Entrée Resources Ltd. (TSX:ETG; OTCQB:ERLFF – the
“
Company” or “
Entrée”) is pleased
to provide analytical results for eight diamond drill holes
(“
DDH”) from the 2023 drilling program over the
Hugo North Extension (“
HNE”) deposit on the
Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property (the “
Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV
Property”) in Mongolia (refer to Figure 1). Analytical
results for 14 holes were previously announced on July 18, 2024.
Results for eight remaining holes from the 2023 program, as well as
all surface and underground holes from the ongoing 2024 drilling
program, will be reported as they become available from the
Company’s joint venture partner Oyu Tolgoi LLC
(“
OTLLC”).
2023 DRILL HOLE HIGHLIGHTS
HNE Surface Drill Holes
- EGD 174: 448
metres (“m”) grading 1.62% copper
equivalent1 (“CuEq”),
including 172 m grading 1.99% CuEq.
- EGD 1772: 143 m
grading 1.17% CuEq, including 51 m grading
1.92% CuEq.
HNE Underground Drill Holes
- UGD 805B: 177.3
m grading 2.04% CuEq.
- UGD 808: 613.6 m
grading 0.77% CuEq, including, 214 m grading
1.24% CuEq.
- UGD 813: 56 m
grading 1.75% CuEq.
- UGD 814: 138 m
grading 2.37% CuEq.
- Copper equivalent is defined below in Table 2, where full
details on the drill hole assay intervals are also found.
- EGD177 is the upper portion of “daughter” drill hole EGD177A,
which was previously reported on July 18, 2024.
Stephen Scott, Entrée’s President and CEO said,
“I suspect none of our shareholders will be surprised by these
outstanding additional drill results, which are entirely consistent
with results disclosed by the Company earlier this year. From what
we are seeing Hugo North, including the Hugo North Extension
deposit on the JV Property, continues to demonstrate the potential
to be one of the best copper-gold deposits discovered in the last
50 years. I look forward to seeing all drill results
incorporated into an updated resource model for Hugo North
Extension Lifts 1 and 2.”
2023 HNE DRILLING RESULTS
The new results from the 2023 HNE drilling
program include two surface holes that were drilled entirely on the
Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property and six underground holes that were
collared from existing infrastructure on the Oyu Tolgoi mining
licence and drilled onto the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property. OTLLC
previously advised the Company 33 drill holes were completed at HNE
in 2023. The results from 14 of those holes were reported by the
Company on July 18, 2024, three holes were drilled outside of the
mineralized footprint for geotechnical purposes and therefore not
assayed, results from eight holes were recently made available by
OTLLC and are reported below, and the remaining eight holes are
still pending analytical results. Full collar and downhole survey
details for each of the holes in the 2023 HNE drilling program were
provided by the Company on July 18, 2024 (refer to press release
dated July 18, 2024 titled, “Entrée Resources Announces Additional
Drill Results and Provides an Update on Underground Development
Work” available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca).
The new drilling results include two surface
holes, EGD174 and EDG177, the latter of which is the upper portion
of “daughter hole” EDG177A (previously reported on July 18, 2024).
Both holes were drilled steeply towards the northwest and crossed
through approximately 1,350 to 1,400 m of barren, sedimentary and
volcanic tuff units before intersecting the top of porphyry
deposit. Starting at 1,352 m, drill hole EGD174 entered a 448 m
interval of significant copper and gold mineralization, averaging
1.62% CuEq that includes 258 m within the footprint of the
potential Lift 2 block cave, followed by an additional 190 m below
the base of the footprint. The hole was eventually terminated at a
depth of 1,800 m in strong copper-gold mineralization, which
remains open at depth, and which the Company believes provides
continuity for deeper, potential future lifts.
Significant mineralized intervals from the eight
holes recently made available by OTLLC are summarized in Tables 1
and 2 and are shown on Figure 1.
Table 1: Surface Drill Results from 2023
Drilling at HNE Deposit1
Drill Hole |
From (m) |
To (m) |
Length2 (m) |
Gold (ppm) |
Copper (%) |
Silver (ppm) |
CuEq3 (%) |
EGD174 |
1352 |
1800 |
448 |
0.520 |
1.31 |
3.60 |
1.62 |
|
including |
1444 |
1616 |
172 |
0.721 |
1.58 |
4.02 |
1.99 |
EGD177 |
1405 |
1548 |
143 |
0.111 |
1.09 |
3.02 |
1.17 |
|
including |
1497 |
1548 |
51 |
0.258 |
1.75 |
4.81 |
1.92 |
Refer to Notes below Table 2 |
|
|
Table 2: Underground Drill Results from 2023 Drilling at
HNE Deposit1
Drill Hole |
From (m) |
To (m) |
Length2 (m) |
Gold (ppm) |
Copper (%) |
Silver (ppm) |
CuEq3 (%) |
UGD805B |
290 |
467.3 |
177.3 |
0.383 |
1.79 |
4.94 |
2.04 |
UGD807A |
56 |
190.4 |
134.4 |
0.047 |
0.70 |
1.03 |
0.74 |
UGD807B |
56 |
226.7 |
170.7 |
0.025 |
0.59 |
0.94 |
0.61 |
UGD808 |
58 |
671.6 |
613.6 |
0.132 |
0.69 |
1.53 |
0.77 |
|
including |
456 |
670 |
214 |
0.329 |
1.04 |
2.80 |
1.24 |
UGD813 |
380 |
436 |
56 |
0.516 |
1.45 |
3.93 |
1.75 |
UGD814 |
290 |
428 |
138 |
0.770 |
1.92 |
5.70 |
2.37 |
1. |
All the analytical results shown above are length weighted averages
and are only for the portions of the drill holes on the Entrée/Oyu
Tolgoi JV Property. |
2. |
Lengths reported are drilled lengths. Approximate true widths are
variable depending on the orientation of the drill hole. Several of
the holes are geotechnical holes drilled subparallel to the trend
of the porphyry. Other holes are drilled across the trend of the
porphyry at varying orientations with estimated true widths ranging
between approximately 20% and 70% of the drilled lengths. |
3. |
CuEq is calculated by the formula CuEq = Cu + ((Au * 35.7175) + (Ag
* 0.5773)) / 67.9023, taking into account differentials between
metallurgical performance and price for copper, gold and silver.
Metal prices used are US$3.08/lb Cu, US$1,292.00/oz Au, and
US$19.00/oz Ag. Metallurgical recoveries used are 82% for copper,
73% for gold and 78% for silver. |
|
|
Figure 1: Plan View of 2023 Drilling at
the HNE Deposit Showing Newly Available Assay Results
2023 DRILLING INFORMATION
Surface and underground drill holes from the
2023 program were designed to achieve multiple objectives: as
in-fill holes within the mineralized footprint of Lift 2 to support
the next mineral resource estimate update; for geotechnical
purposes in the areas outside of the mineralized footprint; and for
metallurgical purposes. Several of the holes, denoted with letter
suffix A, B, or C were drilled as “daughter holes” (wedges) from a
“parent hole” at varying distances along the hole.
Surface holes UGD174 and UGD177 targeted the
northern half of Lift 2, and were designed as in-fill holes, but
also for geotechnical/metallurgical purposes. Underground drill
holes UGD807A, UGD807B and UGD808 were primarily geotechnical holes
drilled towards the north-northeast and targeting the area east of
the potential Lift 2 mineralized footprint, yet all returned long
intervals of lower grade, but above the cut-off grade (0.41% CuEq)
used in the last mineral resource estimate (refer to press release
dated June 15, 2021, titled “Entrée Resources Reports Updated
Feasibility Study for its Interest in the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi Joint
Venture Property”). Three additional underground holes (UGD805B,
UGD813, UGD814) were drilled at moderate dips towards the northwest
or northeast and after crossing onto the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV
Property intersected significant grades of copper and gold in the
southwest corner of HNE within the potential Lift 2 footprint.
The holes drilled into the mineralized porphyry
intersected predominantly phyllic and potassic altered quartz
monzodiorite, cut by occasional intervals of unmineralized
biotite-granodiorite dikes (generally less than 10 m in drilled
width). Total sulphide content is variable but averages around 5%
and comprised of a mix of chalcopyrite, bornite and pyrite hosted
in quartz stockworks and disseminated form. Some of the
highest-grade individual assays (grading around 5% to 10% CuEq) are
often hosted within hydrothermal breccias, containing a majority of
disseminated and coarse bornite and chalcopyrite.
Drill holes outside of the HNE mineralized
footprint generally crossed an interbedded sequence of ignimbrite
and augite basalt with varying amounts of advanced argillic and
phyllic alteration. Mineralization is variable, but consists of
about 3% sulphides, comprised of a mix of pyrite and
chalcopyrite.
2024 HNE DRILLING UPDATE
During 2024, OTLLC has continued to drill at HNE
with all holes targeting the potential Lift 2 mineralized
footprint. As of October 31, 2024, OTLLC had advised approximately
5,287 metres of underground drilling in 23 diamond drill holes and
2,476 metres of surface drilling in four diamond drill holes had
been completed.
No analytical data has been received for any of
the 2024 HNE drill holes, but once the complete database is
received from OTLLC and reviewed by the Company the results will be
reported. It is the Company’s understanding that, similar to the
2022 and 2023 drilling programs, all of the 2024 drill holes will
be drilled within the current mineralized footprint or within the
hanging and/or footwall rocks, with the objective to update the HNE
mineral resource estimate and to conduct geological and
geotechnical characterization.
SAMPLE PREPARATION AND ANALYSIS, QAQC
AND QUALIFIED PERSON
Drill core from the eight drill holes reported
was geologically and geotechnically logged at site by OTLLC. The
surface drill holes were collared with PQ diameter core (123 mm)
and reduced to HQ (96 mm) core diameter at depth. Underground holes
were collared using HQ diameter and occasionally reduced to NQ (76
mm) at depth. Core from HNE was saw-cut on site before being bagged
and shipped to the laboratory. Sample lengths generally averaged
2.0 m. Core from HNE was shipped to ALS Laboratory
(“ALS”) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, for sample
preparation. ALS is independent of OTLLC, Rio Tinto and Entrée. At
ALS the samples were crushed to <2mm and pulverized to 75μm,
then the pulps were shipped directly to ALS in Perth for analyses.
Samples were analyzed for gold by ICP-MS. Samples above
approximately 0.03 g/t gold were further analyzed for gold by a
30-gram fire assay with an ICP finish. Samples were also analyzed
for copper, silver and molybdenum, along with eight additional
elements by 4-acid digestion, ICP-MS/AES multi-element analysis.
Copper samples greater than approximately 1.0% were further
analyzed by ore grade ICP ES/MS method.
OTLLC follows a rigorous quality
assurance/quality control (QAQC) program for the sampling programs
that includes the regular insertion of standards, blanks and
duplicates into the sample stream. The QP is not aware of any
drilling, sampling, recovery, or other factors that could
materially affect the accuracy or reliability of the data referred
to in this disclosure.
The scientific and technical information that
forms the basis for parts of this press release was reviewed and
approved by Robert Cinits (P.Geo.), who is a Qualified Person
(“QP”) as defined by National Instrument 43-101.
For further information on the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property, see
the Company’s Technical Report, titled “Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi Joint
Venture Project, Mongolia, NI 43-101 Technical Report”, with an
effective date of October 8, 2021, available on the Company’s
website at www.EntreeResourcesLtd.com, and on SEDAR+ at
www.sedarplus.ca.
ABOUT ENTRÉE RESOURCES LTD.
Entrée Resources Ltd. is a well-funded Canadian
mining company with a unique carried joint venture interest on a
significant portion of one of the world’s largest copper-gold
projects – the Oyu Tolgoi project in Mongolia. The Oyu Tolgoi
project includes two separate land holdings: the Oyu Tolgoi mining
licence, which is held by Entrée’s joint venture partner OTLLC and
the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property, which is a partnership between
Entrée and OTLLC. Rio Tinto owns 66% of OTLLC and is the manager of
operations at Oyu Tolgoi. Entrée has a 20% or 30% carried
participating interest in the Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi joint venture,
depending on the depth of mineralization. Horizon Copper Corp. and
Rio Tinto are major shareholders of Entrée, beneficially holding
approximately 24% and 16% of the shares of the Company,
respectively. More information about Entrée can be found at
www.EntreeResourcesLtd.com.
FURTHER INFORMATION David
JanInvestor Relations Entrée Resources Ltd. Tel: 604-687-4777 |
Toll Free: 1-866-368-7330 E-mail: djan@EntreeResourcesLtd.com
This News Release contains forward-looking
information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities
laws with respect to corporate strategies and plans; requirements
for additional capital; uses of funds and projected expenditures;
expected timing and scope of a new resource model for Hugo North
(including Hugo North Extension) Lifts 1 and 2; the estimation of
mineral reserves and resources; potential for additional Hugo North
(including Hugo North Extension) underground lifts; potential size
of a mineralized zone; potential expansion of mineralization;
potential discovery of new mineralized zones; potential
metallurgical recoveries and grades; plans for future exploration
and/or development programs and budgets; anticipated business
activities; and future financial performance.
In certain cases, forward-looking information
can be identified by words such as “plans”, “expects” or “does not
expect”, “is expected”, “budgeted”, “scheduled”, “estimates”,
“forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates”, or “does not anticipate” or
“believes” or variations of such words and phrases or statements
that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”,
“might”, “will be taken”, “occur” or “be achieved”. While the
Company has based forward-looking information on its expectations
about future events as at the date that such information was
prepared, the information is not a guarantee of Entrée’s future
performance and is based on numerous assumptions regarding present
and future business strategies; the correct interpretation of
agreements, laws and regulations; the commencement and conclusion
of arbitration proceedings, including the potential benefits,
timing and outcome of arbitration proceedings; the potential
benefits, timing and outcome of discussions with the Government of
Mongolia, Erdenes Oyu Tolgoi LLC, OTLLC, and Rio Tinto; the future
ownership of the Shivee Tolgoi and Javhlant mining licences; that
the Company will continue to have timely access to detailed
technical, financial, and operational information about the
Entrée/Oyu Tolgoi JV Property, the Oyu Tolgoi project, and
government relations to enable the Company to properly assess, act
on, and disclose material risks and opportunities as they arise;
local and global economic conditions and the environment in which
Entrée will operate in the future, including commodity prices,
projected grades, projected dilution, anticipated capital and
operating costs, including inflationary pressures thereon resulting
in cost escalation, and anticipated future production and cash
flows; the anticipated location of certain infrastructure and
sequence of mining within and across panel boundaries; the
construction and continued development of the Oyu Tolgoi
underground mine; the status of Entrée’s relationship and
interaction with the Government of Mongolia, Erdenes Oyu Tolgoi
LLC, OTLLC, and Rio Tinto; and the Company’s ability to operate
sustainably, its community relations, and its social licence to
operate.
With respect to the construction and continued
development of the Oyu Tolgoi underground mine, important risks,
uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to
differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such
forward-looking information include, amongst others, the current
economic climate and the significant volatility, uncertainty and
disruption arising in connection with the Ukraine conflict; the
nature of the ongoing relationship and interaction between OTLLC,
Rio Tinto, Erdenes Oyu Tolgoi LLC and the Government of Mongolia
with respect to the continued operation and development of Oyu
Tolgoi; the continuation of undercutting in accordance with the
mine plans and designs in the 2023 Oyu Tolgoi Feasibility Study;
applicable taxes and royalty rates; the future ownership of the
Shivee Tolgoi and Javhlant mining licences; the amount of any
future funding gap to complete the Oyu Tolgoi project and the
availability and amount of potential sources of additional funding;
the timing and cost of the construction and expansion of mining and
processing facilities; inflationary pressures on prices for
critical supplies for Oyu Tolgoi resulting in cost escalation; the
ability of OTLLC or the Government of Mongolia to deliver a
domestic power source for Oyu Tolgoi (or the availability of
financing for OTLLC or the Government of Mongolia to construct such
a source) within the required contractual timeframe; sources of
interim power; OTLLC’s ability to operate sustainably, its
community relations, and its social licence to operate in Mongolia;
the impact of changes in, changes in interpretation to or changes
in enforcement of, laws, regulations and government practises in
Mongolia; delays, and the costs which would result from delays, in
the development of the underground mine; the anticipated location
of certain infrastructure and sequence of mining within and across
panel boundaries; projected commodity prices and their market
demand; and production estimates and the anticipated yearly
production of copper, gold and silver at the Oyu Tolgoi underground
mine.
Other risks, uncertainties and factors which
could cause actual results, performance or achievements of Entrée
to differ materially from future results, performance or
achievements expressed or implied by forward-looking information
include, amongst others, unanticipated costs, expenses or
liabilities; discrepancies between actual and estimated production,
mineral reserves and resources and metallurgical recoveries;
development plans for processing resources; matters relating to
proposed exploration or expansion; mining operational and
development risks, including geotechnical risks and ground
conditions; regulatory restrictions (including environmental
regulatory restrictions and liability); risks related to
international operations, including legal and political risk in
Mongolia; risks related to the potential impact of global or
national health concerns; risks associated with changes in the
attitudes of governments to foreign investment; risks associated
with the conduct of joint ventures, including the ability to access
detailed technical, financial and operational information; risks
related to the Company’s significant shareholders, and whether they
will exercise their rights or act in a manner that is consistent
with the best interests of the Company and its other shareholders;
inability to upgrade Inferred mineral resources to Indicated or
Measured mineral resources; inability to convert mineral resources
to mineral reserves; conclusions of economic evaluations;
fluctuations in commodity prices and demand; changing foreign
exchange rates; the speculative nature of mineral exploration; the
global economic climate; dilution; share price volatility;
activities, actions or assessments by Rio Tinto or OTLLC and by
government stakeholders or authorities including Erdenes Oyu Tolgoi
LLC and the Government of Mongolia; the availability of funding on
reasonable terms; the impact of changes in interpretation to or
changes in enforcement of laws, regulations and government
practices, including laws, regulations and government practices
with respect to mining, foreign investment, royalties and taxation;
the terms and timing of obtaining necessary environmental and other
government approvals, consents and permits; the availability and
cost of necessary items such as water, skilled labour,
transportation and appropriate smelting and refining arrangements;
unanticipated reclamation expenses; changes to assumptions as to
the availability of electrical power, and the power rates used in
operating cost estimates and financial analyses; changes to
assumptions as to salvage values; ability to maintain the social
licence to operate; accidents, labour disputes and other risks of
the mining industry; global climate change; global conflicts; title
disputes; limitations on insurance coverage; competition; loss of
key employees; cyber security incidents; misjudgements in the
course of preparing forward-looking information; and those factors
discussed in the Company’s most recently filed MD&A and in the
Company’s Annual Information Form for the financial year ended
December 31, 2022, dated March 31, 2023 filed with the Canadian
Securities Administrators and available at www.sedarplus.ca.
Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors
that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ
materially from those described in forward-looking information,
there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results
not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no
assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be
accurate, as actual results and future events could differ
materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly,
readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking
information. The Company is under no obligation to update or alter
any forward-looking information except as required under applicable
securities laws.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ba121850-b224-49fe-9ef2-cce00fe3ea6a
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