Linear compiles Seymour Lake historical drill results

2009-09-02 10:47 ET - News Release

Mr. Brian MacEachen reports

ADDITIONAL RESULTS ANNOUNCED FROM LINEAR METALS' SEYMOUR LAKE LITHIUM-TANTALUM-BERYLLIUM PROJECT

Linear Metals Corp. has completed the additional compilation of historical diamond drill results, and new Enzyme Leach soil sampling results on its road accessible, 100 % owned, Seymour Lake Lithium/Tantalum/Beryllium Property, located to the north of Lake Nipigon, near Armstrong, in north-western Ontario. The project is being reactivated in response to rising prices for elements such as lithium and tantalum.

As described in a press release dated August 25, 2009, the 2002 drill program at Seymour Lake was designed to test primarily for tantalum however, due to the highly zoned nature of rare metal pegmatites, metals such as lithium, tantalum and beryllium are often fractionated into discrete subzones within the pegmatite body. Consequently, the composite assay intervals previously reported had been optimized for their tantalum content, and not lithium. Re-examination of these intervals, subsequent to the August 25th release, has identified some higher grade intervals in established zones, as well as entirely new zones of lithium mineralization, as shown in the attached table.

                            NORTH AUBRY ZONE

Drill hole         From           To          Width      Li2O
No.             (metres)     (metres)       (metres)      (%)   Comment

SL-02-01               Primitive pegmatite intersected

SL-02-02          45.75        60.00          14.25     1.735
SL-02-03          25.65        29.00           3.35     1.398
 and              32.50        40.70           8.20     1.370    Lower
                                                                 horizon

SL-02-04          25.00        34.20           9.20     2.386
SL-02-05          18.00        21.60           3.60     0.944
SL-02-07          59.00        59.30           0.30     0.048
SL-02-08          13.60        30.00          16.40     0.830    Hole lost
                                                                 at 30 metres
incl.             15.60        25.70          10.10     1.316

SL-02-09           1.45        22.10          20.65     0.955
incl.              3.20        17.94          14.74     1.190
SL-02-10          51.85        57.05           5.20     1.578    Deep
                                                                 horizon?
SL-02-12           6.28         6.50           0.22     0.034
SL-02-13          15.88        16.02           0.14     0.003
and                19.1        19.25           0.15     0.087    Lower
                                                                 horizon

SL-02-14           2.65         8.35           5.70     2.212
SL-02-15           6.35        11.80           5.45     1.302
incl.              6.35         9.75           3.40     1.486
SL-02-16           1.70         9.55           7.85     1.148
SL-02-25           1.40         1.65           0.25     0.829
SL-02-26           1.65         5.05           3.40     2.484
SL-02-27           3.00        26.85          23.85     1.325
incl.              3.00        12.00           9.00     2.059
and incl.         19.46        22.50           3.04     2.232    Lower
                                                                 horizon?

SL-02-28           2.30        14.10          11.80     1.837
incl.              2.30        12.00           9.70     2.165
SL-02-29           1.80        13.75          11.95     1.696
incl.              1.80        12.20          10.40     1.926
SL-02-30           2.00        18.90          16.90     2.081
and               23.30        27.00           3.70     1.837    Lower
                                                                 horizon
SL-02-31           1.60        19.32          17.72     1.475
incl.              6.35        19.32          12.97     1.937
SL-02-32                   No pegmatite intersected              Hole Lost
                                                                 @ 95 m

 
                             SOUTH AUBRY ZONE

Drill Hole         From           To          Width      Li2O
#               (metres)     (metres)       (metres)       (%)   Comment

SL-02-17          27.75        28.15           0.40     0.428
and               30.70        35.05           4.35     1.460     Lower horizon
incl.             30.70        32.50           1.80     2.389
SL-02-18          25.00        31.25           6.25     0.339
and               52.10        61.18           9.08     1.262     Lower horizon
incl.             52.10        57.00           4.90     1.799

SL-02-19           2.65        17.15          14.50     0.304
incl.              4.65         7.65           3.00     0.357
SL-02-20           3.00        16.30          13.30     0.757
incl.              8.00        12.60           4.60     0.976
and               58.20        60.00           1.80     0.454     Lower horizon
SL-02-21           2.35        18.64          10.36     0.648
incl.              2.35         4.50           2.15     1.368
and               50.82        52.02           1.20     0.288     Lower horizon

SL-02-22           8.13        15.20           7.07     0.390
incl.              8.13         9.00           0.87     0.626
and               39.18        42.10           2.92     1.401     Lower horizon
SL-02-23           1.95         5.20           3.25     0.625
incl.              4.00         5.20           1.20     1.292
SL-02-24          13.90        17.95           4.05     0.307
incl.             13.90        15.70           1.80     0.623
 

The most significant new developments from the re-examination of the assay data are a significantly expanded zone of lithium mineralization in drill hole SL02-30, on the North Aubry zone, 16.9 metres of 2.081 per cent Li2O, and the recognition of a new lower horizon of mineralization, especially developed in the South Aubry, where it carries excellent lithium intersections in several holes, for example, SL02-18 sampled 9.08 metres of 1.262 percent Li2O, SL02-17 had 4.35 metres of 1.460 per cent Li2O, and SL-02-22 sampled 2.92 metres of 1.401 per cent Li2O. This lower horizon carries higher grade and thicker mineralized intervals than the main pegmatite horizon at South Aubry, and occurs approximately 20 metres below it. At the North Aubry, a similar newly recognized lower horizon is located only two to five metres below the main horizon, and in at least one hole (SL02-27), is not separated from the main horizon, creating an overall thicker, continuous pegmatite body with two distinct zones of high-grade lithium mineralization. Another new zone, called the deep horizon, was intersected in at least one hole, SL02-10, below the North Aubry zone; located approximately 60 metres below the main and lower horizons, the hole returned 5.2 metres of 1.578 per cent Li2O. It should be noted that most of the holes in the 2002 program were only drilled to a depth of 40 to 60 metres (all holes drilled vertically), so that over much of the drill-tested area, the pegmatite system has only been investigated very shallowly. Some of the existing drill holes will be deepened in the upcoming exploration program to search for extensions of the lower and deep horizons (see website for table of 2002 drill holes and location maps).

The potential along strike and dip as well as at depth, are further emphasized by a detailed enzyme leach soil survey conducted during a 2008 work program (but only recently compiled and interpreted), which covered a total area of approximately three kilometres by 2.5 kilometres over the North and South Aubry zones, the survey, consisting of 644 samples (correction from August 25, 2009, release which referred to 422 samples), partially delineated a large, multi-element, circular to ovoid halo or doughnut anomaly approximately three kilometres in diameter, indicating that the sub-horizontal pegmatite body(s) may extend over a very large area, of which only a small fraction (less than 3 per cent) has been drill tested (see website for lithium anomaly map), and is open to the north, east and south. Several very strong, multi-element, apical sub-anomalies within the larger halo may indicate specific lithium, tantalum, or beryllium mineralized zones within the pegmatite, and are direct, high-priority drill targets.

Excellent reproducibility of the enzyme leach results is indicated by very similar anomaly patterns obtained from a limited 2002 enzyme leach orientation survey (130 samples) conducted by linear over an area of approximately 400 metres by 2500 metres. Enzyme leach soil geochemistry has been successfully used by Tanco exploration staff to delineate the Bernic Lake and other mineralized pegmatites in central Manitoba (Galeschuk and Vanstone, 2005), and by Manitoba geological survey staff to delineate the Bil lithium pegmatite in northern Manitoba (Fedikow, 2001). Anomalous values of lithium in the enzyme leach soils at Seymour Lake are of the same order of magnitude above background as those reported from Bernic Lake and the Bil pegmatite, although caution must be used in directly comparing survey results from different areas.

The 2002 drill results indicate there are open, sizeable, high-grade lithium (and tantalum) zones at both the North Aubry and South Aubry occurrences. Furthermore, the 2008 soil results indicate there remains excellent untested potential for additional pegmatites, both stacked at depth, along strike and down dip. The Seymour Lake property remains highly prospective for further discoveries and a re-evaluation of data is continuing, leading to a fall 2009, detailed exploration program, including drilling.

Brian MacEachen, Linear Metals president and chief executive officer, states: "The additional high grade lithium intervals identified from the 2002 drill program, as well as the large size potential indicated by the soil samples, is extremely encouraging for the discovery of additional mineralized zones at Seymour Lake. We are moving forward with the fall exploration program and look forward to reporting additional results from the first work program that will specifically target lithium mineralization."

Resignation of Director

Linear Metals also announces the resignation of Dr. Ken Cai from the company's board of directors. Linear Metals wishes to thank Dr. Cai for his dedicated service to the company since April, 2006. Linear Metals' board of directors expects to announce the appointment of a new director over the coming weeks.

Analyses for lithium were carried out on split or sawed half core at the XRAL Laboratory, in Mississauga, Ont., using the ICP90 technique which has a 10-parts-per-million detection limit. Enzyme leach soil samples were collected by Linear personnel at standard depth and analyzed by Activation Laboratories in Ancaster, Ont., using proprietary leachates and an ICP-MS finish. Standard quality assurance and quality control techniques were utilized to confirm results at the time the programs took place.

This press release was prepared under the supervision of Peter Dimmell, PGeo, who is a qualified person as defined under National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Dimmell has reviewed the scientific and technical information in this press release.