Patriot Battery Metals Inc. (the “Company” or “Patriot”) (TSX: PMET) (ASX: PMT) (OTCQX: PMETF) (FSE: R9GA) is pleased to announce it has commenced the 2025 winter drill program at its wholly owned Shaakichiuwaanaan Property (the “Property” or “Project”), located in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay region of Quebec, Canada.
The Shaakichiuwaanaan Property hosts a consolidated (CV5 &) Mineral Resource Estimate of 80.1 Mt at 1.44% Li2O Indicated and 62.5 Mt at 1.31% Li2O Inferred. The CV5 Spodumene Pegmatite is accessible year-round by all-season road and is situated approximately 14 km from a major hydroelectric powerline corridor. The CV13 Spodumene Pegmatite is situated <3 km along geological trend of the CV5 Spodumene Pegmatite.
The 2025 winter drill program commenced in late January and is planned to continue through mid-April for an estimated total of 15,000 m of NQ size coring. The program will have three primary objectives:
- Extend the high-grade Vega zone westward, along an interpreted structural corridor, toward the CV12 Pegmatite.
- Test the highly prospective CV13 to CV5 pegmatite corridor.
- Complete condemnation drilling at two proposed waste rock pile locations in support of the ongoing Feasibility Study at the CV5 Pegmatite.
A total of two (2) drill rigs will target the westward extension of the high-grade Vega-Zone and the <3 km corridor between the CV13 and CV5 spodumene pegmatites that remains to be drill tested. Both rigs commenced drilling in late January and are ground supported using a combination of all-season and winter road. The overarching objective is mineral resource expansion and to demonstrate connectivity between spodumene pegmatite clusters.
An additional two (2) rigs will commence drilling later in February and target condemnation (eliminating the potential for mineralisation) within the area north of the CV5 Pegmatite at the proposed locations of two waste rock piles. The Company has already completed surface sampling and mapping over these areas and anticipate the condemnation drilling to conclude both sites are suitable for such infrastructure development.
The Company has engaged Forage Construction Muskw Inc. (“Muskw”), a Cree owned enterprise, to carry out the diamond drilling services. Muskw was formed in 2024 as a Joint Venture between Forage Fusion Drilling and Saskounan Construction.
The Company remains on track to provide a Feasibility Study and maiden Ore Reserve Estimate to the market in the third quarter of 2025, in addition to an updated Mineral Resource Estimate. Additionally, core assay results remain to be reported for 98 drill holes (31,513 m) from the CV5 Pegmatite completed in fall 2024. Announcement of these results, as well as that of the 2024 summer surface field program, are anticipated to be reported in the coming weeks.
