First Atlantic Nickel Reports Phase 2X Results from Pipestone XL Nickel Alloy Project: Drilling Proves 800 Meters of Newly Expanded 4km Target at RPM Zone, Doubling Strike Length

Core Insights - First Atlantic Nickel Corp. has reported significant drilling results from the Pipestone XL Nickel Alloy Project, confirming a 800-meter strike length of magnetically recoverable awaruite nickel mineralization within an expanded 4-kilometer target area. Group 1: Drill Results and Target Area Expansion - Drill hole AN-25-08 has successfully doubled the drill-confirmed strike length of the RPM Zone to 800 meters, returning 480 meters averaging 1.35% nickel in magnetic concentrate, with an average magnetically recoverable nickel grade of 0.12% over the entire drill hole [4][14]. - The RPM Zone now encompasses an expanded 4-kilometer continuous target area, with Phase 2X drilling confirming magnetically recoverable awaruite nickel mineralization in all holes drilled to date [5][14]. - The integration of Phase 2X drilling results with surface sampling and geological mapping has refined the understanding of the westward-dipping ultramafic body hosting awaruite mineralization, indicating significant expansion potential in the remaining ~3.2 kilometers of the target area [3][5]. Group 2: Metallurgical Testing and Critical Minerals - Davis Tube Recovery (DTR) testing has shown that chromium and cobalt are magnetically recovered alongside nickel, with chromium values ranging from 1.27% to 2.3% across drill holes at the RPM Zone [11][27]. - The ongoing metallurgical development program aims to optimize magnetic separation processes to produce high-grade nickel concentrates while assessing the potential to recover chromium and cobalt as valuable byproducts, enhancing the strategic value of the project [11][29]. - The co-recovery of multiple critical minerals through simple magnetic processing could contribute to North American supply-chain security and reduce reliance on foreign sources [11][29]. Group 3: Future Drilling and Structural Understanding - The refined understanding of the westward-dipping structure from Phase 2X drilling will be applied to retarget the Super Gulp Zone, located ~10 kilometers north of the RPM Zone, with future eastward-oriented drilling expected to effectively test the true width of the mineralized structure [10][22]. - The successful results from drill holes AN-25-07 and AN-25-08 have confirmed the need for eastward-oriented drilling to optimize future exploration efforts across the project [7][10].