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Fully financed Cabaçal drill program to be
expanded by 15,000m and continued
into 2022
LONDON, United Kingdom,
Nov. 24, 2021 /CNW/ - Meridian
Mining UK S (TSXV: MNO) (Frankfurt: 2MM) (Tradegate: 2MM) (OTCQB:
MRRDF) ("Meridian" or the "Company") is pleased to announce an
extension of the drilling contract at its camp scale Cabaçal
Copper-Gold VMS Project ("Cabaçal") in Mato Grosso, Brazil. Meridian has extended the
drilling contract by a minimum 15,000m, to expand on the successful
1st phase of drilling at Cabaçal. The ongoing
fully-financed1 drill program will target high-grade
copper ("Cu") – gold ("Au") and silver ("Ag") open mineralization
following the string of positive results since its
inception2, particularly the high-grade Cabaçal
Northwest Extension, as well as infilling existing zones within the
Cabaçal mine environment. The results of the program will be
combined into the first NI 43-101 resource statement scheduled for
the 2nd Quarter 2022.
Meridian also announces the rollout of the 14-month
Environmental Impact Study ("EIA"), whose results (ongoing or
final) will be used in future critical studies such as the
Pre-Feasibility Study ("PFS") and up to and including the future
Cabaçal Bankable Feasibility Study ("BFS"). As part of the
advancement of the data needed for these studies, the PFS and BFS,
the Company is in final submissions with two separate groups. One
to complete the comminution study and the other to do the head
assays, mineralogy, flotation, and gravity testing. With the extent
of historical data available, the Company is confident these two
metallurgical studies will largely confirm the high recoveries of
Cu, Au & Ag to be included in future NI 43-101 reports.
Highlights of today's release:
- Meridian extends current drill program at its Cabaçal
Copper-Gold Project by 15,000 metres;
-
- Next phase of drilling targeting open copper-gold
mineralization is fully financed;
- Cabaçal mine area to have extensional and infill drilling
extending into 2nd Quarter 2022;
- Meridian launches Cabaçal Environmental Impact Study;
-
- Brazilian company Sete Soluções e Tecnologia Ambiental
contracted to produce EIA;
- Cabaçal metallurgical program to commence with comminution,
flotation, and gravity studies;
-
- 1,100m of diamond core required
for the three studies;
- Results will be used in future PFS & BFS, and
- Targeting recoveries of >90% for copper and gold, and
>80% for silver, based on past production experience.
Dr Adrian McArthur, CEO and
President of Meridian, comments, "This initial 15,000m extension of the drilling program for the
Cabaçal resource definition program reflects the positive results
we have seen from the extensions to the Cabaçal mine, with the
Cu-Au mineralization remaining open. The initiation of the
metallurgical programs builds on an extensive operational data from
past selective mining operations and will be an important step in
confirming that the same milling parameters extend beyond the
historical mine's limits. Following the close of the recent
$10.4M financing, the Company is well
financed to continue not only the resource and metallurgical
programs, but also to work in parallel on environmental studies to
position the project well on its trajectory for open-pit
development."
Cabaçal's extended drill program will be increased by a minimum
15,000m and focus on the areas within
and immediately adjacent to the Cabaçal mine. The program to date
has confirmed a Cu-Au+Ag VMS system that is open to the Northwest,
Southeast and Southwest; the VMS system sub-crops to the Northeast.
The shallow and gently dipping Cu-Au mineralization means that an
expanded area can be covered by the 15,000m program, and with further positive
results test the open pit potential over the 2.0km strike length
where mineralization has been defined to date.
The Company has commenced the EIA via its contract with Sete
Soluções e Tecnologia Ambiental and will shortly commence two other
long-term critical studies as part of the works required within the
Cabaçal Option Agreement3 ("COA"). The EIA will take up
to 14 months to complete and will cover all of the aspects required
to be addressed when applying for an Installation Permit ("IP")
over the Cabaçal Cu-Au-Ag mineralization. On granting of a
Brazilian IP, a mining company in Brazil would then proceed to Project Finance
and mine construction phases. Meridian has decided to commence the
EIA so to achieve the timelines of the COA and in light of the
strong confirmation of its ongoing results compared to historical
and the new high-grade Cu-Au Cabaçal Northwest Extension's
upside.
The Company will use 1,500m of the
extended drill program to commence comminution, flotation, and
gravity studies across a range of mineral grades, host sulphides
mineralogy and free gold features. This work is projected to be
completed by mid 2022. The aim of these studies is to replicate the
high metal recoveries4 achieved by historical Cabaçal
mine production reports of the late 1980's to the early 1990's.
This includes the documented results for the full year Cabaçal mill
recoveries ending December 31,
1990:
- Total Cu flotation recoveries of 94.6%;
- Total Au flotation and gravity recoveries of 93.6%; and
- Total Ag flotation and gravity recoveries of 86.9%.
The Company is confident that these studies will be in line with
the historical production data.
Qualified Person
Dr. Adrian McArthur, B.Sc. Hons,
PhD. FAusIMM., CEO and President of Meridian as well as a Qualified
Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has supervised the
preparation of the technical information in this news release.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Meridian Mining UK S
Dr. Adrian McArthur
CEO, President and Director
Meridian Mining UK S
Email: info@meridianmining.net.br
Ph: +1 (778) 715-6410 (PST)
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https://twitter.com/MeridianMining
Further information can be found at www.meridianmining.co
ABOUT MERIDIAN
Meridian Mining UK S is focused on the acquisition, exploration,
and development activities in Brazil. The Company is currently focused on
resource development of the Cabaçal VMS Copper-Gold project,
exploration in the Jaurú & Araputanga Greenstone belts located
in the state of Mato Grosso;
exploring the Espigão polymetallic project and the Mirante da Serra
manganese project in the State of Rondônia Brazil.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Some statements in this news release contain forward-looking
information or forward-looking statements for the purposes of
applicable securities laws. These statements include, among others,
statements with respect to the Company's plans for exploration,
development and exploitation of its properties and potential
mineralization. These statements address future events and
conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties, and other factors, which may cause the actual
results, performance, or achievements to be materially different
from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or
implied by the statements. Such risk factors include, among others,
failure to obtain regulatory approvals, failure to complete
anticipated transactions, the timing and success of future
exploration and development activities, exploration and development
risks, title matters, inability to obtain any required third party
consents, operating risks and hazards, metal prices, political and
economic factors, competitive factors, general economic conditions,
relationships with strategic partners, governmental regulation and
supervision, seasonality, technological change, industry practices
and one-time events. In making the forward-looking statements, the
Company has applied several material assumptions including, but not
limited to, the assumptions that: (1) the proposed exploration,
development and exploitation of mineral projects will proceed as
planned; (2) market fundamentals will result in sustained metals
and minerals prices and (3) any additional financing needed will be
available on reasonable terms. The Company expressly disclaims any
intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking
statements whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise except as otherwise required by applicable securities
legislation.
The Company cautions that it has not completed any feasibility
studies on any of its mineral properties, and no mineral reserve
estimate or mineral resource estimate has been established.
Geophysical exploration targets are preliminary in nature and not
conclusive evidence of the likelihood of a mineral deposit.
The TSX Venture Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved
the contents of this news release. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor
its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the
policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for
the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
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______________________
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1
|
See Meridian news
release October 19, 2021
|
2
|
See Meridian news
release March 16, 2021
|
3
|
See Meridian news
release August 26, 2020
|
4
|
See Meridian
Corporate Presentation Annex A
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SOURCE Meridian Mining UK Societas