GATINEAU, QUEBEC--(Marketwired - Sep 29, 2015) - Nouveau Monde Mining Enterprises Inc. ("Nouveau Monde") (TSX VENTURE:NOU)(OTC PINK:NMGRF)(FRANKFURT:NM9) is pleased to report additional drilling and trenching assay results for its ongoing 2015 program on the Matawinie graphite property which is located in the St-Michel-des-Saints area, some 130 km north of Montreal, Québec, Canada. An extensive trenching and drilling (totaling 9,000 m) program was initiated on the property's Tony claim block in late June following repeated discoveries earlier this summer of high-grade graphite showings coincident with multi-kilometric conductive anomalies (see press releases dated May 28 and July 9, 2015). The objective of the work program is to define before year-end the most promising graphite resource among the different mineralized zones on the project in order to come up with a preliminary economic assessment during the first half of 2016. The current partial results concern the South-East Zone of the Tony block; significant partial results for the South-West Zone were presented earlier this month (see September 10 press release).
The following files can be downloaded in support to the reading of the paragraphs below:
- Property location map: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ms88ze7jskis89f/PR_Tony_Block_20150929.pdf?dl=0
- South-East Zone location map: https://www.dropbox.com/s/lftzi0i8icyds0b/PR_SouthEastZone_20150929.pdf?dl=0
- Section S-2800: https://www.dropbox.com/s/wg9n8f6x6cexodi/Tony%20Section%20S2800%20English.pdf?dl=0
- Section S-2900: https://www.dropbox.com/s/0xpbws5y8946wfy/Tony%20Section%20S2900%20English.pdf?dl=0
Drilling
To date, 33 core drill holes ranging in length from 33 to 183 m were drilled for a total of 4,360 m, the operation generating more than 2,000 samples. The results presented today regard the South-East Zone of the Tony block where six of the holes (totaling 1,014 m) were drilled. Although results are pending for four of these holes, those received for holes TO-15-16 and TO-15-17 both showed long intersections. In particular, hole TO-15-16 returned 3.19% Cg over 160.1 m (160.1 m true width), including higher-grade sectors of 4.04% Cg over 49.5 m, 3.97% Cg over 14.2 m, 3.72% Cg over 28.0 m and 4.76% Cg over 7.4 m. The location of the drill holes can be observed on the South-East Zone location map above, while the results received to date are presented in Table 1. As seen on the two presented sections, from south to north, the drill holes intercepted a wide graphitic horizon (S1) at least 140 m to 160 m thick. This horizon dips around 45° to the south. Regarding the South-East Zone, drilling suggests that the S1 horizon narrows to the east between sections S-3000 and S-3100, while PhiSpy ground geophysics indicates that it is well developed and close to surface from sections S-2600 to S-3100. In this context, we believe the geophysical methodology to be very reliable as it has not only been instrumental in discovering the mineralization, but also strongly supports its continuity between the drill sections.
Samples from the 2015 core drilling program were generally 2 m in length (see QC/QA section below). Core barrel size was BTW (4.2 cm). All the holes on the South-East Zone were more or less oriented N336° (perpendicular to the long axis of the zone), with a dip of 45°.
Table 1: Summary of results received to date for drilling on the South-East Zone
| | | | | | | | | |
| Section | Hole | | Horizon | | From
(m) | To
(m) | Width
(m) | True
Width | Grade
(Cg) |
| S2900 | TO-15-16 | | S1 | | 16.5 | 176.6 | 160.1 | 160.1 | 160.1m @ 3.19% |
| Including | | | 16.5 | 66 | 49.5 | 49.5 | 49.5m @ 4.04% |
| Including | | | 78.81 | 93 | 14.19 | 14.2 | 14.2m @ 3.97% |
| Including | | | 109 | 137 | 28 | 28.0 | 28.0m @ 3.72% |
| Including | | | 169.24 | 176.6 | 7.36 | 7.4 | 7.4m @ 4.76% |
| S2800 | TO-15-17 | | S1 | | 30.9 | 39.45 | 8.55 | 8.6 | 8.6m @ 4.65% |
| 54 | 171.35 | 117.35 | 117.35 | 117.4m @ 3.56% |
| Including | | | 65 | 87 | 22 | 22.0 | 22.0m @ 3.92% |
| Including | | | 129 | 171.35 | 42.35 | 42.35 | 42.4m @ 4.52% |
Trenching-channel sampling
Assay results have been recently received and compiled for trench TO-15-TR-6, one of a total of five trenches ranging in length from 62 to 198 m that were excavated and sampled during the summer. Trench TO-15-TR-6 has a total length of 192 m; however, some 15% of it could not be excavated because of the presence of large obstacles or excessive overburden. Correlations with drill-hole TO-15-17 (see section S-2800) suggest the entire length of the trench is mineralized with an average grade of 3.4 % Cg or better. The best individual channel sample result from the trench is 5.76 % graphitic carbon ("Cg") over 2.5 m and a total of 22 samples cumulating 45.5 m in length returned over 5 % Cg. While the northern contact of the mineralized horizon was intersected, the mineralization remains open to the south where overburden over 3 m precluded excavation.
The samples were collected using a portable gas-powered rock saw. Channel samples from the program each measured approximately 2 m in length, 4 cm in width, and 10 cm in height. The trench was oriented approximately perpendicular to the gneissossity whose dip varies approximately from 32 degrees to 50 degrees to the SSE in this area. All trench locations are seen on the property map, while assay results are available below (Table 2).
Table 2: Summary of results from channel sampling in Trench TO-15-TR-6
| |
| From (m) | To (m) | Total Interval Length (m)* | % Cg Over Interval** |
| 0 | 62 | 62 | 3.74 |
| 69.5 | 118 | 48.5 | 4.47 |
| 128 | 137 | 9 | 3.52 |
| 147.5 | 192 | 44.5 | 3.47 |
| Including |
| 147.5 | 158 | 10.5 | 4.82 |
| 164 | 176 | 12 | 3.40 |
| 182 | 192 | 10 | 4.77 |
| *Sampling of intervals not included in the table was not performed due to large obstacles or prohibitive overburden depth. |
| ** Interval length does not represent true width. All analyses were performed by ALS Minerals Laboratories and delivered as graphitic carbon (Cg), using internal analytical code C-IR18. |
Trenching-channel sampling
The 2015 drilling program was supervised by Yvan Bussières, P.Eng. (Québec), B.Sc., and the trenching by Antoine Cloutier, P.Geo. (Québec), B.Sc. A strict protocol, including the insertion of duplicate and blank samples within the sample stream was adopted as part of a quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) program. Graphite standards were also included within the borehole sampling protocol. Duplicate, blank and graphite standard sample results returned values within acceptable limits. Verification, preparation and sample submittal for the drilling were done by Mr. Bussières, whereas Mr. Cloutier was responsible for the same for the channel sampling.
All channel samples were thoroughly washed and individually bagged prior to shipping. Mineralized core samples were chosen for analysis either by Mr. Bussières or Mr. Bernard-Olivier Martel, P.Geo. (Québec), B.Sc. The mineralized drill core was split into quarters using a rock saw. The quarter core samples were then individually bagged and sent for analysis, and the remaining core was kept as a reference and for possible metallurgical testing. Samples were analyzed for graphitic carbon (Cg) content by a LECO analyzer (ALS code; C-IR18) at the ALS Minerals laboratory in North Vancouver (BC), Canada. This laboratory is ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 17025 accredited.
The technical information in this news release was prepared by Yvan Bussières, P.Eng., drill program supervisor, and Antoine Cloutier, P.Geo., chief geologist for Nouveau Monde, and reviewed by Eric Desaulniers, MSc, P.Geo., President and CEO of Nouveau Monde. All three are qualified persons under National Instrument 43-101.
Neither the TSX-V nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX-V) has in any way passed upon the merits of the proposed transaction or approved or disapproved the contents of this press release.
Except for historical information contained herein, this news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those anticipated by such statements. Nouveau Monde will not update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. More detailed information about potential factors that could affect financial results is included in the documents filed from time to time with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities by Nouveau Monde.
