Vior Inc. [VIO-TSXV; VIORF-OTC; VL51-FSE] provided an update on the corporation’s spring/summer 2023 field exploration programs and corporate strategy across its three Quebec key exploration projects: the Belleterre gold project, the Belleterre critical minerals project (lithium) and the Skyfall nickel project. Vior and its financing partners will spend approximately $2.5-million in direct exploration costs over the spring/summer 2023 period.
Mark Fedosiewich, president and CEO, commented: “This will be a very busy and exciting year for Vior, as we rapidly advance three of our district-scale projects in Quebec, including our flagship Belleterre gold project, the recently generated Belleterre critical minerals project (lithium) and our Skyfall nickel project. Each of these distinct projects offer exposure to a different key and highly sought-after metal, representing tremendous value creation opportunities for Vior shareholders.”
Highlights: Extensive field exploration programs have begun at Belleterre and Skyfall that will continue into fall 2023. This work will include stripping, channel sampling and backpack drilling to investigate near-surface geological continuity at the Belleterre gold project.
First reconnaissance program for lithium-bearing pegmatites at Belleterre critical minerals project (lithium) and near-surface geological backpack drilling to investigate geological continuity. Field crews have located pegmatite dike swarms with two-mica and beryl.
District-scale helicopter-borne high-definition VTEM (versatile time-domain electromagnetic) survey has been completed at the Skyfall nickel project, contributing to an in-depth interpretation of numerous high-potential nickel targets. These targets will be validated in the field with the first-ever large-scale field reconnaissance program for nickel.
Belleterre gold project: Vior began fieldwork in early May at the Belleterre gold project, deploying two dedicated crews with the objective of validating the revised regional mineralization model. This initial fieldwork has helped to better identify key targets with known mineralization for overburden stripping, channel sampling and near-surface investigatory backpack drilling.
Vior continues to finalize these key targets, including the recognition of new mineralized QFP (quartz feldspar porphyry) intrusives frequently associated with gold mineralization throughout the region.
Upon completion of the stripping, channel sampling and mapping program, Vior will finalize and prioritize its drill targets, and then embark on a significant drilling campaign encompassing an estimated 30,000 metres.
Belleterre critical minerals project (lithium): A comprehensive field program at the Belleterre critical minerals project (lithium) began in May with three crews and will resume through this summer.
The teams are focused on validating all available exploration data, including geochemical, geophysical and regional geological mapping.
The primary objective is to thoroughly map and sample the highly prospective lithium-bearing corridor, spanning a length of 90 km and flanking the Reservoir Decelles batholith (RDB) contact. Initial findings have already indicated the occurrence of two-mica granites, a significant precursor for the formation of lithium-cesium-tantalum (LCT) pegmatites. Access for prospecting in the region is exceptionally favourable, facilitated by the presence of multiple all-season logging roads and ATV (all-terrain vehicle) trails.
Vior is employing portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) field measurements to enhance the accuracy of identifying evolved LCT pegmatites. Once selected locations have undergone analytical confirmation, Vior will proceed with mechanical stripping to uncover and expose cross-sections of promising pegmatite areas. In addition, the exploration team will also undertake some channel sampling, near-surface backpack drilling and subsequent assays of prospective lithium-bearing pegmatites.
Skyfall nickel project: Vior has just initiated its first-ever comprehensive and targeted validation field program for nickel-sulphide-bearing horizons at the Skyfall nickel project. This work follows the completion of a 3,636 line-km airborne VTEM survey (with a 100-metre spacing per line), where final results have been received and interpretations are being integrated.
The project area benefits from extensive access through a network of logging roads and ATV trails. In line with Vior’s systematic exploration approach, the initial prospecting efforts of the crews will encompass sampling of VTEM targets in areas with exposed bedrock and manually stripped areas where shallow overburden is present.
Due to forest fire activity and in compliance with a directive from the Ministere des Ressources naturelles et des Forets (MRNF), exploration activities have been temporarily suspended in Quebec. As such, Vior has temporarily suspended its field operations and will resume its field exploration programs as soon as access is restored. Vior is monitoring the situation and does not foresee any impact to its overall 2023 exploration plans and objectives.
Vior is rapidly advancing three district-scale projects in Quebec, which include its flagship Belleterre gold project, the Belleterre critical minerals project (lithium) and its Skyfall nickel project.
