Blue Sky Uranium Corp. has confirmed the discovery of uranium mineralization in initial drill holes at its Ivana Gateway target, a key area within its comprehensive Amarillo Grande project, located in the Valcheta and 9 de Julio departments on the Río Negro plateau in Argentina.
This discovery is not an isolated event but rather validates a high-precision geological model designed to significantly expand the footprint of mineral resources in a region emerging as a potential new energy hub.
Nikolaos Cacos, president and CEO of Blue Sky, said, “Ivana Gateway continues to demonstrate the geological characteristics we associate with uranium mineralization along the Amarillo Grande trend.”
"The combination of confirmed uranium intercepts to the east and an untested strong coincident IP anomaly to the west provides a clear and compelling target for the follow-up drilling that we are initiating," he added. "We believe this work has the potential to further expand the mineralized footprint within trucking distance of the Ivana Deposit.”
Laboratory results and quality controls
The diamond drilling program was carried out by AGV Falcon Drilling. Drill cores were logged, photographed, and geologically described. Mineralized intervals were identified based on lithology, alteration, and radiometric response, where applicable. Sample intervals were determined according to geological boundaries and typically ranged from 0.15 to 1.5 meters in length.
Samples were sent to ALS in Mendoza Province for preparation, including drying, crushing to 70% <2 mm, a 250-gram riffle split, and pulverization to 85% <75 µm. Pulps were then sent to ALS in Lima, Peru, for analysis using a multi-element ultra-trace method combining four-acid digestion and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) instrumentation.
Internal QA/QC evaluation determined that the analytical results fall within standard industry limits.
The technical results from this first phase of diamond drilling are highly encouraging for the company’s investment thesis, highlighting high-grade intercepts that underscore the intrinsic value of the asset.
Notable results include drill hole AGIG-007, which returned an average of 272 parts per million (ppm) uranium oxide over 3.4 meters, including an extraordinary interval of 815 ppm over just half a meter. Drill hole AGIG-002 confirmed the system’s continuity with 1.5 meters averaging 302 ppm.
These results not only confirm the presence of uranium but demonstrate that the mineralized system has the potential to yield economically significant concentrations for future commercial operations.
From a technical perspective, Ivana Gateway’s success lies in its remarkable consistency with the “roll-front” deposit model, which has already been successfully tested at the original Ivana deposit.
Mineralization occurs in reduced, organic-rich sandstone horizons, a geological signature that allows experts to predict the location of uranium accumulation fronts with greater accuracy.
Additionally, the association with pathfinder elements such as molybdenum, tungsten, and silver reinforces the interpretation of a robust and extensive system that follows the same geochemical patterns as the higher-grade zones already discovered in the region.
A key factor enhancing the commercial appeal of this discovery is Ivana Gateway’s strategic location, within trucking distance to the main Ivana deposit. This proximity is critical in any mining project’s economics, allowing centralized processing infrastructure and significantly reducing both capital and operating costs.
Financial and operational backing for this ambitious exploration program comes from a strong strategic partnership through Ivana Minerales S.A., a joint venture with Abatare Spain, S.L.U. Under this “earn-in” agreement, the strategic partner is committed to investing significant sums to advance the project toward feasibility and commercial production, ensuring that technical development has the resources necessary to maintain an accelerated pace of discovery.
This business structure not only mitigates risk for Blue Sky but also provides a clear path toward monetizing its assets in Río Negro.
Promising second phase under way
Looking ahead, the company is already executing the second phase of its drilling program, focusing on the western sector of the target, where induced polarization (IP) geophysical studies detected even stronger chargeability anomalies than those already drilled.
The market is closely watching for these new results, which could establish Ivana Gateway as a key piece in the Amarillo Grande district’s uranium puzzle.