200 Burrard Street, Suite 1680 Vancouver, British Columbia, V6C 3L6 Tel: (604) 678‐5308 www.bluebirdbatterymetals.com
Sampling Confirms High-Grade, Surface-Level Cobalt at Ashburton, Western Australia
Vancouver, British Columbia, February 22, 2019 – BlueBird Batte ry Metals Inc. (TSXV: BATT; US:BBBMF) (the “ Company” or “ BlueBird”) is pleased to announce that initial sampling at its Ashburton Cobalt Project (“ Ashburton”) in Western Australia, has returned significant cobalt grades of up to 0.42% at surface, confirming the presence of high-grade mineralization in multiple locations.
Highlights of Two-Phase Exploration Program:
- Cobalt Grades and Location : Phase one reconnaissance sampling program has encountered significant grades of cobalt mineralization in multiple locations, including up to 0.421% (4,214 ppm) Co from surface rock chip sampling. This confirms high-grade cobalt is present at the Ashburton project and the results at C apricorn demonstrate Cobalt mineralization continues over a strike length of 15 km.
- Further results to Come: Phase two is now underway to evaluate additional regional prospects.
- 30 km Strike Length: Both phases are focused on a 30 km strike length that has been identified along the prospective Talga Fault Zone.
- Cobalt Correlation with Manganese: Cobalt mineralization at Ashburton displays a strong correlation with manganese enrichment, with grades of up to 27.8%. This is of note because manganese uses are similar to those of cobalt in the battery sector.
Nav Dhaliwal, Chairman and CEO of BlueBird, commented, “We are delighted by the cobalt grades we have encountered over a large area at Ashburton, in Western Australia. Further sampling is already underway and will focus on a number of additional prospects during the second phase of field work. The scale of the targets across our extensive land holdings is becoming increasingly clear and is very encouraging. This is an under-explored region and we are looking forward to advancing our exploration activity.”
200 Burrard Street, Suite 1680 Vancouver, British Columbia, V6C 3L6 Tel: (604) 678‐5308 www.bluebirdbatterymetals.com
Figure 1: Outcropping Cobalt-Manganese Mineralization
200 Burrard Street, Suite 1680 Vancouver, British Columbia, V6C 3L6 Tel: (604) 678‐5308 www.bluebirdbatterymetals.com
Figure 2: Location Plan of Project in Western Australia
200 Burrard Street, Suite 1680 Vancouver, British Columbia, V6C 3L6 Tel: (604) 678‐5308 www.bluebirdbatterymetals.com
Figure 3: Recent and Historical Rock Chip Samples
Please visit the website www.bluebirdbatterymetals.com for additional information, maps, sections, and assay tables related to the Ashburton Cobalt Project.
Table 1: Recent Rock Chip Sampling Results and Location Information
Sample Easting North Co ppm Cu ppm Fe % Mn% Ni ppm Zn ppm
CAPR042 434,478 7,412,365 4214 935 15.28 11.978 546 569
CAPR024B 430,184 7,414,361 2095 735 1.02 27.815 92 841
CAPR024A 430,184 7,414,361 1333 452 2.42 20.72 61 516
CAPR0442 488,470 7,380,690 924 X 3.5 22.006 26 93
109682 480,684 7,386,325 646 385 38.6 5.5351 925 815
CAPR0437 480,925 7,385,865 467 139 5.37 4.1811 396 384
CAPR0461 513,000 7,365,230 247 35 43.2 0.4721 598 2428
109681 480,702 7,386,075 185 173 5.78 1.7243 47 57
109687 479,239 7,386,866 153 136 22.94 1.6214 256 304
109691 479,125 7,387,008 152 125 10.67 1.2949 135 158
200 Burrard Street, Suite 1680 Vancouver, British Columbia, V6C 3L6 Tel: (604) 678‐5308 www.bluebirdbatterymetals.com
About Ashburton Cobalt Project
- Ashburton consists of four exploration licences located 450 km south of Karratha and 950 km north of Perth in the Pilbara region of Western Australia
- Cobalt-Manganese mineralization at the Ashburton Cobalt Project is hosted within a dolomitic unit, which extends along the Talga Fault Zone (“TFZ”).
- Manganese mineralization has been identified over 60 km along the TFZ
- The four Project area tenements in aggregate cover over 30 km of the TFZ.
- Anomalous manganese-cobalt values have been returned at numerou s locations within each of the four tenements comprising the Project.
- The TFZ transects the Project and appears to have acted as a major basin-margin or growth fault, controlling sedimentary deposition and basin development.
The technical content of this news release has been reviewed an d approved Wes Hanson, P.Geo., a director of the Company and a Qualified Person pursuant to Na tional Instrument 43-101. The qualified person has not yet visited the Ashburton Project, and therefore has not yet verified the data disclosed, including sampling, analytical, and test data underlying the information or opinions contained in the written disclosure.
About BlueBird Battery Metals
BlueBird Battery Metals (TSXV: BATT; US: BBBMF) is a Canadian publicly listed company focused on the global exploration and development of strategic battery metals projects, primarily cobalt and nickel. BlueBird’s goal is to pursue a business mode l that offers direct and long-term leverage to the price appreciation in nickel and cobalt, two principal materials in EV batteries. The Company plans to become a leader in the battery metals sector, as cobalt is currently in a global supply deficit, has a vulnerable supply chain, and is part of an emerging sector with extraordinary potential. BlueBird is currently advancing a portfolio of battery metals focused assets in in Western Australia and reviewing new acquisition opportunities to add to the Company’s project portfolio.
On Behalf of the Board of BlueBird Battery Metals Inc.
Nav Dhaliwal
Chairman and CEO
For more information, please contact 1-855-584-0160 or [email protected].
This news release may contain or refer to forward-looking information based on current expectations, including, but not limited to the Company achieving success in exploring its properties and the impact on the Company of these events, including the effect on its sh are price. Forward-lookin g information is subject to significant risks and uncertainties, as actual results may differ materially from forecasted results. Forward-looking information is provided as of the date hereof and we assume no responsibility to up date or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances. References to other issuers with nearby projects is for information purposes only and there are no assurances the Company will achieve similar results.
200 Burrard Street, Suite 1680 Vancouver, British Columbia, V6C 3L6 Tel: (604) 678‐5308 www.bluebirdbatterymetals.com
Neither TSX Venture Exchange, the Toronto Stock Exchange nor their Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Ve nture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.