13 August 2024
SUNRISE RESOURCES
PLC
("Sunrise" or the
"Company")
Exploration Update - Pioche
Sepiolite Project
Further to the Company's
announcement of 12 July 2024, Sunrise Resources plc is pleased to
advise that the Phase 2 drilling and pitting programme at its
Pioche Sepiolite Project in Nevada, USA has been successfully
completed.
Summary:
·
Drilling was carried out using the sonic drilling
method1 by drilling contractor Harris
Exploration.
·
Drilling focussed on the central and eastern area
of the claim block (2022 drilling focussed on the central and
western areas).
·
12 vertical holes completed for a total of 460m
over an area of 160 ha.
·
6 pits were dug using an excavator to sample well
defined sepiolite beds at surface
over a strike length
2.7km.
·
107 separate drill samples and 6 pit samples have
been sent to Tolsa's lab in Spain for sepiolite
characterisation.
The drill programme was managed and
funded by Tolsa USA Inc ("Tolsa"), a subsidiary of Spanish
sepiolite producer, Tolsa S.A., the world's largest sepiolite
producer.
Tolsa holds an option to purchase
the Pioche project for US$1.4 million exercisable by 28 December
2024 with future payments to Sunrise of a 3% revenue-based royalty
on production.
Further
information:
Sunrise Resources plc
Patrick Cheetham, Executive
Chairman
|
Tel: +44 (0)1625 838 884
|
Beaumont Cornish Limited
Nominated Adviser
James Biddle/Roland
Cornish
|
Tel: +44 (0)207 628 3396
|
Peterhouse Capital Limited
Broker
Lucy Williams/Duncan
Vasey
|
Tel: +44 (0)207 469 0930
|
Market Abuse Regulation (MAR)
Disclosure
The information contained within
this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside
information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU)
No. 596/2014 which forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the
European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 ('MAR'). Upon the publication
of this announcement via Regulatory Information Service ('RIS'),
this inside information is now considered to be in the public
domain.
Nominated
Adviser
Beaumont Cornish Limited ("Beaumont
Cornish") is the Company's Nominated Adviser and is authorised and
regulated by the FCA. Beaumont Cornish's responsibilities as the
Company's Nominated Adviser, including a responsibility to advise
and guide the Company on its responsibilities under the AIM Rules
for Companies and AIM Rules for Nominated Advisers, are owed solely
to the London Stock Exchange. Beaumont Cornish is not acting for
and will not be responsible to any other persons for providing
protections afforded to customers of Beaumont Cornish nor for
advising them in relation to the proposed arrangements described in
this announcement or any matter referred to in it.
About
Sepiolite
Sepiolite is a very uncommon clay
because of both its peculiar characteristics and scarce occurrence.
It is non-swelling, lightweight and highly porous. There are very
few commercial deposits in the world.
It is used extensively in pet
litter, in agriculture as a slow-release absorbent and adsorbent,
as a carrier for chemicals and pesticides and in animal feeds as a
binder and carrier for nutrients and growth promoter. It is also a
valuable gelling agent and viscosity modifier in several industrial
products.
Sepiolite, unlike other clays, is
not affected by salt water and so sepiolite drilling muds are used
in oil field wells where brine formations are a problem. It is also
the only clay that is stable at high temperatures and so is used in
drilling muds for geothermal wells. Sepiolite is usually mined by
open pit methods and is processed by drying, grinding and screening
and may undergo further treatments and transformations depending on
the market.
About the Pioche Sepiolite
Project
The Pioche Sepiolite Project (the
"Project") is located close to the historic mining town of Pioche
in Lincoln County, Nevada. It lies within 4km of US Highway 93,
from which it can be accessed by a network of 4WD tracks, and 47km
from rail at the town of Caliente, Nevada. The Project was acquired
at low cost by claim staking.
In the summer of 2023, Tolsa carried
out a drill programme at the Project (Phase 1). Twenty drill holes
were competed for a total of 929.5 linear ft. Holes were drilled to
an average depth of 47ft reflecting the shallow occurrence of
sepiolite amenable to open-pit mining. The drill holes were spaced
relatively evenly over an area of 2km x 1.1km. A helical drill stem
was used to extract the samples and good recovery was
achieved.
Tolsa may purchase the Project for
US$1.4 million at any time before 28 December 2024 and has paid
US$150,000 in option fees to date. Sunrise will retain a 3% net
revenue royalty for a 25-year period from the commencement of
commercial production should Tolsa exercise its option.
Further information on the Pioche
Project can be found on the Company's website at:
https://www.sunriseresourcesplc.com/pioche-sepiolite-project.
Further information on the Company's
agreements with Tolsa and information on Sepiolite and Tolsa can be
found in the company's news releases of 28 June 2022 and 27
December 2023 at:
https://www.sunriseresourcesplc.com/news/category/news
Notes:
1.
Sonic drilling is an advanced form
of drilling which employs the use of high-frequency, resonant
energy generated inside the Sonic head to advance a core barrel or
casing into subsurface formations. During drilling, the resonant
energy is transferred down the drill string to the bit face at
various sonic frequencies. Simultaneously rotating the drill string
evenly distributes the energy and impact at the bit face. Sonic
drilling is best suited to drill sampling of soft and
unconsolidated materials.
2. Qualified Person
Information:
The information in this release has
been compiled and reviewed by Mr. Patrick Cheetham (MIMMM, MAusIMM)
who is a qualified person for the purposes of the AIM Note for
Mining and Oil & Gas Companies. Mr. Cheetham is a Member of the
Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining and also a member of
the Australasian Institute of Mining & Metallurgy.
Shares in the Company trade on AIM. EPIC:
"SRES".
Website: www.sunriseresourcesplc.com