U3O8 Corp. Intersects 36.5 Metres at 0.09% (1.8 Pounds Per Short Ton) U3O8 in a New Target in the Kurupung Project, Guyana Scout Drilling Showing That the Kurupung Could Host a Potentially Large Uranium Resource
Scout Drilling Showing That the Kurupung Could Host a Potentially Large Uranium Resource
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 07/14/10 -- U3O8 Corp. (TSX VENTURE: UWE), a Canadian-based company focused on uranium exploration and resource expansion in South America, reports the discovery of a ninth uranium-bearing structure, the Aricheng C target, in the Kurupung Batholith in Guyana (Figure 1). Assay results from the scout drilling suggest that the Kurupung structures identified to date may contain a conceptual target of 10-15 million tonnes at a grade of 0.08% to 0.10% U3O8 (for an estimated 20-25 million pounds U3O8) including the initial National Instrument 43-101 ('NI 43-101') resource estimate of 5.8 million pounds U3O8 Indicated and 1.3 million pounds U3O8 Inferred(1).
'The discovery of Aricheng C marks a break-through in the exploration of the uranium-bearing fault system in the Kurupung,' said Dr. Richard Spencer, U3O8 Corp's President and CEO. 'We knew that uranium occurred within faults that could be identified through geophysics, but with Aricheng C, we now know which parts of the fault system are more likely to contain greater uranium content. Given the efficiency and success of our geophysical targeting, the scout drilling required to test those targets has been extended to December 2010 with the aim of further increasing the potential size of the Kurupung uranium district. We have drilled only a small part of the extensive fault network in the Kurupung and we believe that further drilling will add to our inventory of mineralized structures poised for resource estimation.'
Uranium in the Kurupung Batholith is geologically similar to albitite-hosted deposits worldwide that typically host resources in the 50-130 million pound range, contained within multiple structures(2).
Table 1 - Assay Results for Aricheng C
Summary of significantly mineralized intercepts cut in the four bore holes (1,017 metres) drilled at Aricheng C. Aricheng C, along with the Aricheng North and Aricheng A structures, comprise the Aricheng North Complex.
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Bore Hole
Number Intercept Grade
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Estimated True U3O8
From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Thickness (m) U3O8 (%) (lbs/st)
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ARC-001 46.0 50.0 4.0 3.4 0.109 2.2
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57.0 64.0 7.0 5.9 0.092 1.8
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70.0 78.0 8.0 6.8 0.078 1.6
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129.0 135.0 6.0 5.1 0.040 0.8
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142.0 155.0 13.0 11.0 0.098 2.0
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212.0 214.0 2.0 1.7 0.062 1.2
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ARC-002 140.0 145.0 5.0 4.2 0.059 1.2
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174.0 179.0 5.0 4.2 0.097 1.9
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216.0 217.0 1.0 0.8 0.118 2.4
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ARC-003 203.0 212.0 9.0 7.6 0.128 2.6
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258.0 286.0 28.0 23.7 0.099 2.0
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Including 259.0 270.0 11.0 9.3 0.137 2.7
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Including 281.0 286.0 5.0 4.2 0.131 2.6
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ARC-004 58.0 64.0 6.0 5.1 0.111 2.2
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79.0 83.0 4.0 3.4 0.069 1.4
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109.0 152.0 43.0 36.5 0.092 1.8
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179.0 182.0 3.0 2.5 0.110 2.2
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211.0 219.0 8.0 6.8 0.055 1.1
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Note: lbs/st is an abbreviation for pounds per short ton. 1 short ton
= 2,000lbs or 0.907 metric tonnes.
Aricheng C Structure
The Aricheng C structure is orientated east-west and dips about 70 degrees to the north. The structure is marked by a corridor of relatively low magnetism that extends eastwards from the area in which the four bore holes were drilled (Figure 2). Mineralization at Aricheng C extends 150 metres along strike and is open along trend and at depth (Figure 3). Vestiges of uranium mineralization occur in the saprolite at surface and the deepest intercept is approximately 220 metres below surface.
Mineralization at Aricheng C is typical of the Kurupung uranium district, occurring within brecciated and sheared rocks that form structural corridors within the homogeneous batholith. Mineralization is associated with an alteration assemblage of albite, chlorite, hematite and calcite.
Structural Networks in the Kurupung
Uranium in the Aricheng Area of the Kurupung Batholith is contained within structural networks in which east-trending faults link into northeast-striking shear zones. In the Aricheng North Complex, the Aricheng North and Aricheng A structures are both northeast-striking shear zones while Aricheng C lies within an east-west orientated fault that links into the Aricheng A structure (Figure 4A). The Aricheng West Complex has a similar geometry in which Aricheng Alpha constitutes the northeast-trending shear zone adjacent to the east-trending Aricheng West and Aricheng South faults (Figure 4B). Drilling to date shows the east-west orientated structures are more consistently mineralized over a wider interval than the northeast-trending shear zones. Further scout drilling will focus on east-striking structures identified from the geophysical data.
Potential quantity and grade are based on drill results that define the approximate length, thickness, depth and grade of the target areas, but are considered conceptual in nature. To date, there has been insufficient exploration drilling to define a mineral resource on the Aricheng C structure reported in this press release, and it is uncertain if further exploration drilling will result in a mineral resource being defined in this area.
Quality Assurance & Quality Control
Diamond drilling at Aricheng C was undertaken with U3O8 Corp's own drill rig that produced NQ (nominal 47.6 millimetre diameter) core. A down-hole spectral gamma probe was used in the four bore holes reported on here to determine the extent of the mineralized intervals by providing an estimate of the uranium grade based on the radioactivity measured. Core from each mineralized interval was halved with a diamond saw on-site and half core samples were delivered to ACME Laboratory's preparation facility in Georgetown, Guyana. Sample blanks and certified standards were inserted at an average frequency of one per 25 samples. Sample pulps were then shipped by ACME to their analytical facility in Vancouver, BC, Canada, for analysis for uranium by ICP-MS after hot, four-acid digestion. The other half of the core was logged and is stored on-site, providing a complete record of the geology and mineralized zones drilled.
Mr. Richard Cleath (M.Sc.), Vice President of U3O8 Corp., a Qualified Person within the definition of that term in NI 43-101 of the Canadian Securities Administrators, had overall responsibility for all aspects of target selection and drilling of the Aricheng C target. Mr. Cleath has supervised the preparation of, and verified, the technical information in this release.
About U3O8 Corp.
U3O8 Corp. is a Toronto-based exploration company, focused on uranium exploration and resource expansion in South America - a promising new frontier for uranium exploration and development. U3O8 Corp. has one of the most advanced portfolios of uranium projects in the region comprising NI 43-101 compliant resources in Guyana to significant historic resources in Colombia and near-resource and discovery potential in Argentina.
Additional information on U3O8 Corp., each material project and technical reports are available on the company's web site at www.u3o8corp.com and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
(1) Based on a cut-off grade of 0.05% U3O8, a NI 43-101 resource estimate of 5.8 million pounds indicated at an average grade of 0.10% (2.0 lbs/st) U3O8 and 1.3 million pounds inferred at an average grade of 0.09% (1.9 lbs/st) U3O8 has been reported on the Aricheng North and Aricheng South structures in the Kurupung Batholith. For further information, refer to the technical report dated January 14, 2009 titled 'A Technical Review of the Aricheng North and Aricheng South Uranium Deposits in Western Guyana for U3O8 Corp. and Prometheus Resources (Guyana) Inc.', available on U3O8 Corp's web site at www.u3o8corp.com and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
(2) Geologically similar albitite-hosted uranium deposits worldwide including the Valhalla deposit (Australia) and Michelin deposit (Canada), typically host resources in the 50 to 130 million pound range with typical grades of 0.06% to 0.10% U3O8, within multiple mineralized structures. These deposits have not been independently verified by U3O8 Corp. and information regarding these deposits is drawn from publicly available information. Comparisons of U3O8 Corp's uranium resource and exploration targets with other uranium deposits are conceptual in nature. There is no certainty that further exploration of U3O8 Corp's uranium resource or other targets will result in the delineation of a similar mineral resource.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of U3O8 Corp., including, but not limited to, the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions, volatility of commodity prices, risks associated with the uncertainty of exploration results and estimates and that the resource potential will be achieved on exploration projects, currency fluctuations, dependence upon regulatory approvals, and the uncertainty of obtaining additional financing and exploration risk. There is no assurance that mineralization encountered at Aricheng C will add to U3O8 Corp's resource base. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements.
To view Figure 1 - Clusters of Multiple Uranium-Bearing Structures in the Kurupung Batholith, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/U3O8_July14_Figure1.pdf
To view Figure 2 - Drill Hole Locations at Aricheng C, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/U3O8_July14_Figure2.pdf
To view Figure 3 - Long Section of Aricheng C, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/U3O8_July14_Figure3.pdf
To view Figure 4 - Structural Network in the Aricheng Area, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/U3O8_July14_Figure4.pdf
To view the photo associated with this Press Release, please visit the following link: http://www.marketwire.com/library/20100713-U3O8_July14_Image1.jpg
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
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Contacts:
U3O8 Corp.
Nancy Chan-Palmateer
Vice President, Investor Relations
(416) 868-1491
nancy@u3o8corp.com
U3O8 Corp.
Richard Spencer
President & CEO
(416) 868-1491
richard@u3o8corp.com