ECR Minerals #ECR – Gold and Niobium Rock Chip Results from the Lolworth Project, Queensland

ECR Minerals plc (LON: ECR), the exploration and development company focused on gold in Australia, is pleased to announce the results from the first batch of rock chips at the Lolworth Project, Queensland.

ECR Minerals plc has 100% ownership of three exploration tenements (EPM27901, EPM27902 and EPM27903), which covers the Lolworth Range, located 120km west of the famous gold district of Charters Towers. Previous exploration campaigns from 2021 have identified the presence of Gold (Au), Niobium-Tantalum (Nb-Ta) and REE mineralisation within the licenced area. The project is being explored under ECR’s Australian wholly owned subsidiary Lux Exploration Pty Ltd (“LUX”).

HIGHLIGHTS

• Gold results from outcrop in the Reedy Creek area of 22 g/t Au and 0.54 g/t Au.
• Niobium results up to 96.7 ppm from Pegmatite outcrops in the headwaters of Oaky Creek.

CEO Andrew Haythorpe commented: “Further great work from Adam Jones and the field team in collating and defining the key areas of interest at our Lolworth project. Exploring and mapping a large area of virgin territory requires an organised and disciplined approach, but it is rapidly becoming evident that thanks to the diligence of our field team, we are zeroing in on areas with high potential at Oaky Creek and Reedy Creek.”

“I look forward to reporting further news in the coming weeks.”

(Figure One) Map of the anomalous Niobium areas identified from soil sampling and rock chips to date in the headwaters of Oaky Creek:

Figure One: https://www.ecrminerals.com/images/2023/Fig1_Nb_Chips_230815.png

NIOBIUM ROCK CHIP RESULTS

A total of 74 rock chips were taken from outcropping pegmatites that abound within a highly anomalous niobium stream catchment area forming part of the upper end of Oaky Creek. Previous results from this stream for Niobium and Tantalum indicated the mineralisation source was likely to exist within the amphitheatre of this ridgeline (see Figure One above), and this was supported by pXRF analysis of soil samples taken and analysed with our hand held pXRF device (see announcement dated July 22 2023 here). The best Niobium samples were located on the western edge of the drainage area (see Figure One), and it was noted that these pegmatites had become altered by silica-albatised fluids. Results up to 96.7 ppm Nb were recorded, along with results across a further twelve samples all greater than 50 ppm Nb. Our team continue to systematically work across a large area, collecting further rock chip samples, and the Board believes that the combination of previous soil sample results and follow-up rock chip samples could ultimately lead our team to a potential source of mineralisation.

REEDY CREEK AREA

Reedy Creek has been a focus for gold mineralisation for the ECR field team. An initial 28 rock chips were taken from the hill slopes within the catchment area where visible coarse gold had been noted in the pan concentrate samples and where gold nuggets were located on the slopes above the best pan concentrate results. Only two rock chips to date have shown gold mineralisation, with a best result of 22 g/t Au obtained from a large quartz outcrop on one of the hillsides. A rock chip returning 0.54 g/t Au was obtained from a narrow quartz sub-crop residing on a spur ridge situated between two gold bearing creek drainages. The Board have concluded that the Reedy Creek area is host to gold mineralisation only.

FOLLOW UP ACTIVITIES

The field team has now moved further to the south of the project area to follow up gold bearing drainages. Prior to this move, a further batch of stream samples were submitted from streams on the western and southern side of Reedy Creek, some of which showed visible gold. The Board believes this could lead to another potential anomalous gold bearing area.

A programme of further defined soil sampling has been undertaken across the best results previously identified from the preliminary soil grid. These will be also analysed for Niobium by pXRF this month. The Board believes that these results will guide to better outcrops, that can in turn be followed up with rock chip sampling to confirm the presence of Niobium. The timing of this work is governed by cattle mustering activities in the area, but nonetheless it is expected that the work will be completed within the next few weeks.

Exploration is also continuing to the south of Reedy Creek on an adjoining cattle grazing property. The creeks observed within the area are geologically similar to Reedy Creek where coarse gold is present. The field team will map the area and take rock chips from the creek headwaters during the month, with results expected approximately 15 days from the samples arriving at the laboratory.

Separately, a large rock chip programme is scheduled to commence shortly at the Hurricane Project, located 400km north of the Lolworth Project.

REVIEW OF ANNOUNCEMENT BY QUALIFIED PERSON

This announcement has been reviewed by Adam Jones, Technical Director of Exploration at ECR Minerals plc. Adam Jones is a professional geologist and is a Member of the Australian Institute of Geoscientists (MAIG). He is a qualified person as that term is defined by the AIM Note for Mining, Oil and Gas Companies.

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ABOUT ECR MINERALS PLC

ECR Minerals is a mineral exploration and development company. ECR’s wholly owned Australian subsidiary Mercator Gold Australia Pty Ltd (“MGA”) has 100% ownership of the Bailieston and Creswick gold projects in central Victoria, Australia, has six licence applications outstanding which includes one licence application lodged in eastern Victoria. (Tambo gold project). MGA is currently drilling at the Bailieston Blue Moon Project (EL5433) and undertaking geochemical exploration on the Creswick (EL6148) project and has an experienced exploration team with significant local knowledge in the Victoria Goldfields and wider region.

ECR also owns 100% of an Australian subsidiary LUX Exploration Pty Ltd (“LUX”) which has three approved exploration permits covering 946 km² over a relatively unexplored area in Queensland, Australia.

Following the sale of the Avoca, Moormbool and Timor gold projects in Victoria, Australia to Fosterville South Exploration Ltd (TSX-V: FSX) and the subsequent spin-out of the Avoca and Timor projects to Leviathan Gold Ltd (TSX-V: LVX), Mercator Gold Australia Pty Limited has the right to receive up to A$2 million in payments subject to future resource estimation or production from projects sold to Fosterville South Exploration Limited.

ECR holds a 90% interest in the Danglay gold project; an advanced exploration project located in a prolific gold and copper mining district in the north of the Philippines, which has a 43-101 compliant resource. ECR also holds a royalty on the SLM gold project in La Rioja Province, Argentina and can potentially receive up to US$2.7 million in aggregate across all licences.