FIREWEED ZINC LTD. (“Fireweed”) (TSXV: FWZ) is pleased to announce
that it has partnered with Ideon Technologies (“Ideon”) to
undertake a muon tomography survey this summer at the Macmillan
Pass project, Yukon, Canada. Muon tomography is a field-proven
geophysical technique that uses naturally occurring cosmic-ray
muons to measure density contrasts and identify subsurface
anomalies such as dense bodies of zinc mineralization. This will be
one of the world’s first deployments of Ideon’s borehole muon
detectors, which can fit inside an HQ-size drill hole and provide
high-resolution, straight-line imaging up to 1 km beneath the
surface.
Highlights
- Cutting-edge borehole muon
tomography technology to be deployed at Boundary Zone and Tom East
to detect density anomalies in the subsurface, which may be used to
guide future drilling.
- Potential to detect new exploration
targets, provide detailed imaging of existing targets, and reduce
the overall cost of exploration by saving drill-metres.
- Muon tomography is a directional
imaging method, allowing the source of density anomalies to be
pinpointed accurately.
CEO Statement
Brandon Macdonald, CEO, stated, “Muon tomography
as a science has been around for decades but the new technological
breakthrough for mineral exploration is building a compact muon
detector that can fit inside a drill hole and image up to 1 km
underground to then generate high-resolution 3D subsurface models.
This is potentially game-changing technology that we are leveraging
to become a first mover in using borehole muon tomography surveys
for zinc exploration. We see value in using this technology to
model the dense bodies of mineralization during early stages of
drilling to maximize the efficiency of drilling out a deposit. We
also see great potential in using muon tomography to discover new
zones that may have evaded detection by more traditional
exploration methods.”
Muon Tomography
The borehole muon tomography technology has been
developed by Ideon Technologies (www.ideon.ai), a spin-off from
TRIUMF (Canada’s national particle accelerator laboratory) and a
world pioneer in the application of cosmic-ray muon tomography.
Ideon has developed a discovery platform that integrates
proprietary detectors, imaging systems, inversion technologies, and
artificial intelligence techniques to provide visibility up to 1 km
beneath the Earth’s surface – much like x-rays and MRIs provide
visibility inside the human body. Fireweed has contracted Ideon to
deploy borehole muon detectors and to transform the data captured
into reliable geophysical surveys and 3D density maps, enabling a
new dimension for exploration at the Macmillan Pass project.
A muon (pronounced myoo·on) is a naturally
occurring sub-atomic particle created as a result of supernova
explosions in space. Resultant cosmic rays collide with matter in
the Earth’s upper atmosphere to create a muon flux that travels to
Earth in straight lines at almost the speed of light. Muons lose
energy progressively as they pass through the Earth’s surface. As
they encounter higher-density material, muons lose energy at an
accelerated rate. The directional muon intensity can be measured by
each borehole detector deployed. Multiple 2D images are then
combined to map density in 3D. This overall process is known as
muon tomography. Unlike potential field geophysical methods such as
gravity and magnetic surveys, muon detectors provide directional
imaging (recording the muon arrival direction), allowing anomalies
to be located in 3D space by combining measurements from several
detectors positioned at different locations underground.
Typically, a borehole muon survey will take on
the order of weeks to months to complete, depending on geology,
depth of borehole, and imaging target. Ideon will deploy ten
borehole detectors during the survey in configurations optimized to
best image the exploration targets. Multiple detectors can be
placed down individual HQ size drill holes once the rods have been
removed and the surface casing remains in place. Several drill
holes will be surveyed simultaneously to produce robust inversions
of the subsurface density.
Exploration targets
The first survey is planned at Boundary Zone
West where Fireweed made a discovery of near-surface massive
sulphides in 2020 (see Fireweed news releases dated September 24th,
2020, November 24th, 2020, and February 3rd, 2021) and where there
is a high density contrast between the massive sulphides and the
host rock. Siderite, a dense iron carbonate mineral, is intimately
association with zinc mineralization at Boundary Zone and together
with galena, sphalerite and pyrite occur as dense bodies that are
amenable to detection using muon tomography. Imaging these dense
bodies in 3D will enable Fireweed to better target high-density
zones and optimize subsequent drilling thereby reducing overall
program costs.
Additional muon tomography surveys are planned
at Tom East, a high-grade zone with a current Mineral Resource of
0.81 Mt at 8.74% Zn, 8.62% Pb, and 110.0 g/t Ag Indicated resource
in addition to 1.68 Mt at 9.86% Zn, 12.86% Pb and 170.0 g/t Ag
Inferred Resource (see Fireweed news releases dated January 10th,
2018, and reports filed on www.sedar.com for details). In 2018,
Fireweed drilled a very-high grade step-out hole at Tom East in an
area outside of the current Mineral Resource, intersecting 16.41 m
of 21.1% Zn, 13.5% Pb and 243.0 g/t Ag (see Fireweed news release
dated September 20th, 2018) in an interval containing the dense
minerals galena-sphalerite-barite-pyrite-pyrrhotite. A borehole
muon survey is planned at Tom East to determine if a dense 3D body
can be imaged around this step-out intersection to better target
follow-up drilling.
Qualified Person Statement
Technical information in this news release has
been approved by Jack Milton, P.Geo., Ph.D., Chief Geologist and a
‘Qualified Person’ as defined under Canadian National Instrument
43101.
About Fireweed Zinc Ltd. (TSXV:
FWZ): Fireweed Zinc is a public mineral exploration
company focused on zinc-lead-silver and managed by a veteran team
of mining industry professionals. The Company is advancing its
district-scale 940 km2 Macmillan Pass Project in Yukon, Canada,
which is host to the 100% owned Tom and Jason zinc-lead-silver
deposits with current Mineral Resources and a PEA economic study
(see Fireweed news releases dated January 10th, 2018, and May 23rd,
2018, respectively, and reports filed on www.sedar.com for details)
as well as the Boundary Zone, Tom North Zone and End Zone which
have significant zinc-lead-silver mineralization drilled but not
yet classified as mineral resources. The project also includes
large blocks of adjacent claims (MAC, MC, MP, Jerry, BR, NS, Oro,
Sol, Ben, and Stump) which cover exploration targets in the
district where previous and recent work identified zinc, lead and
silver prospects, and geophysical and geochemical anomalies in
prospective host geology.
Additional information about Fireweed Zinc and
its Macmillan Pass Zinc Project including maps and drill sections
can be found on the Company’s website at www.FireweedZinc.com and
at www.sedar.com.
ON BEHALF OF FIREWEED ZINC
LTD.
“Brandon Macdonald”
CEO & Director
ContactBrandon MacDonaldPhone:
(604) 646-8361
Neither the 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.
Cautionary Statements
This news release may contain “forward-looking”
statements and information relating to the Company and the
Macmillan Pass Project that are based on the beliefs of Company
management, as well as assumptions made by and information
currently available to Company management. Such statements reflect
the current risks, uncertainties and assumptions related to certain
factors including but not limited to, without limitations,
exploration and development risks, expenditure and financing
requirements, general economic conditions, changes in financial
markets, pandemics, the ability to properly and efficiently staff
the Company’s operations, the sufficiency of working capital and
funding for continued operations, title matters, First Nations
relations, operating hazards, political and economic factors,
competitive factors, metal prices, relationships with vendors and
strategic partners, governmental regulations and oversight,
permitting, seasonality and weather, technological change, industry
practices, and one-time events. Additional risks are set out in the
Company’s prospectus dated May 9th, 2017, and filed under the
Company’s profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Should any one or more
risks or uncertainties materialize or change, or should any
underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results and
forward-looking statements may vary materially from those described
herein. The Company does not undertake to update forward‐looking
statements or forward‐looking information, except as required by
law.
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