Defense Metals completes Wicheeda rare earths project field data collection

Defense Metals Corp. [TSXV-DEFN; OTCQB-DFMTF; FSE-35D] has completed all infrastructure geotechnical field data collection in support of the preliminary feasibility study for its 100%-owned Wicheeda rare earth element project located near Prince George, central British Columbia, Canada.

Craig Taylor, CEO of Defense Metals, commented: “We are very excited to have completed our 2023 Phase 3 geotechnical program. I would like to congratulate the APEX and SRK teams for their safe and professional execution of this work. These multi-phase programs started in early summer and we now have all field geotechnical data in hand necessary for the completion of our PFS study which we expect to be finished in Q2 2024.”

Highlights of the 2023 Wicheeda REE Project infrastructure geotechnical programs include 16 helicopter and track sonic overburden geotechnical drill holes totalling 225.5 metres; 20 excavated overburden geotechnical test pits totalling 76.8 metres; 6 diamond drill holes totalling 1,182 metres within the Wicheeda REE deposit pit shell; inclusive of 4 open pit geochemical drill holes totalling 920 metres, and in pit exploration holes totalling 262 metres; Shipment of a 2,700 kg metallurgical sample, collected from drill core, to SGS Lakefield, Ontario for continued flotation and hydrometallurgical optimization test-work; initiation of humidity cell testwork on 17 samples, and 250 kg sample selection for on-site kinetic leach (barrel) testing of samples representative of anticipated mine waste rock to assess metal leaching and acid rock drainage potential in support of environmental assessment.

The geotechnical work was completed by SRK Consulting (Canada) Inc. with the support of APEX Geoscience Ltd.

Defense Metals’ 100%-owned, 8,301-hectare (~20,534-acre) Wicheeda REE Project is located approximately 80 km northeast of Prince George. Wicheeda is readily accessible by all-weather gravel roads and is near infrastructure, including hydro power transmission lines and gas pipelines. The nearby Canadian National Railway and major highways allow easy access to the port facilities at Prince Rupert, the closest major North American port to Asia.