EXPLORATION UPDATE – 2018 Phase II Cobalt Drilling Program In Ontario, Canada

Vancouver, BC – November 14th, 2018 –Surge Exploration Inc. (“the Company” or “Surge”) (TSXV: SUR, OTC: SURJF, FRA: DJ5C) is pleased to announce an update on the 2018 Exploration Program for its Ontario Cobalt Properties (Teledyne and Glencore Bucke Properties) situated in Bucke & Lorraine Townships, 6 km east-northeast of Cobalt, Ontario.  The 2018 Exploration Program was originally announced on September 25th, 2018 and commenced on October 1st, 2018 on the Glencore Bucke Property.  

“We are very pleased with the results so far on the Ontario Cobalt Phase 2 diamond drilling program.” commented Tim Fernback, Surge President and CEO. “We have successfully drilled 24 holes to date, totalling 2,545.5 m (8,351 ft) on Glencore Bucke Property and we have moved one of the drill rigs to the neighbouring Teledyne Cobalt Property to continue the 2018 exploration program.  We plan to finish the drilling program in mid-December, sending approximately 2,000 samples to the assay lab for analysis.”

At the Teledyne Cobalt Property, an additional 2,495 m (8,186 ft) of diamond drilling is planned with 13 proposed drill holes.   The drilling at Teledyne is generally deeper than at the Glencore Bucke Property, with drill holes planned at roughly a 200 m (656 ft.) depth compared to shallower drill depths of 60 – 100 m (197 – 328 ft) at the Glencore Bucke Property.  Mr. Fernback further comments “Once we get the assay results of the Phase 2 exploration program, we prepare a Phase 3 diamond drilling program for both Ontario Cobalt Properties for 2019.  This work will form the basis of the work required to complete a NI 43‐101 compliant resource estimation.”

The 2018 exploration program currently has a crew of nine people working and two drill rigs active on the Cobalt Ontario properties.  Surge management believes that the 2018 exploration program is on track to completed by the end of the year, with assay results coming back from the lab at the beginning of 2019.   

Historical Work Completed 

Glencore Bucke Property

In 1981, Teledyne Canada Ltd., completed 36 diamond drill holes totaling 10,903 ft (3,323.3 m) on the Property, and delineated two mineralized zones, named the Main Zone and Northwest Zone, measuring 500 ft (152.4 m) and 200 ft (70.0 m) in length respectively (Bresee, 1982). Based on the surface drill program completed by Teledyne, historical reserves of 60,000 tons in the geologically inferred category, and 15,000 tons in the probable category, at an average grade of 0.45% Co, 3.0 oz/t Ag was estimated (Linn, 1983). 

Teledyne Property

From 1979 through to 1980, Teledyne Canada Ltd., completed 6 surface diamond drill holes and 22 underground diamond drills for an aggregate of 3,160.8 m (10,370 ft.) on the Teledyne Cobalt Property. Based on the surface and underground diamond drill programs, historical reserves of 60,000 tons in the geologically inferred category, and 40,000 tons in the probable category, at an average grade of 0.45% Co, 0.6 oz/t Ag was estimated (Linn, 1983). 

It should be noted that the reserve estimates above are historical estimates as defined by National Instrument 43-101. The historical reserve estimates contain categories that are not consistent with current CIM definitions. A qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. No attempt was made to reconcile the historical reserve calculations as reported by Teledyne Canada Ltd.. Surge is not treating the historical reserve estimate as a current mineral resource or mineral reserve.

QA/QC Program

Surge Exploration Inc. has implemented a quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) program for both the Glencore Bucke and Teledyne Property drill programs.

Diamond drill core was logged, then split  in half, with one half placed in a labelled bag, and the remaining half placed back into the core box and stored in a secured compound. A blank and a standard were inserted in the sampling sequence at every 26th and 27th place.  All samples were shipped to Activation Laboratories in Ancaster, Ontario. Each sample is coarsely crushed and a 250 g aliquot is pulverized for analysis. A 0.25g sample is digested with a near total digestion (4 acid) and then analyzed using an ICP. QC for the digestion is 14% for each batch, 5 method reagent blanks, 10 in‐house controls, 10 samples duplicates, and 8 certified reference materials. An additional 13% QC is performed as part of the instrumental analysis to ensure quality in the areas of instrumental drift. If over limits for Cu, Pb, Zn, and Co are encountered, a sodium peroxide fusion, acid dissolution followed by ICP‐OES is completed. For Ag over limits, a four‐acid digestion is completed followed by ICP‐OES.

The Company also announces the appointment of Tina Whyte as Corporate Secretary, replacing Lori Pavle who has resigned for personal reasons.  Tina Whyte has resumed her duties with Surge as Corporate Secretary.

Qualified Person

The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved Joerg Kleinboeck, P.Geo., an independent consulting geologist and a qualified person as defined in NI 43‐101.

About Surge Exploration Inc. 

The Company is a Canadian-based mineral exploration company which has been active in the resource sector in British Columbia and elsewhere in Canada.  The Company has an exploration office in Santiago, Chile to review mineral exploration opportunities in Chile and elsewhere in South America.

Ontario Cobalt Properties (Cobalt):

The Company has an option to earn an undivided 60% interest in the Glencore Bucke Property and the Teledyne Property, located in Cobalt, Ontario Canada.

Incahuasi Lithium Project (Lithium Brine):

The property is located on the northernmost section of the Incahuasi salar, 75 km southeast from both the town of Tilomonte, Chile and the Salar de Atacama, where mining is the largest economic activity, and the mining industry is one of the region’s major employers.  The Incahuasi salar is located on the national border between Chile and Argentina at an elevation of 3,260 m.  The Incahuasi Lithium Project consists of 10 mineral exploration concessions totalling 2,300 hectares.  Bordering this property, in Argentina, is a 9,843 hectare lithium exploration property held by Advantage Lithium (TSX-V: AAL OTCQB: AVLIF).  The option on this project is subject to TSXV approval.

Atacama Cobalto Project (Cobalt Copper):

The Atacama Cobalto Project is located in the Atacama Province in northern Chile, 15 km northwest of the town of Copiapó, where mining is the largest economic activity, and the mining industry is one of the region’s major employers. The Atacama Cobalto Project consists of 1,059 hectares and is located only 3 km East of the Cerro Iman Mine.  To date, CAP Minería has drilled over 20,250 m on the Atacama Cobalto Project.

The area of interest hosts several other mining companies and is situated near the mylonitic corridor that is part of the Atacama Fault System that hosts many of the IOCG deposits in northern Chile. The Atacama Cobalto Project corresponds to a “cobalt anomalous IOCG” associated with the geographic area. The Atacama Cobalto Project benefits from access to excellent infrastructure, including port access, energy supply, and access through the Pan American Highway. The option on this project is subject to TSXV approval.

Hedge Hog Property, (Copper Gold) British Columbia

The Company has an option to earn an undivided 60% interest seven mineral tenure covering 2,418 hectares (5,972 acres) located approximately 80 km northeast of the town of Quesnel, BC and 20 km north of the historic gold mining towns of Wells and Barkerville.  

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

“Tim Fernback”

Tim Fernback
President & CEO