Noble Mineral Exploration Inc. (TSX-V:NOB, FRANKFURT: NB7, OTCQB:NLPXF) announced the completion of Phase 1 helicopter-supported summer exploration programs on its Chapiteau Rare Earth Property in Labrador and the Mehmet Rare Earth Property in Quebec. The work, conducted during the last week of June and first week of July, involved surface exploration and sample collection. Canadian Helicopters out of Goose Bay, Labrador provided support.
A total of 69 samples have been sent to Activation Labs in Ancaster, Ontario for analysis of gold, platinum, palladium, and ICP analysis for multiple elements including a suite of rare earth elements. Results are expected around mid-August, at which point follow-up exploration will be planned. Additionally, Noble has applied to the Ontario Junior Exploration Program for diamond drilling on the Lucas Property near Timmins, Ontario, but access via water-soaked ground will delay the program until freeze-up.
The Chapiteau Rare Earth Property, located in western Labrador, consists of 25 map-staked units in one group and 18 units about 15 km east. It lies approximately 100 km south of the Strange Lake REE deposits and 38 km northeast of the Crater Lake Scandium-REE resource. The property covers part of a large REE-enriched alkaline intrusive system first explored by Midland Exploration in 2010-2011. Midland's regional airborne survey identified numerous REE targets associated with a large magnetic alkaline granite complex about 9 km in diameter. Grab samples returned up to 8.34% Total Rare Earth Oxides (TREO), with heavy rare earth enrichment ranging from 2.29% to 12.85% HREO. Within Noble's ground, six grab samples exceeded 0.5% TREO, ranging from 1.4% to 3.02% TREO. Only one known drill hole, Y3-11-04, tested the CP North showing, intersecting alkaline granite with anomalous REE values averaging approximately 0.14% TREO + Y2O3 over the entire hole, demonstrating a large mineralized system.
The Mehmet Rare Earth Property in north-eastern Quebec is classified as a hyperalkaline rare-metals showing by Quebec's SIGÉOM database. One government sample contained 2157.1 ppm rare earth elements, including 550 ppm Neodymium, 623 ppm Lanthanum, and 1027.3 ppm Cerium. These systems are attractive for their potential to host large-tonnage critical mineral deposits essential for electric vehicles, wind turbines, permanent magnets, and defense technologies.
H Vance White, President & CEO, stated, "We are pleased to get this program underway in order to determine the expected follow up programs later the summer and early fall." The qualified person for this release is Wayne Holmstead, P.Geo. in Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador, who has verified the data disclosed.
