The Strategic Alliance does not include the Beskauga copper-gold project, nor the regional exploration licenses Stepnoe, Ekidos, Aimandai and Elemes.
Arras Minerals Announces Strategic Alliance With Major Canadian Mining Company. (Credit: Alex Banner from Pixabay)
Arras Minerals Corp. (TSX-V: ARK) (“Arras” or “the Company”) is pleased to announce it has entered into an agreement (the “Strategic Alliance Agreement” or the “Agreement”) with Teck Resources Limited (“Teck”) to form a Strategic Alliance focusing on exploration for critical minerals on Arras’ strategically located license package in the Bozshakol-Chingiz Magmatic Arc located in Pavlodar, Kazakhstan.
The Strategic Alliance does not include the Beskauga copper-gold project, nor the regional exploration licenses Stepnoe, Ekidos, Aimandai and Elemes.
Tim Barry, CEO, commented, “As an early-mover into Kazakhstan two and a half years ago, following the substantial reforms to the business environment and mining law, Arras has assembled the third-largest land package in the country next to Rio Tinto and Fortescue and is specifically focused on copper in the highly prospective Bozshakol-Chingiz magmatic arc. We recently completed our second summer field season across the regional license package and are now analyzing more than 50,000 soil samples we have collected across the approximately 3,300 square kilometre license package. This program was based on the successful 2022 field program where more than 16,000 soil samples identified new targets to follow up.”
Mr. Barry added, “We believe that the exploration work we have undertaken over the past two summer field seasons representing in most cases the first material modern exploration work done across these licenses since pre-1990, have delineated substantial prospects for a material copper discovery, akin to the successful operations of the Bozshakol and Nurkazgan mines located within the same geological belt.”
Darren Klinck, President, commented, “We are very pleased to be partnering and working with Teck to advance a portion of our regional license package in Kazakhstan. Following their strategic equity investment into Arras last November, this Agreement provides Teck the option to invest significant funds into critical minerals focused exploration through Arras’ project portfolio and it is a clear indication of the potential that exists in the Bozshakol-Chingiz Magmatic Arc. This initiative in Kazakhstan highlights the emerging opportunities in the country and also demonstrates Kazakhstan’s strong position to be a key player globally as the world seeks to secure the necessary critical minerals required over the coming decades.”
The Elemes, Aimandai, Stepnoe and Ekidos Exploration licenses totaling more than 1,150 square kilometres are not subject to the Strategic Alliance Agreement but Teck will retain a right of first offer over Elemes and Aimandai should Arras wish to seek partnership proposals in the future.
Arras successfully collected more than 30,000 soil samples from the Elemes and Aimandai licenses during the summer field season this year. This program followed up on the inaugural field program in 2022 where new targets were identified. The Company expects to have these samples analyzed and modelled in Q1 2024 and will evaluate opportunities to drill-test certain high-priority targets in 2024.
Source: Company Press Release