environmental rehabilitation as drilling pro gresses, the process balances operational efficiency with
environmental care, with 95% less waste, 44% less GHG emissions and 99% less water discharge.
VR RESOURCES LTD.
1500 – 409 Granville St.
Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6C1T2
Tel: 778-731-9292; [email protected]
TSX.V: vrr www.vrr.ca
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
“Michael H. Gunning”
____________________________
Dr. Michael H. Gunning, PhD, PGeo
President & CEO
For general information please use the following:
Website: www.vrr.ca
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 778-731-9292
Forward Looking Statements
This news release contains statements that constitute "forward -looking statements". Such forward looking
statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company’s actual
results, performance or achievements, or developments in the industry to differ materially from the anticipated
results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward -looking statements. Forward -looking
statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generall y, but not always, identified by the words
"expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential" and similar expressions,
or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could" or "should" occur. Forward-looking statements in this
document include statements concerning VR’s expectations concerning the Hecla-Kilmer property and all other
statements that are not statements of historical fact.
Although the Company believes the forward -looking information contained in this news release is reasonable based
on information available on the date hereof, by their nature forward-looking statements involve assumptions, known
and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, per formance or
achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements
expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
Examples of such assumptions, risks and uncertainties include, with out limitation, assumptions, risks and
uncertainties associated with general economic conditions; the Covid -19 pandemic; adverse industry events; future
legislative and regulatory developments in the mining sector; the Company ’s ability to access sufficient capital from
internal and external sources, and/or inability to access sufficient capital on favorable terms; mining industry and
markets in Canada and generally; the ability of the Company to implement its business strategies; competition; and
other assumptions, risks and uncertainties.
The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of the Company as of
the date of this news release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. Readers should not pl ace undue
importance on forward -looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. While
the company may elect to, it does not undertake to update this information at any particular time except as required
in accordance with applicable laws.
This news release may also contain statements and/or information with respect to mineral properties and/or deposits
which are adjacent to and/or potentially similar to the Company’s mineral properties, but which the Company has
no inte rest in nor rights to explore. Readers are cautioned that mineral deposits on similar properties are not
necessarily indicative of mineral deposits on the Company’s properties.
Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative. All of the Company’s public
disclosure filings may be accessed via www.sedarplus.ca and readers are urged to review them.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in Policies of the TSX Venture
Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
VR RESOURCES LTD.
1500 – 409 Granville St.
Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6C1T2
Tel: 778-731-9292; [email protected]
TSX.V: vrr www.vrr.ca
Figure 1. Upper: Backscatter electron microprobe images of crushed and mounted mineral grains from hole 13
bulk sample. Grains are predominantly of apatite with Laser Ablation ICP-MS site annotated in red. Varying shades
of dull grey indicating varying and zoned REE in apatite. Lower: Inset of upper image showing detail of bright white
reflectance REE minerals monazite, britholite and synchisite within apatite. This style of REE mineralization, with
Nd, Pr, Tb and Dy enriched in monazite and synchysite inclusions within the apatite compared to within the large
apatite crystals themselves is also found at both South Rim and Pike Zones located 2.5 km apart (Figure 6).
VR RESOURCES LTD.
1500 – 409 Granville St.
Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6C1T2
Tel: 778-731-9292; [email protected]
TSX.V: vrr www.vrr.ca
Figure 2. Upper: Geochemical plot of P2O5 vs. Nd based on data from 4,600 drill core samples across all 24
holes completed to date at Hecla-Kilmer. The correlation is robust in a data set of 4,600 samples, and it
increases in potassic zones from holes 13, 15 and 20 shown, and reinforces the new bulk sample mineralogy
data from SGS Lakefield. Lower: Backscatter electron microprobe image from 111m depth in Hole 15 at the
South Rim Zone. The abundant areas of bright white reflectance are mineral inclusions of REE-bearing
monazite within larger and REE-zoned crystals of apatite.
VR RESOURCES LTD.
1500 – 409 Granville St.
Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6C1T2
Tel: 778-731-9292; [email protected]
TSX.V: vrr www.vrr.ca
Figure 3. Examples of high temperature potassic phoscorite with high-grade TREO and phosphate
mineralization, and a high PMREO ratio found in hole 13 at Pike Zone and in hole 15 and 20 at South Rim
Zone. The biotite-magnetite assemblage in massive apatite groundmass is a clear visua l sign for high grade
mineralization at Hecla-Kilmer.
VR RESOURCES LTD.
1500 – 409 Granville St.
Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6C1T2
Tel: 778-731-9292; [email protected]
TSX.V: vrr www.vrr.ca
Figure 4. Drill holes and phosphate – REE drill sections at Pike Zone show n on a magnetic plan map and inset
drill section. Red intervals of phoscorite veining contain an average 2% P2O5 or more in this broad area of
complex steep structural control and widespread fenite mineralization >0.5% TREO.