Eagle Plains acquires high-grade B.C. graphite property

Based in Cranbrook, B.C., Eagle Plains conducts research, acquires and explores mineral projects throughout western Canada.

Eagle Graphite has also operated a graphite operation in the Slocan region for a number of years. — Photo: Eagle Graphite

Cranbrook, B.C.: Eagle Plains Resources Ltd. (TSX-V: “EPL”) is pleased to report that it has acquired by staking a high-quality graphite project. The 711 ha, road-accessible Slocan Graphite Project is located 32km northeast of Nelson, British Columbia and is owned 100% by Eagle Plains with no underlying royalties or encumbrances. The property hosts several large flake graphite-bearing outcrops and float occurrences known as the Tedesco Zone, which is interpreted to extend over 2.0km.

Graphite is a naturally occurring form of carbon and is an excellent conductor of both electricity and heat. It is becoming increasingly important as a critical strategic component in advancing alternative energy solutions including wind and solar power, hybrid vehicles and other alternative energy uses. It is also a mainstay of the steel production industry. Canada is currently ranked as the 5th largest supplier of graphite.

The Slocan Graphite Project benefits from excellent infrastructure including a high-voltage transmission line within 1.2 km of the property boundaries, an extensive network of forestry roads on and around the property, and an existing graphite processing plant and facilities located 1.5 km west of the property, owned by Eagle Graphite Corporation.

Graphite mineralization was initially discovered in logging road exposures in the late 1990’s. Ground and airborne geophysical surveys were completed in the project area in 2000 and 2010 respectively. Both surveys indicated strong conductive anomalies that correlate well with surface mineralization and are interpreted to extend along strike and down-dip of known occurrences. A limited number of documented samples have been taken across the Tedesco horizon and analysed for carbon graphite ranging in grade from 1.2 to 3.5 per cent.

Graphite mineralization is hosted primarily in carbonate and calc-silicate lithologies within the Passmore Dome of the Valhalla Metamorphic Complex, a geologic setting consistent with a crystalline flake graphite deposit model. Previous operators have estimated the mineralized horizon to be up to 50m thick, however cite that it is difficult to determine due to a lack of surface exposure. The horizon has never been tested by diamond drilling.

Past workers in the area concluded: “Although the graphite occurrences at Tedesco are in the early stages of exploration, geological, assay, and geophysical data indicate significant potential to form an economic deposit” (BC Assessment Report 26537). Eagle Plains geologists are of the opinion that the high-quality, large flake character of the graphite mineralization found to date, spatial extent of conductivity from the 2010 airborne EM survey, minimal historic exploration activity, excellent proximity to infrastructure and the favorable economic outlook for graphite as a strategic commodity make Slocan Graphite a compelling project for continued exploration and a potentially significant addition to Eagle Plain’s broad and varied portfolio of exploration projects.  The acquisition is consistent with EPL’s policy of identifying and acquiring undervalued exploration projects during downturns within a particular commodity space.

Technical aspects of this news release have been reviewed and approved by C.C. Downie, P.Geo.

About Eagle Plains Resources

Based in Cranbrook, B.C., Eagle Plains continues to conduct research, acquire and explore mineral projects throughout western Canada. EPL is committed to steadily enhancing shareholder value by advancing our diverse portfolio of projects toward discovery through collaborative partnerships and development of a highly experienced technical team. Managements’ current focus is to preserve its treasury while advancing its most promising exploration projects. In addition, Eagle Plains continues to seek out and secure high-quality, unencumbered projects through research, staking and strategic acquisitions. Since 2012, Eagle Plains has added to its portfolio a number of new projects exceeding 130,000 ha targeting mainly gold, uranium and base-metals in Saskatchewan, a highly-prospective mining jurisdiction which was recently recognized by the Fraser Institute as the second best place in the world in terms of Investment Attractiveness. Throughout the exploration process, our mission is to help maintain prosperous communities by exploring for and discovering resource opportunities while building lasting relationships through honest and respectful business practices.

Expenditures from 2011-2017 on Eagle Plains-related projects were approximately $16.5M, which was funded by Eagle Plains and for the most part, by third-party partners. This exploration work resulted in approximately 15,000 m of diamond-drilling and extensive ground-based exploration work facilitating the advancement of numerous projects at various stages of development.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

“Tim J. Termuende”
President and CEO