Patriot Battery Metals Inc. (the “Company” or “Patriot”) (TSX: PMET) (ASX: PMT) (OTCQX: PMETF) (FSE: R9GA) is pleased to announce the discovery of a large zone of cesium mineralization at the CV13 Pegmatite, which forms part of the Company’s wholly owned Shaakichiuwaanaan Property (the “Property” or “Project”), located in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay region of Quebec.
The Shaakichiuwaanaan Property hosts a consolidated Mineral Resource Estimate (“MRE”) of 80.1 Mt at 1.44% Li2O Indicated and 62.5 Mt at 1.31% Li2O Inferred. The CV5 Spodumene Pegmatite, which forms the bulk of the MRE, is accessible year-round by all-season road and is situated approximately 14 km from a major hydroelectric powerline corridor. The CV13 Pegmatite is located <3 km along geological trend from the CV5 Pegmatite.
With the geological and block models for the CV5 Pegmatite now handed off to the Feasibility Study team, the Company has further reviewed its core assay dataset and identified multiple distinct areas of considerable cesium (Cs) enrichment (>1% Cs). These include the CV5 and CV12 pegmatites; however, the two (2) largest zones are hosted by the CV13 Pegmatite. Cesium results in drill hole and channel (Figure 1, Table 1, and Table 2) include:
- 10.4 m at 1.30% Cs2O, including 4.0 m at 2.02% Cs2O (CV23-117) at CV5.
- 10.6 m at >1.00% Cs2O (CV24-754) at CV13 – Cs overlimits pending
- 7.1 m at >1.00% Cs2O (CV24-520) at CV13 – Cs overlimits pending
- 0.5 m at 9.58% Cs2O (Channel CH22-047) – CV12
Overlimits (>1% Cs2O) are pending for cesium for more than 140 core samples from the 2024 summer-fall drill program, including approximately 100 from the CV13 Pegmatite. Overlimits are required when the analytical result exceeds the upper detection limit of the analytical package, which in this case is >10,000 ppm Cs (i.e., 1% Cs). Final cesium grade-width calculations for drill holes CV24-520, CV24-754, as well as multiple others, will be reported once overlimit analysis for cesium are received.
Two (2) distinct areas of cesium enrichment have been identified at CV13. The principal and largest of the cesium zones is coincident with the high-grade (lithium) Vega Zone and can be traced in drill hole over an extensive area of approximately 600 m x 400 m, ranging in thickness from 1-2 m to at least 10 m (core length). The second zone is associated with the apex of the structural flexure at CV13 and is estimated through drilling to be at least ~250 m x 50 m in area and up to several metres thick.
Pollucite, the principal and preferred ore mineral for cesium, has been identified by XRD mineralogical analysis at Shaakichiuwaanaan and is interpreted to be the source of the cesium enrichment at the Property. A mineralogical program focused on areas of cesium enrichment is underway.
As a next step, the Company will use its drill and surface sampling data to geologically model the zone of cesium enrichment within the wider pegmatite body at each of the main occurrences, with the focus on the Vega Zone area of CV13. Additionally, cesium will be added to the block model to further assess the occurrences.
The identification of significant pollucite mineralization at CV13 presents an opportunity to further evaluate the potential of cesium as a marketable by-product, which could complement the Company’s lithium-focused development strategy. As the Feasibility Study for CV5 progresses, the Company will assess the potential for a cesium resource at Shaakichiuwaanaan and its implications for future exploration and development.
About Cesium – extremely rare critical metal
Cesium (Cs) is a specialty metal and is listed as a critical and strategic mineral by Canada, the province of Quebec (Canada), Japan, and the United States. The principal use of cesium, which is almost exclusively recovered (in its primary form) from the mineral pollucite, is in the form of cesium formate brine. Due to its high-density, low toxicity, biodegradable nature, and recoverability, it is used to support the completion of oil and gas wells at high pressure and temperature.
Cesium is also used in atomic clocks, GPS, aircraft guidance, and telecommunications. Its compounds have various applications: cesium carbonate in fuel cells, cesium chloride in chemistry and nuclear medicine, cesium hydroxide in batteries, cesium iodide in X-ray equipment, cesium nitrate in pyrotechnics and scintillation counters, and cesium sulfates in water treatment and scientific instruments.
Mineral deposits of cesium (pollucite) are extremely rare and represent the most fractionated component of LCT pegmatites, which are effectively the only primary source of cesium globally. Economic deposits are typically on the scale of <10 kt to 350,000 kt in size, compared to typical lithium pegmatite deposits that range in the millions of tonnes (<10 Mt and rarely over 100 Mt) in size. Examples of the few current/past producing mines include Tanco (Canada, Figure 2), Bikita (Zimbabwe), and Sinclair (Australia). Australia’s first commercial cesium mine, Sinclair, extracted its last cesium in 2019.
Quality Assurance / Quality Control (QAQC)
A Quality Assurance / Quality Control protocol following industry best practices was incorporated into the program and included systematic insertion of quartz blanks and certified reference materials into sample batches at a rate of approximately 5% each. Additionally, analysis of pulp-split sample duplicates was completed to assess analytical precision, and external (secondary) laboratory pulp-split duplicates were prepared at the primary lab for subsequent check analysis and validation.
All samples collected were shipped to SGS Canada’s laboratory in Val-d’Or, QC, or Radisson, QC, for sample preparation (code PRP90 special) which includes drying at 105°C, crush to 90% passing 2 mm, riffle split 250 g, and pulverize 85% passing 75 microns. The pulps were shipped by air to SGS Canada’s laboratory in Burnaby, BC, where the samples were homogenized and subsequently analyzed for multi-element (including Li, Cs, and Ta) using sodium peroxide fusion with ICP-AES/MS finish (codes GE_ICP91A50 and GE_IMS91A50).
Overlimits for cesium are requested when the analytical result exceeds the upper detection limit (10,000 ppm Cs) of the GE_ICP91A50 and GE_IMS91A50 analytical packages. The overlimit package used for cesium is GC_AAS49C – acid digestion for alkaline elements – and reports Cs in %.
Qualified/Competent Person
The information in this news release that relates to exploration results for the Shaakichiuwaanaan Property is based on, and fairly represents, information compiled by Mr. Darren L. Smith, M.Sc., P.Geo., who is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, and member in good standing with the Ordre des Géologues du Québec (Geologist Permit number 01968), and with the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (member number 87868). Mr. Smith has reviewed and approved the technical information in this news release.
Mr. Smith is an Executive and Vice President of Exploration for Patriot Battery Metals Inc. and holds common shares and options in the Company.
Mr. Smith has sufficient experience, which is relevant to the style of mineralization, type of deposit under consideration, and to the activities being undertaken to qualify as a Competent Person as described by the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves (the JORC Code). Mr. Smith consents to the inclusion in this news release of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears.
