The Program
Prospecting in 2021 returned mineralized grab samples (21.50 %, 5.85% and 18.80% Cg) in the NE part of the Property, near the MC-8805 showing. Historic drill holes (St-Pierre, 1988) in the vicinity of the showing returned 8.14% Cg over 18.9 meters. This area was the main target for the Fall 2022 exploration campaign which consisted of 60.5m of trenching in 5 trenches and 830m of drilling in 6 diamond drill holes (“DDH”). In addition to drawing on extensive historical information, the trenching and drill survey used VTEM anomalies and EM conductors (Dubé, 2013) along with recently observed mineralization discovered during the latest surface exploration phase to find the local targets. Figure 1 show the location of the program along with some of the most prominent geological features of the area.
Figure 1: Historic Drill Holes plus Planned Trenches and Drill Holes in Fall 2022 Campaign
Observations of the core and channel samples indicate that the host rocks are skarns, massive quartzites and banded porphyroblastic paragneisses. Graphite is present in all three lithologies, either as disseminated, veins or massive intersections. Sulphides (pyrite, pyrrhotite and sometime galena) are present as traces, clusters, stringers or chunks. Common alterations are carbonatization, ankeritization, chloritization or silicification.
Trenching
In trenches, the main graphite corridor (>10% visual graphite) thicknesses ranges from 0.8m to 2.9m apparent thickness, the mineralization is hosted in metric sized lower grade graphite layers (>1% but <5% graphite). All of the graphite intersections (from trace to >10% visual graphite) appear to range in thicknesses from 0.4m to 11m with an average of 2.42m. Laboratory results will better indicate the extent of the high grade and lower grade mineralization.
Table 1 shows the trench length and targets while table 2 shows the principal observations in the trenches. A total of 63 channel samples have been sent to Actlabs laboratory in Ancaster (Ontario) for graphite package analysis (RX1 preparation and C-Graphitic analytical package).
- In Trench 1 (T1), a mineralized horizon was sampled from 4.5m to 13.5m. This horizon has visible graphite content ranging from 10% to 25% at 4.5m and diminishes at the end (~2% graphite at 12.0m) (Photo 1). There were also 3 grab samples taken with visual estimates of 10 to 25% graphite content (Photo 4).
- In Trench 2 (T2), a mineralized horizon was sampled from 3.0m to 7.5m. This horizon has approximately 2 to 5% visible graphite content.
- In Trench 4 (T4), a mineralized horizon was sampled from 3.0m to 5.5m. This horizon has graphite content ranging from 2% to 5% at 3.0m and increases at the end (~10 to 25% graphite content at 5.5m) (Photo 2).
- In Trench 5, a mineralized horizon was sampled from 0.0m to 6.5m. This horizon has graphite content ranging from 10% to 25% at 0.0m and decreases at the end (~2-5% graphite at 6.5m) (Photo 3).
- A sub-metric and subcropping bloc, a few hundred kilograms in weight, has been collected near DDH-AS22-05. It contains significant graphite mineralization and has been kept for future metallurgical testing.
Table 1: Trench Details
| Trench ID | Opened Trench Length (m) | Channel Sampling Length (m) | Target or Objective |
| 1 | 55 | 24.0 | Test the VTEM anomaly.Open the mineralization to the west. |
| 2 | 30 | 9.5 | Connect the VTEM anomaly to the historic MC-8804 drillhole, which returned 2.10% over 19.7m. |
| 4 | 16 | 9.5 | Interpreted fold from magnetic conductors.Connect the VTEM anomaly to the historic MC-8801 drillhole, which returned 1.94% over 49.6m. |
| 5 | 15 | 10.0 | Open the mineralization to the east. |
| 6 | 20 | 11.0 | Open the mineralization to the east. |
Table 2: Channel Samples Observations
| Trench ID | From (m) | To (m) | Length (m) | Observation (%Cg) |
| T1 | 4.50 | 6.00 | 1.50 | 10-25 |
| T1 | 6.00 | 7.50 | 1.50 | 5-10 |
| T1 | 7.50 | 9.00 | 1.50 | 2-5 |
| T1 | 12.00 | 13.50 | 1.50 | 2-5 |
| T1 | Grab | 10-25 | ||
| T1 | Grab | 10-25 | ||
| T1 | Grab | 10-25 | ||
| T2 | 3.00 | 4.50 | 1.50 | 2-5 |
| T2 | 4.50 | 6.00 | 1.50 | 2-5 |
| T2 | 6.00 | 7.50 | 1.50 | 2-5 |
| T4 | 1.00 | 2.00 | 1.00 | 2-5 |
| T4 | 3.00 | 4.00 | 1.00 | 2-5 |
| T4 | 4.00 | 5.00 | 1.00 | 5-10 |
| T4 | 4.50 | 5.50 | 1.00 | 10-25 |
| T5 | 0.00 | 1.50 | 1.50 | 10-25 |
| T5 | 2.00 | 3.50 | 1.50 | 5-10 |
| T5 | 3.50 | 5.00 | 1.50 | 5-10 |
| T5 | 5.00 | 6.50 | 1.50 | 2-5 |
| T5 | 3.50 | 5.00 | 1.50 | 2-5 |
| Photo 1 | Photo 2 | Photo 3 |
| T1: 4.5-6m, visual estimates of 10-25% graphite | T4: 4.5-5.5m, visual estimates of 10-25% graphite | T5: 0-1.5m, visual estimates of 10-25% graphite |
Photo 4
T1 grab samples: visual estimates of 10-25% graphite
Drilling
Table 3 shows the length of the drillholes and target areas, while table 4 shows the preliminary information obtained during logging. The length of the holes was planned to mostly target shallow EM and VTEM anomalies (within 100m vertical depth). Where access was temporarily impossible (e.g. planned holes DDH-AS22-02 and DDH-AS22-07), the drill pads were moved further away from the target and increased in length to test the depth of the anomalies. All the holes have a NQ diameter. A total of 504 samples were collected following the drilling and have been sent to Actlabs laboratory in Ancaster (Ontario), including standard samples for graphite package analysis (RX1 preparation and C-Graphitic analytical package).
Pyrite, pyrrhotite and magnetite have been observed in drill cores and could be responsible for some of the VTEM anomalies, but the VTEM anomalies cannot be solely explained by these minerals, as the high concentration of these minerals are associated with high concentrations of graphite (see drilling mineralization highlights). Intersections not associated with graphite have very low concentrations of pyrite and pyrrhotite.
In DDH-AS22-02, a mineralized horizon was observed and sampled between 50.55m to 53.20m with visible graphite content ranging from trace to 5% in a fault gouge. We believe that this DDH didn’t reach the expected target and will be resampled in future drill programs.
In DDH-AS22-04 a mineralized horizon was observed and sampled between 32.20m to 35.15m with visible graphite content ranging from 10% to 25% in a massive band.
In DDH-AS-05, two main mineralized horizons were observed and sampled. The first mineralized horizon, between 40.35m to 41.73m has visible graphite content ranging from 20% to 40%. The second mineralized horizon, from 127.55m to 128.40m, has visible graphite up to 10%, and locally up to 20% in a fault from 127.90m to 128.10m.
In DDH-AS22-07, a mineralized horizon was observed and sampled between 137.10m to 144.35m with visible graphite content ranging from 10% to 25% in a massive band and disseminated.
In DDH-AS22-09, a mineralized horizon was identified and sampled between 30.00m to 41.00m with visible graphite, pyrrhotite and pyrite content locally ranging from trace to 1%. We believe this DDH didn’t reach the expected target and will be resampled in future drill programs.
In DDH-AS22-10, three mineralized horizons were identified and sampled. The first mineralized horizon is between 16.15m to 24.00m, with visible graphite content of 2% and up to 10% in fault gouge. The second mineralized horizon is between 86.20m-97.10m with visible graphite content up to 5%, disseminated. The third mineralized horizon is between 117.35m-146.80m with visible graphite content of 5 to 25%.
| Photo 5 | Photo 6 |
| Hole DDH-AS22-04 from 25.4m to 47m | Hole DDH AS22-07 from 130.8m to 152.6m |
| Photo 7 | Photo 8 |
| Hole DDH-AS22-10 from 112.5m to 133.7m | Hole DDH-AS22-10 from 133.7m to 155m |
Table 3: Drillholes Details
| Drill Hole | Length (m) | Target |
| DDH-AS22-02 | 55.3 | Test the VTEM anomaly |
| DDH-AS22-04 | 146.1 | Test the VTEM anomaly.Test the Conductor to the north |
| DDH-AS22-05 | 146.3 | Test the VTEM anomaly.Test the Conductor to the north |
| DDH-AS22-07 | 173.2 | Test the VTEM anomaly.Test the Conductor to the south |
| DDH-AS22-09 | 153.0 | Test the VTEM anomaly.Test the Conductor to the north |
| DDH-AS22-10 | 156.0 | Test the VTEM anomaly.Test the Conductor to the south |
Table 4: Drill Core Observations
| Drill ID | From (m) | To (m) | Length (m) | Observation (%Cg) |
| DDH-AS22-02 | 50.55 | 53.20 | 2.65 | Tr-5 |
| DDH-AS22-04 | 32.20 | 33.90 | 1.70 | 20-40 |
| DDH-AS22-04 | 34.35 | 35.15 | 0.80 | 20-40 |
| DDH-AS22-05 | 40.35 | 41.73 | 1.38 | 20-40 |
| DDH-AS22-05 | 67.80 | 71.65 | 3.85 | 2-5 |
| DDH-AS22-05 | 127.55 | 128.40 | 0.85 | 10-20 |
| DDH-AS22-07 | 137.10 | 138.15 | 1.05 | 20-40 |
| DDH-AS22-07 | 138.15 | 138.95 | 0.80 | 0.5-2 |
| DDH-AS22-07 | 138.95 | 139.70 | 0.75 | 5-20 |
| DDH-AS22-07 | 139.70 | 140.10 | 0.40 | 0.5-1 |
| DDH-AS22-07 | 140.10 | 143.00 | 2.90 | 40-60 |
| DDH-AS22-07 | 143.00 | 144.35 | 1.35 | 5-20 |
| DDH-AS22-09 | 30.00 | 41.00 | 11.00 | Tr-1 |
| DDH-AS22-10 | 16.15 | 24.00 | 7.85 | 5-10 |
| DDH-AS22-10 | 86.20 | 86.75 | 0.55 | 1-5 |
| DDH-AS22-10 | 95.75 | 97.10 | 1.35 | 1-5 |
| DDH-AS22-10 | 117.35 | 119.40 | 2.05 | 20-40 |
| DDH-AS22-10 | 119.40 | 125.60 | 6.20 | 5-20 |
| DDH-AS22-10 | 125.60 | 131.75 | 6.15 | 1-5 |
| DDH-AS22-10 | 134.65 | 137.45 | 2.80 | 1-5 |
| DDH-AS22-10 | 138.90 | 140.35 | 1.45 | 1-5 |
| DDH-AS22-10 | 144.60 | 145.85 | 1.25 | 20-40 |
| DDH-AS22-10 | 145.85 | 146.30 | 0.45 | Tr |
| DDH-AS22-10 | 146.30 | 146.85 | 0.55 | 10-20 |
Chief Executive Officer, Ellerton Castor, said: “These results underline our reasons for tremendous excitement about the future commercial potential of the Asbury property. We are working on a significant conductor that connects the currently investigated area to the historical Asbury mine, where commercial graphite production was achieved in the past. The current program was located approximately 4.5km from the Asbury mine and the conductor anomaly serves to connect the two areas. The Company believes that this corridor contains extensive mineralization and could generate significant resource potential as we have already demonstrated from the observations in the drilling and trenching recently completed.”
References
Dube, J., 2013. Heliborne Magnetic and TDEM Survey, Island and Asbury Properties. Prospectaire Geosurveys Inc for Focus Graphite Inc. GM 67561.
St-Pierre, S., 1988. Journeaux de Sondage, Campagne d’Automne 1988, Projet McGill. Stratmin Inc. GM 48577.
