Sunbeam Property Exploration Programme Update
First Class Metals PLC (“First Class Metals” “FCM” or the “Company”) the UK listed company focused on the discovery of economic metal deposits across its exploration properties in Ontario, Canada, is pleased to provide an exploration update for the work conducted on the Sunbeam Property to date for the 2025 field season, where ongoing results continue to highlight the district-scale potential of the >88km² property.
Exploration Highlights
· Strategic location between Agnico Eagle’s Hammond Reef and regional holdings
Sunbeam lies directly between two Agnico Eagle properties and just ~15km from the Hammond Reef gold deposit, with an open pit probable mineral reserves estimated to be 3.3 million oz. of gold (123.5 million tonnes grading 0.84 g/t gold (Au), underscoring its exceptional position within a highly endowed, infrastructure-accessible gold district.
· Extensive soil sampling programme completed
Over 500 A-horizon samples collected across 4km of the Roy structure – now in the laboratory, targeting gold-in-soil anomalies along this key trend.
· Very Low Frequency (“VLF”)-magnetic survey
192 stations across 3.8km of grid surveyed; data undergoing interpretation to refine targets ahead of possible drill planning.
· Historic shafts located and sampled
Prospecting rediscovered the 113 feet deep B43 shaft, with grab samples showing visible chalcopyrite and galena. B45 not yet located.
· Roy structural review suggests Hammond Reef-style potential
Structural report by Prof. M.L. Hill confirms key controls on Roy trend; further petrology and core review recommended.
· LiDAR dataset under expert review
Third-party consultants are interpreting terrain data to sharpen structural models across the broader corridor.
· 2025 Ontario Junior Explorers Programmes (“OJEP”) grant application submitted
Fourth consecutive year FCM has applied – this time focused on advancing the Roy zone following encouraging field results.
Marc J. Sale CEO First Class Metals Commented:
“The ongoing exploration work on the Sunbeam Property, specifically on the >10km Roy lineament continues to under pin the significance of this structure and by inference the ever-growing potential of the other two equally prospective structures, as well as a possible fourth structure, and therefore the property as a whole to produce a significant discovery.
Furthermore, I believe the VLF in conjunction with the soil results and the insights provided by the structural review, are bringing FCM ever closer to a decision where to drill at Roy.
FCM has also submitted a further application to the Ontario Junior Exploration Programme, seeking to leverage government support to accelerate priority work at the Roy zone”
Sunbeam Property
The Sunbeam property, which now extends over >88km2, contains three historic development sites: i) Sunbeam, the most exploited and the only site with recorded production, ii) Roy and iii) Pettigrew; these all sit on previously identified mineralised, district scale, structures, see Figure 1.
In addition, along these three mineralised structures a number of other significant gold bearing sites have been identified, such as Road zone and AL 308. A potential 4th lineation, the Burger structure, has not been explored by FCM, neither has the Rubble zone, (seemingly off structure).
The historic developments as well as the widespread occurrence of gold (along the structures) emphasise the gold endowment of the property and the potential for a major discovery.
Figure 1 showing the mineralised trends on the Sunbeam property and with the locations of the lake sediment samples, the area of soil / VLF survey as well as the recently staked claims.
Sunbeam is situated between two extensive properties held by Agnico Eagle, both these properties have mineralised northeast striking structures, with the western property hosting the Hammond reef deposit of 3.3M oz of gold, see Figure 2.
Figure 2 showing the Sunbeam property’s neighbours (Agnico Eagle) and similar mineralised structures
Regionally the property is located about 230km west of Thunder Bay, roughly 30km northeast of Atikokan and is accessible 40km north off highway 11 (see Figure 3), by the Premier Lake (gravel) road, which transects the property. Locally the various prospects and historic developments can be accessed in dry conditions by ATV.
Figure 3 illustrating the regional setting of the Sunbeam property
Roy structure
The lineament that the Roy occurrence / development is located on is a district scale structure and has now been traced through historic work and Emerald Geological Services, (“EGS”) prospecting towards the 111ppb lake sediment sample some 5km along strike. The structure also hosts historic shafts B43 and B45, which further enhances the structures potential, see Figure 4, 5 and 6.
Soil Sampling
The current work programme includes 34 lines of soil sampling covering over 4km of strike, the soil sample lines are 100m apart. A horizon soil were samples collected at 12.5m centres, for a total of over 500 samples, including blanks and standards, see Figure 4. This programme is now complete, and the samples have been dispatched to the laboratory in Thunder Bay.
Figure 4 illustrating the soil (VLF) grid and locations of historic shafts, including Roy.
During the course of the soil sampling programme the historic, (not previously prospected by FCM) shaft B43 was located, B45 was not located during the current programme. Mineralised grab samples (chalcopyrite and galena) were collected from the ‘dumps’ for analysis, See Figure 5 and 6.
Figure 5 showing the historic pit B43 on the Roy trend.
Figure 6 grab sample from the ‘dump’ near shaft B43 containing chalcopyrite (Cu mineral) and galena (Pb mineral)
The following information was found on the historic shafts:
BG43 According to the Ontario Bureau of Mines (1899) a 113′ shaft was sunk at BG43 (no other details provided).
BG45 According to a newspaper article in 1899, a shaft was sunk at BG45 to a depth of at least 75′. A 2.5′ wide quartz vein contains pyrite, chalcopyrite, galena and sphalerite. It is surrounded by a 10′ wide green schist, from which free gold has been panned.
VLF / magnetic survey
In parallel with the soil sampling a combined VLF and magnetic survey was undertaken. The ‘central grid’ has been completed for 192 stations over a combined 3.8km of line survey see Figure 4.
This data will be processed and then interpreted before completing the remainder of the survey.
Other developments
During the course of the soil and VLF programmes a number of grab samples have been collected, see Figure 6, which are to be submitted for Au and base metal analysis, the assays will be reported as available.
A report from the recent visit to the Sunbeam property by ex-Lakehead University (Thunder Bay) Professor of structural geology, Mary Louise Hill, has now been received. The report gives valuable insights into the structural controls of the mineralisation, specifically at the Roy occurrence. Recommendations going forward include further review of the historic core and representative grab samples with a view to focussed petrological studies as well as a comparison to the structure and mineralisation at Hammond Reef.
The Light Detecting and Ranging (LiDAR) information for the Sunbeam property and environs is still under interpretation by a third-party consultant.
A historic data review of the Burger trend is being undertaken in order to ascertain its potential and also to give further insight to the structure / mineralisation of the northeast striking lineations.
FCM is pleased to announce that for a fourth consecutive year it has applied for the maximum grant under the OJEP. The results of the application will be announced by OJEP later in the field season