Tartisan Nickel looking to advance Kenbridge nickel project as the electric vehicle revolution takes hold

Kenbridge is a nickel sulphide project which can be put into production quickly Potential to expand the resource downdip, along strike and at Kenbridge North Located in mining friendly jurisdiction. New Gold’s Rainy River gold mine currently producing 80km to the south What Tartisan Nickel does: Tartisan Nickel Corp (CSE:TN) (OTCMKTS:TTSRF) is in the battery metals business, which is gaining traction as the world looks to reduce carbon emissions and move towards greener transport. Nickel is one of the metals needed and there are few new high-quality development projects ready to meet its demand. Silver, zinc, copper are also key to the electric vehicle (EV) sector. Tartisan has a number of projects and investments in the space, its flagship being the Kenbridge nickel deposit near Kenora,Ontario. A 2020 resource update showed a measured and indicated (M&I) resource of 7.5 million tonnes (Mt) of 0.58% nickel and 0.32% copper for a total of 95 million pounds of contained nickel. In the lower confidence inferred category, it is home to 0.985 Mt at 1% nickel and 0.62% copper, for 22 million pounds of contained nickel. Mineralization at the deposit is open at depth and along strike and the asset is equipped with a 622 metres (m) deep shaft. Also in Ontario, the company has the early stage nickel, cobalt copper Turtle Pond project and the Sill Lake silver, lead asset. Elsewhere, in Peru, it owns the Don Pancho zinc, lead, silver project. Tartisan also holds equity stakes in Eloro Resources Ltd, which is exploring the ISKA ISKA project, a gold, silver, lead, zinc target with a planned 2,500m drilling program currently underway in Bolivia and the La Victoria gold, silver project in Peru. It is also a shareholder in Class 1 Nickel & Technologies Ltd (CSE:NICO), which is advancing the Alexo-Kelex Dundonald nickel project near Timmins Ontario. The group also has a stake in Peruvian Metals Corporation (CVE:PER), which is operating a toll mill in Peru and has announced an exploration and bulk sampling program on the high-grade gold, silver, copper Palta Dorada project in the South American country. How is it doing: Tartisan has said Kenbridge can be categorized as a "small capex class 1 nickel project," which can be put into production quickly if nickel prices move to match the demand. In August, Tartisan completed 3,200 meters (m) of a proposed 10,000m drill program at the company’s Kenbridge property.  The drill program, which was initially announced in June, is designed to test the on strike and down dip potential for additional nickel sulphide mineralization to enhance the size and grade of the Kenbridge deposit.  The company noted the first three drill targets have been completed and 137 samples have been delivered to the lab for analysis. It added the drill rigs are currently drilling the fourth and fifth holes. Tartisan reported in June that a preliminary economic study is in progress on the current mineral resource estimate, which is scheduled to be completed during 3Q 2021.  There are also plans for additional drilling at Kenbridge North, where two sizable, standalone electromagnetic targets have been recently interpreted from the winter 2021 ground time-domain electromagnetic (TDEM) survey.  During the surface TDEM survey at Kenbridge North, similar rock types to the Kenbridge deposit were identified. Combined with the electromagnetic signature, Tartisan has designated Kenbridge North as a high-priority drill target.  A geological evaluation of the Kenbridge deposit has indicated there is significant potential to expand the mineral resource laterally and at depth stepping out from high-grade intersections. The deepest drill hole which extended 880m below surface intersected mineralization grading 4.25% nickel and 1.38% copper over 3.3m, indicating that the deposit remains open at depth. Earlier in the month, the company released an updated mineral resource estimate on its Kenbridge project that shows great potential for expansion at depth. Kenbridge’s total measured and indicated resources is 7.47 million tonnes at 0.6% nickel (Ni) and 0.32% copper (Cu) for a total of 95 million pounds of contained nickel, with an additional 0.99 million tonnes at 1% Ni and 0.62% Cu for 22 million pounds contained nickel in the inferred category. The resources were based on a Net Smelter Return (NSR) cut-off value of C$15 per tonne for pit constrained mineral resources and C$60 per tonne NSR for out-of-pit mineral resources, Tartisan said in a statement. On the financial front, the company closed the second tranche of its C$4.5 million flow-through financing in June, which was comprised of 4,526,400 flow-through company units at a price of $0.57 per unit, for total proceeds of $2,580,048. Tartisan said proceeds from the financing will be used to fund the exploration and development of its Kenbridge project, which will include surface exploration, geotechnical, metallurgical, and environmental work, as well as a summer 2021 drill program. Inflection points: Updated PEA for Kenbridge project Updated mineral resource for Sill Lake lead-silver project Nickel and other metals price moves What the boss says: Commenting on the company’s 2021 drill program at Kenbridge, Tartisan Nickel CEO Mark Appleby said in a statement: “The Tartisan 2021 drill program is testing multiple high probability targets as we look to add to the Mineral Resource Estimate at the Kenbridge Deposit, and additionally have proposed drilling a 400-meter conductor at the Kenbridge North site.” Appleby added: “Tartisan is committed to the rapid advancement of the Kenbridge Nickel Project, a source of the critical metals (nickel & copper) required for electric vehicles and battery storage to the North American supply chain.” Contact Sean at sean@proactiveinvestors.com