Zebediela Nickel Project Summary

Zeb Nickel Project Summary

Due to the location, geometry and size of the orebody, the Zeb Nickel Project is an attractive source for environmentally friendly, cost efficient sustainable nickel sulfide.

The Zeb Nickel Project is a developing Class 1 nickel sulfide project strategically located in the Bushveld Complex in South Africa. The Zeb Project Contains a historical NI43-101 resource of over 3.9 million tons of contained sulfide nickel, ranking it number 8 in the global top ten nickel sulfide resources (Mudd, G. M., & Jowitt, S. M. (2014). A detailed assessment of global nickel resource and trends and endowments. Economic Geology, 109(7), 1813-1841.).

Highlights

  • Class 1 nickel sulfide project.
  • Situated in world class region of world-renowned platinum group metals and nickel producers.
  • A historical NI 43-101 compliant resource containing over 3.9 million tons of contained sulfide nickel .
  • Ranked 8th in the global top ten nickel sulfide resources.
  • The project is at an advanced licensing stage with a Mining Right Application and Environmental Authorization in process.
  • Active Prospecting Rights.

The project is situated in the world class Platinum Group Element (PGE) and nickel producing region of the Bushveld Complex, located in South Africa. The Bushveld Complex contains over 75% of the world’s platinum reserves, which are usually associated with magmatic nickel deposits. The project is situated in the world-renowned Ni-Cu-PGE producing area of the Northern Limb, which hosts Anglo Platinum’s Mogalakwena mine, the biggest open cast platinum mine in the world, less than 15 km north of the Zeb Nickel project. Another noteworthy neighbor is Ivanhoe’s Platreef Project, situated approximately 5 km north-west of the project. The area is supported by excellent access to infrastructure with road, rail, power, and water, all located nearby or on site.

There are three distinct targets areas identified over a strike length of over 5 km on the project, targeting near surface Ni sulfides and high-grade mineralization at a depth. The three target types identified are:

Target 1*
Disseminated Nickel Sulfide Resource

A historical Indicated resource of 485.4 Mt @ 0.25% Ni and Inferred resources of 1.115 Mt @ 0.25% Ni*.

Target 2
Critical Zone Ni-Cu-PGE Mineralization

Proven strike length of 3,5 km with a mineralized width of 5 to 100 m and extending down to depths in excess of 400 meters. This is the same geological zone that is being exploited at the Anglo American Platinum’s Mogalakwena Mining Complex, and the adjacent Ivanhoe Mines Platreef Project. The mineralised zones remain open along strike and downdip.

Target 3
Footwall Mineralization

Semi-massive to massive Ni-PGE Mineralization (Massive Sulfide Target). Grades of up to 1,7% Ni and 0.69 g/t 3PGE over 2.25 meters were intersected on the Project. Massive sulfide Ni-PGE mineralization may be associated with the Bushveld ultramafic plumbing system interacting with sulfur-rich footwall rocks on the Project Area. The area is geologically similar to the Uitkomst Complex which hosts the Nkomati Nickel Mine – a massive sulfide deposit containing abundant amounts of Ni-Cu-Cr-PGE mineralization.

Target 4
High-grade Gold Mineralization

High-grade gold mineralization related to remobilized gold from the adjacent Pietersburg Greenstone Belt and hydrothermal activity. Gold grades up to 9 g/t over 30 meters in the south eastern portion of the Project area. In addition, smaller gold-rich intervals were also intersected in the northwest portion of the project area, with the same style of mineralization.

*The historical mineral resource estimate on nickel mineralization in Target 1, located in the Uitloop II body at the Zeb Project was completed by MSA Geoservices (Pty) Ltd (MSA) in March 2012 as part of a Preliminary Economic Assessment (“PEA”) study. The historical mineral resource estimate and historical PEA used categories that conformed to CIM Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (CIM, 2010) at the time of completion of the historical mineral resource estimate. The mineral resource estimates have an effective date of 31 March 2012 and estimated an Indicated Resource of 485.4 million tonnes averaging 0.245% Ni, with an additional Inferred Resource of 1,115.1 million tonnes at 0.248% Ni, using a cut-off grade of 0.1% TNi (Total Nickel). The mineral resources were quoted as TNi and were restricted to mineralization in the “Sulphide Zone”. They were stated as in-situ with no geological losses applied. No qualified person has done sufficient work to classify any of the historical estimates as current mineral resources and as such the Company is continuing to treat the tonnages and grades reported as historical mineral resources. The mineralization in the Uitloop II body was constrained by a TNi grade-derived envelope. Although the intrusive body is largely coincident with this, there is no uniform geological control on the mineralization across the body. The degree of geological continuity is considered sufficient for declaring up to Indicated Mineral Resources. Additional drilling was determined to be required to further investigate the morphology of the mineralized envelope and to in-fill sparsely-drilled areas. The recently completed Phase 2 drill program is intended to determine a current estimate of mineral resources on the Zeb Project and the extent to which the historical estimate may be considered current.  Investors are cautioned that the historical mineral resource estimates do not mean or imply that economic deposits exist on the Zeb Project.
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