Baselode Energy Corp (TSX-V:FIND, OTCQB:BSENF) has expanded the footprint of shallow uranium mineralization in several zones at the ACKIO prospect in northern Saskatchewan.
The Canadian exploration company said six drill holes from its 2024 summer drilling program intersected uranium within 50 metres of surface in Pod 1, while 11 holes confirmed mineralization within 100 metres in three pods.
Drill results from Pod 1 confirmed near-surface uranium mineralization, including 0.38% U₃O₈ over 9.15 metres, and highlighted open potential for expansion to the north and south.
High-grade intercepts in Pods 6 and 7, such as 0.59% U₃O₈ over 8.5 metres and 0.19% over 23 metres, suggest a zoned mineralization system with a higher-grade core that remains underexplored at the overburden-bedrock contact.
“These shallow mineralization results continue to demonstrate ACKIO's unique advantage in the Basin area with easily accessible, near-surface uranium,” said Baselode CEO James Sykes in a statement.
“Last year's summer drill program successfully defined more shallow uranium mineralization to the north and south of our shallowest uranium zone, Pod 1,” Sykes added, noting uranium at the overburden-bedrock contact still remains open to the south and north.
Elsewhere, results from Pod 8 and Pod 9 prompted the company to reassess the structural model of those zones, as mineralization was less predictable compared to other parts of the prospect.
Baselode said exploration holes testing for depth and strike extensions did not intersect new uranium zones but did return favorable geochemical indicators, including lead isotope ratios, boron, and magnesium-rich chlorite alteration.
The company controls 100% of over 241,000 hectares of exploration ground in the Athabasca Basin area. Discovered in 2021, ACKIO hosts uranium across at least nine pods, with mineralization starting as shallow as 28 metres and extending to depths of around 300 metres.
Baselode’s Athabasca 2.0 exploration model targets near-surface, basement-hosted uranium outside the traditional basin boundaries using modern geophysical techniques.