Amarc, Freeport expand high-grade B.C. copper-gold deposit
Amarc Resources Ltd. [AHR-TSXV, AXREF-OTCQB] and Freeport-McMoran Inc. [FCX-NYSE] continue to expand the high-grade AuRora deposit at Amarc’s 100%-owned JOY Copper-Gold District in north-central British Columbia.
Drilling at Aurora in 2024 discovered high-grade near-surface copper-gold-silver mineralization with exceptional vertical and lateral continuity. Amarc believes the discovery of AuRora is potentially key to the emergence of a world class porphyry copper-gold district in B.C.’s Toodoggone region.
Amarc said 24 drill holes (9,687 metres) were completed at the AuRora deposit in 2025. That includes 23 expansion step-out holes drilled over an area measuring 1.0 kilometre by 1.0 kilometre. “Assays results from six holes completed on Sections 8000N and 8100N announced Monday have successfully expanded AuRora by 200 metres to the north,’’ the company said in a press release. “The deposit remains open to further expansion to the north, east of west of Section 8000N and 8100N, with assay data pending from additional 2025 drill holes located further to the north,’’ the company said. Assays are now being received from the total 35 holes drilled in 2025 across the JOY District.
Drilling highlights include 126 metres of 0.97 g/t gold, 0.32% copper and 4.8 g/t silver including 61 metres of 1.24 g/t gold, 0.47% copper and 7.8 g/t silver. Other highlights from Sections 8000N to 8100 N include 231 metres of 0.83 g/t gold, 0.22% copper, and 2.3 g/t silver, including 141 metres of 1.11 g/t gold, 0.31% copper and 3.0 g/t silver.
“The AuRora porphyry copper-gold-silver deposit discovery is a game changer for Amarc, the Toodoggone District and British Columbia,’’ said Amarc President and CEO Diane Nicolson. “Not only are the previously announced near-surface high grade results some of the highest porphyry grades ever intercepted in the province, they have been encountered in younger volcanic rocks than those hosting the Kemess porphyry deposits on the property immediately south of JOY, indicating that these younger volcanics are highly prospective and, as such, notably increase the exploration potential across the JOY District.”
Amarc is advancing the JOY, DUKE, and IKE porphyry copper-gold districts located in different porphyry regions of northern, central and southern B.C. respectively.
Freeport McMoran Mineral Properties Canada Inc., a unit of U.S. mining giant Freeport-McMoran Inc. [FCX-NYSE] at JOY and Boliden Mineral Canada Ltd., an entity within the Boliden Group of companies at DUKE, can earn up to a 70% interest in each district by making up to $110 million and $90 million in staged payments respectively. Together, this provides Amarc with potentially up to $200 million in non-share dilutive staged funding for these Districts. In addition, Amarc completed self-funded drilling at the Empress copper-gold deposit in the IKE District in 2024.
On Monday, Amarc shares were unchanged at $1.11 and currently trade in a 52-week range of $1.41 and 16.5 cents.
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