The program focused on resource expansion and new target development on the robust and high-grade central core of the Zn-Pb-Ag Cardiac Creek deposit. The program commenced in June and was completed in August using two drills.  A total of 8 drill holes were successfully drilled on the Cardiac Creek deposit for a total of 4,700 metres. Assay results are pending from the remaining six drill holes.

2017 Drill Result Highlights

  • Drill hole A-17-132 returned 10.38% Zn+Pb and 14.2 g/t Ag over a true width of 28.67 metres. This includes 12.39% Zn+Pb and 15.9 g/t Ag over a true width of 19.81 metres which includes 14.42% Zn+Pb and 17.2 g/t Ag over a true width of 10.16 metres.
  • Drill hole A-17-133 returned 12.11% Zn+Pb and 16.0 g/t Ag over a true width of 9.42 metres within a broader mineralized interval of 25.63 metres.

A-17-132

The first hole of the 2017 exploration program targeted the NW strike extension of the high-grade core of the Cardiac Creek deposit. The pierce point is located approximately 100 metres up-dip of drill hole A-07-42. The objective of this hole was to expand the known high-grade mineralisation along strike and test the limits of the 5% Zn cut-off indicated resource.

The hole intersected a broad zone of mineralization from 520.29 to 573.08 metres representing a true width of 42.43 metres that returned 7.49% Zn+Pb and 10.6 g/t Ag. The Cardiac Creek Zone within the broader envelope returned 10.38% Zn+Pb and 14.2 g/t Ag over a true width of 28.67 metres from 537.41 to 573.08 metres. Higher grade internal intervals include 12.39% Zn+Pb and 15.9 g/t Ag over a true width of 19.81 metres from 546.41 to 571.06 metres which includes 14.42% Zn+Pb and 17.2g/t Ag over a true width of 10.16 metres.

The Cardiac Creek Zone is characterized by massive, laminar beds of dull-brown pyrite and light grey sphalerite interfingered with mottled textured sulphide bands enriched in sphalerite, galena, quartz and carbonate.  Coarser grained galena is also visible locally. The drill hole was terminated in Silurian siltstone at 598.02 metres. A total of 143 assay samples, including standard QA/QC samples, were taken from the hole. 

A-17-133

Drill hole A-17-133 targeted an open area central to the Cardiac Creek zone with the pierce point located approximately 55 metres down-dip of A-07-49. This hole targeted the central area of the high-grade core in a large, untested area down-dip of hole A-07-49 and along strike of A-10-73B.

The hole intersected a broad envelope of mineralisation grading 5.55% Zn+Pb and 8.5 g/t Ag over a true width of 33.14 metres from 341.08 to 388.38 metres. The Cardiac Creek Zone was intersected from 351.03 to 387.57 metres and returned 6.62% Zn+Pb and 9.6 g/t Ag over a true width interval of 25.63 metres. Higher-grade intervals are present and include 12.11% Zn+Pb and 16.0 g/t Ag over a true width interval of 9.42 metresfrom 367.68 to 381.10 metres.

The mineralisation present in hole A-17-133 is similar in character to that present in hole A-17-132, with massive sulphide beds of very fine grained, dull brown pyrite, light grey sphalerite, and mottle-textured sulphide bands enriched in sphalerite, galena, quartz and carbonate.   The hole was terminated at a final depth of 413.60 metres within the Silurian siltstones. A total of 117 assay samples, including standard QA/QC samples, were taken from the hole. 

Mr. Peeyush Varshney, CEO, commented: “We are delighted with the first set of drill results from the 2017 Akie exploration program. We continue to demonstrate the robust and consistent nature and tenor of the Cardiac Creek Zone mineralization.  Results released today continue to support our geologic model and highlight the internal continuity of the mineralization. The mineralization remains open along-strike and at depth. We continue to systematically drill off this deposit to establish the size of this large Zinc-dominated mineralised system. We look forward to announcing further drill results over the next several weeks.”

The Akie Zn-Pb-Ag Project

The Company’s, 100% owned, flagship Akie property is situated within the Kechika Trough, the southernmost area of the regionally extensive Paleozoic Selwyn Basin, one of the most prolific sedimentary basins in the world for the occurrence of SEDEX zinc-lead-silver and stratiform barite deposits.

Drilling on the Akie property by Canada Zinc Metals since 2005 has identified a significant body of baritic-zinc-lead-silver SEDEX mineralisation known as the Cardiac Creek deposit. The deposit is hosted by siliceous, carbonaceous, fine grained clastic rocks of the middle to late Devonian Gunsteel Formation.

The Company has outlined a NI 43-101 compliant mineral resource at Cardiac Creek, including an indicated resource of 19.6 million tonnes grading 8.2% zinc, 1.6% lead and 13.6 g/t silver (at a 5% zinc cut-off grade) and an inferred resource of 8.1 million tonnes grading 6.8% zinc, 1.1% lead and 11.2 g/t silver (at a 5% zinc cut-off grade).

In addition to the Akie Project the Company owns 100% of ten, large, contiguous property blocks that comprise the Kechika Regional project. The Kechika Regional Project includes the Pie, Yuen, Cirque East and Mt. Alcock properties, extending northwest from the Akie property for approximately 140 kilometres along strike of the highly prospective Gunsteel Formation shale; the main host rock for known SEDEX zinc-lead-silver deposits in the Kechika Trough of northeastern British Columbia. These projects are located approximately 260 kilometres north northwest of the town of Mackenzie, British Columbia, Canada.