Imperial Metals releases B.C. mine exploration update
Imperial Metals Corp. (III-TSX) has released an exploration update from its 100%-owned Huckleberry mine in west-central British Columbia. The company said all nine drill holes of the 2025 diamond drilling program, totalling 1,743 metres, intersected copper, molybdenum, silver and gold mineralization. The company said hole MZ-25-1 intersected an elevated gold interval of 22.6 metres of 0.23 g/t gold from 73.7 to 96.3 metres.
On Friday, Imperial shares rose 1.3% or $0.07 to $5.32. The shares trade in a 52-week range of $5.34 and $1.19.
Imperial is a mine development and operating company with a portfolio that includes Huckleberry, the 100%-owned Mount Polley mine and 30%-owned Red Chris mine. All three are located in British Columbia.
The Huckleberry mine operated from 1997 to 2016, when it was placed on care and maintenance due to low copper prices. While the mine is currently inactive, it remains an exploration target for the company.
The 2025 drill program at Huckleberry tested an underexplored area southeast of the Main Zone pit. Angled diamond drill holes were designed to intersect the southern contact between the Main Zone intrusive stock and the surrounding host volcanic rock. Historically, the bulk of ore mined from the Main Zone occurred near this contact in the volcanic rock east and northeast of the Main Zone stock.
The 2025 drilling expands upon and infills the Main Zone mineral resource to the southwest. In its lates press release, the company said the program was successful in intersecting some higher-grade mineralization at relatively shallow depths.
The company said historic drilling (pre-2020) at Huckleberry was not assayed for gold and silver. However, gold and silver were recovered and were present at payable levels in all the copper concentrate produced at Huckleberry. “Gold and silver assay results from the 2025 drilling and the resampling of 18 historic holes from the Main Zone will be included in the block model for the Main Zone deposit and will enable gold and silver values to be integrated into mine planning.
Hole MZ-25-1 intersected 0.50% copper, 0.005 molybdenum, 1.80 g/t silver and 0.14 g/t gold from 73.7 metres to 126.4 metres, including 0.81% copper, 0.007% molybdenum, 2.15 g/t silver and 0.23 g/t gold from 73.7 metres to 96.3 metres.
Imperial said three step out drill holes totalling 1,870 metres were completed during the 2025 exploration program at the Whiting Creek prospect, which is part of Huckleberry, but located 8.5 kilometres north of the Huckleberry mill. The company has described Whiting Creek as a significant copper-molybdenum exploration target.
Drill holes WC-25-1 and WC-25- were step out holes and targeted a historic soil anomaly to the east of the Creek Zone. Both holes intersected broad zones of low-grade copper and molybdenum mineralization.
Meanwhile, the company said site personnel continue to focus on maintaining site access, water management, maintenance of the site infrastructure and equipment, and mine permit compliance. Work is also planned in 2025 to investigate and update the tailings facility design for Huckleberry.
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