Eagle Plains and Xcite Expand Uranium City Uranium Projects

Cranbrook, B.C., February 15th, 2024:  Eagle Plains Resources Ltd. (TSX-V:EPL) (“EPL” or “Eagle Plains”) has offered to Xcite Resources Inc. (TSX-V:XRI) (“XRI or Xcite”), and Xcite has accepted, two dispositions recently acquired by staking in the Uranium City area, northern Saskatchewan. The two dispositions fall within an Area of Mutual Interest (“AMI”) and as such, will become included in the Gulch and Larado projects respectively. The Larado project has been increased by 398 ha (643 ha total) and Gulch has increased by 311 ha (1996 ha total).  In December 2023 Eagle Plains granted Xcite the exclusive right to earn up to an 80% interest in the Gulch, Lorado, Beaver River, Black Bay, Don Lake, and Smitty projects (see Dec 14 news release). The six projects comprising the Xcite option agreements cover 26 Saskatchewan Mineral Deposit Index (SMDI) occurrences and four past-producing uranium mines.

See Uranium City project map here

Under the terms of the option agreements, Xcite may earn an 80% interest in each individual property by completing CDN$3,200,000 in exploration expenditures, issuing 750,000 common shares of Xcite and making cash payments to Eagle Plains of CDN$55,000 over four years, for an aggregate of CDN$19,200,000 in exploration expenditures, 4,500,000 shares and $330,000 in cash to Eagle Plains. Upon Xcite fulfilling the terms of any or all of the earn-in agreements, an 80/20 joint venture will be formed, with Eagle Plains retaining a carried interest in all expenditures until delivery by Xcite or its assigns of a bankable feasibility study. During the option earn in period, XRI will be appointed as operator, and EPL will manage the exploration programs under the direction of a joint technical committee. The projects are owned 100% by EPL, which will retain an underlying 2% NSR royalty on the each of the properties.

Eagle Plains currently holds a 100% interest in 18 individual projects comprising a total of 40,050 ha of mineral dispositions in Saskatchewan covering both basement and unconformity hosted uranium targets. Eagle Plains has been active in the uranium exploration space since 2006, but as reported on November 08, 2023 and February 12th, 2024 EPL has acquired significant additional uranium-focused tenures.  The projects range from early-stage grassroots to drill-ready and are distributed throughout the prospective Athabasca Basin including the Patterson Lake South (PLS), Beaverlodge, and Dufferin-Centennial camps. EPL is seeking to advance its uranium portfolio through collaborative partnerships.

See Athabasca Basin U project map here

Athabasca Basin History and Mineralization

The Beaver River, Black Bay, Don Lake, Gulch, Larado, and Smitty projects are located in the Beaverlodge District near Uranium City in the Lake Athabasca region of Saskatchewan. Occurrences of uranium mineralization are abundant in the Uranium City area and have been explored and documented since the 1940s. The Beaverlodge camp was the first uranium producer in Canada, with historic production of approximately 70.25 million pounds of U3O8 between 1950-1982, from ore grades averaging 0.23% U3O8. The two largest producers were the Eldorado Beaverlodge (Ace-Fay-Verna) mine and the Gunnar uranium mine. The Beaverlodge area has seen limited uranium focused exploration since the early 1990’s. Eagle Plains’ management cautions that past results or discoveries on proximate land are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be achieved on the subject properties.

Beaverlodge-style uranium deposits host structurally controlled, high grade mineralization in veins and breccia-fills within basement rocks. Mineralization often occurs at geological contacts and consists of structures filled with hematite, chlorite and graphite associated with pitchblende (an ore mineral of uranium). 

Qualified Persons

Charles C. Downie, P.Geo., a “qualified person” for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and a director of Eagle Plains, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical disclosure in this news release.

About Eagle Plains Resources

Based in Cranbrook, B.C., Eagle Plains is a well-funded, prolific project generator that continues to conduct research, acquire and explore mineral projects throughout western Canada, with a focus on critical metals integral to an increasingly electrified, decarbonized economy.

The Company was formed in 1992 and is the ninth-oldest listed issuer on the TSX-V (and one of only three that has not seen a roll-back or restructuring of its shares). Eagle Plains has continued to deliver shareholder value over the years and through numerous spin outs has transferred over $100,000,000 in value directly to its shareholders, with Copper Canyon Resources and Taiga Gold Corp. being notable examples. Eagle Plains latest spinout; Eagle Royalties Ltd. (CSE:“ER”) was listed on May 24, 2023, and holds a diverse portfolio of royalty assets throughout western Canada.

Eagle Plains’ core business is acquiring grassroots critical- and precious-metal exploration properties. The Company is committed to steadily enhancing shareholder value by advancing our diverse portfolio of projects toward discovery through collaborative partnerships and development of a highly experienced technical team.

Expenditures from 2010-2023 on Eagle Plains-related projects exceed $38M, the majority of which was funded by third-party partners. This exploration work resulted in approximately 50,000m of diamond-drilling and extensive ground-based exploration work facilitating the advancement of numerous projects at various stages of development.

Throughout the exploration process, our mission is to help maintain prosperous communities by exploring for and discovering resource opportunities while building lasting relationships through honest and respectful business practices.

 On behalf of the Board of Directors

“C.C. (Chuck) Downie” P.Geo
President and CEO
 

For further information on EPL, please contact Mike Labach at 1 866 HUNT ORE (486 8673)
Email: mgl@eagleplains.com or visit our website at https://www.eagleplains.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

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. This news release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral recovery processes, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore, involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements.