Bighorn Metals Corp. (CSE: HRNY) is moving forward with preparations for its Phase I exploration program at the Marietta Project in Mineral County, Nevada, the company announced. The project includes patented ground covering the historic Marietta Mines and is located near several historical mine areas, including Endowment, Black Hawk, Silver Gulch, Birdsong, and Badger. Historical records report gold, silver, and base-metal mineralization across the project, offering multiple targets for systematic follow-up.
The company’s proposed Phase I program is expected to focus on compiling and assessing historical geological and exploration records, relocating and mapping historical workings, geological reconnaissance, and targeted sampling of rock exposures, mine dumps, and historical workings where access and safety conditions permit. Soil sampling and other surface exploration methods may also be used to help identify and prioritize areas for further exploration. The program is intended to provide modern geological and analytical information to evaluate historical data and identify potential exploration targets.
Historical records describe a network of mine workings across the project, including shafts, adits, declines, prospect pits, and associated surface workings. These workings are expected to serve as starting points for geological mapping, sampling, and evaluation of geological controls on reported mineralization. Historical records reviewed by the company include an unpublished 2008 report prepared by McMaster that reports a sample from the Black Hawk area assaying 186.59 ounces per ton silver. However, the company has not independently verified the location, sampling methodology, analytical procedures, or quality assurance/quality control procedures associated with this historical result, and it should not be relied upon as representative of mineralization on the project.
Historical sampling conducted on the project in April 2005 reportedly returned values of up to 66.1 g/t gold, 169 g/t silver, and 4.3% copper, with samples reportedly analyzed by ALS Chemex under certificate RE05029674. Other reported results included values of up to 0.38% antimony, 0.15% bismuth, and greater than 0.05% tellurium. These results are historical in nature and have not been independently verified by the company or its Qualified Person. The company intends to further investigate these historical results through its proposed exploration activities.
In addition to precious- and base-metal occurrences, the company plans to assess available geological information to determine whether further exploration for rare earth elements is warranted. No mineral resource containing rare earth elements has been established on the project, and the company has not determined that rare earth elements occur in quantities or concentrations that may have reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction. Additional geological assessment, fieldwork, and analytical testing would be required to evaluate any potential for rare earth element mineralization.
The company has engaged Gregory C. Ferdock, M.Sc., C.P.G., to prepare an independent technical report in accordance with National Instrument 43-101. Ferdock, a consultant to the company and an independent Qualified Person, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in the release but has not yet completed a current personal inspection of the project or independently verified the historical sampling results. The scope, timing, and completion of the proposed field activities remain subject to applicable permitting and access requirements, the availability of financing, personnel, and contractors, weather and seasonal conditions, and other operating considerations.
For readers tracking the company’s disclosures, the full release is available through www.newmediawire.com. The announcement matters because it outlines a systematic approach to validating a large body of historical data at a past-producing district, while explicitly cautioning that none of the historical results have been independently confirmed. For investors and the mining sector, the Phase I program represents an early-stage effort to determine whether the Marietta Project hosts mineralization of potential economic significance, and the company’s concurrent review of rare earth potential adds a strategic element at a time of growing interest in critical minerals. However, the forward-looking nature of the program and the reliance on unverified historical records mean that actual results could differ materially, and there can be no assurance that the proposed exploration activities will be completed as contemplated or at all.
