Copper Fox Metals updates Van Dyke ISCR Project, Arizona
Copper Fox Metals Inc. [TSXV: CUU; OTCQX: CPFXF; FSE: HPU], through its wholly owned subsidiary Desert Fox Van Dyke Co., provided an update on the Van Dyke ISCR Project located in the Globe-Miami Mining District, Gila County, Arizona. Preparation of the preliminary economic assessment (PEA) and development of the 3-D numerical groundwater flow model continues to advance at a steady pace.
The Van Dyke copper project is recognized as a potential near term, mid-size, environmentally friendly, sustainable copper project with a 17-year mine life and a production capacity of 85 million pounds of Grade A 99.99% pure copper cathode per year located in the center of the prolific Miami-Inspiration Mining District, approximately 90 miles east of the recently commissioned Florence ISCR copper project.
Activities: Locations for the underground access to the deposit, SX-EW plant and related infrastructure have been selected. An updated mineral resource estimate (MRE) to support the PEA is planned.
A preliminary semi-regional 3-D groundwater flow model has been constructed; calibration of the model is in progress. Two additional hydrogeological monitoring and groundwater sampling sites are expected to come online in May 2026.
Elmer B. Stewart, President and CEO of Copper Fox, stated, “We are pleased with the progress of the PEA and look forward to preparation of an updated MRE that could potentially impact both the resource classification and amount of contained soluble copper in the deposit. The preliminary groundwater flow modelling, which has benefitted significantly from the vast amount of available hydrogeological data from the greater Miami area, is progressing and expected to better inform predicting the “sweep” efficiency, (essentially a measure of how effectively the leaching fluid contacts and dissolves the soluble copper minerals from a deposit) and future copper production.”
The updated PEA will be prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 standards. Moose Mountain Technical Services will manage preparation of the PEA supported by RGC Hydro Services LLC, Samuels Engineering, and Stantec. This PEA team has considerable direct experience with advanced stage ISCR copper projects in Arizona including the recently commissioned Florence ISCR copper mine located approximately 90 miles west of the Van Dyke project.
Updated MRE: A total of 369 samples has been collected from 29 drillholes from the lower Oxide and Transitional mineral zones within the Van Dyke deposit to fill in gaps in previously sampled intervals, close open-ended mineralized intervals and previously unsampled drillholes, including DDH M-2. The Transitional zone of the Van Dyke deposit is a mixture of acid soluble minerals (malachite, azurite, chrysocolla) and chalcocite, a secondary copper sulphide.
The 3D geological block model and construction of the preliminary groundwater flow model for the Bloody Tanks drainage basin and the Van Dyke project have been completed. The 3D geological block model focussed on regional scale structures that may affect groundwater flow within the modelled area and forms the basis for advancing the groundwater flow modelling. Populating the groundwater flow model with all available hydrogeological data and calibration of the model
Two additional hydrogeology and groundwater sampling sites to measure hydrostatic changes and sampling for water quality purposes are expected to be on-line by the end of May 2026. These sites increase the density of sample sites within the sampling grid across the project and allow for the collection of additional data to measure the variation in the hydrostatic parameters and water quality across the property.
Skyline Assayers and Laboratories Inc., located in Tucson, Arizona, will complete the sample preparation and analysis for the Van Dyke samples. sulfide, and residual copper fractions in the samples.
Copper Fox is focused on copper development and exploration in the United States and Canada. Copper Fox and its subsidiaries own 100% of the Van Dyke ISCR project, a development stage, potential near term, mid-size copper mine in Arizona and a 25% interest in the Schaft Creek Joint Venture with Teck Resources Limited (75% interest and Operator) which hosts the Schaft Creek copper-gold-molybdenum-silver project in British Columbia’s Golden Triangle.
In addition, Copper Fox owns 100% of the resource stage Eaglehead polymetallic porphyry copper project in northwestern British Columbia and the Sombrero Butte and Mineral Mountain advanced exploration stage porphyry copper projects located in the prolific Laramide age copper province in Arizona.