Midland Exploration identifies new gold-bearing boulders at Caniapisc Gold Project, Quebec
Midland Exploration Inc. [TSXV: MD] reported results from the first phase of its summer exploration program on its Caniapisc gold project, in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay and Caniapiscau regions, northern Quebec. The Caniapisc Au project is wholly owned by Midland and consists of 315 exclusive exploration rights (EER) covering an area of 159 km2.
Highlights: The 2026 first phase exploration program successfully identified several new gold-bearing boulders, with a maximum value of 15.8 g/t Au on a selected boulder grab sample in a new area;
A total of nine selected boulder grab samples returned gold values exceeding 0.5 g/t Au, including five values greater than 1.0 g/t Au.
The Au-Zn-Ag-Mn signature continues to be present in the south of the project. LiDAR and high-resolution imagery successfully used to identify potential boulder fields and outcrops on the project.
The multiphase 2026 exploration program included three phases of prospecting, soil sampling and a LiDAR and high-resolution imagery survey. The three phases prospecting program targeted the 2025 gold-bearing mineralized boulders area, unexplained soil anomalies, electromagnetic (EM) airborne anomalies, and identified induced polarization (IP) anomalies.
The early summer exploration program was completed and this first phase included geological mapping, prospecting, soil sampling and completion of the LiDAR survey. The LiDAR survey and its high-resolution imagery were successful in identifying sectors susceptible to contain boulder fields or possible outcrops and were used to prioritize the prospecting areas.
Outcrops continue to be sparse due to the glacial deposits cover, so boulder prospecting combined to geophysics remains the effective exploration technique for this environment. A total of 152 selected grab samples and 532 soil samples were collected during this campaign. From these rock samples, five show values greater than 1.0 g/t Au with a maximum of 15.8 g/t Au, four are between 0.5 and 1.0 g/t Au, while 18 others returned values between 0.1 and 0.5 g/t Au. B-horizon soil sample results are pending.
Samples with analytical values exceeding 1.0 g/t Au were collected from angular boulders. The maximum result of 15.8 g/t Au was obtained from a selected grab sample of a boulder of banded amphibolite containing a pyritic quartz vein.
The 15.4 g/t Au value was obtained from a selected grab sample of a boulder of a felsic gneiss. These boulders highlight a new area of interest about 2.5 km northeast of the 2025 Au-Zn-Mn-Ag and Au-Zn-Ag-(Pb)-bearing boulders and also near the fuchsite bearing boulder that returned 6.47 g/t Au when resampled.
Also, three amphibolite and gneissic outcrops in this new area returned gold values between 0.20 and 0.12 g/t Au. New Au-Ag-Zn-(Pb)-bearing boulders were again identified in the southern portion of the project, where several IP chargeability anomalies were found. Selected boulder grab sample C2449722 returned values of 2.46 g/t Au, >100 g/t Ag, 0.8% Zn, >5000 ppm Pb, and 7.7% MnO.
These values, combined with low sulfur contents, again points towards the Au-Zn-Mn-Ag association observed in 2025 and the presence of these additional boulders could suggest that these manganese garnets (spessartine) boulders have a local source. New gold-bearing boulders (>1.0 g/t Au) were also identified close to chargeability anomalies. However, these IP anomalies remain unexplained, due to the absence of outcrops in this area.
These new mineralized boulders will add to further understanding the geological context and refine the boulder dispersal train. Additionally, two more phases of prospecting were conducted in August and September. Results are pending.
The Caniapisc gold project lies south of the Caniapiscau Reservoir and is geologically located within the Ashuanipi Subprovince, a lesser-known and explored portion of the Archean Superior Province. The project is more specifically located in the Raynouard Complex, characterized by a 50-km-long volcanosedimentary belt comprising bimodal volcanic sequences, metasedimentary rocks and iron formations. Historical exploration work, to the south of the Caniapisc Au project, highlights the potential of the Raynouard Complex with the presence of volcanogenic Cu-Zn-Ag-Au and porphyry Cu-Au-Ag-Mo mineralization.
The Caniapisc Au project is strategically located north of these showings, where a historical 2014 till sampling survey identified gold anomalies. Results from five till samples in 2025 confirm the historical gold-in-till anomalies.
The 2025 exploration programs on the Caniapisc Au project included geological mapping, prospecting, soil sampling, and a magnetic and electromagnetic geophysical survey. These programs successfully identified several Au-Zn-Mn-Ag and Au-Zn-Ag-(Pb)-bearing boulders within a 2-km radius up-ice from gold-in-till anomalies where 16 selected grab samples yielded values greater than 2.0 g/t Au, including a sample returning 24.5 g/t Au.
While boulders are mostly observed until now in the project area, an amphibolite outcrop in the south-western part of the project returned a value of 0.56 g/t Au from a selected grab sample. A 2,001-kilometre magnetic and electromagnetic geophysical survey covering the Caniapisc Au project was completed and the final data is being evaluated to further understand the geological and structural context of the project.
Midland has partners such as Rio Tinto Exploration Canada Inc., BHP Canada Inc., Centerra Gold Inc., Barrick Mining Corp., Agnico Eagle Mines Limited, Wallbridge Mining Company Ltd., Fresnillo plc, Electric Elements Mining Corp., SOQUEM Inc., Nunavik Mineral Exploration Fund, and Abcourt Mines Inc.
Management is currently reviewing other opportunities and projects to build up Midland’s portfolio and generate shareholder value.