Global Energy Metals Corp (CVE:GEMC) said its partner at the Werner Lake cobalt project in Canada has hired experienced geologist Toby Hughes as it kicks off an aggressive exploration programme to update the current resource estimate.
Marquee Resources can earn up to a 70% interest in the project in Ontario by spending C$2.5mln.
READ - Global Energy Metals reaches "significant milestone" as Werner Lake cobalt project deal conditions are met
Hughes, who has 35 years' global experience, will lead the exploration programme at the property, which abuts First Cobalt's Western Ontario cobalt assets and played host to an operating mine in the 1940s as a high-grade source of cobalt.
He has extensive cobalt experience including several years as project manager at the Werner Lake project.
Hughes has worked for Agnico-Eagle Mines Ltd (NYSE:AEM), has focused on regional targets and evaluations in the cobalt region of Ontario, as well as experience with IOCG Au-Cu-Ni-Co targets for Phelps Dodge in the Northwest Territories
"We are pleased to welcome Mr. Hughes to the Marquee team. Mr Hughes has previously been heavily involved in the Werner Lake project, so for Marquee to attract someone of the caliber of Toby to the team with local on ground knowledge of the project is a significant coup," said Marquee managing director Charles Thomas.
"We're excited as we tick another box with Toby's appointment and now move closer to embarking on the aggressive exploration programme at Werner Lake."
WATCH - Global Energy Metals to buy district-scale cobalt projects in a "strategic" investment
Mitchell Smith, president of Global Energy, added: "We look forward to seeing great progress made by Toby and the entire Marquee team."
Werner Lake is one of the key cobalt resources in Canada and it has seen some history.
Canmine Resources completed several preliminary feasibility studies and economic modelling and was in the process of completing a definitive feasibility study when they filed for bankruptcy.
Additional work was completed in 2009-2010 by Puget Ventures and all this work formed the basis for the NI 43-101 resource report from Global Energy in September last year
That resource relates to the historic underground workings at the old mine site, now referred to as the mine site deposit and the west cobalt deposit.
Highlights included a higher confidence indicated resource of 57,900 tonnes at 0.51% cobalt and an inferred resource of 6,300 tonnes at 0.48% cobalt at a 0.25% cut-off grade.
A work programme including diamond drilling to further upgrade resource categories and extend the mineralised envelope, as well as additional metallurgical work and underground chip sampling has been recommended.
The mineralised zones remain open in all directions.
GEMC shares were unchanged at C$0.12.