Solitario Zinc Corp. July 8 reported that an exploration program led by Teck Resources Ltd. is now underway at Lik, a high-grade zinc project about 14 miles northwest of Teck's Red Dog Mine in Northwest Alaska.

Solitario acquired a 50% interest in Lik through the buyout of Zazu Metals Corp. in 2017. Teck owns the other half of the joint venture property.

The jointly funded 2021 program at Lik is slated to include geochemical sampling, induced polarization geophysics, and at least 650 meters of core drilling to test new exploration concepts and expand resources.

"This is clearly an exciting new phase in the advancement of the Lik project, including the first exploration drilling program in ten years. It comes at a time of increased zinc demand and elevated zinc prices," said Solitario Zinc President and CEO Chris Herald.

According to a calculation completed prior to Solitario's acquisition, Lik hosts 7.3 million metric tons of potentially open-pit mineable indicated resource averaging 8.1% zinc, 2.7% lead, and 51 grams per metric ton silver; plus 2.9 million metric tons of inferred resource at 8.6% zinc, 2.6% lead, and 37 g/t silver.

Potentially underground mineable mineralization also occurs on the Lik property.

Given Teck's 35 years of successful exploration and operational experience in the world-class Red Dog district, the Lik partners have agreed that the Canada-based mining company will act as project operator for the 2021 program.

Solitario Zinc Corp.

An aerial view of Lik showing the outline of the open-pit deposit considered for mining in a preliminary economic assessment completed for the zinc-lead project in 2014.

Systematic geochemical soil sampling over a 2.5-mile trend to the northeast of the Lik deposit is now underway and an IP geophysical survey to augment geologic and geochemical data along the recently identified trend of prospective areas to the northeast is scheduled to begin in about a week.

Pending the receipt of final permits, the drilling portion of the 2021 program is expected to begin later this month or in August.

"The drilling program is focused on expanding the Lik resource in three different areas of the existing deposit, while the surface work targets potential new mineralization on trend to the northeast of the Lik deposit," said Herald.

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