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Successful Exploration Drilling At Wide Formation

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New Great Flat Lode Splay Discovered

Multiple New Mineralised Structures Intersected Between the Great Flat Lode and Wide Formation

Vancouver, February 4, 2024

Cornish Metals Inc. (AIM/TSX-V: CUSN) ("Cornish Metals" or the "Company"), a mineral exploration and development company focused on advancing the South Crofty tin project ("South Crofty" or the "Project") located in Cornwall, United Kingdom, to a construction decision, is pleased to report results from the first six drill holes of the ongoing 9,000 metre Carn Brea drill programme.

All six drillholes intersected the Wide Formation lode structure, which is characterised by strong tourmaline alteration and variable tin mineralisation, similar to all historically mined tin-bearing structures in the South Crofty area.

Drilling has also identified a new mineralised structure lying directly beneath the Great Flat Lode (named the "Great Flat Lode Splay"), as well as several high-grade, steeply dipping tin zones between the Great Flat Lode and the Wide Formation (see cross sections at the end of this release).

Highlights

  • All six drill holes intersected the Wide Formation at the expected target depths, proving the exploration model for a parallel tin mineralised structure beneath the Great Flat Lode;
  • Wide Formation structure has been confirmed over a strike length of at least 1.6km, a downdip extent of at least 525m, thicknesses ranging from 1.8m - 4.8m, and remains open;
  • Notable tin intercepts from the Wide Formation (Figure 2 and Figure 3), including:

o 1.21m grading 0.87% Sn in CB23_004

o 1.90m grading 0.83% Sn in CB23_006

  • Notable tin intercepts from the newly identified Great Flat Lode Splay (Figure 2), including:

o 3.38m grading 1.01% Sn in CB23_002

o 1.00m grading 1.56% Sn in CB23_004

  • Notable tin intercepts from multiple steeply-dipping, high-grade tin zones mainly intersected between the Great Flat Lode and the Wide Formation, including:

o 0.30m grading 7.48% Sn and 3.09m grading 1.21% Sn in CB23_001

o 1.21m grading 1.83% Sn in CB23_004

o 3.06m grading 0.93% Sn in CB23_005

o 1.17m grading 0.62% Sn in CB23_006

  • A further eight drill holes are planned, testing a 2.5km strike length of the Wide Formation;
  • Table 1 below presents all significant intercepts.

Richard Williams, CEO and Director of Cornish Metals, stated: "These results confirm Cornish Metals' model that the Wide Formation represents a new, large-scale, tin-bearing exploration target lying beneath the historically mined Great Flat Lode. The discovery of additional mineralised structures above and below the Wide Formation is a bonus.

The intensity of alteration and the strength and thickness of the Wide Formation structure is similar to others in the region, and the next step for us is to define the location, orientation and extent of the high grade pay shoots, which are typical of this style of mineralisation.

The discovery of the Great Flat Lode Splay and the other new zones of high-grade tin mineralisation demonstrates the exploration upside of this area, which we view as having tremendous potential to add to our current Mineral Resource base at South Crofty."

The Wide Formation

The Wide Formation represents a new high-grade tin target in the Carn Brea South exploration area, located along the southern boundary of the South Crofty underground mine permission area. A 14-hole / 9,000 metre drilling programme commenced in Q3 2023, with the first six holes confirming the Wide Formation lies parallel to, north of, and beneath the Great Flat Lode.

The drill programme is designed to test the geometry and the continuity of tin mineralisation within the Wide Formation over an area measuring 2,500m along strike (northeast to southwest) and 525m downdip to the southeast. Drilling to date has intersected the Great Flat Lode and Wide Formation tin mineralisation structures where expected, confirming continuity of the Wide Formation over a 1.6km strike length and 525m downdip.

Two drill rigs are currently on-site, drilling holes CB23_008 and CB23_009 of the programme with future holes planned to continue testing the Wide Formation along strike, and to improve on-target definition.

The Great Flat Lode Splay

Drilling has also intersected a previously unrecognised splay structure immediately beneath the Great Flat Lode. The Great Flat Lode Splay is mineralised, varies up to 9m in thickness, and represents an important new exploration target less than 280m below surface (see drill intercepts in table below and cross sections at the end of this release).

New Steeply Dipping Tin Zones

The ongoing drill programme also intersected multiple steeply dipping high-grade tin zones, mainly located between the Great Flat Lode and the Wide Formation (see table below and cross here). More work is required to determine the orientation and true thickness of these zones. Identifying areas where these structures intersect both the Great Flat Lode and the Wide Formation is of particular interest as these intersection points represent areas of greater fracturing and potential for high grade tin mineralisation.

Hole IDFrom (m)To (m)Length (m)Sn %Comment
CB23_00131.6036.214.610.08Great Flat Lode
Including33.9034.780.880.30
CB23_001441.74442.040.307.48New Zone
CB23_001537.32541.334.010.06Wide Formation
Including540.38540.910.530.31
CB23_001607.99611.083.091.21New Zone
Including607.99608.900.912.57
And609.86611.081.220.61
CB23_002204.23208.203.970.32Great Flat Lode
Including204.23206.342.110.60
And204.23205.281.050.90
CB23_002227.13234.026.890.62Great Flat Lode Splay
Including227.13230.513.381.01
And229.30230.511.212.52
CB23_002612.37616.323.950.08Wide Formation
Including614.81615.300.490.58
CB23_003255.65256.400.750.43Great Flat Lode
CB23_003266.98277.1610.180.05Great Flat Lode Splay
Including272.35273.100.750.45
CB23_003473.37477.814.440.26New Zone
Including473.37474.371.000.60
CB23_003643.72646.532.810.06Wide Formation
CB23_004198.17198.870.700.01Great Flat Lode
CB23_004252.89259.626.730.26Great Flat Lode Splay
Including258.62259.621.001.56
CB23_004373.81375.171.361.13New Zone
CB23_004528.47529.681.211.83New Zone
CB23_004538.77540.641.870.69New Zone
Including539.88540.640.760.96
CB23_004700.84705.244.400.25Wide Formation
Including703.47704.681.210.87
CB23_00578.6682.724.060.08Great Flat Lode
CB23_005350.60359.438.830.42New Zone
Including351.19354.253.060.93
CB23_005703.70710.276.570.05Wide Formation
CB23_00664.1165.991.880.91Great Flat Lode
CB23_006152.29153.461.170.62New Zone
CB23_006511.98512.590.611.60New Zone
CB23_006549.62551.521.900.83Wide Formation
Including549.62550.631.011.30

Table 1 - Selected drilling results from holes 1-6 at the Wide Formation target.

Note 1 - True thickness of down-hole intersections reported are expected to be approximately 70-100% of the down-hole lengths.

Hole IDHole Length
CB23_001617.7m
CB23_002698.9m
CB23_003731.3m
CB23_004773.6m
CB23_005759.3m
CB23_006614.3m

​Table 2 - Drill hole lengths from surface to end of hole.

GEOLOGY AND MINERALISATION

The geology in the Carn Brea South exploration area is identical to that at South Crofty, comprising metasediments (locally termed "killas") which overlie an intrusive granite body. The mineralisation of the Wide Formation consists predominantly of blue tourmaline with disseminated cassiterite, hosted within a siliceous tourmaline altered granite. The cassiterite is mostly hosted within tourmaline-quartz veins which overprint the interpreted earlier blue tourmaline lode structure. No mining has ever been carried out on the Wide Formation.

The Great Flat Lode Splay, discovered up dip of Wheal Bassett mine (Figure 1), occurs as a blue tourmaline-rich lode with quartz (occasionally brecciated) hosting disseminated cassiterite mineralisation. The mineralised structure, which appears to separate away from the metasediment/granite boundary of its shallower counterpart, is hosted within strongly altered granite. This structure forms an unmined splay off the Great Flat Lode, is several meters thick and has an approximate area of 700m by 450m.

The Wide Formation, Great Flat Lode Splay, and new zones of steeply dipping high-grade tin mineralisation warrant further exploration.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Drilling at Carn Brea South was performed by Priority Drilling Company Ltd using an Atlas Copco CS14 Diamond Drill Rig. Hole construction consisted of HQ (96.1-millimeter ("mm") diameter) to recover 72.8mm diameter drill core from within the shallower Great Flat mineralised zone, before reducing to NQ (76-mm diameter) to recover a 48mm diameter drill core when drilling at depth through the Wide Formation target. On completion, holes were multi-shot surveyed using a Reflex EZ-Trac. Core recovery was greater than 95%. The core was logged, split via core saw, and sampled by Cornish Metals personnel. The samples, comprising half core, were sent for assay at ALS Minerals, Loughrea, Ireland. Sample preparation involved crushing to 70% less than 2mm, riffle split and pulverised to 85% less than 75 microns. The analytical method used for tin, copper, tungsten, zinc, and arsenic was X-ray florescence ("XRF") following a lithium borate fusion. A multi-element 4 Acid Digestion ICP-AES analysis was also carried out to further characterise the mineralisation and alteration assemblages. Overlimit assays on silver were carried out using a 3-acid digest and a HCl leach ICP AES analysis. Comprehensive Quality Assurance / Quality Control programme using standards, duplicates and blanks was included within the sampling programme.

The technical information in this news release has been compiled by Mr. Owen Mihalop who has reviewed and takes responsibility for the data and geological interpretation. Mr. Owen Mihalop (MCSM, BSc (Hons), MSc, FGS, MIMMM, CEng) is Chief Operating Officer for Cornish Metals Inc. and has sufficient experience relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined under the JORC Code (2012) and as a Qualified Person under NI 43-101 and AIM. Mr. Mihalop consents to the inclusion in this announcement of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears.

South Crofty Summary (JORC 2012) Mineral Resource Estimate

AreaClassificationMass (kt)GradeContained Tin / Tin Equivalent (kt)
Lower MineIndicated2,8961.50% Sn43.6
Inferred2,6261.42% Sn37.4
Upper MineIndicated2600.99% SnEq2.6
Inferred4650.91% SnEq4.2

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

"Richard D. Williams"

Richard D. Williams, P.Geo

Caution regarding forward looking statements

Appendix

"alteration halo" means a border of minerals produced by hydrothermal alteration in the rock surrounding a vein

"cassiterite" means a tin oxide mineral which is the principal source for tin metal

"grade(s)" means the quantity of ore or metal in a specified quantity of rock

"Indicated Mineral Resource" is that part of a Mineral Resource for which quantity, grade or quality, densities, shape and physical characteristics are estimated with sufficient confidence to allow the application of mining, processing, metallurgical, infrastructure, economic, marketing, legal, environmental, social and governmental factors to support mine planning and evaluation of the economic viability of the deposit. Geological evidence is derived from adequately detailed and reliable exploration, sampling and testing and is sufficient to assume geological and grade or quality continuity between points of observation. An Indicated Mineral Resource has a lower level of confidence than that applying to a Measured Mineral Resource and may only be converted to a probable mineral reserve.

"Inferred Mineral Resource" is that part of a Mineral Resource for which quantity and grade or quality are estimated on the basis of limited geological evidence and sampling. Geological evidence is sufficient to imply but not verify geological and grade or quality continuity. An Inferred Mineral Resource has a lower level of confidence than that applying to an Indicated Mineral Resource and must not be converted to a mineral reserve. It is reasonably expected that the majority of Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration. An Inferred Mineral Resource is based on limited information and sampling gathered through appropriate techniques from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, workings and drill holes.

"JORC Code" means the 2012 edition of the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves prepared by the Joint Ore Reserves Committee of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Australian Institute of Geoscientists and Minerals Council of Australia. The JORC Code is an acceptable foreign code for purposes of NI 43-101.

"Lodes" means a vein of metal ore in the earth

"MRE" means Mineral Resource Estimate

"kt" means thousand tonnes

"Mt" means million tonnes

"NI 43-101" means National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects issued by the Canadian Securities Administrators, which provides standards of disclosure of scientific and technical information regarding mineral projects

"Sn" means Tin

"t" means tonnes

"tourmaline" means the crystalline silicate mineral group that occurs as prismatic crystals in granitic and other rocks

Cleaned text: letterheads, contacts and legal notices removed. View the original announcement ↗ · Company filings. Not investment advice.

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