New Tenement in Pilbara for Gold


VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 06, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Macarthur Minerals Limited (TSX-V:MMS) (the “Company” or “Macarthur Minerals”) is pleased to announce it has entered into an agreement to acquire 100% of granted exploration license E45/4685 covering an area of 35 square kilometers in the Pilbara region of Western Australia (“Tenement”), as previously announced on September 12, 2017.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d5f83231-cf0f-4e4b-aef1-8d2e4d024065

David Taplin, President, CEO and Director of Macarthur Minerals commented:

“Macarthur Minerals is excited about the potential for gold on this tenement. The prospectors that have held this tenement have been successful in finding surface nugget gold from this area. Historical rock chip sampling returned results up to 447 grams per tonne gold and 7.8% copper. The tenement expands the exploration area adjacent to the Company’s existing tenements, which is highly prospective for gold comprising the Hillside Gold Project.”

GOLD AND COPPER

The Tenement immediately adjoins the Company’s Exploration Licence Applications E45/4824, E45/4708 and E45/4709, comprising the Hillside Gold Project. The applications were the subject of the Company’s previous announcement dated August 29, 2017 titled “Macarthur Minerals Reports Anomalous Gold and Copper Results at its Pilbara Projects in Western Australia”. The group of tenements, indicating potential for gold and copper, are located approximately 185 kilometres (“km”) South East of Port Hedland and 50 km South West of Marble Bar.

The area has previously been explored by various companies for gold, copper, zinc and lead but limited drilling exists.

Historical rock chip sampling by Great Southern Mines in 1998 returned 37 samples grading above one gram per tonne (g/t) up to a maximum of 447 g/t Au as (Table 1).

These tenements surround the mining lease of the historic Edelwiess gold mine.  A limited drilling program consisting of six rotary percussion (“RC”) holes conducted by Metana Minerals N.L in 1980 intersected gold mineralisation associated with quartz veins. Gold was recorded in three holes with an average grade of approximately 12 g/t Au and a maximum of 25.83 Au g/t (Table 2). In addition, sampling along a discontinuous outcropping gossan over a strike of 18 km, showed high potential for copper mineralisation. A total of 20 results yielded above 1,000 ppm Cu to a maximum of 7.8% Cu (Table 1; Figure 1).

These results, in addition to numerous gold occurrences recorded between the Table Top area and Edelweiss Mines over a strike of 7.5 km, suggest the area is highly prospective for both gold and copper mineralisation.

Table 1 - Historical gold and copper results from E45/4685, E45/4824 and E45/4708.
Highlighted gold samples > 30 g/t and copper > 10,000 ppm (1%)

SampleGold g/tCopper ppm
931074473
9310918131
93107210111
93108070 
9313155102
93107739 
922363790
93111323200
11493141
93214330 
93200291340
931062296
11130628105
93109323 
93110225
118419820
565517.547
93106161
9310816246
910491549
11130813.5640
46141345
93107012 
9310711211
93106911 
9311157 
11864.778
51323.244
11602.95370
56542.4270
51772.1170
1114211.8240
1114131.8230
51821.832
11931.6840
93107313
9311171 
1114240.48500
2030.378000
1114310.2913500
1144160.253900
910390.23650
1114170.163400
1113990.17600
1114030.13900
1114230.14000
1114320.0915500
6268 2250
93195 23000
93196 1380
93206 7200
93207 24000
93210 18000
93211 2800
93212 21000

Table 2 - Historical RC drilling results from the Edelweiss Mine as determined by Fire Assay

HoleIntervalAu grade g/t
EWP19-100.82
 10-113.08
 11-121.09
 12-134.58
 13-1410.00
 14-152.75
 15-163.45
EWP414-150.90
 15-160.40
 16-171.32
 17-1825.83
 18-190.77
EWP510-1125.00
 11-1232.50
 12-1327.50
 13-148.20
 14-1510.83
 15-163.17
 16-170.65
 17-180.05
 18-192.67

NEXT STEPS FOR WORK ON TENEMENTS

The Company is currently preparing a field work program including mapping and sampling the tenements for gold, copper and lithium including performing due diligence on E45/4685.

OPTION AGREEMENT

Macarthur Minerals (through its 100% owned subsidiary Macarthur Lithium Pty Ltd (“MLi”)) has entered into an Option Agreement (“Option Agreement”) with private prospectors (“Seller”) to purchase 100% interest in the Tenement.

The key terms of the Option Agreement are as follows:

  1. MLi be granted by the Owners an exclusive option to purchase E45/4685 for the Purchase Price.
  2. The Purchase Price is A$135,000 consisting of A$85,000 in cash and A$50,000 in shares at 20-day VWAP on execution (“Purchase Price”)
  3. MLi paid A$15,000 to the Seller on executing the formal option agreement
  4. Term of option be for period to 31 January 2018 (“Option Term”)
  5. MLi pay the Purchase Price within Option Term on which it will be transferred full unencumbered title to E45/4685
  6. Sellers have all rights to alluvial gold on E45/4685
  7. Sellers keep Tenement in good standing

QUALIFIED PERSONS

Mr Andrew Hawker, a member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists, is a full-time employee of Hawker Geological Services Pty Ltd and is a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101.  Mr Hawker has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release.

ABOUT MACARTHUR MINERALS LIMITED (TSX-V:MMS)

Macarthur Minerals Limited is an exploration company that is focused on identifying high grade gold and lithium. Macarthur Minerals has significant gold, lithium and iron ore exploration interests in Australia and Nevada. Macarthur Minerals has two iron ore projects in Western Australia; the Ularring hematite project and the Moonshine magnetite project.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,
MACARTHUR MINERALS LIMITED


Cameron McCall
Cameron McCall, Executive Chairman

Company Contact:
David Taplin, Joint CEO and Director
dtaplin@macarthurminerals.com
Tel: +61 407470044

Joe Phillips, Joint CEO and Director
jphillips@macarthurminerals.com
Tel: +61 448899247

www.macarthurminerals.com

THIS NEWS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

Caution Regarding Forward Looking Statements
Certain of the statements made and information contained in this press release may constitute forward-looking information and forward-looking statements (collectively, “forward-looking statements”) within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The forward-looking statements in this press release reflect the current expectations, assumptions or beliefs of the Company based upon information currently available to the Company. With respect to forward-looking statements contained in this press release, assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, the timely receipt of required approvals, the reliability of information, including historical mineral resource or mineral reserve estimates, prepared and/or published by third parties that are referenced in this press release or was otherwise relied upon by the Company in preparing this press release. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct as actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include fluctuations in exchange rates and certain commodity prices, uncertainties related to mineral title in the project, unforeseen technology changes that results in a reduction in iron ore demand or substitution by other metals or materials, the discovery of new large low cost deposits of iron ore, uncertainty in successfully returning the project into full operation, and the general level of global economic activity. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements due to the inherent uncertainty thereof. Such statements relate to future events and expectations and, as such, involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release and except as may otherwise be required pursuant to applicable laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Figure 1

Mot-clé