Renforth Resources Inc. Reports Success on Initial Sorting Test of Victoria Polymetallic Mineralization
PICKERING, October 1, 2024 - - Renforth Resources Inc. (CSE: RFR) (OTCQB: RFHRF) (FSE: 9RR) ("Renforth" or the "Company"), an active mineral exploration company engaged in the exploration and development of multi-commodity mineral properties in Canada, today advises shareholders that an initial test of material from Renforth's Victoria critical minerals polymetallic system in Quebec has been successfully completed at the TOMRA Mining Test Centre in Wedel, Germany. Results include high-definition recognition of mineralization in the drill core submitted, showing sulphide mineralization and mineralized inclusions in waste rock. The recognition of waste rock and the detection of an EM signal of conductivity from the mineralized particles allows additional separation potential. Renforth will continue the testing process by obtaining a much larger sample, crushing and screening the sample and shipping it to TOMRA for performance testing designed to test separation performance and process, as well as establish the expected sorter performance and throughput, and an eventual process flow sheet.
Why Sort Mineralized and Non-Mineralized Material
This initial proof that material from Victoria can be sorted offers Renforth a way to streamline future operations, reducing costs and the environmental impact of a future operating scenario by implementing pre-concentration.
By removing waste rock early in the processing cycle, Renforth expects to reduce the amount of material processed, which will be at a higher grade than ROM material, resulting in lower Capex and cost in building out the processing capacity. Sorting also means a significant reduction of the project's environmental impact, with less electricity required, less water used and a reduction in the chemicals required to liberate the metal contained within Victoria's polymetallic material by processing less material. Significant reductions in material being processed significantly reduces the size of the tailing's facility and the associated environmental costs.
Sorting is made possible through the application of XRT and EM in combination, using proprietary algorithms custom engineered for Victoria's mineralization style. Readers can see an X-ray sorting machine, similar to what tested Victoria material, in action on TOMRA's site at https://video.tomra.com/tomra-x-ray-technology-sorting along with other information. Renforth cautions the reader that this is early testing that supports developing a process flow sheet. It is not a decision to build a mine nor is it a guarantee a mine will be built, however, the efficiencies and savings that sorting offers will significantly impact that decision.
Who is TOMRA?
The reader is encouraged to visit TOMRA's website, specifically the "customer stories" page, to better understand the use and impact of TOMRA's technology in a mining scenario https://www.tomra.com/en/mining/media-center/customer-stories. Amongst several stories of operational optimization with a variety of solutions around the world, readers will note that TOMRA's X-ray Transmission technology, which separates material based on atomic density, has been proven and is in use within Quebec at the Renard diamond mine. At Renard X-ray Transmission is utilized in their recovery circuit, a proven application of the same technology which has been successful with Victoria's mineralization. Renforth's non-executive director, John Webster MAusIMM, has successfully tested and implemented TOMRA technology in Russia, the UK, and Australia and is currently testing ores from Saudi Arabia, recognizing the transformative impact it could have at Victoria.
Francis Newton P.Geo OGQ, a "qualified person" pursuant to the criteria of NI43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this press release.
Current Interpretation of Renforth's ~20km long Victoria Mineralized System
General Model
The Pontiac sediments host a pre-existing sulphidic, graphitic horizon which bears zinc and lesser copper and perhaps cobalt. Texturally this sequence resembles an exhalite with laminated cherts and chert-sulphide layers sometimes present. Stratigraphic way-up is inferred to be northward based on scouring textures seen in SUR-21-28 and a gradual ramp-up of Pb values in country units in SUR-22-39, interpreted as the VMS hanging wall. This sequence has interacted with a series of ultramafic units (sills and/or flows) which have assimilated both sulphur and carbon from the Pontiac horizon, allowing pentlandite to be precipitated in proximity to sphalerite-pyrrhotite in places. The assimilated carbon produces a distinctive ferrodolomite contact alteration zone which is close to, or hosts, much of the mineralization.
Alternatively, pentlandite may have been generated in small amounts through the liberation of Ni during serpentinization, combining with S liberated by conversion of pyrite to pyrrhotite at amphibolite grade.
Geochemistry
Zinc mineralization ties very strongly to sulphidic, graphitic sedimentary units. This can be seen geochemically with a very strong zinc-copper-cobalt-sulphur correlation. Higher zinc values correlate with drops in magnesium and modest elevation in incompatible elements such as yttrium. The reduced magnesium may correlate with a possible reduction in biotite and increase in muscovite that is observed in drill core close to the mineralized zones. It is possible that the sulphidic, graphitic units are a volcanogenic exhalite and, if so, it should be possible to recognize alteration halos.
Geochemically, it can be seen that the ultramafic system has two clear end-members; a mafic component that is Ni+Cr-enriched, and a komatiitic component which is both weakly Ni-enriched and partially Cr-depleted. Variolitic and spinifex textures are occasionally observed in core in the respective units. Spatially, these are intricately interlayered within the Victoria belt, and some drillholes can pass through numerous stretches of each. This might suggest repeated eruptions or intrusions from a single, fractionating magma source. Each of the end-members might interact differently with the exhalite horizon and this might be an important control on nickel values. The evidence for Ni/Cr fractionation might suggest that there is potential for true magmatic or komatiitic nickel mineralization within the Victoria system, which has not yet been discovered.
Nickel correlates with sulphur within the sedimentary/exhalite units, and these samples all have extreme Ni/Cr ratios. Nickel and sulphur also weakly correlate in the mafic component of the ultramafic system, but far less so in the komatiitic component. This speaks to the deposition of nickel close to preexisting sulphur sources and the presence of some amount of sulphidic nickel within the mafic-ultramafic system. Drill logs often mention clots of graphite within the ferrodolomite-altered, nickel-mineralized portions of the mafics-ultramafics, which again supports the assimilation idea, and bolsters the case for a geophysics-based exploration strategy.
Limited PGE assaying in early 2024 revealed that elevated Pt/Pd values tended to correlate with Bismuth and Tellerium far more strongly than with Ni, Co or Cu, suggesting a minor telluride component within the ultramafics.
Mineralized Zones
Three main mineralized zones can be seen in the existing drill data. A North Contact Zone (zinc-dominated) follows the northern edge of the ultramafic belt. The South Contact Zone is mostly zinc with some nickel overprint. The Ultramafic Zone runs through the centre of the belt and is exposed in the main stripped area. This carries both nickel and zinc, and may have some amount of structural control. There are additional zinc-dominated parallel zones, particularly at the western end of current drilling, and there are some outlying high-nickel samples that might correspond to shear structures.
There may be a shallow westward plunge in the North Contact Zone. The data is less clear but there may be a similar trend in the South Contact Zone.
Geophysically, it is worth noting that the mineralized zones are within the magnetic trend. This can be seen both from airborne geophysics and magnetic susceptibility, and it is likely the result of pyrrhotite.
There might be patterns in the existing geophysics data that point to these hypothetical cross-cutting structures. There are low-angle embayments in the magnetic signal at Victoria, which might correspond to the Ultramafic Zone and some outlying nickel-rich locations. This pattern could be applied elsewhere.
Regional Interpretation
VMS systems would be expected to form in an extensional setting with country units consisting of a mix of mafic to felsic volcanics and marine sediments. The host units are generally considered to be clastic sediments which suggests either a very immature early-stage extensional setting, or that some of the country units are not well identified. The presence of cordierite and staurolite suggests at least some phyllitic content. Further petrographic work is required.
Property-wide LIDAR data has recently been interpreted. Many outcrop features visible in LIDAR can be tentatively linked to the main "F1" Pontiac foliation, with two later structural deformation trends. These are best evidenced in the northeast of Surimeau close to the Cadillac Break, but there is evidence of them across much of the property. These deformation events may have been involved in the deposition of gold along the Cadillac Break. There might be a link between one of the trends and the Beaupré vein system.
Some of these linear trends are also present close to Victoria but their significance is not yet understood.
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No securities regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the contents of this news release.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements and information under applicable securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward looking. Forward-looking statements are frequently identified by such words as "may," "will," "plan," "expect," "believe," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend" and similar words referring to future events and results. Such statements and information are based on the current opinions and expectations of management. All forward-looking information is inherently uncertain and subject to a variety of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, including the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, fluctuating commodity prices, the risks of obtaining necessary approvals, licenses and permits and the availability of financing, as described in more detail in the Company's securities filings available at www.sedar.com. Actual events or results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements and the reader is cautioned against placing undue reliance thereon. Forward-looking information speaks only as of the date on which it is provided, and the Company assumes no obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law.
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Renforth Resources Inc.
Nicole Brewster
President and Chief Executive Officer
416-818-1393
Nicole@RenforthResources.com
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