Discovery 32 Meters Of Continuous Rare Earth Elements And Niobium Mineralization At Diamond Creek

COEUR D'ALENE, ID - Idaho Strategic Resources (IDR) announced the discovery and sample results of 32 meters (m) of Rare Earth Elements (REE) and Niobium (Nb) mineralization across a drill pad at Diamond Creek. The mineralization was exposed at the surface providing the opportunity to be sampled and recorded during post-drilling reclamation efforts.

The entire 32m interval averages 1.28% TREE, which IDR views as potential ore grade mineralization. The total REE assays average 1.5% between 4m and 18m, with elevated values of 2% REE at 8m and 12m. The neodymium assay averages 2714 ppm between 4m and 20m, with a high value of 3690 ppm at 8m. Also the continued presence of Niobium. A total of 8 samples reflected Nb greater than 5000 ppm (.5%) which exceeded the upper limits of this assay process and are undergoing further testing. Another 4 samples demonstrated values near .5% Nb - with niobium showing a presence in all the samples. The core drilling from this area, some of the more valuable REE elements such as Pr, Dy, Tb, and Y also demonstrated elevated levels.

The REE and Niobium mineralization was contiguous and continuous along strike for more than 32 meters. Vertical channel samples were taken every 1 meter for the first 20 meters of exposure, then every 2 meters for the last 12 meters. The exposed geology displayed evidence of dynamic fluid movement along shears and fracture zones forming both replacement and fracture-filling type deposits. Additionally, the deposit at Diamond Creek appears to be a clay-hosted REE and Niobium deposit. The benefits of a clay-hosted deposit are the potential for less costly, more environmentally friendly mining methods and easier separation methods. Currently, a large portion of the World's heavy rare earth elements are produced from clay-hosted deposits utilizing in-situ mining methods. The extent of the clays at Diamond Creek are still unknown and further test work is underway to characterize the material and build upon the Company's recent successful exploration results. For an image of the clay-hosted mineralization at Diamond Creek.

Vice President of Exploration, Rob Morgan, said, "For a first-year exploration program, our aim was to locate REE intercepts greater than 1 meter in true thickness and containing greater than 1% total rare earth elements, when viewed through the lens of a narrow vein underground mining method. This year's program results outdid those expectations, with surface exposures and core drilling showing tens of meters, with grades greater than 1% total rare earths. Receiving results in excess of past historical estimates solidified our plans to proceed to Phase 2 (permitting underway) and prove that Idaho's rare earth elements deposits have the potential footprint, tonnage and grade necessary to evaluate on a larger scale. Our next step is to work toward determining the extent of this mineralization along with conducting metallurgical studies to further advance our understanding of Diamond Creek (all of which is also underway)."