Cisco Lithium Project Eeyou Istchee James Bay Region of Quebec
Acquired by Q2 Metals in February 2024, the Cisco Project comprises 801 contiguous mineral claims and is 41,253 hectares (“ha”). It is located less than 10 kilometres (“km”) east of the Billy Diamond Highway, and is approximately 150 km north of Matagami, a town that contains the closest rail link to much of Eeyou Istchee James Bay region (Figure 1). The Project lies within the greater Nemaska Community lands of the Eeyou Istchee James Bay region, Quebec.
The Project is situated along the Frotet Evans Greenstone Belt, comprised of a volcanic package dominated by mafic to felsic metavolcanic rocks, of the southern Eeyou Istchee James Bay region Lithium District. The same belt hosts the Sirmac and Moblan lithium deposits, located 130 km and 180 km away.
2025 Winter Drill Campaign
The 2025 Winter Program concluded with 6,997 metres drilled across 14 holes, with the primary objective of expanding upon the exceptionally promising drill results from the inaugural 2024 campaign. Of the 14 drill holes completed, 10 intercepted spodumene-bearing pegmatite. Assays are pending on all 14 drill holes, and the Company anticipates the first results to be announced in May.
Discussion of Drilling Results
One diamond drill rig tested to the southwest of drill hole CS-24-023 to define the strike length:
- Drill hole CS25-025 was collared approximately 275 m south of hole CS24-023; and
- Drill hole CS25-027 is located 200 m southeast of hole CS25-025.
This fence of holes was designed to test the southward extension of the large and wide mineralized system and did so successfully with hole CS25-027’s widest continuous interval of 179.6 m of spodumene-bearing pegmatite.
One diamond drill rig tested to the east of drill holes CS-24-018 and CS-24-021 to define potential additional parallel pegmatite zones:
- Drill hole CS25-024A was drilled as a follow-up to hole CS25-024 which was lost due to difficult drilling conditions. It was collared approximately 400 m southeast of hole CS24-022; and
- Drill hole CS25-026 was collared approximately 400 m from CS24-021 and 285 m north of hole CS25-024A.
Three holes (CS25-029, 031 and 033) targeted the southern extension of the main mineralized zone. With the 200-metre spacing, and only a few holes per section line, wide (>100 metre) pegmatite intervals were not intercepted. It is expected that the wide pegmatite intervals are present, however additional testing work is required. It is noted that the pegmatite intervals are somewhat deeper in the drill holes at the south and further work will be carried out during the summer exploration season to test the potential up-dip location of the pegmatite towards the west. In summary, the main zone remains open to the south.
Hole CS25-030 targeted the deeper portions of the northern extent of the main mineralized zone and has demonstrated that the zone is open in that direction.
Hole CS25-028 tested the eastern portion of the main mineralized zone and provided additional information in that area. Combined with the other holes drilled to the east, the zone remains open in that direction as well.
Hole CS25-036 was not completed prior to the start of this year’s goose-hunting season and ended before the intended completion depth. Despite this, the objective of the hole was accomplished with several wide pegmatite intervals intercepted that will assist in resolving the geometry of the pegmatite as well as providing guidance on definition-scale drilling. Drilling on this hole will re-commence as soon as possible after the goose-hunting season.
Drill holes CS25-032, 034, 035 and 037 were drilled to define the subsurface expression of the prominent mineralized CO2 outcrop. Additional work is needed to follow up this area as several potential orientations have not yet been tested.
2024 Exploration work
In May 2024, the Company commenced a detailed mapping and sampling program at the Cisco Project to provide guidance on the extent of the lithium mineralization at the initial target area and identify other potential target areas on the sizeable primary exploration trend measuring 21 kilometres (“km”) long. Field crews began the program at the CO1 Zone where the vendors of the Cisco Project initially sampled and drilled in 2022/2023 and have since expanded throughout the Project.
August 12, 2024 the Company announced that ground sampling and mapping conducted by field crews had discovered eight (8) new mineralized outcrops within the area of interest for a total of 23 total spodumene pegmatite zones now discovered on the Project. The area of interest has now been expanded to a 1.9 km by 1.5 km area. Figure 2 details the area of interest including the confirmed analytical results at the previously known outcrop areas, as well as the new, additional outcrop areas (CO16 to CO23).
2024 Drill Campaign
The Company commenced its 2024 drill program at the Cisco Project in late May. Since May 2024, the Company has drilled a total of 6,359.7 m over 17 holes. All drill holes intercepted pegmatite with visual indications of spodumene mineralization identified.
The primary objectives of drilling in 2024 were:
- To confirm and expand upon the mineralized zone where the Project vendors worked in 2023 (the “CO1 Zone”).
- Exploring the possibility of the connection of the wide, continuous pegmatite zones encountered in holes CS24-018 and CS24-010, located approximately 300 m apart.
- Continuing to drill the large (1.9 by 1.5 km) surface mineralized area in a systematic grid-like manner with wide (200 m spacing) hole spacing, with infill drilling in areas with better results.
Analytical results have been reported for the first 14 holes of the 2024 season. Highlights include:
- CS-24-023: Widest interval of 188.6 m at 1.56% Li2O, including 26.0 m at 2.03% Li2O.
- CS-24-021: Widest interval at 347.1 metres (“m”) at 1.35% Li2O, including seven (7) higher-grade sub-intervals, including 30 m at 1.76% Li2O.
- CS-24-018: Widest interval of 215.6 m at 1.69% Li2O, including 64.6 m at 2.29% Li2O.
- CS-24-010: Widest interval of 120.3 m at 1.72% Li2O including 19.0 m at 2.06% Li2O
The mineralized intervals in all the holes are not necessarily representative of the true width and the modelled pegmatite zones are being refined with every additional hole.
All drill holes from the 2024 drill campaign are detailed in Figure 7 from northeast to southwest and represent a drill-defined strike length of approximately 850 m. The surface outcrops and drilling suggest that the mineralization may continue to the south for another 1,050 m.
As previously reported, drill hole CS-24-023, drilled from the same drill pad as CS-24-020, confirms the continuity of the mineralized system to the southeast and the mineralized system remains open in both directions.
Scroll down to the summary tables section below to see the comprehensive data for all assays reported thus far.
Cautionary Statement: The presence of pegmatites does not confirm the presence of lithium (spodumene or other lithium minerals). Pegmatites are fractionated coarse grained igneous rocks commonly associated with lithium mineralization; however, many pegmatites do not contain mineralization. The presence of any mineralization can only be confirmed with assaying.
Summary Tables
Spring and Fall 2024 Cisco Lithium Project
