Selkirk Copper Mines has announced a significant high-grade copper-gold-silver discovery at its flagship Minto Project in Yukon, Canada, following exceptional results from its recently completed Phase 1 drilling campaign and the rapid advancement of its ongoing Phase 2 program.
The latest drilling has confirmed the discovery of the newly identified 301 Lens beneath the Area 118 zone, revealing some of the highest-grade mineralization encountered across the project in recent years. The standout intercept came from drill hole 26SCM157, which returned 4.39% copper, 7.60 g/t gold, and 21.07 g/t silver over 4.1 metres, within a broader interval grading 1.56% copper, 2.26 g/t gold, and 7.63 g/t silver over 15.7 metres.
Even more impressive were individual one-metre samples rich in bornite mineralization that delivered grades of up to 4.6% copper, 23.1 g/t gold, and 26.4 g/t silver, placing them among the highest precious-metal values ever recorded at the Minto property. The discovery represents a major milestone for Selkirk Copper as it continues to unlock additional value from one of Canada’s most historically productive copper-gold districts.
Area 118 Discovery Opens New Resource Expansion Opportunity
Area 118 is located south of previous open-pit operations and initially attracted attention after geological modelling identified unexplored anomalies beneath known near-surface resources.
The drilling campaign successfully confirmed the presence of the 301 Lens, a newly discovered high-grade mineralized body located approximately 100 to 140 metres below existing resources. The lens has now been traced across an area measuring roughly 500 by 300 metres, with mineralized thicknesses ranging from 4 to 20 metres.
Geologists believe the discovery may represent part of a larger stacked-lens mineralization system similar to those identified elsewhere across the Minto mining district.
The mineralization consists primarily of bornite and chalcopyrite hosted within altered granodiorite rocks. Bornite-rich zones have consistently delivered the strongest copper and gold grades, suggesting the potential for additional high-value discoveries as drilling continues.
Another significant advantage is the lens’s location near existing underground infrastructure. New intercepts occur within approximately 300 metres of historical underground development, potentially creating future mining opportunities with relatively low capital requirements.
Minto East Delivers Deepest High-Grade Mineralization Ever Drilled
Exploration success was not limited to Area 118. Drilling at Minto East continues to expand multiple stacked mineralized lenses and has revealed high-grade mineralization at depths never previously tested.
One of the most important results came from hole 26SCM134, which intersected:
- 3.77% copper
- 6.74 g/t gold
- 23.68 g/t silver
over 3.8 metres, within a broader interval grading:
- 1.38% copper
- 2.34 g/t gold
- 8.67 g/t silver
over 11.3 metres.
This mineralization was encountered at nearly 640 metres below surface, making it the deepest high-grade intercept ever drilled at Minto. Previous drilling at the project rarely extended beyond 500 metres, highlighting the possibility that significant high-grade resources remain undiscovered at depth. Several intercepts also occur close to historical underground workings, increasing the potential for future low-cost extraction opportunities.
117 Lens Emerges as Another Important Discovery
In the central mine area, drilling between the historical Minto Main Pit and Area 2 Pit has led to the discovery of another new mineralized body known as the 117 Lens.
The newly identified zone contains broad intervals of copper-gold-silver mineralization as well as higher-grade cores. One of the best results came from hole 26SCM142, which returned:
2.93% copper, 1.50 g/t gold, and 16.37 g/t silver over 5.0 metres. The lens has currently been outlined over an area of approximately 300 by 250 metres and remains open toward the west.
A significant step-out hole drilled 150 metres beyond previous limits also intersected nearly 48 metres of mineralization, suggesting additional expansion potential beyond the currently defined boundaries.
Minto North Continues to Produce Strong Copper-Gold Results
Drilling at Minto North has further expanded the high-grade 202 Lens, one of the strongest mineralized zones identified during the exploration program. The standout intercept from hole 26SCM131 returned:
3.56% copper, 2.34 g/t gold, and 21.42 g/t silver over 3.7 metres, within a broader interval grading 0.89% copper, 0.49 g/t gold, and 4.84 g/t silver over 21.7 metres.
The 202 Lens has been traced across a footprint of approximately 300 by 400 metres and reaches thicknesses of up to 30 metres. High-grade mineralization is closely associated with bornite and chalcopyrite-rich zones, supporting the project’s growing reputation as a premium copper-gold-silver deposit.
Ridgetop Offers Near-Surface Mining Potential
While deeper discoveries continue to attract attention, the Ridgetop area is emerging as an important source of potential near-surface resources. Drilling has consistently intersected broad zones of mineralization close to surface, including hole 26SCM137, which returned:
0.46% copper, 0.14 g/t gold, and 1.57 g/t silver over 69.6 metres beginning just 13.7 metres below surface. The shallow nature of the mineralization could support future open-pit mining scenarios with minimal waste stripping requirements and lower operating costs.
Phase 2 Program Accelerates Toward 50,000-Metre Target
Following the success of Phase 1, Selkirk Copper launched an ambitious 50,000-metre Phase 2 drilling campaign in May 2026.
The company has already completed approximately 14,000 metres in 59 drill holes, representing nearly 28% of the planned program after only one month of operations.
Four drill rigs are currently active, achieving an impressive average productivity rate of 120 metres per day per drill, significantly above Phase 1 performance levels.
The expanded program is focused on:
- Resource expansion
- Infill drilling
- Geotechnical studies
- Geometallurgical testing
- Feasibility study support
- Mine planning optimization
Initial assay results from the Phase 2 campaign are expected later this summer and throughout the fall.
Yukon Project Positioned for Significant Growth
According to President and CEO Colin Joudrie, the Phase 1 program successfully expanded existing mineralized zones, identified multiple new high-grade lenses, and demonstrated that substantial discovery potential remains throughout the broader Minto district.
The company is now incorporating the latest drilling results into an updated Mineral Resource Estimate and Preliminary Economic Assessment, both expected to be completed in mid-2026.
With multiple new discoveries, expanding high-grade zones, growing exploration success at depth, and an aggressive follow-up drilling campaign already underway, the Minto Project is rapidly emerging as one of the most exciting copper-gold development stories in North America.
As global demand for copper, gold, and critical raw materials continues to rise due to electrification, renewable energy expansion, and advancing industrial technologies, Selkirk Copper appears increasingly well positioned to capitalize on the next generation of resource development opportunities.
