Canada Nickel Announces Initial Resource at Mann West Nickel Sulphide Project

Rhea-AI Summary

Canada Nickel Company announced an initial mineral resource estimate for its Mann West Nickel Sulphide Project near Timmins, Ontario. The project, located 21km east of Crawford, shows significant potential with an Indicated Resource of 0.4 billion tonnes grading 0.23% nickel (containing 0.95M tonnes of nickel) and an Inferred Resource of 0.6 billion tonnes grading 0.22% nickel (containing 1.31M tonnes of nickel). The resource also includes 397,000 ounces of palladium and platinum in the Indicated category and 593,000 ounces in the Inferred category. Mann West's geophysical target is more than twice the size of Crawford, with an additional Exploration Target of 0.5-1.0 billion tonnes grading 0.20-0.22% nickel. This marks the third of eight new nickel resources expected to be announced by the end of 2025.

Positive

• Mann West resource surpasses the size and scale of initial Crawford resource with 0.95M tonnes of nickel in Indicated and 1.31M tonnes in Inferred categories
• Project has significant expansion potential with Exploration Target of additional 0.5-1.0B tonnes
• Strategic location just 21km east of Crawford project with year-round accessibility
• Project footprint is more than double Crawford's size at 3.4 square kilometers
• Current resource only represents 40% of total target area, indicating substantial growth potential

Negative

• Relatively low nickel grades at 0.22-0.23%
• Calculated recovery rates are modest with 45% for nickel
• Further drilling needed to upgrade Inferred resources and confirm Exploration Target potential

Highlights:

• Mann West Significantly Larger than Initial Crawford Resource:
  • Indicated Resource of 0.4 billion tonnes grading 0.23% nickel containing 0.95 million tonnes of nickel
  • Inferred Resource of 0.6 billion tonnes grading 0.22% nickel containing 1.31 million tonnes of nickel.
  • Indicated resource of 397,000 ounces palladium and platinum and Inferred resource of 593,000 ounces of palladium and platinum
  • Exploration Target¹ of an additional 0.5-1.0 billion tonnes grading 0.20-0.22% nickel
• Mann West is the third of eight new nickel resources expected to be published in 2025

TORONTO, June 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - Canada Nickel Company Inc. ("Canada Nickel" or the "Company") (TSXV: CNC) (OTCQB: CNIKF) today announced an initial mineral resource estimate (the "Mineral Resource Estimate" or "MRE") for its Mann West Nickel Sulphide Project ("Mann West") near Timmins, Ontario.  Mann West is wholly owned by East Timmins Nickel Ltd. of which Canada Nickel owns 80% and Noble Mineral Exploration Inc. owns 20%.

The Mann West Nickel Sulphide Project is located just 21 kilometres east of the Company's Crawford Nickel Sulphide Project ("Crawford") and is more than twice the size of Crawford based on the outline of its geophysical target of 3.4 square kilometres. The area of the geophysical target covered by the Mann West resource represents approximately 40% of the total target area. The Mann West project is accessible year-round.

Mark Selby, CEO of Canada Nickel said, "Mann West marks a significant milestone with today's announcement, demonstrating a resource that surpasses the size and scale of our initial Crawford resource, and that validates our belief in the potential of the Timmins Nickel District. With a target footprint more than double Crawford's, Mann West is just the third of eight new mineral resources we expect to announce by the end of 2025, including two more this month."

1the potential quantity and grade is conceptual in nature; there has been insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource; it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the target being delineated as a mineral resource (also see below).

Mann West Mineral Resource Estimate

For the initial Mineral Resource Estimate, a total of 16,833 metres of core drilling in 37 drill holes were utilized to calculate the Mann West Resources in two categories as provided in Table 1. Indicated Resources totalled 406 million tonnes grading 0.23% nickel, for a total of 0.95 million tonnes of contained nickel and Inferred Resources totalled 599 million tonnes grading 0.22% nickel, for a total of 1.31 million tonnes of contained nickel. The approximate dimensions of the resource are 1.9 kilometres long, 800 metres wide, extending to 500 metres deep and remaining open to the northwest and at depth. An additional 0.5 – 1.0 billion tonnes grading between 0.20% and 0.22% nickel remain as an Exploration Target, pending further drilling. This Exploration Target is based on core drilling by the Company, the geophysical survey on the Project, and the understanding and calculation of the current MRE. Within the resource, a PGM Zone containing an Indicated resource of 7.0 million tonnes grading 0.422 g/t palladium + platinum and an Inferred resource of 7.7 million tonnes grading 0.411 g/t palladium + platinum.

The Exploration Target was derived by modelling the identified nickel sulphide mineralization within the current estimation envelope but outside of the current Mineral Resource Estimate area.

The volume of the modelled Exploration Target area determines the potential tonnage statement in the Exploration Target. The grade range given in the Exploration Target is determined with consideration to the drill core results within the modelled Exploration Target area, consideration of the geological setting in a well understood nickel deposit type where grades are observed and well understood, and based on the experience of the Company and the Qualified Persons. The potential tonnages and grades are conceptual in nature and are based on drill holes and geophysical results that define the approximate length, thickness, depth and grade of the Exploration Target. There has been insufficient exploration to define a current mineral resource and the Company cautions that there is a risk that further exploration will not result in the delineation of a current mineral resource.

Drilling at Mann West was completed in 2023 and 2024. The 2024 campaign successfully completed the goal of infilling previous sections to allow for the definition of an initial mineral resource estimate, gain understanding on the geology of the deposit, as well as systematically collecting samples for mineralogical analysis that have started to help define the potential of nickel recovery (see May 13, 2024 news release).

The Mann West Mineral Resource Estimate was prepared by Caracle Creek International Consulting Inc. in accordance with CIM Estimation of Mineral Resources & Mineral Reserves Best Practice Guidelines (2019) and CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources & Mineral Reserves (2014). A Technical Report in support of the Mineral Resource Estimate will be filed on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) within 45 days of this news release.  

Table 1. Initial Total Mineral Resource Estimate (in-pit resources) for the Mann West Nickel Sulphide Deposit.

Class	Tonnage (Mt)	Ni (%)	Co (%)	Fe (%)	Cr (%)	Pd (g/t)	Pt (g/t)		Ni (kt)	Co (kt)	Fe (Mt)	Cr (kt)	Pd (koz)	Pt (koz)
Indicated	406.1	0.23	0.012	6.5	0.32	0.018	0.013		949	49.1	26.4	1,283	231	166
Inferred	599.1	0.22	0.012	6.7	0.34	0.018	0.013		1,310	73.2	40.4	2,036	339	254

Table 2. Initial PGE Zone Mineral Resource Estimate (in-pit resources) for the Mann West Nickel Sulphide Deposit. 

Class	Tonnage (Mt)	Ni (%)	Co (%)	Fe (%)	Cr (%)	Pd (g/t)	Pt (g/t)		Ni (kt)	Co (kt)	Fe (Mt)	Cr (kt)	Pd (koz)	Pt (koz)
Indicated	7.0	0.04	0.007	5.6	0.40	0.238	0.184		2.7	0.5	0.4	27.9	53.4	41.4
Inferred	7.7	0.04	0.007	5.4	0.39	0.232	0.179		3.1	0.5	0.4	30.2	57.3	44.4

*Totals may not add due to rounding.

 

Notes to Table 1 and Table 2:
1.	The independent Qualified Person for the Mineral Resource Estimate ("MRE"), as defined by National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101"), is Dr. Scott Jobin-Bevans (P.Geo., PGO #0183), of Caracle Creek International Consulting Inc. The effective date of the Mineral Resource Estimate is May 30, 2025.
2.	The quantity and grade of reported Inferred Resources in this MRE are uncertain in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to define these Inferred Resources as Indicated or Measured. However, it is reasonably expected that the majority of Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration.
3.	A cut-off grade of 0.10% Ni was used to define potentially economic material for inclusion within the MRE. Cut-offs were determined on the based on core assay geostatistics and drill core lithologies for the deposit, and by comparison to analogous nickel deposit types.
4.	Geological and block models for the MRE used data from a total of 37 surface drill holes, completed by Canada Nickel in 2023 and 2024. The drill hole database was validated prior to resource estimation and QA/QC checks were made using industry-standard control charts for blanks, core duplicates and commercial certified reference material inserted into assay batches by Canada Nickel and by comparison of umpire assays performed at a second laboratory.
5.	Estimates have been rounded to two significant figures.
6.	The MRE was prepared following the CIM Estimation of Mineral Resources & Mineral Reserves Best Practice Guidelines (November 29, 2019) and the CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources & Mineral Reserves (May 19, 2014).
7.	The geological model as applied to the MRE comprises three mineralized domains hosted by variably serpentinized ultramafic rocks: a relatively higher-grade core (dunite), a lower grade (peridotite), and a PGE-rich pyroxenite "reef". Individual wireframes were created for each domain in Leapfrog Geo 2024.1 software.
8.	A 20 m x 20 m x 15 m block model was created, and samples were composited at 7.5 m intervals. Grade estimation from drill hole data was carried out for Ni, Co, Fe, Cr, S, Pd and Pt using the Ordinary Kriging interpolation method in Isatis 2024.04 software.
9.	The MRE has been constrained by a conceptual pit envelope that was developed using the following optimization parameters. Metal prices used were US$21,000/t nickel, US$40,000/t cobalt, US$325/t iron, US$3,860/t chromium, US$1,350/oz palladium, and US$1,150/oz platinum. Different pit slopes were used for each layer (in degrees): 9.5 in overburden, and 40.0 in mineralized rock, and 45 in waste rock. Exchange rate utilized was US$/C$ at $0.76. Mining costs utilized different values for overburden (clay, gravel), and rock mining, ranging from C$1.47 to C$3.53/t mined. Processing costs and general and administration costs for a 120 ktpd operation (similar to the ultimate scope of Crawford) were C$8.30/t. Based on the range of grade and ratio of sulphur to nickel, calculated recovery averages 45% for Ni, 7% for Co, 56% for Fe, 29% for Cr 45% for Pd and 28% for Pd.
10.	Grade estimation was validated by comparison of input and output statistics (Nearest Neighbour and Inverse Distance Squared methods), swath plot analysis, cross-plots of declustered samples against the nearest OK estimate, and by visual inspection of the assay data, block model, and grade shells in cross-sections.
11.	Density estimation was carried out for the mineralized domains using the Ordinary Kriging interpolation method, based on 1,740 specific gravity measurements collected during the core logging process, using the same block model parameters of the grade estimation. As a reference, the average estimated density value within dunite is 2.64 g/cm3 (t/m3), while the peridotite domain yielded an average of 2.74 g/cm3 (t/m3), and the PGE "reef" domain an average of 3.05 g/cm3 (t/m3).

 

Next Steps at Mann West:

• A technical report with respect to the Mineral Resource Estimate disclosed today will be filed within 45 days.
• Infill drilling at the property will aim to increase and upgrade inferred resources in the next drilling campaign.
• Mineralogical and metallurgical analysis will continue to better understand and estimate metal recoveries.

Assays, Quality Assurance/Quality Control and Drilling

Edwin Escarraga, MSc, P.Geo., a "Qualified Person" within the meaning of NI 43-101, is responsible for the on-going drilling and sampling program, including quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC). The core is collected from the drill in sealed core trays and transported to the secure core logging facility (core shack). The core is marked and sampled at 1.5 metre lengths and cut with a diamond blade saw. One set of samples is transported in secured bags directly from the Canada Nickel core shack to Actlabs Timmins, while a second set of samples is securely shipped to SGS Lakefield for preparation, with analysis performed at SGS Burnaby. All are ISO/IEC 17025 accredited labs and independent of Canada Nickel. Analysis for precious metals (gold, platinum, and palladium) are completed by Fire Assay while analysis for nickel, cobalt, sulphur and other elements are performed using a peroxide fusion and ICP-OES analysis. Certified standards and blanks (QA/QC samples) are inserted at a rate of three QA/QC samples per 20 core samples making a batch of 60 samples that are submitted for analysis.

Qualified Person and Data Verification

Stephen J. Balch (P.Geo. – Ontario), VP Exploration of Canada Nickel and a "Qualified Person" within the meaning of NI 43-101, has verified the data disclosed in this news release, and has otherwise reviewed and approved the technical information in this news release on behalf of Canada Nickel Company Inc.

The magnetic images shown in this news release were created from Canada Nickel's interpretation of datasets provided by the Ontario Geological Survey.

About Canada Nickel Company

Canada Nickel Company Inc. is advancing the next generation of nickel-sulphide projects to deliver nickel required to feed the high growth electric vehicle and stainless-steel markets. Canada Nickel Company has applied in multiple jurisdictions to trademark the terms NetZero Nickel^™, NetZero Cobalt^™, NetZero Iron^™ and is pursuing the development of processes to allow the production of net zero carbon nickel, cobalt, and iron products. Canada Nickel provides investors with leverage to nickel in low political risk jurisdictions. Canada Nickel is currently anchored by its 100% owned flagship Crawford Nickel-Cobalt Sulphide Project in the heart of the prolific Timmins-Nickel District. For more information, please visit www.canadanickel.com.

For further information, please contact:

Mark Selby
CEO
Phone: 647-256-1954
Email: info@canadanickel.com

Cautionary Note and Statement Concerning Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains certain information that may constitute "forward-looking information" under applicable Canadian securities legislation.  Forward looking information includes, but is not limited to, the potential of the Mann West Nickel Sulphide Project, timing for filing a technical report in support of the Mineral Resource Estimate, the significance of drill results, the ability to continue drilling, the impact of drilling on the definition of any resource, timing and completion (if at all) of additional mineral resource estimates, the potential of the Timmins Nickel District, strategic plans, including future exploration and development plans and results, and corporate and technical objectives.  Forward-looking information is necessarily based upon several assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information.  Factors that could affect the outcome include, among  others:  future prices and the supply of metals, the future demand for metals, the results of drilling, inability to raise  the money necessary to incur the expenditures required to retain and advance the property, environmental liabilities  (known  and  unknown), general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties, results of  exploration programs, risks of the mining industry, delays in obtaining governmental approvals, failure to obtain  regulatory or shareholder approvals.  There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information.  Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.  All forward-looking information contained in this press release is given as of the date hereof and is based upon the opinions and estimates of management and information available to management as at the date hereof.  Canada Nickel disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether because of new information. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

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SOURCE Canada Nickel Company Inc.

FAQ

What is the initial resource estimate for Canada Nickel's Mann West project (CNIKF)?

Mann West has an Indicated Resource of 0.4 billion tonnes grading 0.23% nickel (containing 0.95M tonnes of nickel) and an Inferred Resource of 0.6 billion tonnes grading 0.22% nickel (containing 1.31M tonnes of nickel).

How does Mann West compare to Canada Nickel's Crawford project?

Mann West's geophysical target is more than twice the size of Crawford, covering 3.4 square kilometers, and its initial resource already surpasses Crawford's initial resource estimate.

What is the exploration potential of Mann West?

The project has an additional Exploration Target of 0.5-1.0 billion tonnes grading 0.20-0.22% nickel, and the current resource only covers 40% of the total target area.

What are the precious metals resources at Mann West?

The project contains 397,000 ounces of palladium and platinum in the Indicated category and 593,000 ounces in the Inferred category.

What is Canada Nickel's ownership structure in Mann West?

Mann West is wholly owned by East Timmins Nickel Ltd., of which Canada Nickel owns 80% and Noble Mineral Exploration Inc. owns 20%.