Avante Mining cuts 9 metres at 1.12% nickel at Voisey’s West, Labrador

Avante Mining Corp. [TSXV-AVA; OTC Pink-ACPRF; FSE-P210], a Canadian nickel-focused exploration company, is pleased to announce that new assay results returned the highest-grade intersection of nickel-copper mineralization at the 100%-optioned Voisey’s West nickel project to date with 2.84% nickel (Ni) and 3.28% nickel equivalent (NiEq) over one metre within a heavily mineralized interval over 18 metres including 9 metres of 1.12% Ni from its maiden drilling program.

The project is located within the same sulfur rich host rocks and intrusive complex as the nearby Voisey’s Bay mine and is located 70km west of the town of Nain, Labrador, Canada.

Highlights: High-grade nickel intercepts within hole VW-23-04 include 2.84% Ni and 3.28% NiEq over one metre within 9 metres of 1.12% Ni, and separately 1.97% NiEq over 3 metres as part of a well mineralized 18 metre interval at 0.99 % NiEq.

High-grade nickel-copper intercepts from hole VW-23-05 include 14.78 metres of 0.86 NiEq including 3 metres of 1.20% nickel and 1.75% NiEq with 0.94% copper.

Drilling successfully identified new zone and expanded on the Projects high-grade nickel intercepts 350 metres north of the previously drilled hole with 14 metres at 1.02% Ni including 2.15% Ni over one metre.

2.84% nickel in 50% sulfide represents >5% Ni in a massive sulfide zone. This shows great potential for increased grades and potential for the future expansion of mining activities in the region with one of the worlds most prolific nickel mines.

Voisey’s West is host to a magmatic sulfide system beginning at or near surface, the same deposit type that formed the nearby world-class Voisey’s Bay mine which is host to 32.4 million tonnes (Mt) of nickel grading 2.13% (proven and probable).

Drilling confirmed the newly developed project model extending the drilled area and identified new high-grade mineralization with a limited program and budget.

Adrian Smith, CEO, commented, “We are excited to have drilled the highest grades at Voisey’s West to date, this discovery underscores the potential of Voisey’s West to host economically important nickel deposits. This high-grade intersection was discovered while testing the north extension of the 1-kilometre trend containing greater than 1% nickel in drilling within the overall 2.5-kilometre trend. We believe the new zone is host to continuous mineralization over 250 metres, of which the northern 150 metres remains completely untested. Having such an extensive area of continuous sulfides within the much larger corridor makes this new area a prime location to follow the magmatic nickel system to depth. Future targeting will include down hole geophysics to aid in tracking the system vertically for the planned phase two program which will continue to expand the zone near surface while also testing to depth.”

The Voisey’s West mineralization shows many similarities to the Voisey’s Bay, pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite-pentlandite sulphide mineralization located within feeder systems of the Eastern Deeps and Reid Brook Zones where these zones traced well below 1-km vertical depth.

Proven and probable reserves for underground mining operations (Reid Brook & Eastern Deeps zones) at Voisey’s Bay are 23.6Mt with grades of 2.17% nickel, 0.91% copper, 0.14% cobalt (US-SEC). This highlights the potential for the Voisey’s West system to be vertically extensive and remains open across the 2.5km strike hosted on the project.

Adrian Smith continued, “We are excited to continue working on the Voisey’s West project, we are in a prime location adjacent to one of the world’s most prolific nickel mines. We plan to conduct down hole geophysics as part of a phase 2 drilling program currently being designed to target the deeper extent of the high-grade nickel mineralization encountered. Our goal with downhole geophysics is to identify the areas where the sulfides settle into massive sulphide pools or pockets which should be part of the magmatic conduit system already identified at the Voisey’s West project. Our team is eager to advance to the next phase of the exploration and to continue working with local communities and stakeholders.”

The Voisey’s West is located 50 km from, and within the same intrusive complex and geological setting as the world class Voisey’s Bay nickel mine.

The Voisey’s West is located in the same intrusive complex as the world class Voisey’s Bay Nickel mine where reported remaining proven and probable reserves include 32.4 million tonnes of 2.13% nickel, 0.96% copper, 0.13% cobalt, and additional measured and indicated 10.3 million tonnes of 0.87% nickel, 0.65% copper, 0.04% cobalt.