Halifax, Nova Scotia (FSCwire) - Namibia Critical Metals Inc. (“Namibia Critical Metals” or the “Company”) (TSXV:NMI) today announced that flight operations have commenced for the combined airborne electromagnetic and magnetic survey being carried out by SkyTEM Surveys ApS (“SkyTEM”) over the Kunene Cobalt-Copper Project in northern Namibia (Figure 1). The survey area has been increased from 670 km² to 720 km² and now comprises 4,000 line kilometers at a flight line spacing of 200 meters. The objectives of the survey are to detect conductive horizons and sulphide accumulations associated with cobalt-copper mineralization to depths of 300-400 meters, and to assist with geological mapping and structural interpretations. Field teams have been mapping priority target areas in advance to assist in interpretation of geophysical anomalies. The SkyTEM survey is now scheduled to be completed in early August, to be followed by an initial 7,500 m drilling program.

Figure 1 – Namibia Critical Metals geological team being briefed on the SkyTEM system’s operation (left). Magnetometer in foreground; EM coil is 28 m in length and 16.5 m wide. System is flown with an AStar 350 helicopter operated by Savannah Helicopters shown flying at Kunene on right.

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Don Burton, President of Namibia Critical Metals, stated, “The investment we are making in this high powered airborne EM survey, coupled with our continuing geological mapping program on the ground will provide our exploration team with the best possible tools to prioritize drill targets and increase the opportunity for an early discovery at Kunene. SkyTEM will deliver data updates from the field on a bi-weekly basis which will allow the team to immediately deploy to areas of interest as we see geophysical anomalies developing.”

The Kunene project area is contiguous with ground held by ASX-listed Celsius Resources (“Celsius”) who announced a maiden JORC compliant mineral resource at Opuwo on April 16, 2018 (Figure 2). The Opuwo discovery hosts 79,300 tonnes (174,460,000 lbs.) contained cobalt in the Indicated Mineral Resources category and 46,900 tonnes (103,180,000 lbs.) contained cobalt in the Inferred Mineral Resources category. It is noted that the mineralization on the Celsius property may not be indicative of mineralization that may be found on the Kunene project area held by Namibia Critical Metals. Celsius has also announced that it will fly SkyTEM over its project area following completion of the Namibia Critical Metals survey and continue drilling at Opuwo (Celsius press release June 7, 2018), and now anticipates the Scoping Study to be delivered in early Q4 2018 (Celsius press release June 22, 2018).

Figure 2 - Kunene Co-Cu Project Area showing principal targets associated with DOF Horizon, structural lineaments, and cobalt anomalies (soil ICP) at regional 1 kilometer spacing. Celsius Resources’ land position to the east in cross hatching with the Opuwo Deposit area in red rectangle.

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Airborne Survey Objectives

Given the frequent association of Co-Cu and Pb-Zn mineralization with sulphides, the prolific number of cobalt anomalies, and the kilometric scale trends throughout the project area, it was recommended that a detailed helicopter time domain electromagnetic (“EM”) survey be flown to delineate specific targets for drilling. The survey is being flown by SkyTEM ApS of Denmark at a flight line spacing of 200 meters across the entire belt covering the interpreted DOF Extension, Western Targets and Okanihova Targets which includes the Steilrand hydrothermal system (Figure 3).

Figure 3 - Kunene Co-Cu Project Area showing expanded airborne survey area (white border) and cobalt anomalies from detailed soil geochemical surveys. Background image is total magnetic intensity from the Namibian Geological Survey database combined with satellite surface topography.

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Mineralization at Kunene is widespread and variable in style, occurring in discrete sedimentary horizons such as the DOF where Co-Cu is associated with disseminations and veinlets of sulphide minerals, as well as orogenic copper, and stratabound Zn-Pb mineralization. The stratabound DOF has been traced for over 35 kilometers across the Celsius ground and its host lithology is interpreted to continue across the Kunene Project area (Figure 2 and Figure 3).

The objectives of the airborne EM survey will be to refine the geological and structural setting of the area, to allow mapping of the covered ground which comprises about 50% of the area, to delineate conductive sedimentary horizons, to isolate conductive bodies that may be indicative of near surface mineral deposits, and to detect sulphide deposits and stockworks at depth.

Priority Target Areas and Geological Mapping

Three large target areas for cobalt were defined on the basis of regional soil geochemical surveys - namely the DOF Extension, the Western Targets and the Okanihova Targets. Field teams have mapped and prospected in portions of each target area in advance of the airborne geophysical survey, covering over 240 km² to date which represents about 1/3 of the total surface area of the priority targets (Figure 4).

Figure 4 - Kunene Co-Cu Project Area showing progress of geological mapping and prospecting in priority target areas (green blocks) and cobalt anomalies from detailed soil geochemical surveys.

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Based on the soil geochemical survey results, cobalt anomalies are widespread along the Okanihova lineament. Typical borehole intersections (not targeting cobalt) of underlying sediment-hosted sulphide mineralisation in the area confirm this and returned 20-40 m at 100-700 ppm cobalt (Company press release May 7, 2018). Mineralogical analysis of these intersections by Activation Laboratories Ltd. has identified three primary cobalt sulphide species: cattierite/linnaeite, cobaltite and a “cobalt-copper sulphide”. The Okanihova lineament obviously acted as fluid pathway for Co-rich basement derived fluids which caused cobalt sulphide mineralisation in reductant lithologies (pyrite-rich siltstones and shales) along the structure. The Okanihova lineament is clearly defined over a strike length of 21 kilometers by magnetic anomalies due to the formation of halos of hydrothermal pyrrhotite in the adjacent sedimentary rocks. These anomalies are particularly well developed over the southwestern half of the lineament which is entirely covered by thick alluvium and aeolian sands. Any conductive anomalies associated with these trends will be treated as high priority drill targets.

In the Western Targets area, the highest cobalt values (40-50 ppm Co) in the soil samples are associated with a large (24 km²) magnetic anomaly which is spatially related to mafic dykes and breccia zones with carbonate-chert veining and to the contact zone of the basement rocks with the overlying Damaran sediments (the contact is interpreted as of tectonic nature in form of thrusts or faults). Any conductors delineated by the airborne EM survey associated with this magnetic anomaly might represent sulphide mineralisation associated with the mafic intrusives and are thus a priority target. Conductive zones between the basement and the Damaran sedimentary sequence to the north as well as parallel to fault zones in the Damaran sediments might be associated with sediment-hosted Co-Cu-Zn mineralisation.

Lastly, sandstone-hosted copper mineralisation (malachite and chrysocolla) has been noted in a light-grey gritty sandstone over a strike extend of approximately 170 meters (analyses pending) in the far west of the Western targets. The width of the mineralised sandstone reaches up to 10 meters and forms part of the uppermost horizon of the Nosib Formation. In addition, vein-hosted Cu mineralization as chrysocolla, malachite, azurite and dioptase was observed in light grey carbonates close to the contact with sandstone. This mineralisation was initially followed for about 500 m along strike. The carbonate rocks likely represent the Nosib-Ombombo Transition Zone known for epigenetic base metal mineralisation throughout the area. Neither of these latter mineralization styles are known to be associated with significant cobalt (analyses pending).     

Sample preparation and analyses of soil and drill core samples were carried out by Activation Laboratories Ltd. (Windhoek, Namibia and Ancaster, Ontario) employing appropriate ICP techniques and following strict internal QAQC procedures inserting standards and duplicates.

Donald M. Burton, P.Geo. and President of Namibia Critical Metals Inc., is the Company’s Qualified Person and has reviewed and approved this press release.

About Namibia Critical Metals Inc.

Namibia Critical Metals Inc. holds a diversified portfolio of exploration and advanced stage projects in the country of Namibia focused on the development of sustainable and ethical sources of metals for the battery, electric vehicle and associated industries. The common shares of Namibia Critical Metals Inc. trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol “NMI”.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

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The foregoing information may contain forward-looking information relating to the future performance of Namibia Rare Earths Inc. Forward-looking information, specifically, that concerning future performance, is subject to certain risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially. These risks and uncertainties are detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with the appropriate securities commissions.

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