Lion One Starts Mechanized Production at Tuvatu, Drills 1.2 M of 393.01 g/t Gold
Lion One Metals (TSXV: LIO, OTCQX: LOMLF, ASX: LLO) announced the start of mechanized production at its Tuvatu Gold Project in Fiji. Notable milestones include the first remote bogging on May 16 and first long hole stope blast on May 18, marking the project's transition to production mining. The company reported increased mill operations capacity from 300 TPD to over 400 TPD, due to operational improvements.
Significant new drill results were highlighted, with assays such as 393.01 g/t gold over 1.2 meters and 215.86 g/t gold over 0.6 meters. These results are important for enhancing the mine model and inform stope design, focusing on UR2 and URW3 lodes. The company completed 4930.7 meters of new drilling across 36 holes.
The Tuvatu project’s operational upgrades and high-grade drilling results indicate promising potential for increased gold production, positioning Lion One strategically in the gold mining sector.
- Start of mechanized production at Tuvatu, beginning a new phase of mining operations.
- First remote bogging and long hole stope blast in Fiji's history, showcasing operational advancements.
- Increased mill operations capacity from 300 TPD to over 400 TPD due to operational improvements.
- Significant high-grade gold assays, including 393.01 g/t over 1.2 meters and 215.86 g/t over 0.6 meters.
- Completion of 4930.7 meters of new drilling, enhancing the mine model and informing stope design.
- No specific negative aspects reported in the press release.
North Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 5, 2024) - Lion One Metals Limited (TSXV: LIO) (OTCQX: LOMLF) (ASX: LLO) ("Lion One" or the "Company") is pleased to report the start of mechanized production at Tuvatu and reports significant new high-grade gold results from Zone 5 infill and grade control drilling at its
Mechanized production mining has commenced at Tuvatu. The first remote bogging at Tuvatu occurred on May 16th, and the first long hole stope blast occurred on May 18th. Both are also firsts for the country of Fiji. This is a major milestone for the company as it represents the transition from predominantly development mining to predominantly production mining. The processing plant can now also sustainably process over 400 TPD, which is above the plant's name plate capacity of 300 TPD. The increased throughput is possible due to the successful implementation of operational improvements and debottlenecking initiatives completed by the mill team.
Assay results are also presented here for infill and grade control drilling in the Zone 5 area of Tuvatu. Drill results include multiple bonanza grade gold assays such as 1568.55 g/t, 215.86 g/t, 143.95 g/t, and 134.68 g/t (see Table 1 below). These results are all located proximal to underground development in the near-surface portion of the mine. Drilling was focused on two locations; to the north and south of the Cabex fault, which is a carbonate healed, deposit scale structure. The primary targets for these drillholes were the downdip and southern extensions of the UR2 and URW3 lodes. Previous drill results from the Zone 5 area are available in the December 13, 2023, November 2, 2023, and August 10, 2023 news releases.
Highlights:
First mechanized production mining at Tuvatu
First ever remote bogging at Tuvatu on May 16th
First ever long hole firing at Tuvatu on May 18th
Mill operations increased from 300 TPD to 400 TPD
Top new drill intersects:
393.01 g/t Au over 1.2 m (including 1568.55 g/t Au over 0.3 m)
215.86 g/t Au over 0.6 m
49.85 g/t Au over 1.2 m (including 63.35 g/t Au over 0.3 m)
14.98 g/t Au over 3.9 m (including 143.95 g/t Au over 0.3 m)
26.59 g/t Au over 1.8 m (including 90.85 g/t Au over 0.3 m)
36 new drill holes reported (30 underground, 6 surface)
4930.7 m of new drilling reported
*All drill intersects are downhole lengths, 3.0 g/t cutoff. See Table 1 for additional data
Figure 1. Location of Zone 5 drilling reported in this news release. Left image: Plan view of Tuvatu showing Zone 5 drillholes in relation to the mineralized lodes at Tuvatu, shown in grey. The approximate location of the Cabex fault at the 1120 level is shown in light blue. Zone 5 drilling is divided into North of Cabex and South of Cabex programs. Yellow dashed square represents the area shown in the right image. Right image: Oblique view of Zone 5 drilling looking northeast. The Cabex Fault is modelled in pale blue, striking ESE and dipping SSW.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/2178/211748_19a03de954442a42_001full.jpg
Table 1. Highlights of grade control and infill drill results in the Zone 5 area. Composites are calculated using a 3 g/t Au cutoff with maximum internal dilution intervals of 1 m at <3 g/t Au. For full results see Table 3 in the appendix.
| Hole ID | From (m) | To (m) | Width (m) | Au (g/t) | |
| TGC-0163 | 24.9 | 26.1 | 1.2 | 393.01 | |
| including | 25.8 | 26.1 | 0.3 | 1568.55 | |
| TUDDH-709 | 252.2 | 252.8 | 0.6 | 215.86 | |
| TGC-0173 | 98.7 | 99.9 | 1.2 | 49.85 | |
| TGC-0171 | 103.2 | 107.1 | 3.9 | 14.98 | |
| including | 105.3 | 106.5 | 1.2 | 42.42 | |
| which includes | 106.2 | 106.5 | 0.3 | 143.95 | |
| TGC-0179 | 101.1 | 102.9 | 1.8 | 26.59 | |
| including | 102.6 | 102.9 | 0.3 | 90.85 | |
| TUDDH-718 | 249.9 | 254.4 | 4.5 | 9.79 | |
| including | 251.4 | 252.6 | 1.2 | 20.63 | |
| TGC-0181 | 60.0 | 60.9 | 0.9 | 47.11 | |
| including | 60.6 | 60.9 | 0.3 | 134.68 | |
| TGC-0149 | 19.2 | 22.2 | 3.0 | 11.06 | |
| including | 21.3 | 22.2 | 0.9 | 29.92 | |
| which includes | 21.9 | 22.2 | 0.3 | 73.22 | |
| TGC-0164 | 100.5 | 102.9 | 2.4 | 11.95 | |
| including | 101.7 | 102.6 | 0.9 | 20.42 | |
| TUDDH-718 | 267.9 | 270.0 | 2.1 | 12.73 | |
| including | 267.9 | 268.5 | 0.6 | 31.96 | |
| TGC-0161 | 94.2 | 96.0 | 1.8 | 14.53 | |
| TGC-0166 | 103.7 | 106.4 | 2.7 | 9.64 | |
| including | 104.0 | 104.6 | 0.6 | 33.10 | |
| TUDDH-714 | 241.7 | 243.8 | 2.1 | 12.02 | |
| including | 243.2 | 243.8 | 0.6 | 24.02 | |
| *All drill intersects are downhole lengths | |||||
Zone 5 Drilling
The Zone 5 area of Tuvatu is located along the main decline and includes the principal north-south oriented lodes (UR1 to UR3), the principal northeast-southwest oriented lodes (UR4 to UR8), and several of the western lodes (URW2, URW2A, URW3). These lodes are steeply dipping structures that converge at approximately 500 m depth to form the 500 Zone, which is the highest-grade part of the deposit and is interpreted to be the feeder zone at Tuvatu. The system remains open at depth with the deepest high-grade intersects occurring below 1000 m depth.
The drilling reported in this news release was focused on the near-surface portions of the UR2 and URW3 lodes. These areas are scheduled to be mined throughout the next 12 months. Drilling was separated into two focus areas; to the north of the Cabex Fault, and to the south of the Cabex Fault. The Cabex Fault is a post-mineralization fault that strikes approximately ESE and dips approximately 65° to the SSW. It is interpreted to be a late caldera collapse structure that is healed with carbonate.
The purpose of the Zone 5 infill and grade control drill program is to enhance the mine model and inform stope design in advance of mining. Drilling to the north of the Cabex primarily targeted the down dip extension of the UR2 lode below the 1120 level. Drilling to the south of the Cabex targeted both the down dip extensions of the UR2 and URW3 lodes below the 1100 level, as well as the southern extension of the lodes above and below the 1120 level. Highlights of the Zone 5 drill program are shown in Figure 2 and Figure 3.
Figure 2. Zone 5 north of Cabex drilling with high-grade intersects highlighted, 3.0 g/t gold cutoff. View is to the NNW. The primary target area is the down-dip extension of the UR2 lode below the 1120 level.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/2178/211748_19a03de954442a42_002full.jpg
Figure 3. Zone 5 south of Cabex drilling with high-grade intersects highlighted, 3.0 g/t gold cutoff. View is to the NNE. The primary target areas are the southern extension of the UR2 and URW3 lodes above and below the 1120 level, and the down-dip extension of the UR2 and URW3 lodes below the 1100 level.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/2178/211748_19a03de954442a42_003full.jpg
Operations Update
Mechanized production mining is underway at Tuvatu. The two remote-capable loaders on site are now fully commissioned and in operation. The first ever remote bogging activity at Tuvatu occurred on May 16th at the 1120 level south, on the UR2 lode in Zone 5. Remote loaders are necessary to extract material from open stopes after blasting. The two long hole drills on site are also fully commissioned and in operation. The first ever long hole production blast at Tuvatu occurred on May 18th, blasting level to level via long holes from the 1120 level north to the 1130 level north, also on the UR2 lode in Zone 5. Both the first remote bogging activity and the first long hole production blast at Tuvatu are major milestones for the company as they represent the start of mechanized production mining. They are also both firsts for the country of Fiji as this style of mining has not taken place in Fiji until now.
Figure 4. Location of the first long hole production blasting and remote bogging activities at Tuvatu. Left image: Plan view of Tuvatu showing the location of long hole blasting and remote bogging activities in relation to the underground development (red) and the mineralized lodes (grey) at Tuvatu. Yellow dashed square represents the area shown in the right image. Right image: Oblique view looking northeast.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/2178/211748_19a03de954442a42_004full.jpg
Mill operations are also advancing successfully. Operational improvements and debottlenecking projects completed by the mill operations team have successfully increased throughput at the mill. These bottlenecking projects include upgrading the process water recycle system, upgrading the thickener pumps and piping, and reducing the tailings filter press cycle times. As a result of these upgrades the processing plant can now achieve a sustained throughput of over 400 TPD, with peak daily throughput of over 450 TPD. The name plate capacity of the processing plant during the ongoing pilot plant stage of operations is 300 TPD. These upgrades therefore represent a substantial improvement in the processing capacity available at Tuvatu.
Competent Persons Statement
The information in this report that relates to mineral exploration at the Tuvatu Gold Project is based on information compiled by the Lion One team and reviewed by Alex Nichol, who is the company's Vice President of Geology and Exploration. Mr Nichol is a Member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists and has sufficient experience that is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration, and to the activity being undertaken, to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 edition of the 'Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves' (JORC code). Mr Nichol consents to the inclusion in this report of the matters based on the information in the form and context in which it appears.
Lion One Laboratories / QAQC
Lion One adheres to rigorous QAQC procedures above and beyond basic regulatory guidelines in conducting its drilling, sampling, testing, and analyses. The Company operates its own geochemical assay laboratory and its own fleet of diamond drill rigs using PQ, HQ and NQ sized drill rods.
Diamond drill core samples are logged and split by Lion One personnel on site and delivered to the Lion One Laboratory for preparation and analysis. All samples are pulverized at the Lion One lab to
Duplicates of
About Lion One Metals Limited
Lion One Metals is an emerging Canadian gold producer headquartered in North Vancouver BC, with new operations established in late 2023 at its
Contact Information
Investor inquiries: info@liononemetals.com
Phone:1-855-805-1250 (toll free North America)
Website: www.liononemetals.com
Neither the TSX-V nor its Regulation Service Provider accepts responsibility or the adequacy or accuracy of this release
This press release may contain statements that may be deemed to be "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking information. Generally, forward-looking information may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "proposed", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases, or by the use of words or phrases which state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, or might occur or be achieved. This forward-looking information reflects Lion One Metals Limited's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to Lion One Metals Limited and on assumptions Lion One Metals Limited believes are reasonable. These assumptions include, but are not limited to, the actual results of exploration projects being equivalent to or better than estimated results in technical reports, assessment reports, and other geological reports or prior exploration results. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance, or achievements of Lion One Metals Limited or its subsidiaries to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors may include, but are not limited to: the stage development of Lion One Metals Limited, general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; the actual results of current research and development or operational activities; competition; uncertainty as to patent applications and intellectual property rights; product liability and lack of insurance; delay or failure to receive board or regulatory approvals; changes in legislation, including environmental legislation, affecting mining, timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms; not realizing on the potential benefits of technology; conclusions of economic evaluations; and lack of qualified, skilled labor or loss of key individuals. Although Lion One Metals Limited has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Lion One Metals Limited does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
Appendix 1: Full Drill Results and Collar Information
Table 2. Collar coordinates for drillholes reported in this release. Coordinates are in Fiji map grid.
| Hole ID | Easting | Northing | Elevation | Azimuth | Dip | Depth |
| TGC-0137 | 1876384 | 3920626 | 129 | 100.4 | 8.2 | 116.4 |
| TGC-0139 | 1876384 | 3920627 | 129 | 84.2 | 1.1 | 92.6 |
| TGC-0141 | 1876384 | 3920627 | 129 | 89.0 | 0.5 | 105.0 |
| TGC-0143 | 1876386 | 3920530 | 111 | 109.9 | 15.4 | 135.0 |
| TGC-0145 | 1876383 | 3920628 | 128 | 60.5 | -8.2 | 131.2 |
| TGC-0147 | 1876383 | 3920628 | 128 | 52.2 | -7.2 | 140.0 |
| TGC-0149 | 1876386 | 3920530 | 111 | 117.7 | 9.5 | 135.0 |
| TGC-0151 | 1876383 | 3920628 | 128 | 65.5 | -6.1 | 48.0 |
| TGC-0153 | 1876383 | 3920628 | 129 | 65.8 | 6.6 | 125.5 |
| TGC-0154 | 1876386 | 3920530 | 111 | 123.1 | 11.9 | 11.1 |
| TGC-0155 | 1876386 | 3920530 | 110 | 123.3 | 8.1 | 135.0 |
| TGC-0157 | 1876383 | 3920627 | 129 | 70.7 | 6.8 | 116.0 |
| TGC-0159 | 1876387 | 3920531 | 110 | 100.8 | -13.3 | 135.0 |
| TGC-0160 | 1876383 | 3920627 | 129 | 78.6 | 5.6 | 26.7 |
| TGC-0161 | 1876383 | 3920627 | 129 | 78.4 | 7.1 | 105.0 |
| TGC-0163 | 1876387 | 3920531 | 110 | 107.1 | -13.2 | 135.0 |
| TGC-0164 | 1876384 | 3920626 | 128 | 91.7 | -13.5 | 115.6 |
| TGC-0166 | 1876384 | 3920627 | 128 | 84.6 | -18.4 | 120.0 |
| TGC-0167 | 1876387 | 3920531 | 110 | 107.9 | -18.9 | 140.4 |
| TGC-0169 | 1876384 | 3920626 | 128 | 104.5 | -18.2 | 120.0 |
| TGC-0171 | 1876387 | 3920531 | 110 | 100.1 | -18.5 | 140.3 |
| TGC-0173 | 1876384 | 3920627 | 128 | 83.4 | -11.4 | 113.6 |
| TGC-0175 |
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FAQ
What are the latest drilling results for Lion One Metals' Tuvatu project?
Lion One reported impressive high-grade gold assays, including 393.01 g/t gold over 1.2 meters and 215.86 g/t gold over 0.6 meters.
When did Lion One Metals begin mechanized production at Tuvatu?
Mechanized production at Tuvatu started with the first remote bogging on May 16 and the first long hole stope blast on May 18, 2024.
What is the new mill capacity at Lion One Metals' Tuvatu project?
The mill capacity at Tuvatu has increased from 300 TPD to over 400 TPD due to operational improvements.
What is the significance of the recent drilling program at Lion One's Tuvatu project?
The recent drilling program, which included 4930.7 meters of new drilling, provided high-grade gold results and is critical for enhancing the mine model and stope design.
What operational milestones has Lion One Metals achieved at Tuvatu?
Lion One achieved the first remote bogging and long hole stope blast in Fiji, marking the transition to mechanized production mining.
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