Communicators

Artemis Resources: December 2018 Quarterly Activities Report

Artemis Resources Limited (“Artemis” or “the Company”) (ASX:ARV, Frankfurt: ATY, US OTCQB: ARTTF) is pleased to provide this update on activities for the quarter ended 31 December 2018, and significant events post the reporting period.

Artemis’ Executive Chairman David Lenigas commented:

“This has been a massive quarter with the company’s exploration team successfully defining eight (8) new exploration targets at the Armada Prospect in the Paterson Ranges, delivering three (3) resource updates across our gold and base metal assets and announcing three (3) new gold discoveries in the West Pilbara.

With respect to the restart of Radio Hill, resource definition and geo-metallurgical programmes remain the key determinants of the timing to production. To underpin commencement of operations, Artemis is working towards defining at least 3 years of plant feed from within the company’s extensive gold and base metal assets or equivalent tonnages of gold ore from third-parties or joint ventures.

As such it is prudent to concurrently advance resource development and geo-metallurgical studies on Carlow Castle Au-Cu-Co and Whundo Cu-Zn Projects and evaluate third-party gold ore toll treatment options prior to completion of the Radio Hill refurbishment.”

Highlights to 30 January 2019 include:

-          Eight new exploration targets defined in the Paterson Province

-          Shallow Nickel-Copper resource defined at Radio Hill

-          Resource Update for Weeriana Gold Project 

-          Drilling recommences at Carlow Castle Gold-Copper-Cobalt Project

-          Overseas Institutional Funding for Patersons Range

-          Artemis commences trading on U.S. OTCQB exchange

-          Three new Gold discoveries in the West Pilbara

-          Metallurgical Update for the Carlow Castle Gold-Copper-Cobalt Project

-          New Cobalt targets defined in the West Pilbara

-          Artemis and Pacton Sign Strategic Processing alliance

-          Resource Update for Whundo Copper-Zinc Project

QUARTERLY OVERVIEW

The December quarter saw the culmination of the 2018 exploration and drilling programmes undertaken by Artemis across its suite of West Australian gold, base and battery metal assets.  The company’s resource inventory continues to grow with three resource updates released to the market. A new resource update for the Carlow Castle Au-Cu-Co Project is now expected for release in February 2019, post final internal review. 

Exploration success has defined three new gold discoveries within 30km of the Radio Hill process plant. New targets at Patterson’s Hut, Ruth Well North and Pipeline show strong gold grades from surface rock chip sampling up to 11.4g/t Au and pending access agreements will be advanced in 2019.

Concurrently Artemis has moved rapidly on its newly acquired Pilbara exploration licence application over ≈600km2 in the Paterson Ranges with the first magnetic survey flown by the company identifying eight (8) new targets to the north and south of the Havieron Prospect (refer Figure 1). Artemis expects this tenement to granted in Quarter 1, 2019.

Figure 1: Artemis Armada Prospect in the Paterson Ranges

With respect to the restart of the Radio Hill operations, the refurbishment remains ≈80% complete with a decision to complete these works contingent upon Artemis receiving outstanding tails storage facility (TSF3) approvals and resource development and metallurgical programmes defining economically recoverable resources that supports a final investment decision.

Resource development and metallurgical programmes continue to advance at the Carlow Castle Au-Cu-Co Project and the Whundo Cu-Zn Project, with a metallurgical update on Carlow Castle due in February 2019. Third party toll-treating of ore at Radio Hill is also being evaluated with partners such as Pacton Gold (TSX: V- PAC) as an interim mechanism to cashflow until Artemis’ mining inventory achieves critical mass to support longer term operations.

Key releases up to 30 January 2019 included:

-          Exploration

-          Patersons Range – commencement of magnetic survey and definition of eight (8) exploration targets to the north, east and south of Greatland Gold’s (AIM:GGP) Havieron Prospect

-          West Pilbara Gold

-          Three new gold discoveries - at Patterson’s Hut, Ruth Well North and Pipeline

-          47K Patch – consolidation of sampling, aerial surveys, drilling and structural data

-          Novo JV – bulk sampling, drilling and environmental studies continue at Purdy’s Reward

-          West Pilbara Copper and Cobalt – multiple new cobalt targets defined

-          Resource Development - West Pilbara

-          Drilling recommences at Carlow Castle Au-Cu-Co Project

-          Shallow Nickel-Copper resource defined at Radio Hill

-          Resource update on Weeriana Gold Project

-          Resource update on Whundo Cu-Zn Project

-          Project Development

-          Carlow Castle metallurgical update

-          Corporate

-          Artemis begins trading on U.S. OTCQB platform

-          Overseas institutional funding for Paterson Range

-          Strategic Processing Alliance signed with Pacton Gold

1.0 EXPLORATION

Armada Prospect (100% ARV) – Paterson Ranges, Western Australia

On 17 January 2019 Artemis announced that it had completed a magnetic survey on its Armada Prospect in the Paterson Range region in the Pilbara. The airborne survey covered the western 47% of the Armada exploration licence application (E45/5276) and consisted of 3,311 line-kilometres with a line spacing of 100m at a nominal flight height of 35m.

It has provided high quality data for our geophysical consultants, Southern Geoscience to process. The survey has identified eight (8) targets within a 22 km radius of the Havieron Prospect with these targets arbitrarily ranked on magnetic signature/structural character (Figure 1 above).

The next step at Armada is to complete a gravity survey. This is scheduled for completion in early February 2019. The company expects E45/5276 (Figure 2) to be granted in Quarter 1, 2019.

Figure 2:  Regional Location Map – Paterson Ranges, Pilbara Region, Western Australia

-          47 Patch Gold Prospect

Bulk sampling and testing were continued throughout the year at 47K Patch. Based upon handheld GPS surveying of disturbed areas, a total of 14,500m2 has been examined and detected, virtually all of which is within the drainage system. Interpretation of satellite imagery (Figure 3) shows this drainage to be strongly controlled by minor faults/joints within the host stratigraphy. 

The sampling has indicated gold is sourcing from multiple zones within the profile with  the only zone positively identified being on the basal contact of the sequence.  The gold has then been concentrated into the drainage by erosional processes.

Figure 3: 47K Patch Drainage, Structure and Sampling Map

A total of 8,188g of >5mm gold nuggets have been recovered from near surface. Generally, the nuggets recovered display a more rounded character than those derived from Purdy’s Reward, suggesting a higher energy, more aggressive deposition environment.

This general coarseness of the nuggets recovered encourages the company to believe the source is within close proximity.

Two short diamond structural drill holes were completed during the quarter in accessible areas to determine the stratigraphy of the area, both holes were found to have collared directly in Pilbara Supergroup basement.  Both holes intersected anomalous gold values derived from thin <5mm thick quartz carbonate pyrite veins within brecciated andesite.

Subsequently a Sub-Audio-Magnetic (SAM) survey was completed over the 47 Patch area defining multiple large features within the basement which are interpreted to be significant structural corridors. A program of RC drilling is being reviewed to test these features during 2019 and pending results Artemis will review the proposed mining lease area.

It should be noted that the Company has completed all necessary heritage and biodiversity surveys, therefore once the mining area is defined, the Mining Proposal can be submitted to the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS) to support the mining lease application.

A suite of nuggets has been collected from 47 Patch and have been donated to the GSWA for a trace element fingerprinting research program in conjunction with nuggets recovered from other areas of the company’s tenure within the West Pilbara.

-          Novo Paleoplacer and Conglomerate Gold JV

There has been strong progress at Purdy’s Reward by our JV partners Novo Resources during the quarter.

Environmental surveys were extensive and included baseline surveys on flora/vegetation, vertebrate fauna, stygofauna, hydrogeology, soil assessments, mine waste characterisation, groundwater monitoring, studies of the geochemical characterisation of the lithological units and Aboriginal heritage surveys with the Ngarluma Aboriginal Corporation.

These background studies will allow for further exploration, including drilling, trenching and bulk sampling – followed by applications for mining, Novo is currently generating a Mineralisation Report covering exploration results on the Purdy’s Reward (and their adjacent Comet Well) exploration lease. The Mineralisation Report forms the basis for conversion of an exploration license (such as E47/1745 at Purdy’s Reward) to a future mining lease. Submission of this report by Novo to DMIRS is targeted for the first quarter of 2019.

During the Quarter, Novo used detailed geological mapping to assess geological scrapes to determine effective bulk sampling sites. Six bulk samples, each ≈5 tonnes were taken and four sent to the SGS laboratories for assay. Results are pending.

In addition, seven diamond drillholes (Figure 4) for a total of 360.98m were drilled between August-October 2018.  The core is being logged for use in a ‘mine sequence’ for Purdy’s Reward. Holes 18PDD001, 18PDD002 and 18PDD005 intersected approximately 12m of conglomerate and sands, while 18PDD003 intersected the conglomerate unit much deeper, believed to be due to a steep dipping fault. Unfortunately, 18PDD004, 18PDD006, and 18PDD007 did not intersect conglomerate.

Novo are also re-logging historical diamond drillholes which will be incorporated into a MicroMine 3D Model that is being developed. Furthermore, Novo are using CoreScan© technology to provide geochemical and geophysical results.

Figure 4: Bulk Sampling and drill hole location at Purdy’s Reward

2.0 RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

During 2018 Artemis completed over 33,000m of drilling across eight of its prospects (Figure 5). The objective was to prioritise and determine which targets could support long term operations at the Radio Hill operation. 

Resource updates on the Whundo Cu-Zn, Weeriana Au and Radio Hill Ni-Cu Projects were released to the market during the period (summarised below – refer to ASX releases for full details) with the Carlow Castle Au-Cu-Co Project and the Whundo Cu-Zn being the largest resources defined to date.

-          Whundo Cu-Zn Project - Indicated JORC Resource of 2.6Mt @ 1.14% Cu and 1.12% Zn for 30,4191 t contained Copper and 29,992 t contained Zinc (ASX release 26 October 2018)

-          Weeriana Au Project - Inferred JORC Resource of 975Kt @ 2.0 g/t Au for 62,739 contained Oz Au (ASX release 19 December 2018)

-          Radio Hill Ni-Cu Project - Indicated JORC Resource of 1.15 Mt @ 0.52% Ni, 0.73% Cu and 277ppm Co for 5,980 t contained Nickel, 8,395t contained Copper and 318 t contained Cobalt (ASX release 21 December 2018).

Each require additional resource development and geometallurgical studies with a resource and metallurgical update pending for Carlow Castle in February 2019.

Figure 5: Artemis West Pilbara Asset Map

Carlow Castle Au-Co-Cu Project (100% Artemis)

Consolidation of historic and newly acquired geochemical data by Artemis has seen the regional cobalt prospectivity of the tenure increase (refer ASX announcement 29th October 2018). This work supports the company’s view that Carlow Castle may be the most advanced of our cobalt opportunities but is not the only cobalt occurrence within our tenure.  Figure 6 identifies the broader cobalt opportunities within Artemis West Pilbara tenure.

Figure 6: Cobalt Prospectivity identified by Cobalt Geochemical sampling 

-          Resource Update and Mining Lease Application

As reported on 13 December 2018 the new resource update for Carlow Castle is close to completion and pending final internal review will be released in February 2019. Submission of the Mineralisation Report to support a Mining Lease application will be deferred until the full extent of the mineralisation is defined.

-          Drilling Recommences at Carlow Castle

Artemis recommenced air core drilling at Carlow Castle in late December 2019. This short programme of ≈5,000m  is targeting definition of strike extensions outside the existing drilling (Figure 7). Data from this programme will be used to plan the next round of resource development and extensional reverse circulation (RC) and diamond drilling, scheduled for the first quarter of 2019.

Figure 7: Extensional Air Core Programme at Carlow Castle – air core lines in white

-          Other Supporting Studies

Research continues on the Carlow Castle Au-Cu-Co Project with a PhD project focussed on Cu-Co deposits in Australia.  Results of initial geometallurgy studies were presented at the CSIRO Magmatic Ore Deposits and Battery Metals Workshop during the quarter with key findings indicating at least two distinct mineralisation assemblages consisting of:

1)      pyrite, chalcopyrite +/- cobaltite, gold, tellurobismuthite (Bi2Te3) and Hessite (Ag2Te).

2)      chalcocite, cobaltite, gold +/- chalcopyrite, pyrite and uraninite.

The presence of uraninite will enable at least one phase of the mineralisation to be accurately dated, as appreciable differences in apparent character of the ore types may reflect distinct genetic processes. These differences also start to explain the variations in mineralisation noted from drilling which range from gold only, gold-copper, gold-copper-cobalt, copper-cobalt, gold-cobalt, copper only to cobalt only.

Balmoral Deep Drilling Program

Artemis completed its deep hole drilling program in the West Pilbara in August 2018.  Hole ASD-1 was terminated at a depth of 1,348.5 metres while ASD-2 was terminated at a depth of 790.5 metres. During the quarter CSIRO completed Minalyser and Hylogger scans of both Balmoral deep drillholes.

ASD-01 was co-funded via $120,000 of funding from the State Government’s Exploration Incentive Scheme (EIS). Artemis thanks GSWA, DMIRS for their support. All drill core has been donated to the GSWA Core Library, with CSIRO proceeding with characterisation sampling of the lithological units within the stratigraphy.

Though the holes disappointingly did not penetrate the full thickness of the Fortescue Group to test the prospective Mt Roe Basalt basal contact, they do show the level of complexity of the geology and topography of the base of the Hamersley Basin sediments and top of the Pilbara Supergroup basement.

Coarse nuggety gold being recovered from this Mt Roe Basalt basal contact zone at Purdy’s Reward/Comet Well in the West Pilbara, the Bellary Dome near Paraburdoo (Marindi Metals Ltd. ASX Release 12 June 2018) and Loudens Patch south of Whim Creek (DeGrey Mining Ltd. ASX release 10 August 2018) indicates an area approximately 450km wide by >250km east-west where this style of gold occurrence has just now been recognised after >100 years of prospecting and exploration.

The significance of this and distribution of basin margins and basal topography show that much more research of this geological position is imperative.

3.0 RADIO HILL OPERATIONS

Figure 8: Radio Hill Operations 

As reported in the September 2018 Quarterly, mechanical refurbishment and installation of key processing equipment at Radio Hill (Figure 8) remains at ≈ 80% complete with outstanding electrical and instrumentation, minor structural repairs and plant piping to be completed once final approval for TSF3 is received and Artemis has defined:

1. 2-3 years of plant feed from its extensive gold and base metal asset base; or
2. equivalent tonnages of gold ore from third parties or joint venture partners.

Either of these options could support the final investment decision to complete plant refurbishment.

With respect to TSF3 approvals, the key submission to the relevant government department was made in late October 2018 and final approval is pending.

-          Toll Treating / Campaign Processing at Radio Hill

The Radio Hill processing plant now has gravity gold processing capability and as such, bulk sampling or campaign processing could be considered from both Artemis-held and third-party tenure. The recently announced alliance with Pacton Gold Inc (TSX.V:PAC, refer ASX announcement 18 October 2018) provides Artemis with a strategic relationship with another regional explorer who could provide ore to be processed at Radio Hill from their portfolio of conglomerate and shear hosted gold targets.

Commercial discussions continue with several parties and Artemis will advise the market once a definitive agreement is reached on suitable commercial terms.

4.0 CORPORATE

-          Institutional Support for Paterson Range

On 30 November 2018 Artemis announced it has entered into a funding agreement, with London Institutional group, Riverfort Global Capital Limited (“Riverfort”) for ≈$5.4M to advance exploration activities at the Armada Prospect in the Paterson Ranges and the Carlow Castle Au-Cu-Co Projec in the West Pilbara.

-          Artemis begins trading on U.S. OTCQB Venture Exchange

In parallel to the Frankfurt listing, Artemis commenced trading on the US OTCQB Venture Market during the period under the ARTTF ticker. This exchange offers early stage and developing international companies the benefits of being publicly traded in the U.S. with lower cost and complexity than other North American exchanges.

Refer to www.otcmarkets.com for more details.

5.0 CASH POSITION

Cash balance as at 31 December 2018 was $6.0 million.

6.0 LOOKING FORWARD

During the first quarter of 2019 the focus will be to advance the resource development and metallurgical programmes across the Artemis asset base, including:

-          Completion of gravity survey and granting of the Armada Prospect tenement in the Paterson Ranges;

-          A new resource update and metallurgical update for the Carlow Castle Au-Cu-Co Project;

-          Continuation of extensional and infill drilling at Carlow Castle Au-Cu-Co Project;

-          Novo submitting the Mineralisation Report to support a Mining Lease application for Purdy’s Reward;

-          Advancement of heritage, access and programme of work approval for Patterson’s Hut Au Prospect (West Pilbara)

-          Review of  near- term cash flow opportunities from within Artemis asset package including continuation of third-party campaign gold ore processing and/or toll treating discussions at Radio Hill.

COMPANY CONTACT INFORMATION

Edward Mead

Executive Director

ed.mead@artemisresources.com.au

T: +61 407 445 351

Wayne Bramwell

Chief Executive Officer

wayne.bramwell@artemisresources.com.au

T: +61 417 953 073

David Tasker

Chapter One

Media Contact

T: +61 433 112 936

BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON ARTEMIS RESOURCES

Artemis Resources Limited is an exploration and development company focussed on its large (≈2,400 km2) and prospective base, battery and precious metals assets in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Artemis owns 100% of the 500,000 tpa Radio Hill processing plant and infrastructure, located approximately 35 km south of the city of Karratha. 

The Company is evaluating 2004 and 2012 JORC Code compliant resources of gold, nickel, copper-cobalt, PGE and zinc, all situated within a 40 km radius of the Radio Hill plant. 

Artemis have signed Definitive Agreements with Novo Resources Corp. (“Novo”), which is listed on Canada’s TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV:NVO), and pursuant to the Definitive Agreements, Novo has satisfied its expenditure commitment, and earned 50% of gold (and other minerals necessarily mined with gold) in conglomerate and/or paleoplacer style mineralization in Artemis’ tenements within 100 km of the City of Karratha, including at Purdy’s Reward (“the Gold Rights”).  The Gold Rights do not include:

(i)                  gold disclosed in Artemis’ existing (at 18 May 2017) JORC Code Compliant Resources and Reserves; or

(ii)                 gold which is not within conglomerate and/or paleoplacer style mineralization; or

(iii)               minerals other than gold.

Artemis’ Mt Oscar tenement is excluded from the Definitive Agreements.  The Definitive Agreements cover 34 tenements / tenement applications that are 100% owned by Artemis.

Pursuant to Novo’s successful earn-in, two 50:50 joint ventures have been formed between Novo’s subsidiary, Karratha Gold Pty Ltd (“Karratha Gold”) and two subsidiaries of Artemis (KML No 2 Pty Ltd and Fox Radio Hill Pty Ltd).  The joint ventures are managed as one by Karratha Gold with Artemis and Novo contributing to further exploration and any mining of the Gold Rights on a 50:50 basis.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS AND IMPORTANT NOTICE

This report contains forecasts, projections and forward-looking information.  Although the Company believes that its expectations, estimates and forecast outcomes are based on reasonable assumptions it can give no assurance that these will be achieved.  Expectations, estimates and projections and information provided by the Company are not a guarantee of future performance and involve unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are out of Artemis’ control.

Actual results and developments will almost certainly differ materially from those expressed or implied.  Artemis has not audited or investigated the accuracy or completeness of the information, statements and opinions contained in this announcement.  To the maximum extent permitted by applicable laws, Artemis makes no representation and can give no assurance, guarantee or warranty, express or implied, as to, and takes no responsibility and assumes no liability for the authenticity, validity, accuracy, suitability or completeness of, or any errors in or omission from, any information, statement or opinion contained in this report and without prejudice, to the generality of the foregoing, the achievement or accuracy of any forecasts, projections or other forward looking information contained or referred to in this report.

Investors should make and rely upon their own enquiries before deciding to acquire or deal in the Company’s securities.