Mezzotin Minerals Announces Results of Preliminary Drill Programme on Sabi Star Completed by Max Mind

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Sept. 1, 2017) - Mezzotin Minerals Inc. (TSX VENTURE:MEZ) ("Mezzotin" or the "Company") announced today that it has received the results of a preliminary drilling programme undertaken by Max Mind Investments (Zimbabwe) (Private) Limited ("Max Mind") on the Company's Sabi Star mineral claims covering approximately 2,348 hectares on the Odzi Gold Belt in the eastern part of Zimbabwe. Under a tribute agreement with the Company's Zimbabwean subsidiary, Max Mind has the right to explore and, if warranted, mine the Company's Sabi Star claims for tantalum and other minerals in consideration for a royalty equal to 20% of the pre-tax net profit realized by Max Mind from mining operations. The Sabi Star claims overlie a number of pegmatites within ultramafic rocks of the Mutare Greenstone Belt, which have been exploited in the past for their tantalite content.

An initial surface channel/panel sampling programme over two of the most promising pegmatites in 2010 indicated a sporadic distribution of the tantalite mineralization however, using a 250 g/t cut off, 44% of the samples returned an average grade of 508g/t of recoverable tantalite containing approximately 52% Ta₂O₅.

Geological mapping was completed over the area in 2015 and subsequent to this work 12 trenches were sampled at 1-m intervals and analyzed, which confirmed the irregular zonation of the pegmatites and sporadic distribution of the tantalite. Nevertheless, the results suggested that there could be coherent zones of exploitable mineralization and Max Mind undertook the 10-hole drill programme listed in Table 1 and shown on the plan in Figure 1.

Table 1 List of drill holes

To view Figure 1, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/mez0901fig1.pdf.

The trench analyses focussed on tantalum, niobium, titanium, tungsten and tin and the tantalo-columbite intercepts formed the targets for the HQ core drilling. Two lines 200 m apart on each of the two pegmatites were selected with inclined holes spaced at approximate 100-m intervals along the lines and depths planned at around 70 m.

These were completed between April and June 2016. Some holes had to be re-collared because of bad ground and only seven holes produced core of sufficient quality to be logged, split, sampled and sent to the accredited SGS laboratory in Johannesburg, South Africa. The three other holes were logged but not sampled.

Only the pegmatite intercepts were sampled and these at 1-m intervals. On Pegmatite 1 (See Figure 1) a total of 335.61 m were drilled and the average inclined pegmatite width was 39.09 m. A total of 195.66 m were drilled on Pegmatite 2 and the average pegmatite intercept width was 6.87 m.

The geological and structural core logging indicates that both pegmatites have irregular outlines with moderate to steep dips to the north and northwest.

The core splitting and sampling was done on site with half being taken as a sample and the other half retained for reference. Each sample despatched weighed approximately 3 kg and a total of 258 samples, including Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) and duplicates, were sent to SGS for analysis of Tantalum, Beryllium, Niobium, Germanium, Tin, Rubidium, Lithium, Tungsten, Caesium and Titanium.

All analytical receipts were checked for quality through the CRMs and the few batches that were not acceptable were sent for re-analysis. The Harare office of SRK Consulting has approved the quality aspects of the analytical work.

The drilling results show that the tantalum and lithium intercepts are not coincident and this is confirmed by correlation statistics between the two elements. The analytical results of this drilling programme are similar to those obtained from earlier sampling. Also confirmed are the positive grades from some of the mineralized zones, which indicate that further, closely spaced drilling is required. However, while the analyses indicate that the Sabi Star pegmatites have potential to be economically mined, the drill spacing of approximately 200 by 100 m is far too wide to allow any of the mineralization to be categorized as a mineral resource and additional infill drilling will be required on perhaps a 25 by 25 m grid.

The tables below show the intercepts for each borehole. These record the best intercepts for either Ta₂O₅ or Li₂O or both where the higher values do correspond. Beryllium and Titanium are not reported because of their very low grades.

Table 2 Section through DDT4 Hanging and Footwall Mineralised Zones ("HWMZ" and "FWMZ")

Table 3 Section through DDT2 Footwall Zone

Table 4 Section through DDT2 best intersections for different elements Hangingwall Zone

Table 5 Section through DDT2 best intersection for DDT2/2B

Table 6 Section through DDT8 best Ta₂O₅ intersections

Table 7 Section DDT10 best tantalite intersections

Table 8 Section DDT4 intersections at nominal 250 ppm Ta₂O₅ cut-off

Table 9 Section DDT2 HWMZ and FWMZ intersections at nominal 250 g/t Ta₂O₅ cut-off

Qualified Person / Quality Control Procedures

Anthony Martin (PrSciNat), an independent technical consultant to Mezzotin and qualified person under NI 43-101, reviewed and approved the contents of this press release.

The quality control procedures related to the drilling including sampling, sample preparation and analyses have been reviewed by SRK Consulting in Harare.

About Mezzotin Minerals Inc. and Max Mind (Zimbabwe) Limited

The Company is a Canadian-based mineral exploration company focused on the exploration for and development of mineral deposits in Africa. The Company holds exploration and mineral rights in Zimbabwe, known as the Sabi Star Property ("Sabi Star"). Sabi Star is comprised of 30 rare earth exploration permits covering a total of 2,348 hectares. The property is located in Eastern Zimbabwe approximately 150 kilometres from Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, and approximately 250 kilometres from the border of South Africa. The property is located on the Odzi Gold Belt, a known mineralization belt having historically produced gold, copper, tin, tantalum, niobium and diamonds.

The results noted in this press release are based on information provided to the Company by Max Mind and the Company has relied on this information and takes no responsibility for any errors in such information or omissions therefrom.

Neither 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.