F3 Uranium drills 8.8% U3O8 over 18 metres at Patterson Lake North, Saskatchewan
F3 Uranium Corp. [FUU-TSXV; FUUFF-OTCQB; 2F3A-FSE] reported expedited assay results for drill hole PLN23-068 which returned 18 metres of 8.8% U3O8 (triuranium octoxide), including a high-grade 11.5-metre interval averaging 13.7% U3O8, further including an ultrahigh-grade core of 4.5 metres of 30.1% U3O8 at its Patterson Lake North project, Athabasca basin, Saskatchewan.
Significant mineralization over a 17-metre interval was intersected in PLN23-079 on line 045S, including three metres off-scale radioactivity (greater than 65,535 cps (counts per second)) between 235.50 and 239, of which 2.50 metres is continuous.
Drillhole PLN23-078 targeted the A1B EM conductor, which is parallel and laterally offset by approximately 350 metres to the A1 Main Shear Zone and starts approximately 2.3km grid south of the JR Zone; interpreted to be part of the JR structural system, this 1,100-metre long geophysical feature was drill tested for the first time and corresponded to a 15.6-metre wide graphitic and sulphide-rich shear zone. Although there was no anomalous radioactivity associated with the single intercept, the structure itself has enough similarities with the A1 main shear zone to warrant follow up drill testing and was coined the A1B shear zone.
JR Zone drilling, as well as exploration drilling continues with two diamond drills and one sonic drill; advances with sonic casing efficiencies have allowed the program to operate with one sonic drill versus the originally budgeted two; these savings are significant enough to add additional drilling to the summer program within the originally planned summer budget and F3 now projects to drill up to 40 holes totaling 16,000 metres.
Sam Hartmann, Vice President Exploration, commented: “These first assay results of the season didn’t disappoint, with PLN23-068 from line 60S yielding the best grade thickness intercept at the JR Zone to date, as was indicated from the initial scintillometer results. PLN23-079 stepped out along strike of this hole on line 45S and intersected significant off-scale mineralization. Chasing that further up-dip with PLN23-086 resulted in 23.5 metres of mineralization – the widest interval intersected to date – and starting at just 6m below the unconformity, which still remains un-tested.
“Maiden exploration drilling of the A1B EM conductor resulted in the discovery of a parallel shear zone sharing many of the hallmarks that identify the A1 main shear zone. This may indicate the JR structural system to be a more complex package than we initially thought. The potential for the A1B shear to host uranium mineralization is too great to remain untested, and we plan for additional drilling along it; in particular, towards the southern end where the conductivity appears to drop off, similar to the northern end of the A1 conductor where the JR Zone is located. Fortunately, we were also able to increase our planned summer meterage due to field cost savings.”
Highlights: PLN23-068 (line 060S) returned 18.0 metres of 8.8% U3O8 (230.5m to 248.5m), including 11.5 metres of 13.7% U3O88 (233.5m to 245.0m), further including 4.5 metres of 30.1% U3O8 (235.0 m to 239.5m).
Main Scintillometer Intercepts: PLN23-077 (line 090S) returned 9.5 metres mineralization from 227.0 metres to 236.5 metres, including 0.49 metres continuous mineralization of >10,000 cps radioactivity between 234.21 metres and 234.70 metres with a peak radioactivity of 34,600 cps.
PLN23-078 (line 1640S): Discovery of A1B shear zone returned 16.5 metres graphitic shear zone from 226.7 metres to 242.3 metres.
PLN23-079 (line 045S) returned 17.0 metres mineralization from 230.5 metres to 247.5 metres, including 5.1 metres composite mineralization of >10,000 cps radioactivity between 233.10 metres and 239.40 metres, including 3.0 metres off-scale radioactivity (>65,535 cps) between 235.50 and 239.00 metres, of which 2.50 metres is continuous.
PLN23-081 (line 060S) returned 1.5 metres mineralization from 215.0 meters to 216.5 metres with a peak radioactivity of 2,300 cps.
PLN23-083 (line 030S) returned 4.5 metres composite mineralization from 225.5 metres to 234.5 metres, including 0.34 metres mineralization of >10,000 cps radioactivity between 226.66 metres and 227.00 metres with a peak radioactivity of 19,300 cps.
PLN23-084 (line 075S) returned 12.5 metres composite mineralization from 232.0 metres to 244.5 metres, including 0.75 metres mineralization of >10,000 cps radioactivity between 235.25 metres and 238.5 metres with a peak radioactivity of 19,200 cps.
PLN23-086 (line 045S) returned 23.5 metres mineralization from 213.5 metres and 237.0 metres, including 1.59 metres composite mineralization of >10,000 cps radioactivity between 232.12 metres and 234.00 metres including 0.46 metres composite off-scale radioactivity (>65,535 cps).
The 4,078-hectare, 100%-owned Patterson Lake North property (PLN) is located just within the south-western edge of the Athabasca Basin in proximity to Fission Uranium’s Triple R and NexGen Energy’s Arrow high-grade world class uranium deposits. PLN is accessed by Provincial Highway 955, which transects the property.